spacer lift comparison ....

[MrEMan]

OK ... I know that this topic has been discussed ad nauseum on this forum and others. Believe me, I've read and read and read ... as well as going through page after page of lifts on the lift and tires thread. At some point it actually starts to become more confusing rather than more clear. So I'm jotting down my thoughts, more to help me clarify it in my own mind but also to get feedback from those of you that have already been through this process.

I'm looking to lift my '06 ... while I would love to do the ToyTec 3" ultimate lift, I simply can't justify the cost given how much I would really use this vehicle offroad. The truth is that it's my dd and I'm doing this primarily for looks ... like many others, I think that at the very least the 4WD 4Runners should've come from the factory with a more aggressive stance. So that leaves me with a spacer lift. And for that it seems that the primary players are Cornfed, Daystar and ToyTec. There are minor variations in the measurements for each (which I believe are supposed to represent net lift for all three vendors):

• Cornfed - aluminum front spacer and UHMW polyethylene rear spacer and according to Jason
  • 2/1 - allows a 275/70R17 tire
  • 3/2 - allows a 285/70R17 tire
• Daystar -polyurethane front and rear spacers that splits the difference in terms of lift
  • 2.5/1.5 - a 265/70R17 seems to be the most common tire fitted on the lift and tires thread
• ToyTec - uses aluminum front spacers with poly rear spacers that seems to cover almost the entire range, allowing you to "tweak" the rake
  • 3/1.5 - unknown
  • 2.5/1.5 - should comfortably fit a 265/70R17 like the daystar 2.5/1.5
  • 2/1.5 - unknown

On average, my 4Runner (with a V6) currently measures an average of 33.5" (wheel well to ground) or 19.25" (wheel well to the center of the hub) in front and an average of 36" (wheel well to ground) or 21.25" (wheel well to the center of the hub) in the rear. In my mind that makes a rake of 2" (but, as others have also noted, there is only a 1" rake in my running "boards" ... I'm not willing to do the math to determine how much of a difference that really is) from front to rear because the perception of how much rake a vehicle has is probably most influenced by the visual appearance of the wheel well to center of the hub. All of which would mean that the ToyTec 3/1.5 spacer would come closest to eliminating the rake (decreasing the rake by 1.5", resulting in a 0.5" overall rake). The Cornfed 3/2 and 2/1, the Daystar 2.5/1.5 and the ToyTec 2.5/1.5 would be the next closest (decreasing the rake by 1", resulting in a 1" overall rake), with the difference coming in the form of slightly different total net lifts for each. Bringing up the rear (no pun intended) would be the ToyTec 2/1.5 (which would only decrease the rake by 0.5", resulting in a 1.5" overall rake). Sorry, I'm a scientist in real life ... analysis is what I do. :sleepy:

Of course this is all theoretical ... so this is where you all come in. If you've done any of these lifts, you've seen the end results in person. What do you think? What lift do you have and do you feel like it did an adequate job removing the rake? If you used the ToyTec 3/1.5, does it seem nose high to you? What about your running boards? Any thoughts on tire fitment for the two "unknown" ToyTec lifts?

Thanks again for everyone that is willing to dive into this discussion once again ...

 

[Dusty Driftwood]

Don't apologize, that is exactly how I processed the information and your thread makes perfect sense to me. Especially the part about getting inundated with so much information until you're actually more confused after doing research than you were before.
For me, I decided to go with what appeared to be the most reliable and economical in the DS 2.5/1.5. It should be one of the easier installs since they now have their "easy install" kit. And, when I say reliable, I don't mean like "Toyota Reliability" I mean I have sifted through countless pages and pages of lift and tire central thread and the Daystar kit seems to be the one that most often evokes the thought, "that is how I want my 4R to look."
I'm not trying to fit monster tires on my Runner either, it is more of a DD than rock climber for us so I really just wanted it to sit a littler higher and have somewhat larger, more aggressive tires for when we do leave the pavement. At $150 I think the DS was right for me because that also left money for the Spidertrax, which I feel are necessary with a lift since body roll was one of the things we didn't like about the Rav4 and Highlander when we test drove it. I looked at the Cornfed lifts pretty hard, but for the price I just don't think they compare. All of this (of course) is just my opinion on what is "right" for me.
Good thread

