Lift Advice

[durrell]

I know I'm going to lift, but I don't know if I want to spend the 700 dollars to buy the lift right now. I need new front shocks more than anything and the rear is beginning to sag a bit, but not so bad I can't go awhile before buying the new coils for the rear.

So I was considering getting the OME shocks that typically come with the lift and going ahead and running them up front, then later buying the rest of the lift. Would this work? Would it be cost effective to buy just the shocks now and the rest later, or would I save a lot of money by buying the entire lift all at once?

PS: Mr. Toytec I'm planning to buy from you, so I need a discount code!

 

[brian2sun]

You are going to have to take out your front strut/shock assemblies, disassemble them to take your old coils off, assemble the old coils into the new shock/strut assemblies (which sucks and you must use spring compressors which can be very dangerous!!), install them on the truck, and then pay for an alignment. Then do it all over again!

The front coils cost about $170, so is it worth another alignment and the PITA of installing them all over again? NO WAY! If you're paying someone to do the install and re-install then it will probably cost more $$ than what you're trying to save.

 

[auxiliary]

The cost of doing this twice would suck, as mentioned the alignment is 100% needed after doing the front.

The only plus is the second time it would be easier to do.

I got the toytec lift with struts/springs and diff drop for $750 shipped to my door. Well worth it.

 

[durrell]

So is it worth the 100 bucks to have them assemble everything since I don't have spring compressors?

 

[brian2sun]

So is it worth the 100 bucks to have them assemble everything since I don't have spring compressors?

I did it myself when I put my 1st lift on and it took a long time and felt precarious the entire time. For the second lift, I had them do it and it went so much easier, so yes it's worth the $100 IMO.

 

[steezemcqueen]

i agree with what brian and aux. said. if you are going to get the whole kit, you might as well just save for it buy the whole thing at once. also, getting the fronts assembled includes new top plates and hardware. you could reuse your old stuff but if you choose to get new top plates and hardware and assemble them yourself, you will probably spend about $50 on the new stuff. its worth it IMO.


oh and PM sent :thumb3:

 

[durrell]

If I got the 881s up front with the OME shocks and just left the rear alone for right now would that cause a really bad sag in the rear?

 

[steezemcqueen]

If I got the 881s up front with the OME shocks and just left the rear alone for right now would that cause a really bad sag in the rear?

yes. the 881's are a 2.5" lift(3" with the top plate spacer). so your front will be sitting 2.5 over the rear plus what ever sag you have. it will look like a plane taking off

 

[auxiliary]

I did mine ourselves. It was a pain and was really nervous doing it. We had the screw together spring compressors and those are normally the ones you rent from the auto store....needless to say they couldn't compress them enough to put the top plastic spacer on top before the nut.

We had to put the strut on the car, take the nut off and then put the spacer on once it was compressed on the car then put the spacer on then the nut...pain in the ass.

If you are trying to save money do it yourself.

If you want an easy to do install and just put it in....then get it already.

 

[durrell]

I got the wife's approval, but I still just don't know if I can swing 850 bucks. Ugggghhh..

 

[Qyota]

Credit card with a payment strategy. Look at it this way. Do you have $220 to spend over the next 4 months? How about $180 over the next 5? Just set a goal and stick to it. You can be smart about using credit.

 

[auxiliary]

Credit card with a payment strategy. Look at it this way. Do you have $220 to spend over the next 4 months? How about $180 over the next 5? Just set a goal and stick to it. You can be smart about using credit.

agreed.

I honestly don't like using credit cards and rather wait until I have the cash to buy something.

But as long as you can budget and stick to it then credit cards are fine. If it was me, no matter what the amount is I would just split it into 4-5 payments regardless of how much it is to pay it off.

But I'm sure as an adult you already know how to take care of your credit card payments

Go for the lift! You will not be disappointed.

 

[auxiliary]

Oh...forgot to add!

Once you lift then you're going to want to do a lot of other things too. It's like the start of a crazy mod spree.

