Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetboy
In the rocks - I hit everything, and the progression in terms of both impact frequency and frequency of getting hung up is something like this:
Front skid
Sliders
rear bumper
Transfer case skid
gas tank skid
rear differential
rear lower control arms
rear shocks
rear lower control arm mounts on the frame rails
front bumper/fairlead mount (only once have I had a rock so steep and tall that I hit into it hard enough to pinch cut my winch rope with the fairlead) - rarely is the front bumper an issue and it's never been an issue on the sides where I see the "high clearance" cutouts. I think those vehicles must be on different types of terrain than me because I've never had any issues with clearance there.
I think a small lift in the front like the TRD Pro really is the most bang for your buck in terms of adding a good bit of extra clearance for not a huge cost. I'm also curious if Toyota has lowered the front on the non-TRD models some. The front springs have changed part numbers over the years. I really have no idea how we'd know if the 2014 front spring was actually 1/2" taller for example. Without a side by side test collecting all of them for comparison.
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Here is how it goes for me:
Fully stock height:
1/ Front skid, front skid, front skid, very often if typically minor hits with RCI (lowers ground clearance vs stock but 3/16 steel).
GAP
2/ Transfer case skid: often
3/ Rear pax side lower control arm bracket skid
4/ all others
5/ sliders
With 1.25 front and no rear lift BUT the Dobinsons front springs are also 10-12% stiffer and much, much less willing to dive over rocks. So it is not just about clearance, the stock springs are unacceptably soft, which also means less comfortable.
1/Transfer case skid: often
GAP
2/ Rear pax side lower control arm bracket skid
3/ all others
4/ sliders
With 1.25 front and 1" rear:
1/ Transfer case skid: often
2/ rear LCA bracket skids
3/ all others
I am all set at 1.25/1 lift with the armor I have.
Again, probably the extra 1" makes the difference at 3mph and under but at any speed, at least 10mph and up, it is the stiffer springs that prevent the hits.
I will change the shocks from stock though (the new ones are sitting at home...)
Linear Mode
