The stock rear links on the 5th Gen are prone to bushing failure, axle instability, limited articulation, and bending under extreme load, making them a common weak point for those who really push the limits. To fix this, Built Right Fab offers a chromoly rear link set, designed, welded, and assembled in San Diego, CA. They are also adjustable, so if you’re looking to push your axle back to clear 37″ tires, these will help. That’s my primary reason for buying these. I needed to push my axle back about 1″ to clear the inner sheet metal on the fender wells.
Built Right’s set is made from 4130 chromoly tubing: 1.5″ for the lower links and 1.25″ for the upper link, all TIG-welded for enhanced strength. For connection points, they use 7/8″ FK heim joints with greaseable poly bushings on the lowers and a 3/4″ FK heim joint on the uppers. Built Right Fab also machines their misalignment spacers in-house, ensuring a precise fit with the factory hardware and pivots. The links are powder-coated in metallic flake gunmetal gray, adding extra durability and a polished finish. With this mod, you will see improved articulation, durability, stability, and control.
Built Right has been around for a couple of decades. They started building custom pre-runners and later moved to upper and lower control arms. They’re currently working on a pretty extensive line for late-model Toyota trucks: uppers, links, billet grab handles, parts for KDSS 4Runners, suspension kits, and more.
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Table Of Contents
Chromoly Powder-Coated Links
The links are made of 4130 chromoly tubing: 1.5″ OD for the lower links and 1.25″ OD for the upper link, all TIG-welded for enhanced strength. They’re finished in a high-quality powder with goldish-white flakes. The bottom of the lower link also has a reinforcement gusset to strengthen the link and withstand big hits on rocks. If a rock does hit the link on the bottom pivot, it’s likely to hit the gusset first, which would prevent the brackets and tube from getting mangled.
FK Heims
The 1.5″ OD lower link features a 7/8″ FK heim and the 1.25″ OD upper link features a 3/4″ heim.
Poly Bushings
Both the upper and lower links feature polyurethane bushings. I have a bit of grease on the outside of the bushing to make the installation go in easier.
Greaseable
All the links are greaseable via the four provided Zerk fittings.
Installation Overview
DISCLAIMER: The correct method for installing rear links is to securely set the frame on jack stands at all four corners, ensuring the vehicle is stable with no tires mounted. If you choose to push the limits by leaving the front tires on, you must chock them before lifting the rear and removing the links. Removing and installing one link at a time is acceptable, but if you remove both lower OEM links before installing a new link on one side, the frame may begin pulling away from the rear axle, making installation difficult or, worse, causing your truck to roll away. Installation of the new links is much easier if you have both rear tires removed and the rear of the frame supported by jack stands. With the frame supported and the axle free, you can push the axle back by hand and adjust the lower/upper link heims easily.
Before you start the installation, determine how far you want to push your axle back. Adjust your heims according to the length of your OEM links. I wanted to push my axle back about 1″, so I set the eyelet to eyelet about 1″ apart. It’s not an exact 1:1 ratio, but it’s close enough.
Once you have adjusted your Built Right links, gently set the jam nut and install them. Repeat this for each one.
Pinion Angle
On a 4Runner with a linked rear suspension, pinion angle is important for maintaining driveline smoothness and reducing wear on U-joints. A small 1″ change in link length typically won’t cause major issues due to the suspension geometry compensating well. In our experience, being about 1° down from ideal caused no noticeable vibration at the steering wheel. However, it’s still best to ensure the pinion angle stays within 1-2° of ideal to avoid potential driveline issues, especially for highway driving.
OEM Links With 37″ Tires
Before the installation, we had only 2.75″ of clearance at ride height between the tire lugs and the inner fender well. This caused severe rubbing during suspension compression events, ultimately requiring us to remove the fender flares and trim back the rocker panel plastics.
Adjustable Links With 37″ Tires
After the installation and pushing our axle back around 1″, we ended up with just over 3.25″ of clearance from the lugs to the inner fender well. So, although we didn’t pull a full 1″ of clearance, the clearance is better. Now we just need to go push the 4Runner around and test the clearance.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a high-end set of links for your 4Runner, this is an excellent choice. Unlike the complete TC kit, this set doesn’t include a track bar, which makes it more affordable and gives you the flexibility to choose your own track bar setup. However, it does have a minor drawback: the lower links lack an e-brake line bracket. After reaching out to Built Right, they confirmed that newer versions will feature bolt-on brackets to reinstall the OEM line.
The standout advantage of these links over TC is their superior strength and build quality. Made from 4130 Chromoly and TIG welded, they offer a higher quality unit compared to TC’s 4130 MIG-welded option.