 

[Mauzer]

Save the $100 bucks and just reuse your top plates (unless they're rusted or in bad condition) you can get the struts assembled at a local shop for around $40. Get some used LC coils ($80 shipped) and some new 881's ($138 @ TRDparts4u.com- sorry toytec, unless you can price match) then get new shocks ($408 FR&RR from TRDparts4u.com) and your done! total cost $626

 

[drinknmolson]

all of this advice is good and when i started i went through the same thing, lack of funds. I started with the rear buying OME, and put a cheap spacer in the front while saving for the front, found the 881 coils on craigslist for like 80 bucks and bought new shocks. took me a year and the rake made it look like a drag racer but i saved money and it worked within my budget. just put it on the credit card and get an evening job for your new bigger tires, ARB, sliders, roof rack, lockers, eventually new wheels, gps, cb, stereo, oh and the supercharger and lower gears you are going to think that you have to have!! LOL

 

[auxiliary]

all of this advice is good and when i started i went through the same thing, lack of funds. I started with the rear buying OME, and put a cheap spacer in the front while saving for the front, found the 881 coils on craigslist for like 80 bucks and bought new shocks. took me a year and the rake made it look like a drag racer but i saved money and it worked within my budget. just put it on the credit card and get an evening job for your new bigger tires, ARB, sliders, roof rack, lockers, eventually new wheels, gps, cb, stereo, oh and the supercharger and lower gears you are going to think that you have to have!! LOL

:thumb3:

Ya the lift makes you want to do all of that!

 

[brian2sun]

Get some used LC coils ($80 shipped) and some new 881's ($138 @ TRDparts4u.com- sorry toytec, unless you can price match) then get new shocks ($408 FR&RR from TRDparts4u.com) and your done! total cost $626

That's a great setup, but you left out a few needed parts: The top plate spacers for the 881s (otherwise they would look ridiculous agianst LCs in the rear - we're talking like a 2.5"+ rake w/o the spacers). Ome shocks will work with the LCs but will limit the articulation by a couple of inches (the extended Bilsteins are longer and will work better with that setup in the rear).

You pretty much have to add the rear brake line extension with the LC coils so you don't rip the brake line out. You'll also need the adjustable pan hard bar or pan hard drop bracket with LC coils! Oh and the e-brake bracket (which some just bend the stock one and itseems to work). So.... add a couple hundred dollars or more if you want to run this setup.

 

[xskydivingdudex]

wow i int know u needed all those extras for the LC coils... that just killed my thoughts for getting LC coils to replace my 891s.

 

[brian2sun]

wow i int know u needed all those extras for the LC coils... that just killed my thoughts for getting LC coils to replace my 891s.

I hear ya. If you use the OME shocks, like I said it will still work, but you won't have as much articulation. You could get away without an adjustable pan hard bar or drop brackets, but you rear axle will be pushed about ~.5" off to one side. You can drive like this, but people say it makes the ass end very squirrely and IMO it's not a good idea. The extended brake line is a must with LC coils.

You could do this setup and pass on some of these parts, but it would be pretty hokey IMO. I think you're better off just staying with what you have like me. If anything, just add a 10mm trim packer or 2 on the 891s if you want to get more height.

 

[steezemcqueen]

That's a great setup, but you left out a few needed parts: The top plate spacers for the 881s (otherwise they would look ridiculous agianst LCs in the rear - we're talking like a 2.5"+ rake w/o the spacers). Ome shocks will work with the LCs but will limit the articulation by a couple of inches (the extended Bilsteins are longer and will work better with that setup in the rear).

You pretty much have to add the rear brake line extension with the LC coils so you don't rip the brake line out. You'll also need the adjustable pan hard bar or pan hard drop bracket with LC coils! Oh and the e-brake bracket (which some just bend the stock one and itseems to work). So.... add a couple hundred dollars or more if you want to run this setup.

i am just running LC's and longer shocks in the rear. yeah it would be a good idea to add that stuff and i am going to do it in the near future, but its not required. i bent the brake line mounting tab down but didn't touch the ebrake bracket.