Lift Decision Paralysis

[Lexusbstrdchild]

So ive narrowed down my decision to a couple different lifts. It will mainly be street driven, with the occasional trip out to the woods that includes trails that aren't too technical, but pretty rough at the same time. Want something dependable, that being said I want to do the lift one time. Said all that to say this: its a 14 TEP with KDSS if that helps. I like Icon, but dont like the idea of re-building the shocks every so often. I like the Sonoran Steel lift, since it has no shock maintenance, but you need to replace the UCA which most lifts for KDSS you need to. This means tearing apart the UCA to replace bushings every other year. So now for the Bilstein lift, if I use the 1.75 setting on stock springs, and use a couple OME 10mm spacers for the rear like Cowtown did, you get a nice lift, and I dont believe you would have to replace the UCAs. That said, what kind of off roading are the billies capable of? They sound like the way to go, but if they dont last very long or arent durable, I dont want them. Please help, this is where I am stuck!

 

[1engineer]

KDSS has nothing to do with replacing UCA's. Bilstein is a very good and durable shock for the average guy. Shocks don't make a vehicle become more off road worthy, springs and other components do. Shocks just dampen the effect of the springs. If you are going to do high speed off roading though I suggest getting higher performance shocks that can take the heat load. Hope this helps.

 

[Lexusbstrdchild]

KDSS has nothing to do with replacing UCA's. Bilstein is a very good and durable shock for the average guy. Shocks don't make a vehicle become more off road worthy, springs and other components do. Shocks just dampen the effect of the springs. If you are going to do high speed off roading though I suggest getting higher performance shocks that can take the heat load. Hope this helps.

Yes that does help a lot. No high speed off roading for me, slow and steady is just fine. I was told to replace UCAs with KDSS on 2"to 3" lifts due to the extra movement allowed by the kDSS suspension at that point, and also obviously alignment issues, but I know alignment is across the board on taller lift. Like I said this is what I was told. Also I was told Camburg UCAs with moog ball joints will last up to 200,000 miles with guys replacing them at 100k to be safe. So I retract my replacement every other year on uca bushings. The more research I do it seems to get more confusing with false information and biased opinions.

 

[Ducmonsta]

Are you going to replace the tires?

Just stick with the Bilsteins. No UCAs. You won't need them. Your TE is capable without any of these lifts. Why are you lifting it?

If you're honest with yourself, like I was, you don't NEED any of these things. But, you like the way it looks and that's the main reason you want it lifted. That's mostly why mine is lifted. I'm not afraid to admit it.

My family and I travel quite a bit off road. My stock LE could have handled it without a doubt. There's only been a handful of times where I wouldn't have made it out without the help of an aggressive tire. And only once have I slammed the sliders. But other than those times in the past 40k miles, I would have been fine.

 

[1engineer]

Are you going to replace the tires?

Just stick with the Bilsteins. No UCAs. You won't need them. Your TE is capable without any of these lifts. Why are you lifting it?

If you're honest with yourself, like I was, you don't NEED any of these things. But, you like the way it looks and that's the main reason you want it lifted. That's mostly why mine is lifted. I'm not afraid to admit it.

My family and I travel quite a bit off road. My stock LE could have handled it without a doubt. There's only been a handful of times where I wouldn't have made it out without the help of an aggressive tire. And only once have I slammed the sliders. But other than those times in the past 40k miles, I would have been fine.

I know right? I had my stock SR5 in the exact places my TE has been. Tires, yes. Everything else? If people were only honest like yourself then we would see a lot of "lifted for looks" and nothing else lol. Mine is stock because truthfully, it is a beast with no mods and who wants to decrease efficiency all in the name of looks?

 

[Ducmonsta]

I know right? I had my stock SR5 in the exact places my TE has been. Tires, yes. Everything else? If people were only honest like yourself then we would see a lot of "lifted for looks" and nothing else lol. Mine is stock because truthfully, it is a beast with no mods and who wants to decrease efficiency all in the name of looks?

