Daystar lift long term report.

[4RunnERD]

To those of you runninng the 2.5/1.5 daystar lift with a stock suspension or coil only upgrade have you had any longterm issues such as clunking from suspension travel, ball joints wareing out, cv boots ripping or leaking, sagging or settling, alignment or any other issues that have delevoped over time due to this spacer lift? Please specify wheter you have the preload or top out only version, how long or how many miles you have had it on for and what kind of driving you mainly do, on or off road. I have Xreas and want to leave it so I am curious if others who still use stock shocks have had any problems through the life of their spacer lifts thus far? I know what the theroritical issues could be, but want to know about real life experiences before I go ahead with this mod. Thanks.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I have had the daystar preload kit on for 3 or 4 years and 31k miles. Never had a problem with it. I off road a lot in the desert. A lot of trail riding in the mountains etc. The suspension does take a beating. I still have the stock shocks and springs (non xreas). I am still on the alignment done at the time of install and have had no cv boot problems. I do get a thump in the rear at times if I go to fast in a big washout area/ dropoff and the suspension is flexed out but it probably would have done it without the lift also.

 

[4RunnERD]

Thanks for detailed reply. This would be my first time doing any sort of lift to a vehicle and seeing as it will be my daily driver I am just looking for some more peace of mind before I take the plunge.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

To add to what I wrote above it will handle/drive/ride just like stock, my wife would make me take it off if it did not, it is her vehicle. Putting on the heavier taller tires had more negative affects than the lift. The tires cost mpg, suck a little power and are a little noiser.

 

[li_runner]

50K no issues, I don't know what your concerned about if you lift (with any lift) issues could occur. The best part about the 4th vs. 3rd is that the CV joints begin with a negative angle and the 3" up front don't change the angle enough to be of any real concern.

 

[4RunnERD]

Thanks. I am still a newb to 4Runners and lifts in general. I have read a ton of threads on the forum and looked at a bunch of pics of different combination lifts. Everyone seems to be very happy when they first install the lift, but I haven't really seen a lot of long term feed back from people with them. I guess I could assume that since there weren't a lot of complaints things were going good, but I just figured I would ask.

 

[Krazynative]

Don't take the Plunge!!!! You will like it and it will lead to the downward spiral of more mods all resulting in a bigger grin on your face.

Actually I say go for it. Also consider upgrading your springs to the FJ 4X4 ones at the same time, since you have it all taken apart anyway.

 

[4RunnERD]

Don't take the Plunge!!!! You will like it and it will lead to the downward spiral of more mods all resulting in a bigger grin on your face.

Actually I say go for it. Also consider upgrading your springs to the FJ 4X4 ones at the same time, since you have it all taken apart anyway.

Thanks I actually have a pair of 2007 4x4 FJ springs purchased from another member on this forum. From what I have seeing of the 2.5/1.5 Daystar kit it makes the 4Runner sit just about level depending on where you look or measrue from. My concern is that if I get an extra 1/2 inch lift in the front and 1/4 in the rear from the FJ springs (I have a V8) that it might start to look like I have a backwards rake. I'm thinking about doing the daystar kit front and back and just using the FJ springs in the rear to ensure a level or slight forward rake look.

 

[J.A.]

Coming up on 4 years with absolutely no issues at all.

 

[zstampe]

Thanks I actually have a pair of 2007 4x4 FJ springs purchased from another member on this forum. From what I have seeing of the 2.5/1.5 Daystar kit it makes the 4Runner sit just about level depending on where you look or measrue from. My concern is that if I get an extra 1/2 inch lift in the front and 1/4 in the rear from the FJ springs (I have a V8) that it might start to look like I have a backwards rake. I'm thinking about doing the daystar kit front and back and just using the FJ springs in the rear to ensure a level or slight forward rake look.

It's the lift I have.....ds 2.5/1.5 and fj trail teams springs and shocks.

Excuse the black wheels. I'm going back to silver soon.

 

[rockwall]

Before you get the Daystar, check out the Cornfed 3/2 lift. They use aluminum front spacers that can never sag. My lift looks awesome and rides like stock.

 

[K.C.]

I have had the daystar preload kit on for 3 or 4 years and 31k miles. Never had a problem with it. I off road a lot in the desert. A lot of trail riding in the mountains etc. The suspension does take a beating. I still have the stock shocks and springs (non xreas). I am still on the alignment done at the time of install and have had no cv boot problems. I do get a thump in the rear at times if I go to fast in a big washout area/ dropoff and the suspension is flexed out but it probably would have done it without the lift also.

Same here!!

However...I've only had it for like 2yrs.

Forgot how many miles.

Coming up on 4 years with absolutely no issues at all.

Has it been 4yrs already? I had mine 4Runner a little before you...man, time has flew by fast!!

