My Daystar lift and Spidertrax wheel spacer experience.

[Okie]

I have a 2004 2-wheel drive Sport Edition 4 Runner. I went with the Daystar front and rear 2.5" lift kit. Although I just wanted to level the front, I got the front and rear kit (KT09116BK) because it was only $30.00 more at the time I ordered - glad I did. Much to my surprise after having the front spacers installed, my front was 1/8" higher than the rear! You may not think that 1/8" is that much, but you can see it - especially with the forward motion of driving down the road. If you want the Baja Pre-runner look, this is where you want to be. I didn't, so I had the rear coil spacers installed and now it looks correct. 2.5" for the front was too much for my 4 Runner to just level it. 2" for the front would have been good to take away the front raked look.
The ride comfort is great - I cannot tell any difference from when it sat at factory height.
As far as the Spidertrax wheel spacers are concerned, they are awesome. The quality is top notch and the hub centric design gives me a little more sense of security. In my opinion, it totally changes the look of a 4 Runner - much more aggressive. It even makes the factory tires look wider. I would have done this even without the lift kit.
Keep in mind that the info above pertains to my 2004 4 Runner and your results may differ.
Hope this info helps someone out.

 

[Vizwar]

Very nice!

You posted you got a lift, that means, someone has to ask...

How's the ride quality after the lift? Stiffer? Uncomfortable?

 

[Okie]

The ride comfort is great - I cannot tell much difference from when it sat at factory height. If there is any difference, it is little.

 

[Vizwar]

That's encouraging. I'm so afraid of causing accelerated wear and also ruining the ride if I go the spacer route.

 

[Okie]

That's encouraging. I'm so afraid of causing accelerated wear and also ruining the ride if I go the spacer route.

Referring to the wheel spacers, I'm not sure about the accelerated wear because I just put them on a few days ago. I would think that the life of the front wheel bearings would be shortened. I guess I'll see some day.
With the lift, I don't see how anything would be really adversely affected unless you did not get a re-alignment.

 

[J.A.]

Looks great, but a few questions if you dont mind. Was the DS kit the new one part fronmt end lift type? Are your tires factory size and either way did you need to do any trimming or moving of the wheel well liners after the spidertrax install?

 

[Okie]

Looks great, but a few questions if you dont mind. Was the DS kit the new one part fronmt end lift type? Are your tires factory size and either way did you need to do any trimming or moving of the wheel well liners after the spidertrax install?

The kit I have is the new one piece front kit with just the spacer that goes on the top of the strut. My tires are factory size. I did not have to do any trimming what so ever.

 

[Falls]

Okie , that looks really great . Did you do the install ?? Did you do any measurements on the front , before/after (just curious how much lift you got) Could you also post up the kit# that you bought and where you bought it from, it maybe helpful to others .... CONGRATS on the new look .

JA , do you know if they still make your style kit # or have they faded it out for the new kit ?

 

[G.I.G.]

Looks great, Okie! Now you just need a bigger set of meats to fill in those wheel wells. :biggrin2:

I think wheel spacers are next on my list of upgrades/mods. I'm a little hesitant with the wheel spacers for two reasons. 1) I'm worried that with no lift (I only have a 1" spacer lift up front) that it might look a little goofy or "low-riderish" with wheel spacers on and 2) I'm concerned about long-term issues that wheel spacers might create.

I talked to the guys at Slee Off-Road and they told me that there aren't any long-term negative side affects that they have noticed, but that wheel spacers will accentuate any existing issues (i.e. tire balance issues, pulling, etc.).

Have you noticed and difference in ride quality specifically pertaining to the wheel spacers?

 

[J.A.]

JA , do you know if they still make your style kit # or have they faded it out for the new kit ?

The two part old style DS kit is officially a discontinued item as per Daystar, BUT Wheelers Offroad buys in bulk and DS will make the old style kits for them if they continue to order in bulk and specifically request the old style kits. Wheelers still has some of the old style kits in stock last I checked.

 

[Nashvillerunner]

Looks great man!!! Great choice and love the color!

 

[Okie]

Okie , that looks really great . Did you do the install ?? Did you do any measurements on the front , before/after (just curious how much lift you got) Could you also post up the kit# that you bought and where you bought it from, it maybe helpful to others .... CONGRATS on the new look .

