When is a lift too much?

[Chris In Milwaukee]

My next upgrade is a Dobinsons 2-2.5” lift. One of the options is long-travel struts/shocks that provides a 3” lift. It’s an $80 upgrade for the entire system, front and rear, to go with this system. Any downsides you can suggest to the extra inch of elevation?

CoG is the first thing that comes to mind with vehicle lifts, but happy to hear what else may be a consideration in your mind.

~Chris

 

[Bumbo]

My next upgrade is a Dobinsons 2-2.5” lift. One of the options is long-travel struts/shocks that provides a 3” lift. It’s an $80 upgrade for the entire system, front and rear, to go with this system. Any downsides you can suggest to the extra inch of elevation?

CoG is the first thing that comes to mind with vehicle lifts, but happy to hear what else may be a consideration in your mind.

~Chris

"When is a lift too much?"

When your CV angles are too much
When you lost all your downward travel (droop)

When you lift on the stock geometry, you don't gain more travel, you just move the center-line of the stroke.

While the additional height is nice, and you have more room for compression over bumps, don’t discount the importance of downward travel (droop) as it is also important to suspension performance.

As an example, If you drive over a pothole and don’t have enough droop, that is the difference between the truck falling into the pothole, vs just the tire.

That said, I don’t think a 2-2.5” lift is too much, I think that is a good place to be if you off-road. If you don't 1.75 to 2" would be my max. That shock won’t provide you with more travel… I think the “long travel” naming is more marketing. The shock is just setup for a different ride height / change in center-line from the lift. You will give up droop for compression. You have a fixed length of travel unless you are changing arms and the suspension geometry.

 

[SpeedyKevin]

When the CV angles go south (more wear) and lose of downtravel ( I think stock is around 4 inches). Also, if you get the rear long travel shocks (I think its 28.75 inches extended), I believe you'll need new lower/upper links.

 

[Dillusion]

You be fine.

 

[CF_Machete]

When you lift on the stock geometry, you don't gain more travel, you just move the center-line of the stroke.

to clarify, that only applies to coilover/ coilover spacer lifts, which seem to be the most popular 4runner lifts. there are body lifts that do not affect the suspension geometry, however they leave the middle of your under body guts with the same ground clearance until you add larger tires.

then there are the "cross member lifts" (pretty sure I have the name right) where you essentially put a spacer one the mounting point of your lower control arms and add a longer coil over. the LCA's sty close to the ground, but add clearance to the rest of the under body as well as larger tire options.

If you want to go huge with out losing travel, combine all 3 types and you fit right in on Hawaiian islands. those guys love 6+ lifts.

 

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Appreciate the feedback. For least heartache, I suspect a 2” lift is probably going to be more than enough. Minimizes the need for significant geometry countermeasures. I’ve seen a couple of taller ones that look pretty darn amazing. But watching a variety of 4Runners on YouTube, they do great things with minimal modification. Reckon I’ll start small and see where life takes me.

 

[Generalisimo]

Appreciate the feedback. For least heartache, I suspect a 2” lift is probably going to be more than enough. I’ve seen a couple of taller ones that look pretty darn amazing. But watching a variety of 4Runners on YouTube, they do great things with minimal modification. Reckon I’ll start small and see where life takes me.

Seriously there’s no where in Wisconsin you can’t go now. Lived in Packerand for 21 years. We had a stock Jeep Wrangler that handled anything terrain wise. Mud is the only hazard we got stuck in at all. Higher also means poorer MPG on road.
BTW: While the lifted look is appealing, your balls wont hang any lower, but I’d go for it anyway. ��. “Image is everything” as the old Cannon commercial used to say.
Have fun with the project and post a pic when done.

 

[bugkillr]

Appreciate the feedback. For least heartache, I suspect a 2” lift is probably going to be more than enough. Minimizes the need for significant geometry countermeasures. I’ve seen a couple of taller ones that look pretty darn amazing. But watching a variety of 4Runners on YouTube, they do great things with minimal modification. Reckon I’ll start small and see where life takes me.

