I have read the 15 page lift guide and searched through this site on lift kits, but I'm looking for specific opinions on what lift will work for me.
I have a 94 runner 3.slo and currently running the 4crawler spacer/fj spring lift for a little over a year, and damm it sucks. I cant get my alignment right , wearing tires uneven, and my back end sways. Just tired of this crappy cheap lift, and the time and $$$ i have put into this spacer lift, to have my truck drive like crap.
I drive about 50% on and 50 off road, and since I'm a gold miner, my off road driving is on old trails/logging roads. so it needs to be pretty strong, since some of these roads are pretty crazy at times.
I'm looking for a 4" lift around $1,500 that's strong, and i wont have to get an alignment every three months, and has close to stock driving habits on road, but that can clear 33" off road.
shoot me some opinions on what you are running out there and any extra info would be great...

 

4" of lift will be a bracket lift, Pro Comp, Rough Country etc.

Your truck might drive like crap because you lifted it but still have worn out shocks, worn out steering components and bushings, crappy tires and a poor mechanic. Who knows? Is everything else well maintained?

You can't just lift a vehicle and not take care of other things like routine maintenance and upgrades with your lift. Cheap options on lifting are cheap for a reason, they ride cheap and lift for cheap.

:wabbit2:

 

alignment every 3 months on a rig that spends half it's time off-road I would think is normal.

 

Why go with a bracket lift?

you said you're having issues with the BJ spacer and coil spring kit? whys that?

and for 1,500 bucks you might as well save a bit more for an SAS.

 

if your having problems with your alignment, and talkin bout bj spacers, you have some serious front suspension issues, and or your alignment shop doesn't know what that are doing. Do you have the torsion bars cranked? How well was everything maintained before your add-ons? How well do you maintain things now? I agree with Wab, look into your front end suspension, tie rods, ball joints, SHOCKS, and everything, even check if your wheels are still balanced/weighted properly.....

 

as to maintenance. i have all new shocks pro-comp 9,000's, upper/lower bj's, idler arm with bronze bushing and NWOR brace, outer tie rodes, re-packed wheel bearing (2 months ago) pro-comp steering stabilizer, new rotors and pads, basically all the IFS wear points are less then a year old. my front end is solid, it as been aligned three times in a year first by a tire shop right after the spacer lift then 6 months later after i installed the upper/lower bj's and they could not get the camber right on the driver side 1.7 off at max adjustment, so i took it to a reputable 4 wheel drive specialty shop and the owner said that the front end is solid and that the alignment is at max for camber, nothing looks bent. just with the spacer its harder to align and he recommend a SAS swap. my tires are all balanced and running 33x12.5x15 bfg km1's on enkei aluminum wheels.
so if I'm going to be aligning it every three months with any lift on the ifs, then should i just go SAS for a little more $$??

 

sounds like you're having a frame issue if you cant get that thing to align. was it having alignment issues before the lift?

 

Find a competent alignment tech would be my start.

:wabbit2:

 

If your gonna wheel that much on IFS just pay for a lifetime alignment at a firestone or similar shop in your area that offers it. SAS trucks still need alignments, still have tie rods, still have pitman arms etc etc. Or buy another daily driver where your not wheeling it and turn the other truck into a trail rig where it won't matter at all if the alignment is right as long as it's close.

How much of the steering have you upgraded? Wheeling that much on stock aftermarket replacement parts IMO is still not enough. Maybe also look into FJ-80 tie rod ends.

Why did the shop tell you they could not align it?

 

exactly. the slight adjustment in your tie rods can be the yay or nay on whether your truck aligns or not.

 

Putting where your from would help us point you to a good shop.

 

i like the lifetime alignment idea, that's awesome, would i need that if i went SAS?
i have upgraded the front with Moog BjS/tie rods, idler arm McCray Norris/bronze bushing NW OR brace, and yes the stock original wear point part would be the pitman arm witch has been checked and looks good.
the first shop align it but the second checked it and could not do any more to help correct the alignment.
for camber as i have read on here and been told by both shops are only done by the cam bolts not the tie rods. as for any alignment issues none that i could Tell when i first got it, it drove great. it was completely stock from the original owner and i had the truck 4months stock before doing the spacer lift, but soon after the lift, the truck drove like crap and has never been too fun to drive, explicitly in the snow or rain its just scary. the steering is heavy/hard to turn and when its wet out it likes to drift allot.
so I'm ditching the spacer lift and looking at starting over.
ill post up a pic of my print out of my alignment from the shop and a pic of my front-end later so you guys can see.
i live in northern California, grass valley an hour west of Tahoe and the second 4wheel drive shop is J&M OFFROAD they do allot of custom 4x4 crawling rigs including yotas...

 

if you want a better ride ditch the bj spacer, get a blazeland long travel front and leaf spring swap in the rear. tg rear leaf swap is 599 right now and blaze is 999. 1600 plus misc and your ride is good.

 

I have a 95 4runner 3.0 running 33x12.50x15 with a 4'' rough country bracket lift and it has served me well over the last 5 years of running it hard. Yes an alignment every 3 -6 months depending on driving manners is common, I would start with a good shop for that first. I've had good results with Les Schwabby myself. The SAS is ultimate and the Blazeland an even newer and controversial design is amazing, but if all you need is to make it to your destination and back home dependably than the bracket lift is a great option, and it will hold up too.

 

If all you want lift for is to fit bigger tires...why not just body lift it? Also...you should be able to fit 33s with no lift.

 

thanks dubbsbetty that's the kind of info I'm looking for...now how is the quality of the rough country since its like half the cost as the pro comp?
as for just a body lift i wanted some aftermarket equipment under my rig instead of stock or OEM parts for the kind of terrain i drive. i might do a 2" body on top to help fit 35". anyone running 35"? how slower is it and am i going to wear out stuff quicker running 35?
MY runner has 4.56 gears so could I?

 

I'm liking the tg 5" front SAS kit 999 and rear 5" leaf tg is 599=1600 plus an axle (200-400) so for around 2grand i can be SAS and good to go. is anyone on here running tg front/rear sas/leaf kits??? tg long arm kit ooks cool but whos running it and whats the 411 on it?

 

That's just kit parts cost. Add lockers. Gears. Tires. Armor. Labor. Miscellaneous.

Double it and add 10% will be a closer estimate.

:wabbit2:

 

Glad I could help Everyone has their mixed opinions and scare tactics with each option out there but the truth is you'll never know for sure how it works unless you try it yourself. You definately can take these veterans opinions for the trouble of it all but knowing is half the battle. I've never ran 35s with the lift but I also have 4.56s and can be the first to tell you with 33s, great combo! Hella torque especially in reverse, i also have an auto so that takes away from from performance but I don't mind. I am sure 35s will damage parts faster but any modification/bigger than stock tire will eventually as well. Something to think about.

 

How are your control arm bushings? Ever been replaced?
Based on what your symptoms are, I bet $20 they are shot.
That would give you bad tire wear and make keeping alignment difficult/impossible.

And, yes - Firestone lifetime alignment, worth every penny.