<<<<<<<<<< THIS GUY!!

But you'll never hear me complain about the 12.2mpg I get. Or the roar of the Nitto Trail Grapplers. It looks good to me and frankly, I'm hard to impress! :trophy:

 

[Jono.ful]

Lift it for ground clearance and need of serious off-roading abilities ($$$+), or lift it to fit bigger tires/for like of the lifted look ($ to $$). Once you decide that, the choices get a lot more simple. As everyone else has said though, be honest with your goals because ($$$+) +($ to $$) = $$$$$+

 

[UDC Mike]

I have a 2014 TEP as well. My truck came with a dealer installed 3" revtek kit (read: spacer lift), and I am 99.99% driving on the road, with plans to occasionally going on light trails for camping. I'm honestly pretty happy with the lift overall, granted I wont be getting that offroad ability from other lift kits. My only complaint is a perceived increase in nose dive, which from what I've read around the site could be helped by some 5100 series shocks up front. Revtek might be a good option for you.

 

[Lexusbstrdchild]

Are you going to replace the tires?

Just stick with the Bilsteins. No UCAs. You won't need them. Your TE is capable without any of these lifts. Why are you lifting it?

If you're honest with yourself, like I was, you don't NEED any of these things. But, you like the way it looks and that's the main reason you want it lifted. That's mostly why mine is lifted. I'm not afraid to admit it.

My family and I travel quite a bit off road. My stock LE could have handled it without a doubt. There's only been a handful of times where I wouldn't have made it out without the help of an aggressive tire. And only once have I slammed the sliders. But other than those times in the past 40k miles, I would have been fine.

You nailed it. If I'm honest with myself I like the look of a lifted 4runner better than stock.I lifted the 3rd gen, then the 4th gen when I had them. Yes I already replaced the tires with stock size duratracs, dont plan on doing any wider either. I do still want the extra ground clearance as well, granted the diffs will still be the same clearance due to stock tire size. Sounds like the Billsteins are the best choice at the end of the day. Mild lift, better ride, easier on the wallet, and easier to justify the cost. Thanks everyone for the input, very helpful.

 

[Jhalko]

There are a number of us running 2.5" in the front on stock UCA's and doing ok. My alignment was fine and it drives well, I do notice it on the highway at speed sometimes, I may get new UCA's at some point anyway. Just an FYI.

 

[UDC Mike]

There are a number of us running 2.5" in the front on stock UCA's and doing ok. My alignment was fine and it drives well, I do notice it on the highway at speed sometimes, I may get new UCA's at some point anyway. Just an FYI.

I'm on stock UCAs with the 3" revtek, no problems with alignment. I notice some steering feedback on the freeway though, could that be attributed to the UCAs? Maybe that will be my next upgrade down the road.

 

[cowtown]

You nailed it. If I'm honest with myself I like the look of a lifted 4runner better than stock.I lifted the 3rd gen, then the 4th gen when I had them. Yes I already replaced the tires with stock size duratracs, dont plan on doing any wider either. I do still want the extra ground clearance as well, granted the diffs will still be the same clearance due to stock tire size. Sounds like the Billsteins are the best choice at the end of the day. Mild lift, better ride, easier on the wallet, and easier to justify the cost. Thanks everyone for the input, very helpful.

I can tell you that I've been extremely happy with my 2014 TEP setup---installed Bilstein 5100s all around with the front adjustables set to 1.75" and added OME 20mm trim spacers to the rear coils. I've also added sliders, swapped the OEM wheels for a set of the new TRD Pro black ones, and replaced the original tires with stock size Duratracs.

I realize that my suspension changes have been extremely mild compared to a lot of guys on here. But I can tell you that, even though I honestly do a lot of offroad driving, I don't personally consider ANY mods to really be necessary. Well, maybe tires. I had a 2003 Limited before my current Trail, and I never changed a single thing on that truck except for running stock size BFG AT/KOs on there after my factory tires wore out. That's it. Granted, I'm no hardcore rock crawler, but I damn sure got that '03 into (and out of) some pretty crazy places over the years without ever needing a rescue.

