Spacer install, for real?

[SShink]

I am going to put Cornfed 1/2" front spacers (to get 1" of lift) on my 2013 TE today.
The directions say it's as simple as jacking, remove wheels, remove lower shock mount bolt, remove 3 top bolts, pull strut assay down, install spacer, reverse.
Is it really that easy or am I in for something more difficult? :shrug: I do have KDSS.

Thanks,
SDS

 

[adam2562]

its a lil harder than that hehe.. the kdss will give you a hard time, but before you do it, just read other threads on what to do.. there's a couple on here. if i wasn't getting off here now, i'd look them up for you

 

[SShink]

I just got the vehicle jacked and removed the nuts from the lower shock mount...NO WAY those lower bolts will come out and no way to "have a 2nd person pull down on the upper control arm to take pressure off the lower shock mount bolt" (like the manual says). Looks like there's still a considerable amount of pressure on the shock/spring - it's not nearly relaxed.

 

[eddiebx]

I think that might be because your sway bar is still connected, and the KDSS has an especially thick/stiff sway bar...

 

[SShink]

...and I hear that removing the sway bar links on KDSS opens a whole can of worms?

 

[Jeremy556]

...and I hear that removing the sway bar links on KDSS opens a whole can of worms?

It is a PITA. You will need an assortment of jacks and large prybars to get it re-attached.

 

[LandCruiser]

I bought front spacers from ToyTec and had my Toyota dealer do the install. Since I bought a set of tires from them, they did it at a discount and it only cost about 200 dollars.

Save yourself the headache with the KDSS and let a Toyota master mechanic do the work.

 

[adam2562]

probably have to disconnect the lower A-arm and disconnect the kdss sway bar from it too..

to put the kdss sway bar back on you may need floor jack below it to raise it in place on one side.. and i believe the other side is similar or opposite that you need to push the sway bar down, so by putting the jack to the driver side that you have already put back in place.. you then raise that sway bar with a floor jack to cause the other side to lower in place.. and yes you'll need a pry bar to help line up the sway bar with its bracket

 

[SShink]

sadomasochism technique...

So, I DID get the 1/2" spacers installed (by myself, solo) WITHOUT taking the wheels off the car nor disconnecting anything except for the 3 top nuts and one bottom shock mount bolt. It was a 4 hour ordeal and involved lots of pry-bars and a scrape with death.
The front-end is now lifted 1" and leveling has been accomplished. :clap2:

Also accomplished is putting a small tear in my CV joint boot and a HUGE fat lip. As I was prying the second side, bottom shock-eye into place, the pry-bar slipped and popped me in the mouth. The resulting release of compressed energy sent the shock-eye into the cv boot and pierced it. The pierced hole is small, but seems to continually extrude grease from it - I supposed it is not good to drive it like this. My lower lip is about the size of a large walnut and has an impression of my front tooth on the inside of it. :sobbing:

Anyone know how hard it is or how much $ it costs to get the outer CV boot replaced? I should have listened to those who told me to take it to the dealer.
Damn, I'm hitting the bottle now.

 

[mikebontoft]

So I just realized that KDSS is like what BMW and Land Rover have been using, except they use air struts as well.

 

[SShink]

So I just realized that KDSS is like what BMW and Land Rover have been using, except they use air struts as well.

...and it takes large pry-bars and a 300 pound guy to overcome the sway-bar pressure by 1/2"

 

[the_josh]

So, I DID get the 1/2" spacers installed (by myself, solo) WITHOUT taking the wheels off the car nor disconnecting anything except for the 3 top nuts and one bottom shock mount bolt. It was a 4 hour ordeal and involved lots of pry-bars and a scrape with death.
The front-end is now lifted 1" and leveling has been accomplished. :clap2:

Also accomplished is putting a small tear in my CV joint boot and a HUGE fat lip. As I was prying the second side, bottom shock-eye into place, the pry-bar slipped and popped me in the mouth. The resulting release of compressed energy sent the shock-eye into the cv boot and pierced it. The pierced hole is small, but seems to continually extrude grease from it - I supposed it is not good to drive it like this. My lower lip is about the size of a large walnut and has an impression of my front tooth on the inside of it. :sobbing:

Anyone know how hard it is or how much $ it costs to get the outer CV boot replaced? I should have listened to those who told me to take it to the dealer.
Damn, I'm hitting the bottle now.

The CV boot kit costs about 40 and you have to pull the axle to do it so your looking at probably 300*400 from the dealer

 

[mikebontoft]

...and it takes large pry-bars and a 300 pound guy to overcome the sway-bar pressure by 1/2"

I love Toyota trucks, but I'm also a BMW/Mini/Jag/Land Rover/ Volvo/ Mercedes/domestic /import etc tech. (not sure why I mentioned that lol). BMW uses a sway bar that's split in the middle and allows rotation but you don't have to fight it like KDSS. haha.

 

[SShink]

The CV boot kit costs about 40 and you have to pull the axle to do it so your looking at probably 300*400 from the dealer

The guy at Lost tire quoted me $250 to install the spacers and do an alignment...shoulda coulda woulda. Damn.

The thing that pisses me off is that Cornfed's representative told me to follow the instructions and it would work, specifically with the KDSS. NOT so.