Advice / Opinions On Front Lift

[Rick G.]

My 2022 SR5 Premium 4WD, 33,700 miles, is going in next Wednesday to get its front end lift done. (Don't really need it, but I want it.)

I stopped by the shop today to talk to the owner. They are going to use a pair of Bilstein 5100 adjustable front shocks, and do a front end alignment.

The owner used a floor jack on the concrete driveway to raise up the right front of the truck to show me what a .75" to 1" lift would look like. I didn't think it was going to be enough.

So next he pumped up the jack to raise the right front a bit more to show me what approx. a 1.75" lift would look like. I liked the looks of that a lot better. it looked as though this setting would leave very little if any front lean / rake.

I am hoping going up to that second adjustment height on the shock won't be too much? The majority of the time, the T4R will be running around empty, just the wife and me up front. Sometimes there may be an adult or two in the back seat as well. My T4R does not have third row seating. Very infrequently will I be loading down the rear cargo area to any heavy extent.

Even more infrequently would I be pulling a small utility trailer.

I just don't want to get in to a scenario where I would have a negative rake- the vehicle looking too low in the back if we do a 1.75" lift in front.

I've read so much here about the .85 setting on the Bilstein 5100s, but I don't recall reading if anyone's done the next adjustment up, or not? My tires are stock size, 265/70 R17, and I have no intention of getting larger tires.

So, seeking advice as to whether I should go with the .85 setting, or if I should be OK with having them let it raise the vehicle up more using the next height setting? Thanks.

 

[SurfToy]

Something to consider - one of the best mods I've done (to two different runners) is an AirLift airbag kit in the rear. Allows you to run minimal pressure when empty and keep very close to stock suspension performance and if you are carrying a load or towing, you pump it up a few pounds to assist the rear springs and level it back out.

 

[Saker]

I agree with [MENTION=48700]SurfToy[/MENTION] with using airbags.

Another thing could be do your 1.75-2” front lift and install a set of bags and a 1” CORNFED spacer above your rear springs. Only is you replace your rear shocks with 0-2” lift shocks.

That’s what I run. Under normal loads, the spacer does its jobs with keeping of a 1” rake. When I tow a load, I inflate my bags. I keep my rake and handle the load.

 

[fkheath]

The rake on the 4Runner is about 2" low on the front. Thus a 2" lift should make it level. Just keep in mind that the lower strut attachment to the lower control arm is about 1/2 way from the wheel to the pivot point, thus a 1" change on the shock spring mount will produce about 2" lift.

It is common to put in a "leveling kit" which usually raises the front 3" and the rear 1", thus a net front lift of 2" over the rear. When the 4Runner is "level" it looks so much more purposeful. But I agree that too much front lift, over 2" net, the truck looks rather dorky.

That small amount of lift is easily done with just spacers (front and rear) or adjustable shocks on the front and a spacer on the rear. Anything more than that, you get into a big expense for UCA and/or LCA, and a front differential drop.

I put in the Rough Country leveling kit (spacers front and rear) which said I would have 2 1/2" front and 1" rear, but it ended up with more like 3" in the front. I really like the look at that amount of net lift. At the back, the shocks are the only mechanical limit on the downward movement of the rear axle (to install the rear spacers, you just disconnect the lower shock mounts and let the axle drop enough to insert the spacers above the springs). IMO, you don't need new shocks at the back with small amount of lift.

I like the spacer approach over the shock spring mount approach, because the ride quality is not changed, because the springs and the shocks are the same. The 4Runner is notable for a soft suspension (some call it wallowy) but if you have ever driven a Jeep (Wrangler or old Cherokee) off road, you will appreciate the softer suspension -- you won't get jolted to death.

I have the three row 4Runner (the grandkids love the back seats) and I have never had a problem off roading with full up passengers -- five in the front and middle seats and two grandkids in the back.

 

[honda250xtitan]

1.75 will look good and work well. go for it, enjoy it!

 

[Rick G.]

Allrighty, thanks guys for your taking time to reply.

My T4R is scheduled for this coming Wednesday the 28th to have the Bilstein 5100 front shocks installed and front end alignment. I’m going to go ahead and request the 1.75” lift adjustment on the shocks.

I’ll take before and after pics and post them here.

Yet another question if anyone is reading this- I was watching some YouTube videos on this installation / procedure. One guy recommended loosening the upper and lower control arm nuts during the installation, thereby freeing up the control arms to move a bit to re-adjust themselves to the new shocks, and then retightening the upper and lower control arms once the vehicle is setting back down on the ground.

He said doing this step would help avoid “pre-loading” or otherwise torquing the rubber bushings for the control arms which would be caused by the installation of the shocks, and help keep the rubber control arm bushings from wearing out prematurely, or otherwise causing a tougher ride than necessary.

Is this true? I am wondering if I should bring this up with my shop? I don’t want to be like telling them how to do their job?

….hope to read some comments or advice here about this loosening of the control arm bushings, and then re-tightening them once the vehicle is once again resting its full weight on the ground. Thanks!

 

[seatia]

We did the Bilstein 5100 all around and it sits as perfectly level as possible.
Fronts were in the 2nd groove, all OEM springs.

You'll like the ride improvement as well as the look.