You aren't dense. The people who persist in perpetuating the "preload myth" are. I thought the "preload myth" had died a deserving death years ago, but like a bad virus, it just keeps coming back.

There's no such thing as "preload" on the T4R coilover. With the weight of the vehicle resting on it, the spring will always be compressed the same amount no matter where you put any spacers or circlips or what have you. You're effectively moving the spring perch, not changing the spring rate.

Moving the clip on a 5100 accomplishes the same thing as adding a spacer. The difference is that the 5100 shocks are longer than stock, so the overall travel range is potentially increased. Adding longer springs is necessary to take full advantage of this.

Dang. That’s a great explanation. I did not know this. Thank you.

Thanks for your response. I have been thinking about this and scratching out some drawings and I think I understand some of it better. I can see how the "strut extension" which is the method I used increases the overall length of the assembly. By doing this I can now see something has to change with travel, Since the upper end of strut is bolted to a fixed location, the strut tower, the length increase will push the LCA downward, also the LBJ, so travel will be negatively impacted as the LCA downward travel is reduced from what it would be with standard length shock/strut.
The 5100 shock length remains the same no matter what clip you put the perch on, so shock travel should remain the same, but compressing the spring makes it stiffer and when the vehicle weight is placed on it, the vehicle doesn't compress it as much as before and results in "lifting" the body a certain amount.
The preload kit on top of the spring and between the top hat will actually cause the shock to lengthen from what it was and I can see that this will affect it's travel from what it was without the spacer and this will affect the shocks available assembled travel.
I think my thinking is correct here and Chi Town 4x4 was saying this but not explaining why in enough detail for me to grasp it. I would like to see this scenario played out on a 4Runner suspension so I could see what's happening. This summer I will take some static measurements on mine with and without the spacer and see if I can wrap my mind around it some more.
Does what I'm saying here make sense?

Nope, like most people, you're hung up on the idea that coilover's height or amount of spring compression prior to installation means anything. It doesn't. Again, with the weight of the vehicle resting on it, the spring in the coilover will be compressed exactly the same amount no matter how much "pre-load" is applied to the spring during assembly, whether by using an internal spacer or by adjusting the lower spring perch position.

One easy way to visualize how it actually works in the vehicle is to imagine the coilover if it didn't have a top hat to hold it together prior to installing. The top of the spring would be seated directly on the vehicle's upper spring perch, and the bottom would be seated on the shock. Moving the spring seat on the shock to a higher setting would simply move the lower spring perch position upward relative to the LCA, and that's where you'd get your increased ride height. A top spacer, whether it's underneath the top hat or on top of it, simply lowers the effective position of the upper spring perch, also raising ride height. The spring itself is always compressed the same amount at rest (unless you change springs, of course).

I read the 3rd gen tacomas front assemblies adds roughly 1” possibly 2” of lift for the 4th gens. Has anyone installed them onto the 5th gens? Are the results the same as a 4th gen?

I’m also looking to just pick up the front end 1” to 1.5” on my 5th gen. I don’t want to get the 5100 as I don’t want to spend $300/. The take offs from the 3rd gen tacos can be had for cheap. If I can accomplish the 1-1.5” level that’s what I prefer to do.

I installed a spring spacer on the bottom of the front springs. my 2016 runner has a driver side spring that is bigger diameter spring , then the pass side is a smaller diameter spring.

when new I filled the gas tank to 3/4 .. then the driver side drops down a bit.
I put 2 coil spacers on the right side and then put the larger spacer on the driver side. I lifted the runner 1 inch on the front ...the runner when the gas is around 1/2 of gas the runner is level and right /left the same height.
then I adjusted the toe adjustment .. toe is neg... factory OEM was a bit positive ... now my runner works great tires are perfect tread wear and when I hit the brakes the runner did not drop down when the brakes are working.

I paid 10 bucks ...................on the coil spring spacers

I had an especially funny photo to share… I have no idea how these plates were balanced on the tray




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