 

[Co.Ag.2005]

here's mine. Daystar spacer lift. I love the stance and it even preformed well with some aggressive off-roading this past summer in the Colorado backcountry.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/724317-post612.html

I love the setup, but I will likely save up for the toytec 3" ultimate in the future when I decide I don't need my XREAS system anymore (or it quits on me).

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

I was bit by the number bug, and from my experience it's a waste of time. .5"is minimal, it's really hard to actually see the difference. I'd go with the daystar unless you're going to run 33s, in which I'd recommend the 3/2. If you're not off roading, you don't have to have every last inch of lift you can get. Look at the lift sticky for a general idea of tire sizes that fit. That's not a definitive list, all comes down to how much cutting you want to do.

 

[MrEMan]

... the Daystar kit seems to be the one that most often evokes the thought, "that is how I want my 4R to look."

Thanks ... I think the same thing happens with me, but wonder how much of that is because of the spacer lifts shown on the thread, the DS 2.5/1.5 with 265/70R17's seems to be most common.

here's mine. Daystar spacer lift. I love the stance and it even preformed well with some aggressive off-roading this past summer in the Colorado backcountry.

I've gone so far as to go through each and every page on that thread printing out side shots of every 4runner with one of these spacer lifts (and noting what size tire they're running). Your's happens to be one of the ones I liked the best ... but I run 17" wheels.

I'd go with the daystar unless you're going to run 33s, in which I'd recommend the 3/2.

That's ultimately what it will come down to for me 2.5/1.5 if I want to keep running 265's or the 3/2 if I want to step up to 285's (and I have to admit that, while there are certainly pro's to running 265's, there are plenty of times I look at my car and wish my tires were a little more "meaty"). With the 2.5/1.5, the question is ... Daystar or ToyTec?

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

IMO, one isn't superior to the other. Some claim that the poly spacers compress and settle over time, aluminum ones don't. Some claim aluminum spacers will make more noise than poly. Heard of both, not sure either is an issue to be concerned about.

275/70/17 is a great compromise, there are just very few tires offered in that size. With 285/70/17, be aware you'll have to run wheel spacers and do a little trimming even with the 3/2.

 

[MrEMan]

275/70/17 is a great compromise, there are just very few tires offered in that size. With 285/70/17, be aware you'll have to run wheel spacers and do a little trimming even with the 3/2.

I'm pretty set on the GY Duratrac's, so 275/70R17 isn't an option for me, at least not with my stock rims. So it's either 265's or 285's ... and I'm planning to run wheel spacers either way (if for no reason other than I like the wider stance). But the trimming and the spare are currently keeping me from pulling the trigger. Not saying that I won't end up with 285's, I'm just still mulling it over ...

 

[Casper421]

Go big or go home! There are a few running 285's with DS2.5/1.5 and the stance looks good IMO. Have you considered OME at all?

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

I'm pretty set on the GY Duratrac's, so 275/70R17 isn't an option for me, at least not with my stock rims. So it's either 265's or 285's ... and I'm planning to run wheel spacers either way (if for no reason other than I like the wider stance). But the trimming and the spare are currently keeping me from pulling the trigger. Not saying that I won't end up with 285's, I'm just still mulling it over ...

Yea,


Yea, tough call there. I've heard of people buying a used/worn 285 for a spare and being able to get it to fit.

 

[Casper421]

Yea,


Yea, tough call there. I've heard of people buying a used/worn 285 for a spare and being able to get it to fit.

I've got a worn 285 spare, fits fine.