I've just been tinkering with my new 2014 because I've gotten interested in it and think it's fun. And--without question--because I think it looks cool! If I tried to justify any of it from a purely functional standpoint, there's no way I could keep a straight face.

But there's not a thing in the world wrong with that, as far as I'm concerned...

 

[nevetsvsx]

You can always go with the Sonoran steel set with the bilstiens and have Steve set it to something where you don't need the UCAs (assuming that's possible from what others have said). The ride quality definitely increases with this setup from my experience with it. I don't have kdss but mines set at 3.5" on the front and only barely scrapes the UCA so I would assume that a smaller lift would be ok.

 

[Stifler]

who wants to decrease efficiency all in the name of looks?

guilty!

 

[1engineer]

guilty!

For an engineer this is perhaps the biggest conundrum of all. You have to make the machine perform the specified tasks at the greatest efficiency while designing it under budget. Very seldom does anyone walk away happy unless "compromise" is your middle name lol. That's why multiple times here I have said end user vehicles are the ultimate compromised design. Instead of YEA!!!! People walk out saying (yea).

 

[jrandom]

You nailed it. If I'm honest with myself I like the look of a lifted 4runner better than stock.

Lifted or leveled?

Lift is nice for sure, the rake is what drives me nuts, I think most people feel the same. They have had such a funky time with rake, gen1&2 were both reverse rake, gen 3&4 appear more flat (whether they truly were or not?) my 3rd was stock and def didn't look weird, gen 5&5.5 are nose, 2015 TRD Pro leveled! LOL

 

[G8RB8_12SR5]

I lifted mine 2" and kept the rake (I like it and I tow an RV that at level would give me reverse rake which I don't care for, nor is it balanced in towing). I went with the Toytec BOSS and installed it myself with helping hand in 4.5 hours (and this is the craziest thing I've ever tried myself to an automobile). Fortunately the helping hand happened to do his icon lift in his FJ and is a mech so it's seamless and safe. The BOSS kit rides really well and isn't very stiff at all (about 10% stiffer than stock). Highly recommend it if that's in the budget.

 

[jrob]

I have a Toytec Ultimate with Bil 5100s that I am very happy with. My needs are similar to yours, I drive a lot of Hwy for skiing, and in the summer get out to the trails as much as possible. I have run the Toytec pretty hard (actually got the whole truck in the air once on Ophir pass) and it has held up well for me so far. The Boss coilovers are really nice, I saw them at Toytecs shop recently, pretty beefy. Easier adjustment as well.
Also I have the front set right at 3" of lift and am running factory UCAs. Caster is out of spec but it's really not that bad. UCAs can be added down the road, not necessary out of the gate. Big recommendation for toytec from this corner.

Oh, and as for the argument of needing a lift vs not needing, I will agree who really "needs" a lift. I have driven every pass in the san juans in factory height vehicles with no issue, with the exception of poughkeepsie gulch, which you can have.
My current truck is actually the first lifted one I have ever had. I gotta say, rolling Imogene 3" higher on 33"s is a marked improvement in quality of life.
And yeah...Truck looks awesome

 

[Jhalko]

I'm on stock UCAs with the 3" revtek, no problems with alignment. I notice some steering feedback on the freeway though, could that be attributed to the UCAs? Maybe that will be my next upgrade down the road.

My understanding is that while the stock UCA works you could have some twitchiness on the highway and an aftermarket allows for the alignment adjustment to address it. I'm in no way qualified or knowledgable to say any more than that and that info is just from reading this site so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Lexusbstrdchild]

Purchased the front and rear Bilstein 5100s for $336 with free shipping through AutoAnything. Was a bit skeptical as their site says they are in stock. Called them up, the guy said they take a week to ship, they valve them at Bilstein then send them out? Anyway that's what he said. There is a 10% off coupon for them use AA10. Then picked up the OME 10mm rear spacers from Wheelers. Super excited!