If you could do your lift all over again, what would you do?

[atalarico]

Two things:

1.) You guys keep using the term "coilover" in reference to something better than "Bilstein 5100s" or "OME". What are you talking about exactly? I thought all front suspension in our 4Runners is considered a coilover because, and please (politely) correct me if I'm wrong, I thought that simply meant the coil spring goes over the shock. What am I missing here? Do you mean adjustable coilovers? Aren't 5100s adjustable (not exactly on the fly, but still technically adjustable)?

2.) My lift on my 3rd gen was perfect after much trial and error. "Tacoma" 5100's with Toytec/Eibach springs in the front and OME 895(I think) in the rear. It wasn't too stiff, handled load weight, and off-roaded great.

The previous owner of my 4th Gen put on pretty much brand new 3" OME lift all the way around. I'm really not a fan of the front spacer for the extra half inch, and OME has a reputation for being stiff. I'm not sure how bad the ride is going to get when I go from SL tires to D rated Duratracs, but I'm going to find out pretty soon.

Oh and the previous owner installed those eBay uniball knockoffs, so that sketches me out a little bit. It looks like he did all the recommended replacement parts on there though, so at least there's that.

If I could do it again, or if I decide to pull this all and sell it, I'd go with Bilsten 5100s and Eibachs again. I'd also pull the UCAs and go with JBA high casters.

 

[BackOff]

As stated, if you could do your lift all over again, what would you do differently? I'm not saying if you had unlimited cash, but for those who already have had their lift on for a while and knowing how you use it, what would you have done differently from the beginning? Would you go higher, lower, different parts? It would help to know what your current setup is, and what you may do differently. I'm looking to do my lift soon and want to avoid wasting money!

What is it that you are attempting?
Tire size/type of wheeling/armor?

These Rancho 9000xl are not to bad... QuickLift they call it, can adjust on the fly 1-9, soft to hard with the remote control.
Needs a 1.5" rear spacer for stock rear coils...or longer coils.
Do the UCA's and if you keep the swaybars... do the front relocate and longer rear links...2nd gen rear links are 1" longer and bolt right up for cheap.

If your going 285's or larger...body lift/BM chop.

 

[theoutbackdream]

Currently have Bilstein 5100's with Moog FJC's. Since I don't go wheeling everyday, and 90% of my driving is on-road, I couldn't justify going the route of going Icons or LT travel setup. This set up cost me around $450, brand new. It was a great way to get a lift, and had a ride quality similar to stock. Overall, I've been really happy with the setup.

That being said, after owning this set up for a year, at times, I wish I had gone down the route of going OME struts and springs over the Bilsteins, mainly since (I'm not sure how accurate this is) I keep reading that the 5100's risk getting blown if they are ran with a spring rate much higher than stock, and are limited to somewhere between 2"~2.5" lift. With the OME's, I'd be able to run a spring with a higher spring rate, and get a bit more lift, to accommodate for any additional weight.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Two things:

1.) You guys keep using the term "coilover" in reference to something better than "Bilstein 5100s" or "OME". What are you talking about exactly? I thought all front suspension in our 4Runners is considered a coilover because, and please (politely) correct me if I'm wrong, I thought that simply meant the coil spring goes over the shock. What am I missing here? Do you mean adjustable coilovers? Aren't 5100s adjustable (not exactly on the fly, but still technically adjustable)?

2.) My lift on my 3rd gen was perfect after much trial and error. "Tacoma" 5100's with Toytec/Eibach springs in the front and OME 895(I think) in the rear. It wasn't too stiff, handled load weight, and off-roaded great.

The previous owner of my 4th Gen put on pretty much brand new 3" OME lift all the way around. I'm really not a fan of the front spacer for the extra half inch, and OME has a reputation for being stiff. I'm not sure how bad the ride is going to get when I go from SL tires to D rated Duratracs, but I'm going to find out pretty soon.

Oh and the previous owner installed those eBay uniball knockoffs, so that sketches me out a little bit. It looks like he did all the recommended replacement parts on there though, so at least there's that.

If I could do it again, or if I decide to pull this all and sell it, I'd go with Bilsten 5100s and Eibachs again. I'd also pull the UCAs and go with JBA high casters.

Yes most people say coilovers when they mean adjustable (threaded) coilovers so it can be a bit confusing because they are all technically coilovers. But the "adjustable" 5100s aren't near the same material quality/performance, so there is that aspect to it as well. They mean King/Icon/Radflo/Fox or equivalent performance monotube shock.

 

[atalarico]

Yes most people say coilovers when they mean adjustable (threaded) coilovers so it can be a bit confusing because they are all technically coilovers. But the "adjustable" 5100s aren't near the same material quality/performance, so there is that aspect to it as well. They mean King/Icon/Radflo/Fox or equivalent performance monotube shock.

Ohhhh now I get it. I guess coilover is easier to type than threaded coilover.


Maybe related to your comment on the 5100's material/quality, I originally had the adjustable Tundra 5100's on my 3rd gen, but one of them developed a leak after 15k miles or so. That's why I ended up with adjustable Tacoma ones as replacements. I liked them a lot, but who knows, maybe they wouldn't have lasted long since the only had 7-8k miles on them when I totaled my 3rd gen. God it still hurts to think about. I miss my truck.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Ohhhh now I get it. I guess coilover is easier to type than threaded coilover.

