7 KDSS Mods For The 5th Gen 4Runner
Posted onLast Updated April 9, 2024
Offered for the TRD Off-Road, Trail Edition and optioned for the TRD Pro, Toyota’s KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) firms up the ride quality preventing body roll at high speeds, and allows for more articulation than non-KDSS models when off-road at low speeds. However, it leaves a lot to be desired. Several aftermarket components help alleviate some of these shortcomings.
KDSS adds interconnected hydraulic pressure lines to the outside frame and makes suspension upgrades challenging without modification. Additionally, it adds stiffer damping at just 12mph and over, making for a rough ride on fire roads at speed
Lastly, because most aftermarket lift kits are designed for non-KDSS models, many owners find that their 4Runner leans to one side after installing a new lift.
So, for the owners out there looking for support, we’ve created a reference for the top aftermarket upgrades we’ve tested that will improve the performance of your KDSS-equipped rig.
1. DR. KDSS Front Sway Bar Adapters
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- Dr. KDSS Sway Bar Adapters: Check Price
When you lift a 4Runner, angles change. The UCAs, LCAs, and sway bars often have to be readjusted. The KDSS-optioned models require further adjustment.
Since KDSS adds a secondary bar to allow for a firmer lateral ride (think body roll), the suspension now repositions the bar further backward, causing the sway bar to droop to a steeper angle. The result is a bar that positions itself incorrectly in the bushing that helps stabilize it.
The fix? Sway bar adapters. This extra plate mounts onto the original sway bar end clamp mount. It adjusts the sway bar end clamp so that the bushing runs parallel with the bar (the way it was originally designed) and pushes the bar slightly forward again to keep in alignment.
2. DR. KDSS Control Harness & Switch
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- Dr. KDSS Control Harness: Check Price
While similar to a sway bar disconnect, the bar never entirely disconnects, which would allow for more articulation in some cases.
In a normal application (without a control harness), the system’s valves are open under 12mph and closed at speeds above 12mph. Under 12mph, the KDSS valves are open, which allows for the oil/pistons to move freely through the interconnected hydraulic lines.
Why is this important? Many of us run fire roads at just a bit higher than 12mph, oftentimes with rutted tracks and slalom-type bumps that serve to reroute snowmelt streams off the road. If the valves could be opened at higher speeds, it would allow for greater ride quality and comfort when hauling down washboard roads. DR KDSS’s Control Harness & Switch allows us to do exactly that: open and close the valves at the flip of a switch.
The installation takes less than an hour, including the installation of the OEM-style switch. It also comes with instructions on how to connect to an sPOD or other style switch.
3. DR. KDSS BOTCK (Bolt-On Trackbar Correction Kit)
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- Dr. KDSS BOTCK: Check Price
Here’s another one from Dr. KDSS. The bolt-on panhard/track bar correction kit allows you to restore the OEM geometry in the rear of the 4Runner, at the bar.
At rest, the OEM angle of the bar should be 0° vertical or 180,° parallel to the ground. If you’ve lifted your 4Runner’s rear, you know this isn’t the case (except for those with a spacer kit). Dr. KDSS designed and produced a kit that not only corrects the angle but can be adjusted based on your style of ride and suspension. Plus, it’s completely bolt-on, giving the DIYer an affordable option that doesn’t require welding.
It’s available in two options: “shorty” for trucks that push their wheels and suspension outward, and “regular” for 4Runners that are lifted vertically. The regular version can adjust the bar vertically a couple of inches depending on your needs.