Spacer lift, help?

[4Runner93]

So, felt bad for hijacking that one topic, so I'm just making my own so I can fill my brain with knowledge from you guys!

I'm wanting to lift my truck in the next couple months, but mostly for looks. Being in Central Texas, there aren't many trails or designated wheeling areas (closest one is near Bryan/College Station where I'll hopefully be living next year, Gig' Em!)

Mine's a 2WD, so no need for diff drops or anything. It seems like from the info I've gathered, I should go with a top plate spacer in the front, but new coils in the back as they don't preload and keep the ride quality about the same.

So, Toytec's Best Seller uses machined aluminum I believe, and Daystar has polyurethane. Is there much difference? Daystar is 2.5", versus the Toytec 3" but will that make much a difference (should I try a 3" at all cost)?

PS: I did read the sticky topics on 3rd gen lifts, but it isn't too specific about much

 

[steezemcqueen]

poly will squish over time. aluminum won't.

 

[brian2sun]

seems like from the info I've gathered, I should go with a top plate spacer in the front, but new coils in the back as they don't preload and keep the ride quality about the same.

Actually, you got it backwards. Spacers on top of the rear coils just sit on top just like the body does so as far as the coils are concerned, they don't know the difference. In other words, spacers do not preload the rear coils. The fronts are the ones that you have to squash the coils inside the strut and squeeze a spacer in there which puts a preload on the coil and will in turn make the ride quality immediately worse because the coil is more compressed and therefore it's stiffer. This preload will wear out the coils faster too. Do it right the 1st time and get new coils like Tundra TRDs up front and OME or Lancruiser coils in the rear.

You'd be surprised that new coils isn't much more expensive than the spacers (and cheaper even if you go with used Tundra and LC coils). If you're doing it for looks, you may just want to go with a 2" body lift. Cheaper, easier to install and you won't have to spend $70 or so on an alignment afterwards either.

 

[4Runner93]

Oh, sorry Brian, I just realized that typo. I meant top plate spacers don't pre load the coils in front. And then the rest was new coils in the back.

But if a BL will give me a couple more inches, I'd much rather do that if it's cheaper and easier! Is 2" the highest I can get it, or is there a 3? And will it leave a gap between bumpers like I've seen one the more upgraded mods?

 

[steezemcqueen]

i would do a spacer lift before a body like IMO. a body lift will not gain you any ground clearance. spacers do get a worse rep than they deserve but you do NOT want to use just a top plate spacer. you can easily over extend ball joints and CV with spacer lift that are solely top plate spacers. the best way to do a spacer is one that uses both the top plate spacers and the preload spacers. that way you are still getting the lift but you are minimizing the negative effects.

 

[brian2sun]

I personally don't like anything over 2" for a BL. The higher you go, the more leverage is on those body bolts and easier for them the BL pucks to punch through the body. They do make 3" BLs though so that's a personal choice. As far as the bumper, it will leave a gap in the front, but the rear bumper is attached to the body so it will go up with that. If you have a "fat lip" 99+ front bumper, you'll have to make new brackets to get rid of the gap, but 4crawler.com makes a front bumper lift for '96-98s.

You'll also need a radiator drop and a steering shaft extension with a 2" BL. I don't think you need anything else for a 2", but I only have a 1" so I'm not the best to give advice about that. Total cost should be <$150 for everything you need for a 2".

I don't know of a spacer kit that goes completely on top of the struts for a 3rd gen. I know Daystar makes one for a 4th gen, but maybe they've started making them now for 3rds. All other spacers either are a 1 piece that goes inside the strut or a 2 piece that 1 goes inside and 1 goes on top. The problem with a spacer that sits on top is it pushes your control arms to almost full droop at rest which means you have little to no downward travel.

**EDIT: It looks like now Daystar (or somebody) is in fact making a top spacer that doesn't go inside the strut assembly and still gives ~3" of lift. Here's someone selling theirs in the classified section:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/class...runner-front-rear-springs-off-99-4runner.html
These will still max out your downward travel, but I just wanted to make the correction, times are a changin'!

 

[4Runner93]

dang, you guys have me back at square one haha. It looks like 4Crawler might make a 3" BL, i just browsed quickly though.

So, if I decide on just a BL, is it a true 2" or 3" over stock height?

and if I do spacers instead, Toytec Best Seller is the way to go?
BEST SELLER! 3" Lift w/spacers & rear OME coils - Toytec Lifts: Toyota Lift Kits: FJ Cruiser Lift Kits, Tacoma Lift Kits, Tundra Lift Kits, 4 Runner Lift Kits, Sequoia Lift Kits, Toyota Truck Lift Kits

 

[steezemcqueen]

dang, you guys have me back at square one haha. It looks like 4Crawler might make a 3" BL, i just browsed quickly though.

So, if I decide on just a BL, is it a true 2" or 3" over stock height?

and if I do spacers instead, Toytec Best Seller is the way to go?
BEST SELLER! 3" Lift w/spacers & rear OME coils - Toytec Lifts: Toyota Lift Kits: FJ Cruiser Lift Kits, Tacoma Lift Kits, Tundra Lift Kits, 4 Runner Lift Kits, Sequoia Lift Kits, Toyota Truck Lift Kits

yeah if i was going to buy a spacer lift, thats the one i would get.

 

[4Runner93]

Would the OME springs require new rear shocks?