 

[Co.Ag.2005]

I've gone so far as to go through each and every page on that thread printing out side shots of every 4runner with one of these spacer lifts (and noting what size tire they're running). Your's happens to be one of the ones I liked the best ... but I run 17" wheels.

thanks! I'm quite proud of it, but definitely got the inspiration from this forum! I think I did about as much research as you did going into it, and decided, for the money, daystar was the way to go. good luck in you decision! your ride will look good no matter which one you go with!

 

[Dusty Driftwood]

thanks! I'm quite proud of it, but definitely got the inspiration from this forum! I think I did about as much research as you did going into it, and decided, for the money, daystar was the way to go. good luck in you decision! your ride will look good no matter which one you go with!

Ha, the student becomes the teacher. Your 4Runner was/is the main one that stood out to me from 85 pages of the lift and tire central thread. A big reason I leaned toward the DS lift & Spidertrax. I can't wait until it is all said and done, since I've also had a set of FJ rims sitting in my garage collecting dust for months. But, I figured I'd do it all once and be done with it (for now)

 

[Dusty Driftwood]

275/70/17 is a great compromise, there are just very few tires offered in that size. With 285/70/17, be aware you'll have to run wheel spacers and do a little trimming even with the 3/2.

Luckily, the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/As come in 275/70/17 cause that is what I was planning on. Another choice on my list is the Firestone Destination ATs which are also available in that size too.

 

[MrEMan]

Go big or go home! There are a few running 285's with DS2.5/1.5 and the stance looks good IMO. Have you considered OME at all?

I've considered OME, and while it's not quite as expensive as the ToyTec ultimate, it's still considerably more than even the most expensive spacer lift. In a sense it seems to be a gamble ... I plan to drive this 4Runner forever (or at least into the ground), so eventually I will need to replace the suspension. But I don't want to do that until I really need to, and my typical use doesn't need the upgraded suspension. So I'm thinking spacer lift until that point in time. Feel free to correct me if there is a flaw in my logic ... my luck will be that my XREAS goes out 10K miles after I install the spacer lift. :redbrick:

Yea, tough call there. I've heard of people buying a used/worn 285 for a spare and being able to get it to fit.

I hadn't really thought about that ... guess that would be a possibility. I wonder what the largest outer diameter is that will fit in that space?

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

I fit a new 255/75/17 (32.1") with room to spare. It also depends on v6 or v8, v8 has a different hitch and not as much room. Not sure how much difference it makes, just heard that there is a difference.

 

[BMeister]

This might be a question that was answered already, but what's the largest size tire that can go with just 1" level daystar kit? I had to go the real cheap route because my wife occasionally takes my runner. And has anyone run spidertrax with just a budget boost?

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

This might be a question that was answered already, but what's the largest size tire that can go with just 1" level daystar kit? I had to go the real cheap route because my wife occasionally takes my runner. And has anyone run spidertrax with just a budget boost?

Without any rubbing, stock is the biggest you can do. With a little effort, you can run 265/70/17 or 255/75/17. More info on this is in the lift sticky at the top of this section.

 

[MrEMan]

I fit a new 255/75/17 (32.1") with room to spare. It also depends on v6 or v8, v8 has a different hitch and not as much room. Not sure how much difference it makes, just heard that there is a difference.

So somewhere between 32.1" and 32.7" ...

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Yea. Just guesstimating, I'd say I have ~1/4" clearance with the 255/75/17's (when they were new). I believe that although mine's a v8, it's got a hitch similar to the v6 (v8's built up until ~June 2003 had a different hitch, it was redesigned at that point).

 

[MrEMan]

Yea. Just guesstimating, I'd say I have ~1/4" clearance with the 255/75/17's (when they were new).

Thanks, that's good to know in case I decide to go with 285's ... the spare isn't the only factor to consider, but it's one of the big ones. The trimming required and just the overall cost round out the trifecta of issues ...