Small lift options / questions

[mainerunr]

OK, so first off, I don't even have my 4runner yet but I watched one of tinkerer's videos on lifts and suspension travel and it pretty much reinforced what I already knew...but it left me wondering.

I was thinking lift coils with adjustable shocks set for no lift. Thinking about 2" lift front and rear (if the rear is a little less, no problem but I want to keep most of the rake). I'm wondering now if I should get the extended travel shocks though since that seems to maintain most of the factory travel (plus, I know that pushing the wheel down 2" with a factory length shock makes you lose that much downward travel leaving you with a lot less range in the downward direction).

But looking at Dobinson's iirc, their extended travel shocks add an inch of lift so then I'd want 1" lift springs for a total of 2" lift? But that doesn't seem to be an option. (Actually wondering if I'd be happy with 1" lift and 285's...enough to make it stand out a bit, a little more clearance.)

Not planning on doing a diff drop because it doesn't seem like the angles necessitate it (even at full droop with extended travel shocks). Also not planning on doing UCAs (I'll go back and add them later if I'm wrong). Not sure if I'll need brake line extensions as I've just started looking at extended travel as an option.

Ultimately, I'm probably gonna want to run 286/70r17's, preferably on a wheel with an offset between the stock TRD Off Road wheels and 0 offset (obviously accounting for wheel width). I think (and again, I don't have my 4Runner yet) wheels that poke cause more rubbing issues due to the larger scrub radius).

(and yes, I analyze things to death before I pull the trigger...I'm working on being more impulsive...actually, I had a deposit and a place in line to order a Bronco but after waiting 4+months to even place the actual order (when it was supposed to be 6 weeks)...that was an impulse decision and now it's looking like it will be February before the order could be placed, I bailed and put a deposit on a TRD ORP mid-october and was told to expect 3-6 months since I'm 4th in line).

 

[fourwd1]

This question comes up a lot, plenty of threads to look at.

If you want a modest 2" or so lift and a much better than stock ride, go with Old Man Emu. Hands down the best around for those two parameters.

 

[MAST4R]

I think that if you search around, you will find plenty of info.

In the front a Bilstein 6112 on the "extra weight" or so-called "650" lb springs will give you all the offroad capability you can use on the east coast.

And it will minimize down travel loss. You don't need "extended" shocks, the Bilstein is and if you go back to the original Toyota TRD materials from back in the day, you will see them say the same for the TRD version of the same shock. I have measured mine so I am pretty firm in my "opinion" since at least in my case it is a fact.

If you prefer to strongly optimize for pavement and dirt roads and easier trails at the speeds that 95% of 4x4 drivers use in street vehicles, then the 6112 on standard springs will be perfect.

Now, the rear is another story. There is no matching shock. I currently run far more capable rear than my front simply because I need it for what I do here in the SW.

But anything with reservoir will do for lower speeds.

For comfort, you don't want a 2" non-resi rear shock, it is asking too much from a small shock, so you have to choose comfort OR performance. For both, a resi is needed.