Top plate or preload spacers

1bad4r

1bad4r

New member
Ok I'm about to lift my truck again and I'm going with spacers but I'm stuck on whether or not I wanna do preload or a top plate spacer up front. I have a deal on the daystar 2.5 that I can get or for just a little bit more I can buy a top plate spacer...... I have read the lift information sticky but am still undecided. So my questions are
1. Which one will give me a smoother ride?
2. Which one can I get aligned back to stock specs easier?
Obviously I am leaning towards the top plate because it doesn't require compressing the struts but I am willing too if it is a better idea
 
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Top plate will ride smoother but neither one is easier to align in my expirience with my Tacoma which I ran both styles on, in theory the preload will be easier to align but I didn't notice a difference. Top plate puts a lot more stress on upper ball joints.
 
YotaZach85 said:
Top plate will ride smoother but neither one is easier to align in my expirience with my Tacoma which I ran both styles on, in theory the preload will be easier to align but I didn't notice a difference. Top plate puts a lot more stress on upper ball joints.
Click to expand...

I drive on road 99 percent of the time so I wonder if the extra stress on the upper ball joints would be anything to worry about?
 
1bad4r said:
I drive on road 99 percent of the time so I wonder if the extra stress on the upper ball joints would be anything to worry about?
Click to expand...

If you're just going for comfort then the top plate would be the way to go just keep an eye on your UBJs.

hdoggie24 said:
the daystar is both a preload and top plate. if you have a 2.5" top plate spacer, where did you get it from????
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Wheelers off road sells them, too.
 
Ok, so I'll give the answer that most guys here will probably give you but that you don't want to hear...

Neither, it'll make your vehicle worse.

Save up and do a suspension lift. If you can time it with when you have to replace the suspension anyway, then you aren't actually going to spend much more money anyway (that's what I did, I actually saved money by lifting).

Read some of the many threads on this topic, spacers make it ride worse no matter what, and adding spacers to old springs and shocks is even worse. Of course the worst thing you could possibly do is add preload spacers to worn out springs.

Seriously though, if you just want your 4runner taller, then get over it. If you want it taller and a decent ride, get a suspension lift. My ride was like night and day after replacing the suspension with new stuff, like a brand new vehicle. I am extremely happy, and I have no regrets about it. It's worth it in the long run to save up.
 
1bad4r said:
Obviously I am leaning towards the top plate because it doesn't require compressing the struts but I am willing too if it is a better idea
Click to expand...

You still will have to reassemble your front struts because you need to install the extended studs to be able to use the top plate spacer
 
downpour11 said:
You still will have to reassemble your front struts because you need to install the extended studs to be able to use the top plate

You don't have to compress the strut with a top plate spacer because i have had one before and I just replaced my struts so I don't wanna compress them again if I don't have to
Click to expand...
 
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after almost a year with the preload spacers...i've notice a very ROUGH ride. ppl are right. it is really bumpy after a while. if i were u ..i'd hold out and do it the right way and do a suspension lift. trust me the ride will be alot smoother. plus with spacers..the lift tends to sag faster over time
 
All lifts will add some stress to the UBJ because of the new angle, the ball joint is now working at an angle in the socket. Neither spacer is going to be harder on the UBJ than the other, longer coil either.

Top out spacers will increase the wheel droop because you are increasing the length of the coilover. This added droop can increase CV damage when drooping a wheel.

Spend a few more bucks and buy a lift coil.

Spacers in the back are not as bad as in front.

When using spacers, front or back, you will be using the old worn out sagging coil. Spacers are a band-aid repair.
 
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Luckily my truck has no sagging issues many because it is still low mileage I am definitely going with spacers in the rear I'm just still debating on whether or not to do them up front...I'm just in a very tight budget cause I have a newborn and I don't see myself having the extra cash to do anything much better for a while so that's why I'm thinking spacers
 
1bad4r said:
You don't have to compress the strut with a top plate spacer because i have had one before and I just replaced my struts so I don't wanna compress them again if I don't have to
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tell me how you're going to be able to use the top plate spacer then? Without the extended studs you wont be able to bolt your strut and coil assembly onto your 4runner lol
 
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It's hard to explain actually but it's an aluminum spacer with studs already in it and it bolts directly to you strut and then you use the bolts it came with to attach back to your truck...I'm not stupid trust me they are made like this cause I have used one on this truck before lol
 
1bad4r said:
It's hard to explain actually but it's an aluminum spacer with studs already in it and it bolts directly to you strut and then you use the bolts it came with to attach back to your truck...I'm not stupid trust me they are made like this cause I have used one on this truck before lol
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weirrrrrd i've never seen that. i was thinking you were talking about the toytec topouts. you got a link? that would save some time and money not having to reassemble the front strut assemblies.
 
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