JA , do you know if they still make your style kit # or have they faded it out for the new kit ?

I am fortunate enough to have a friend who owns a front end shop so I had help with the install. After doing one side, the other was done in half the time. He had all the tools which made the job easier than with my tools in my garage.
I've slept since I took measurements and was all in a slobbering fit when I knew that the front was going to stay higher than the rear without the rear coil spacers installed. If I can recall, the front went up a full 2.5" and not a mm less. The back 1.5" from stock.
The kit I used was the DayStar (KT09116BK). It was from 4 Wheel Parts.

 

[Okie]

Looks great, Okie! Now you just need a bigger set of meats to fill in those wheel wells. :biggrin2:

Have you noticed and difference in ride quality specifically pertaining to the wheel spacers?

When my tires need to be replaced, I will probably go with the 70 series like most people do with this 2.5" lift and not the stock 65 series.
The ride quality is about the same as stock. I did the lift and spacers at the same time. I was pleasantly surprised that it rode so well after these couple of mods. I was expecting a rougher ride.
I also have a lowered late model Yukon, so I was expecting some harshness with the ride. With my experience with the two trucks, raising a truck gives a better ride than lowering one - and I lowered the correct way with dropped spindles.

 

[Okie]

Looks great man!!! Great choice and love the color!

Thanks.

 

[darkie3495]

First off, Okie your runner looks great!! makes me want to lift mine a little more. thanks for the info on DS 2.5" front spacer, very helpful.

I think wheel spacers are next on my list of upgrades/mods. I'm a little hesitant with the wheel spacers for two reasons. 1) I'm worried that with no lift (I only have a 1" spacer lift up front) that it might look a little goofy or "low-riderish" with wheel spacers on

G.I.G., not sure if i'm going to deter you or convince you, but i have the same toytec spacer and tires you have and i just installed the spidertrax spacers. (sorry, taken with my camera phone)

 

[Falls]

The farther you push out your wheels the more strain there will be on wheel bearings and such , they get hotter and can burn out quite easily.

I do love the looks of them but will not run spacers for safety reasons . Just my opinion , PLUS 99% of tire shops will not change / rotate your tires for liability and safety reasons .

I went to a friends frame an axle shop about my lift install , they are slow , I can use the facility and they will do it with my help , so I can learn. I've never been one to drop off and pick up. I've know these guys for 30 years and they have always been in the frame and axle business. They also said I can put the spacers on myself and bring it back for alignment . They don't want to be responsible for putting them on.



I chose to run FJ rims for the time being. I know they will not push out as far as a 1.25-1.5 spacer will but it will widen the stance I think about a 1/2" or something on each side. Not sure how much exactly so if someone could through a number at me that would be great. I do like the sport rims better , but ??? FJ's don't look to bad. I basically got 5 new rims/take off's with caps delivered to my door for $70 each ($350.00).

 

[Falls]

OKIE , Please bear with , it's 4:30 in the morning and trying to understand.

The kit you listed was for front only , what did you do for the back end ? to bring that up another 1.5" ?

JA , your kit is still on the DS website , so they must be using the same part number for the new and older kit.

 

[Okie]

OKIE , Please bear with , it's 4:30 in the morning and trying to understand.

The kit you listed was for front only , what did you do for the back end ? to bring that up another 1.5" ?

JA , your kit is still on the DS website , so they must be using the same part number for the new and older kit.

Crap - I listed the wrong kit that I used. It was the KT09115BK kit, NOT the KT09116BK kit. Can you change that in my 2 posts where I listed the wrong number? Too much time has elapsed to allow me to edit the other two posts.

 

[Tego]

do you have xreas?

 

[G.I.G.]

G.I.G., not sure if i'm going to deter you or convince you, but i have the same toytec spacer and tires you have and i just installed the spidertrax spacers. (sorry, taken with my camera phone)

Yup, now I am definitely convinced I need them! :biggrin2: I will be placing a call to Ben at Slee Off-Road shortly....

Your ride does look a lot like mine, including the Yakima Fat Cat 6 rack. thanks for posting these pics. Do you happen to have any pics looking straight on from the front or rear?