They probably just assume the coilover term is the actual difference between the shock types. Or they are just lazy.

God it still hurts to think about. I miss my truck.

Rejoice, you upgraded in every way.

 

[jrm]

What a long strange trip its been

I had a 3rd gen that seemed to have the perfect amount of lift with 2" up front and an inch in back. After burning through spring combos and coilovers vs the 6112s Ive been trying to duplicate that with the 4th gen but i'm not getting there. Im somewhere around 2.5 -2.66"s up front and 1 to 1-1/2 in the rear

In the end ill probably reduce the lift a bit doing 2.1" up front, SPC UCAs and rear dobinson coils without the huge OE bump stop installed.

I dont think that with as much as im off-road i dont think ill miss the reduced lift. And if i do i an always change it back.

Last thing, with as much as ive paid others to do work on my truck i figure that i could buy a pneumatic strut compressor and do my own work saving me future labor charges...

 

[Drunner97]

What is it that you are attempting?
Tire size/type of wheeling/armor?

These Rancho 9000xl are not to bad... QuickLift they call it, can adjust on the fly 1-9, soft to hard with the remote control.
Needs a 1.5" rear spacer for stock rear coils...or longer coils.
Do the UCA's and if you keep the swaybars... do the front relocate and longer rear links...2nd gen rear links are 1" longer and bolt right up for cheap.

If your going 285's or larger...body lift/BM chop.

You don't need a body lift for 285s or higher. You just have to be willing to cut. I'm running 35s (34.9" tire) with no body lift.

 

[UnJeep]

Will you show us what you had to cut? Pics please.

You don't need a body lift for 285s or higher. You just have to be willing to cut. I'm running 35s (34.9" tire) with no body lift.

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[Drunner97]

Will you show us what you had to cut? Pics please.

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I don't have any pics of the cutting on my phone, but basically all I've had to cut is 2" off the front fenders, smash the pinch weld, and BMC. Only thing I'm rubbing still is body mount (because I need to get my caster pulled forward more) and the top of the fender well on hard dips.

Rear I haven't touched, but I'm only rubbing the stock sheet metal from the rear bumper which I plan on cutting, and that's only at full stuff.

 

[BackOff]

You don't need a body lift for 285s or higher. You just have to be willing to cut. I'm running 35s (34.9" tire) with no body lift.

On mine the 285's were trying to rip the fenders off in the whoops at speed.
.5" body lift and better front bump stops really helped...in my case that is.
I had to do the BM chop and the pinch weld seam 'fix' as well.

Also wheel offset can change how bad it rubs.

I didn't chop up my fenders...very tiny bit by where the mud flaps used to be...oh and a little sliver off the upper inner edge. Once in awhile I still tap the fender liners with the tires but I can live with it. Takes a hard/fast slam to do it.

 

[Sam2393]

I think I would have gone with coilovers over getting the Bilstein 5100's. Just being able to compensate for additional weight without having to swap over springs. Height wise, I would still go 3 inches.

Currently running 5100's all the way around, with Toytech/Eibach coils in the front, and toytec super flex in the rear.

I have the same lift setup, but wish I was taller, especially since my front end is sitting so low and the rear so high.

 

[mizak82]

I purchased 5100s and wheeler springs. I don’t off road. My only regret was not getting upper control arms sooner. Could never get enough caster without them and it drove like poop.




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[mavrick1903]

As stated, if you could do your lift all over again, what would you do differently? I'm not saying if you had unlimited cash, but for those who already have had their lift on for a while and knowing how you use it, what would you have done differently from the beginning? Would you go higher, lower, different parts? It would help to know what your current setup is, and what you may do differently. I'm looking to do my lift soon and want to avoid wasting money!

I did an Icon lift the first round. When I wore those out I went with Resi. I did Icon again in the rear before I realized that I should be able to rebuild the King myself. I have those on the front. I don’t really off-road but I do live in a salt state. Our roads suck. So many roads are chewed up or washboard. The resi’s made a difference in day to day driving comfort.

I’ve still got the Icon UCAs. The uniballs went their life cycle and I’m much happier with their delta joint. There’s a bolt together joint out there no on someone else’s UCA. I’d go with that before doing another press out. Although I do have the tool now so unsure what I’ll do when the deltas wear out.


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[chris27]

Thanks all for your feedback and responses. I finally made my purchase today from Wheelers Offroad. I went with OME 884 front and Superflex rears with 5100's, SPC UCA's, and 285 Nitto Terra Grapplers G2. So I went with the full suspension lift and 285's even though I hardly ever go off-road. I would rather go big and not regret it!

 

[bombventure]

Thanks all for your feedback and responses. I finally made my purchase today from Wheelers Offroad. I went with OME 884 front and Superflex rears with 5100's, SPC UCA's, and 285 Nitto Terra Grapplers G2. So I went with the full suspension lift and 285's even though I hardly ever go off-road. I would rather go big and not regret it!

You’ll get use to the 285’s and pretty soon they’ll start looking small.


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