Here's the deal. I want to lift 2002 sr5 4wd. I'm looking at an OME complete set up with SPC uca's to get approximately a 3" lift to be able to put 285/70/17's underneath it using a (-12) offset so they stick out about 1.5" or so. Here's my dilemma, this is for my 16yr old daughter, it's her first vehicle and o know she won't be off roading. We live in the VA beach area, so she may go in the sand in North Carolina and that's about it. So I'm thinking I could achieve the same look using the spacer kits I've seen and just replacing the stock springs with new shocks die to wear and mileage. Not sure if I have to get extended shocks, but I will if needed and extended brake lines as well. It'll be a daily driver and to spend approximately $1800 on a lift kit she won't really use is giving me a hard time. Please let me know what you think about doing the spacer thing given her use.

To be blunt I think the idea of lifting your 16 year old daughter's first vehicle is ****ing stupid.

This.

I would think that IF it's really necessary to lift a 16 yr olds first vehicle (does not sound wise but you do you) you would want to spend the extra cash to be sure the geometry is proper, and she has a safe, well handling, well mannered vehicle.

As a father of 3 girls I taught to drive, keep it stock. Rising the COG for a new driver is a bad idea

I agree with Everyone above, first vehicles should be stock, mild and easy to drive and hopefully won't end up as pinatas.

I'd keep the tires stock, it will handle much better but if you really want a mild lift do a Body Lift instead.

It still raises COG but by about 2/3 less due to only the body being lifted, all else stays put, doesn't affect suspension geometry either.

Oh and its far cheaper than your current choices. Fat Pats and others exist as parts suppliers.

Luck, hope She enjoys the Runner for a very long time.

I used the polly lift with new factory shocks, new springs on 96RedRunner for couple years. This was back when Toyota had a recall for rear spring sag (2000)
so I purchased new front springs only. Was a pavement DD during this time.

I wouldn't do it for safety reasons on high milage springs with the change of COG. Had 265-75-16 tires, net lift was probably 2".

Both my daughter and son learned to drive with this setup, all survived the experience, Lol. Every kid is different, results can vary with new driver learning curve.
Good Luck!!

You want to do your daughter a favor to ensure her safety? Buy her a five speed. Driving a vehicle with a clutch keeps the driver engaged, leaving less time for texting, etc. Both of my kids actually took their road tests in a manual trans vehicle. The examiners were very impressed.

And, yes, say no to the lift.

I had a customer about 20 years ago who bought his son a late model Audi as his first car which he promptly totalled. Then he bought him a late model Saab, which he totalled. When he showed up with a gold mid 80's Chevy Celebrity station wagon for inspection and told me the story of the previous vehicles. I told him that maybe it would have been a better idea to start with the Chevy. I think lifting the 4Runner 3" and putting bigger tires on a new driver's vehicle thus changing the center of gravity, handling characteristics and making the speedo read lower speed than you are actually going is not a good idea. The stock ride height and tire size is more than adequate for daily driving, snow storms, beach driving, mild off-roading etc. Hell, you could do that with a Subaru.
If you really want to do this just go with 2" or 3" strut and rear coil spacers. You don't really need to change the shocks or brake lines.
Of course who am I to talk, when I first got my license I was doing rollbacks for an hour straight in a remote part of town with my dad's 78 Pontiac or driving around with like 10 people in it never wearing seatbelts of course.

All this is good food for thought. I see all of your lines of thinking and very good advice and I sincerely thank you for it. I'll probably get her used to it first before any changes. I know she's been looking at them for a while and they look sweet as I've seen many of yours out here and was looking to do the same thing. Sometimes I forget living vicariously through or with the kids isn't always a good idea....lol I guess with my older two I built them mild stop light racers I figured why not lift one? The other two didn't have a problem so why not, but you can't push the limit but much....haha You guys have been the voice of reason I didn't consider. Thank you for your input as I value it because it really wasn't something I considered. I just thought what ha would there be raising a little would be, but didn't really consider COG and roll quotient as being a factor. Maybe I'll lower it instead...lol She can hug the ground better...haha That being said, I know I'll do something to it because I'm not one to keep something stock when I get it. I'm a tinkerer so I gotta do something, exhaust for sure. Any other suggestions?

I get what you are saying, but I also remember my senior year when my 17 year old girlfriend taught my to drive stick and she could cruise that old Ford Tempo while on her cell phone and eating chicken nuggets with sweet and sour dipping sauce.

I've been thinking about this today a lot and wondering what there are so many against it actually. I'm assuming because she's new at driving and the lift gives it more sway, because if she's going straight, nothing changes.

It's the internet everybody has an opinion.

When teaching my kids driving I had two vehicles one lowered, one lifted.
I explained the difference, they experienced the difference in handling characteristics.
Both tended to drive more sensible in 4Runner than SCCA prepped Miata.
I took them wheeling with them behind the wheel, they learned how to drift a figure 8 in Miata.
Everyone is different, teach your daughter all you can and pray.

Wow! I hope you married her. Sounds like a keeper to me.

Edit - Beautiful dog, by the way. A blue merle Aussie?

IMO suspension lift. Blocks might give the truck the same look but suspension would be more practical on the long run. If your daughter won’t be doing much off-roading, then you sure can! Good luck brotha!


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