Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfe
Have you noticed any negatives with the spacers? Do any off road?
I'm trying to figure out what to do with mine.
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I've only owned it for 6 days, so no chance to offroad with it yet. I did drive it 1250 mostly highway miles on the stock set-up in that timeframe. I have a built 2006 Jeep LJ that I use offroad, and that will remain my serious offroad vehicle for the immediate future.
The plan with the T4R is daily driver and dog hauling duties with the occasional long distance camping/mtn biking trip. So, for me, the stock suspension is preferable for comfort reasons. The progressive stock springs certainly do "dive" initially under braking, but I accept that as a small price to pay for the on-road comfort. Others clearly disagree.
My plan was always to immediately replace the stock tires with some proper ATs. When I discovered that I could get the AT3s in a C-rating in 275/70s, I decided to go with those. The inch lift was mainly to be sure to clear those tires, although my understanding is this is not completely necessary. I'll admit I like the look as well, and a little extra clearance never hurts. The external spacers are significantly easier (and thus cheaper) to install, and at this little change in height I'm not worried about the change in suspension geometry. I debated this route vs Bilsteins set at 0.85. David (Mr. Cornfed) rec'd starting with the spacers and seeing how I liked them. It was the right call for me.
The tires did firm up the ride a bit, and I am now very happy with the set-up. The stock tires defintely contributed to the "wallowing" feel. If you are going to replace the tires, I suggest doing that first. If you feel the suspension system is tight enough at that point, the spacer lift should be fine. If not, Bilsteins it is.
All of this said, I would only recommend a spacer lift of 1" or less. Anything taller than that, in my opinion, really ought to have some better shocks and/or springs.
Best of luck. This forum is invaluable for information, but it all comes down to what you need in the end. There are many valid opinions and a ton of knowledge, but you won't find a "right" answer for your specific situation.