thoughts and opinions

[JamesDean91]

Alright not looking to get into a what lift is best discussion just wondering what you would do in my shoes...
I am trying to go to a 35asap but like most don't have the cash to throw out at once and I like doing things in stages.
I already have my rear suspension figured out with a tri 4link and ford tank for the front the end goal is sas but I won't even be close to that with in 4-5 years(609 3 link with pan hard) so obviously staying ifs for a little longer.
My question to you is all about front lifts, would you do the coilovers/upper arms Tacoma ball joints hiem steering knowing its going to cost 1200 or so or would you just get spacers or lift springs when the rear is done and save about 700 bones. My only thought is option a will give me a better ride a lot longer and let me keep zero lift until my rear suspension is done thus allowing me to do the front and rear in stages.

 

[the great him]

dont do the spacer, you will hate it and it wont be worth the savings. id just buy the tundra bilstein 5100s and the toytec eibach coils. you shouldnt need new UCAs. id go with a 1.25" spacer. yes i know i used to say no spacers, but was forced into them when i leveled my truck out at a full 3.25" of lift up front, i found out that as you go higher in the front, your track narrows -suspension geometry... anyhow yeah im using the G2 1.25" hub centric spacers, and that puts me at about .5" wider track than stock. it has a nice stance and works like a charm. my ride is very pleasant, and i still have plenty of flex and cushion. i know you want to SAS your rig and thats cool, but you might just change you mind once you get a feel for it and see how well it performs. and if you do decide to SAS, im sure you can always find a buyer who will buy your old set (if you go with the bilsteins, they have a lifetime warranty...!), and youll be able to make some of you money back.

 

[JamesDean91]

Thanks thats pretty much sums it up. But with the tundra and eibach coils will that give me zero lift until I crank the collars up? I'm assuming you said tundra bilstiens for the valving and probably found cheaper then toytech coilovers.
As for the sas it isn't 100% set in stone just would rather have a piece of mind not wondering what's going to blow up first when I hit the trails specially after motor work and wanting to go to 37s.
Already building a rear 9" with 14b outers because in previous rigs iv blown the 8" on 33s and a tired re street driving. (2 low launches)
I was under the impression that I would need new upper control arms if I was to keep the 3.5bs wheels? I'm building around my future wheel and tire combo of 17s dot approved double bead locks with 3.5bs with some kind of 35 to start and end up with 37 12.5 mtr or maybe a 38 14.5 km2

 

[the great him]

the tundra 5100 bilsteins are a 5 collar setting strut, as apposed to the tacomas 3 setting, just gives you more options and more adjustments to dial everything in correctly. they are not a "coilover" in the common sense that everyone thinks when they hear that, they do not have a threaded collar that is finitely adjustable, rather they have slots machined into the housings, and a snap-ring that clips into the selected/desired slot(5 slots for the tunrdas, and 3 for the tacoma) those slots are the different settings that will adjust your lift accordingly. sure you can buy a threaded collar kit for the 5100s, but why, do you really need that? i think you will just be wasting your money on that, not saying its a gimmick or junk(not at all, it works) but the type of wheeling you are going to be doing i dont think will necessitate that need, after all you are going to do an SAS so why spend more money now than you have to to achieve your goal.

ps im running tundra bilsteins and the eibach coils, on my runner, with a winch, bumper and full armor and i am sitting at over 3" of lift up front now, and i still could go higher if i wanted, but i dont want to kill my CVs or lose anymore drop