Getting elevated for overland and vehicle-based adventure with a Rancho Suspension upgrade on a Toyota FJ Cruiser

Rancho Suspension, one of the oldest off-road suspension companies, was founded in Long Beach, California in the 1950s in Long Beach, Calif., as Rancho Jeep Supply. Clarence Shook and his sons, Gene and Keith, expanded Rancho into a thriving off-road and performance suspension components manufacturer, fueling the off-road industry’s growth through its bold ads. Rancho was acquired by Tenneco Inc., who manufactured Rancho’s shocks as the company’s expansion accelerated.

Rancho’s RS66903R7 2.5” Level It System for ’03-’19 Toyota Tacomas, 4Runners and FJ Cruisers raises the front suspension up to 2½”and removes front end rake. The QuickLift™ RS7000 MT monotube struts improve ride quality, and the brushed finish add a distinctive look. Sway bar spacers are included to ensure optimal angles for roll and sway. We added RS7305 rear shocks, RS70080 rear coil spring spacers, RS64903 Upper Control Arms and Eibach rear springs.

Before the install

Rancho’s tubular steel Upper Control Arms (UCA) are designed to maintain the ball joints in their operating range, aiding alignment through added wheel travel and caster. With zerk fittings for easy maintenance, replaceable ball joints and urethane control arm bushings, Rancho’s UCAs are finished with a durable black powder coat.

Using Eibach’s E30-82-073-01-02 PRO-LIFT-KIT rear springs, we added ground and fender clearance, improved off-road capability and on-road stability, particularly when towing our Sherpa trailer.

We chose Toyo LT265/70R17 Open Country M/Ts for durability, impact resistance, tread life, and off-road performance, although we could’ve gone bigger as Liberty Tire’s Toby Huston advised. The M/Ts tread pattern improves traction and enhances grip in muddy, sandy, or snowy conditions, while improving off-road handling in hard turns. In addition, deep siping helps maintain grip on wet roads.

Black Rock wheels are function-forward, purpose-inspired wheels for trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Black Rock offers numerous styles with offsets, backspacing and bolt patterns to fit a variety of off-road vehicles. We selected their Series 909B Type D 1-piece cast aluminum wheels in 17”x 8” all around with a tough matte black finish that’s perfect for overlanding. Here’s the build, step by step: