Help me piece together a little lift kit?

[Foques]

Dudes and dudettes,

I got a clear from the wife to be to get shocks.
billies are on their way.

I've never lifted a truck.. dropped cars - yes, lifted - no.
Is this the same concept? Looking at the pictures it sure feels that way, but I wanted to make sure

additional questions are:
I would like for truck to be higher and evened out.
Can I achieve that without a spacer?
What springs am I best to get? I would like to retain the softer ride as close to stock as possible (or the woman will eat me alive).
If spacer is the most logical financial choice, is cornfed spacer the best out there?
As I understand as long at I do not go higher than 2.5", I won't need UCA... is that true?
What is the maximum height increase can I get out of 5100 bilsteins?

I know there are threads talking about this, but I didn't want to hijack someone else's list of inquiries.

thank you in advance

 

[cjacob316]

Dudes and dudettes,

I got a clear from the wife to be to get shocks.
billies are on their way.

I've never lifted a truck.. dropped cars - yes, lifted - no.
Is this the same concept? Looking at the pictures it sure feels that way, but I wanted to make sure

additional questions are:
I would like for truck to be higher and evened out.
Can I achieve that without a spacer?
What springs am I best to get? I would like to retain the softer ride as close to stock as possible (or the woman will eat me alive).
If spacer is the most logical financial choice, is cornfed spacer the best out there?
As I understand as long at I do not go higher than 2.5", I won't need UCA... is that true?
What is the maximum height increase can I get out of 5100 bilsteins?

I know there are threads talking about this, but I didn't want to hijack someone else's list of inquiries.

thank you in advance

How much higher?
Do you want the rear lifted?
The 5100's will firm up the ride on their own.

 

[Bourbonator]

While all your questions have been answered in previous posts, the single most important question you need to ask yourself is how much money do you want to spend. That will help you determine the quality of suspension you install.

 

[Foques]

How much higher?
Do you want the rear lifted?
The 5100's will firm up the ride on their own.

as I understand, the max lift is 2.5" on the fronts, and 2.0" on the rears. I will like to go with that height.
so, I am guessing i'd need some sort of a spacers for the rear, right?

While all your questions have been answered in previous posts, the single most important question you need to ask yourself is how much money do you want to spend. That will help you determine the quality of suspension you install.

I appreciate your patience with my questions. I've read those threads forwards and backwards, but still am a tad confused.

My budget is fairly low, which is why I went with the 5100 Bilsteins; otherwise i'd have gone with Toytec or 6112s.
As it stands right now, i'd like to get lifted, and get Wheels around the tax season.. unless my wedding costs will completely deflate my financials.

Given how busy i've been shooting (photography), however, things are looking quite promising.

 

[3wbdriver]

If you want a full 2" in the back I'd recommend a pair of springs over spacers. If you're gonna do it you may as well do it right. Either Superflex's or the Sway-a-ways.

Rear Lifts

 

[Foques]

If you want a full 2" in the back I'd recommend a pair of springs over spacers. If you're gonna do it you may as well do it right. Either Superflex's or the Sway-a-ways.

Rear Lifts

This is one of the areas i'm unclear on.
If the front is 2.5, shouldn't rear total to 2.5 as well?
that said, if the shock can provide maximum increase of 2", won't I need to compensate for the .5" lacking?

thank you for the link!

 

[3wbdriver]

This is one of the areas i'm unclear on.
If the front is 2.5, shouldn't rear total to 2.5 as well?
that said, if the shock can provide maximum increase of 2", won't I need to compensate for the .5" lacking?

thank you for the link!

That would be nice, but I'm not aware of a 2.5" lift spring. I have the Superflex's in the back, and I can tell you with no load they look a lot taller than the advertised 2" lift. You already have almost 2" of rake front to rear now. Lifting the front 2.5, but the rear only 1.5 or 2 will not be a noticeable as you may think. Here is mine with 2" OME in the front and the Superflex in the back and NO load. I still have basically the factory rake, but 2" taller all around. Note the slider is level.

If you go with 1.75" front and the 1.5" Sway-a-way rears you will be pretty close to this stance. If you go with 2.5" front and the Superflex rears, you will still be close, but 1/2" taller up front. You're really looking at only about 1/4 - 1/2" in either direction with those combos. If you want a more leveled look, set the front at 2.5 and use the 1.5 rears. Sorry, maybe it's the late hour. But I don't feel like I can make it much more clear.

In this picture my 5100's are set at 0, because I am using 2" lift OME springs. So I am getting all of the front lift from the spring, NOT the shock settings.

 

[ST1FLER]

this is 2.5/1.5 and OEM UCAs rides and aligns great. With that said, I have SAW coils and Camburg UCAs sitting in the garage waiting to go on because the ass sags under load with a 1.5 daystar spacer and if you articulate the front the UCA makes contact with the coils (That and I want more caster)

 

[sandcrawler]

another vote for SAW 1.5 coils in the rear.

 

[SR5Bart]

I have an idea bud. Swing by the dealer I have my truck today and you can take a look. I will run this setup till the struts blow then a full kit goes on. You can make up your mind as to how you like the look with a spacer up front and a stiffer/taller spring out back. Cheap way through toytec. The kit is the FJ3-RCC

 

[cjacob316]

I only have a spacer in the rear as a place holder because I plan to put a rear bumper and didn't want to spend the money on coils I couldn't use with a bumper, otherwise I would have gone with the SAW coils. The spacer only gives a 1.5 inch lift with no load. I think [MENTION=131488]ST1FLER[/MENTION] and [MENTION=105481]3wbdriver[/MENTION] are steering you in the right direction.

 

[Foques]

That would be nice, but I'm not aware of a 2.5" lift spring. I have the Superflex's in the back, and I can tell you with no load they look a lot taller than the advertised 2" lift. You already have almost 2" of rake front to rear now. Lifting the front 2.5, but the rear only 1.5 or 2 will not be a noticeable as you may think. Here is mine with 2" OME in the front and the Superflex in the back and NO load. I still have basically the factory rake, but 2" taller all around. Note the slider is level.

If you go with 1.75" front and the 1.5" Sway-a-way rears you will be pretty close to this stance. If you go with 2.5" front and the Superflex rears, you will still be close, but 1/2" taller up front. You're really looking at only about 1/4 - 1/2" in either direction with those combos. If you want a more leveled look, set the front at 2.5 and use the 1.5 rears. Sorry, maybe it's the late hour. But I don't feel like I can make it much more clear.

In this picture my 5100's are set at 0, because I am using 2" lift OME springs. So I am getting all of the front lift from the spring, NOT the shock settings.

your truck looks fantastic. I would be very happy with that stance.
Did the ride get much stiffer with those springs?

this is 2.5/1.5 and OEM UCAs rides and aligns great. With that said, I have SAW coils and Camburg UCAs sitting in the garage waiting to go on because the ass sags under load with a 1.5 daystar spacer and if you articulate the front the UCA makes contact with the coils (That and I want more caster)

thank you!

I have an idea bud. Swing by the dealer I have my truck today and you can take a look. I will run this setup till the struts blow then a full kit goes on. You can make up your mind as to how you like the look with a spacer up front and a stiffer/taller spring out back. Cheap way through toytec. The kit is the FJ3-RCC

I work, man! We did discuss this last time, remember? I don't want to go taller in the future, so i'm just sticking with billsteins (and looks like some springs). But... do you think you guys would be willing to help me with install once I got everything delivered?

 

[3wbdriver]

your truck looks fantastic. I would be very happy with that stance.
Did the ride get much stiffer with those springs?

It is slightly stiffer than factory, but the wife still thinks it is a pleasant enough ride for long trips.

 

[SR5Bart]

I work, man! We did discuss this last time, remember? I don't want to go taller in the future, so i'm just sticking with billsteins (and looks like some springs). But... do you think you guys would be willing to help me with install once I got everything delivered?

Im pretty sure we can work something out

 

[Foques]

Folks, what are the alternatives to Sway a Way 1.5" lift springs?
Toytec is on backorder (and their customer service sucks ass)

I was suggested the RC2.0 but those are 2" lift.. would these still be alright for the intended purpose? Toytec rep claimed that the 1.5 SAW and RC2.0 are the same spring rate, but I thought that the 2.0s are stiffer coils.


alternatively, is there any other highly trusted vendor that carries SAWs?
thank you

 

[Magnetic4R]

I believe the SAW are 12% over stock and the Toytec, 10% over stock

 

[MeefZah]

Toytec is on backorder (and their customer service sucks ass)

I have been very pleased with Toytec's level of customer service. :shrug:

I am a lift plebian so I just use a spacer lift, but the height settings are consistent regardless of the lift type. 2.5" front and 1.5" rear gets you pretty close to level while still having a slight slight slight forward rake. 2.5"- 3" front is generally viewed as about the max before you start getting into other stuff needing to be replaced.

There is a very good lift thread for 5th gens that's worth a look... I think it's a sticky. Take a few days and sift through it.

You could just raise the front with the Billies and that would level it and essentially be a lift - look at a stock TRD Pro to see how it would look.

This is 2.5 / 1.5 with 285 tires.

 

[Blue15]

My TE with Bilstein @ 1.75, 1" cornfed spacer, stock springs, stock UCA's. Rides & looks good IMO.

 

[Foques]

I have been very pleased with Toytec's level of customer service. :shrug:

I am a lift plebian so I just use a spacer lift, but the height settings are consistent regardless of the lift type. 2.5" front and 1.5" rear gets you pretty close to level while still having a slight slight slight forward rake. 2.5"- 3" front is generally viewed as about the max before you start getting into other stuff needing to be replaced.

There is a very good lift thread for 5th gens that's worth a look... I think it's a sticky. Take a few days and sift through it.

You could just raise the front with the Billies and that would level it and essentially be a lift - look at a stock TRD Pro to see how it would look.

This is 2.5 / 1.5 with 285 tires.

thanks; I have looked through it. At this point, my questions are fairly specific.


Toytec rep has failed to process my order for over 3 days.. Called me today saying that he needed to talk to me.. I call back 15 minutes later; he's on lunch. Left a note with his coworker. 3 hours later no call. Call back - "oh yeah, my bad, forgot to ring you".
All of my interactions with them have been either unanswered or very short and borderline rude. I am yet to see any note of my refund/order cancellation..
Site has not shown that they were out (but, according to the rep, they've been out for a while). Lastly, dude hung up on me when I told him to cancel the order..
If that's a good customer service, I don't know my job at all. :|

All in all, i'm disappointed with @Toytec as a company.

 

[STX4Runner]

Folks, what are the alternatives to Sway a Way 1.5" lift springs?
Toytec is on backorder (and their customer service sucks ass)

I was suggested the RC2.0 but those are 2" lift.. would these still be alright for the intended purpose? Toytec rep claimed that the 1.5 SAW and RC2.0 are the same spring rate, but I thought that the 2.0s are stiffer coils.


alternatively, is there any other highly trusted vendor that carries SAWs?
thank you

I have the Icon 2" rear lift coils and they have been great. I also have the front at 2.5" and this set up works fine. Metal Tech carries them.