I'd highly recommend going with the Eibach lift adjustable shocks up front and the matching rears if you want to stay around 2" or a little less. Love mine. The ride is great, they can go up to 2.5" and they reuse you're stock springs. If you want to go 2.5" or up, I'd just buy the whole kit with their springs.

 

[llDemonll]

If you want to go huge with out losing travel, combine all 3 types and you fit right in on Hawaiian islands. those guys love 6+ lifts.

ahahahha this is hilarious. when i was in hawaii a few months ago i took these two pictures because they were so ridiculous

 

[Vwright14]

Last time I talked to a Dobinson's seller they didnt have a "true 3in" lift option...

 

[samwhich]

Will echo what everyone else mentioned about CV angles, in my personal opinion anything nearing the true 3" of lift mark is a bit too much. 2"-2.5" is IMO a great lift for these to hold onto whatever you can of "factoryish" ride and handling characteristics.

 

[mudmancrash]

ahahahha this is hilarious. when i was in hawaii a few months ago i took these two pictures because they were so ridiculous

Hilarious! Like street machines with knobbies...

 

[Reinout]

ahahahha this is hilarious. when i was in hawaii a few months ago i took these two pictures because they were so ridiculous

Ugh: WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

 

[mrblah]

at 3 inches, the 4runner starts to ride like shit, but it look oooh so good.

 

[Bumbo]

at 3 inches, the 4runner starts to ride like shit, but it look oooh so good.

I decided not to use those exact words in my post, but I was thinking it when I wrote it.

Once you get to that height you really need to step into a mild +2 LT kit if you want to maintain performance. Fact of the matter is most people don’t want to pay that much to do it right, so they end up with a crap ride and just live with it.

Not saying there is a right or wrong way, but there comes a point where you make significant sacrifice to get that height.

 

[Bumbo]

to clarify, that only applies to coilover/ coilover spacer lifts, which seem to be the most popular 4runner lifts. there are body lifts that do not affect the suspension geometry, however they leave the middle of your under body guts with the same ground clearance until you add larger tires.

then there are the "cross member lifts" (pretty sure I have the name right) where you essentially put a spacer one the mounting point of your lower control arms and add a longer coil over. the LCA's sty close to the ground, but add clearance to the rest of the under body as well as larger tire options.

If you want to go huge with out losing travel, combine all 3 types and you fit right in on Hawaiian islands. those guys love 6+ lifts.

I was in Hawaii last year around this time and man… you are not joking, the amount of lifted Tacomas and 4Runenrs I saw jacked to the sky was nuts. You would think they are in constant fear of deep flooding. Very unique island style… really not sure why it’s a popular thing over there.

While you are right, personally I am not into body or cross member lifts… I only get into suspension modifications for the purpose of performance gains. Plus I do everything in my power to keep COG as low as possible. A very experienced off-roader taught me to keep lift the minimum amount to fit the largest tire you need for the application.

 

[Dillusion]

Every parking lot is like a Toyota dealership over here.

I'm going to say a lot of the 4Rs and Tacomas your see jacked up excessively are 2WD also. But I'm going to guess (because I don't know most personally) the ones that are 4WD and excessive go play in the sand a lot. We don't have much off roading options so sand is the next best thing.

 

[Generalisimo]

I was in Hawaii last year around this time and man… you are not joking, the amount of lifted Tacomas and 4Runenrs I saw jacked to the sky was nuts..

Umm, they’re mostly owned and driven by middle aged beer gut guys wearing a big gold chain and Speedos. Same guys that used to wheel around in Hummers a few years back.

 

[Dillusion]

Umm, they’re mostly owned and driven by middle aged beer gut guys wearing a big gold chain and Speedos. Same guys that used to wheel around in Hummers a few years back.

Don't forget we live in grass shacks too.

 

[Chris In Milwaukee]

Last time I talked to a Dobinson's seller they didnt have a "true 3in" lift option...

Fair enough. The product info has a 2-2.5” spring and a strut with a different spring seat to get you to 3”. But as others have mentioned, probably best to stay down low at 2” or so. So that’s my plan, methinks. At that height, might not need UCAs, but I’m going to allow for them in the budget.