 

[4RunnERD]

Before you get the Daystar, check out the Cornfed 3/2 lift. They use aluminum front spacers that can never sag. My lift looks awesome and rides like stock.

I have heard that Cornfed gives a true 3/2 lift where Daystar is more like 3/1.5. I know the Daystar is a poly spacer, but I haven't heard anyone complain about sagging. I think I would be more concerned about the metal to metal contact of the Cornfed spacer making noise than the poly sagging or compressing over time. Does your Cornfed make any noise? I have heard of some people having to use rubber isolaters with Cornfed.

More importantly can anyone explain the advantages/disadvantages of the different ways these two kits achieve their lift. I have read J.A.'s write up about the smaller preload Daystar giving a good balance between ride comfort and overexstention of other suspension components. How would the Cornfed lift with more preload than top out effect ride quality and wear and tear on the other suspension components? (I am keeping Xreas). Would more preload be better for travel off road or worse, what about hitting pot holes and speed bumps on the road?

Sorry, I just don't fully understand suspension travel very well despite my many searches and readings on it. I want something that won't stress the OEM stuff if the suspension has to travel more when off road and I don't want to hear a bump or bottom out the suspesion when driving over a speed bump in a parking lot, if any of that makes sense.

From I what I have learned so far it sounds like a combination of preload and top out is safer on the suspension than having all preload or all top out, but which combination is better, more preload or more top out? Thanks and sorry for the rookie/newb lack of knowledge here.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I have heard that Cornfed gives a true 3/2 lift where Daystar is more like 3/1.5. I know the Daystar is a poly spacer, but I haven't heard anyone complain about sagging. I think I would be more concerned about the metal to metal contact of the Cornfed spacer making noise than the poly sagging or compressing over time. Does your Cornfed make any noise? I have heard of some people having to use rubber isolaters with Cornfed.

More importantly can anyone explain the advantages/disadvantages of the different ways these two kits achieve their lift. I have read J.A.'s write up about the smaller preload Daystar giving a good balance between ride comfort and overexstention of other suspension components. How would the Cornfed lift with more preload than top out effect ride quality and wear and tear on the other suspension components? (I am keeping Xreas). Would more preload be better for travel off road or worse, what about hitting pot holes and speed bumps on the road?

Sorry, I just don't fully understand suspension travel very well despite my many searches and readings on it. I want something that won't stress the OEM stuff if the suspension has to travel more when off road and I don't want to hear a bump or bottom out the suspesion when driving over a speed bump in a parking lot, if any of that makes sense.

From I what I have learned so far it sounds like a combination of preload and top out is safer on the suspension than having all preload or all top out, but which combination is better, more preload or more top out? Thanks and sorry for the rookie/newb lack of knowledge here.

Spacer lifts are not rocket science. Both will work fine. Use whatever is cheapest.

 

[Krazynative]

Thanks I actually have a pair of 2007 4x4 FJ springs purchased from another member on this forum. From what I have seeing of the 2.5/1.5 Daystar kit it makes the 4Runner sit just about level depending on where you look or measrue from. My concern is that if I get an extra 1/2 inch lift in the front and 1/4 in the rear from the FJ springs (I have a V8) that it might start to look like I have a backwards rake. I'm thinking about doing the daystar kit front and back and just using the FJ springs in the rear to ensure a level or slight forward rake look.

I would use the FJ's all around. They would be matched that way and give a better ride. Otherwise it would be soft up front and stiff in the back. I only have a 1"CF spacer in back and still have a little front rake. The 1.5 in back will give you the prerfect rake and with a load still be level.

 

[4RunnERD]

Spacer lifts are not rocket science. Both will work fine. Use whatever is cheapest.

I can appreciate that either kit will work fine, just trying to learn something along the way. It would be nice know not only how the lift works, but what the pontential consequences of the different style lifts are (more top out vs more preload).

If I fully understood how a stock suspension worked, I could certainly firgure out how the preload and top out will affect it on my own. But I don't... so I asked. Just don't want to throw something on my vehicle with out knowing as much as possible about first. If its not rock science maybe you could take the time to expalin it too me.

 

[CamRunner]

I would like to resurrect this thread. Extra long term report: anyone having any issues with their daystar lift 5 years later?

 

[Roadtripr]

I had mine on for 50K, and now at 125K miles. I got stock spring and Xreas. No problems.
Overall my suspension has held up pretty well considering its age.

 

[J.A.]

Coming up on 4 years with absolutely no issues at all.

Soon to be 8 years, still no issues.

 

[egenazia]

I had mine on for 50K, and now at 125K miles. I got stock spring and Xreas. No problems.
Overall my suspension has held up pretty well considering its age.

Can you tell me if you have the Daystar kit that is pure topout spacers? Or do you have the one that's a combo of preload and topout?