95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Leveling The Front After LC's

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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 08:20 AM
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Leveling The Front After LC's

About 6 months ago, I installed LC coils in the rear, thinking they'd settle some. After towing a boat and some wheeling they've only sagged about 1/2" or so. That means it's time to start thinking about bringing the front up to match the rear.

I'm currently running 2.5" Daystar spacers up front with Rancho shocks. I think another inch of height or so in front would be perfect. What are my options to raise the front another inch without breaking the bank? I don't want to destroy my CV's either. Any thoughts?

BTW, when this is done, it's time for 285/75's!

Last edited by emptypockets; Nov 6, 2006 at 08:21 AM.
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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 08:23 AM
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Assuming your 4runner is 4WD, you don't have much room left to go up in the front without putting some serious strain on your CVs. Some topout spacers will give you another 1/2" up front, but I wouldn't try to go any higher than that. Do you have a diff. drop, because if not you should install one.
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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 09:13 AM
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Look here to figre out what you dont have and will need.
http://sonoransteel.com/store_complete_liftkits.html
As far as what I have after this lift I added an additional 1/2 spacer which now I put too much strain on the cv's and impressed they have yet to pop out. I'm installing limiting straps this week. The 1/2" will bring it up I think a full 1" totally levels it.
Aaron
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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 09:26 AM
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Just throw some sandbags in the rear and call it done!
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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 09:27 AM
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Cheap and easy I love it!!!!
Aaron
Originally Posted by SC4Runner
Just throw some sandbags in the rear and call it done!
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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 09:36 AM
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I was gonna suggest a steel bumper made from 1/4" plate. But sand bags will work.
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Old Nov 6, 2006 | 02:29 PM
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Originally Posted by spaugh
I was gonna suggest a steel bumper made from 1/4" plate. But sand bags will work.
sleeper platform with battery and maybe some other crap too?
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 07:13 AM
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Would it be possible to do 1" top out spacers with a diff drop? With my existing 2.5" spacers, that would raise the front a total of 3.5", which would match the rear pretty well. I want to go higher in the front to match the rear versus bringing the rear down.
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 07:24 AM
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if you want more height up front, go coil overs. they're adjustable, and you can crank em till the cows come home. say buhbye to your cv's though if you go too high. dont bother stacking spacers..that just sounds like a bad idea. you should have a diff drop with your 2.5" spacers in the first place...

or you can go with an ome setup or trd tundra coil setup w/ one or two 3/8" top out spacers...
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 07:56 AM
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I'd personally go with the Tundra setup or something like that. The coil-overs are $$ and I dont know if that extra dough is worth just the adjustability factor.
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 08:04 AM
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tundra coils and 1.5 inch spacer could work too.. but yeah CVs might be at a demolishing angle
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by emptypockets
Would it be possible to do 1" top out spacers with a diff drop? With my existing 2.5" spacers, that would raise the front a total of 3.5", which would match the rear pretty well. I want to go higher in the front to match the rear versus bringing the rear down.
a 1" top out spacer will give you more than 1" lift in the front. just a FYI.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 03:22 AM
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Originally Posted by neliconcept
tundra coils and 1.5 inch spacer could work too.. but yeah CVs might be at a demolishing angle
Yep you will be in the danger zone, I have tundra springs and 1" lift truck sits perfectly level but run the risk of cv damage offroad so will be installing limit straps this weekend.


Aaron
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 05:19 AM
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Originally Posted by xcmountain80
Yep you will be in the danger zone, I have tundra springs and 1" lift truck sits perfectly level but run the risk of cv damage offroad so will be installing limit straps this weekend.


Aaron
Thanks for the imput! Straps would be critical with the Tundra springs and 1" or 1.5" spacer. Post some pics up when the straps are installed...I'd be very interested in seeing that!
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 05:29 AM
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They should look very similar if not identical to the type on Sonorans website. But you bet I'll take pics of the prepping and welding and final install. http://sonoransteel.com/store_limiti...ap_mounts.html

Aaron

Last edited by xcmountain80; Nov 8, 2006 at 05:30 AM.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 06:42 AM
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Originally Posted by emptypockets
Thanks for the imput! Straps would be critical with the Tundra springs and 1" or 1.5" spacer. Post some pics up when the straps are installed...I'd be very interested in seeing that!
You will not need limiting straps if you use either the Tacoma shocks or the Tokico Trekmasters that Steve bundles with the kit.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 07:06 AM
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Originally Posted by emptypockets
Would it be possible to do 1" top out spacers with a diff drop? With my existing 2.5" spacers, that would raise the front a total of 3.5", which would match the rear pretty well. I want to go higher in the front to match the rear versus bringing the rear down.
you can't. a 3rd gen shouldn't go more than 2.5" in the front EVER w/ a 4wd. if you have a 2wd, then you can go up to 3.5" as long as the ball joints don't bind and you don't mind having pretty much ZERO droop up front. that's only if you have the correct length shocks and you have a diff drop.

Originally Posted by d0ubledown
if you want more height up front, go coil overs. they're adjustable, and you can crank em till the cows come home. say buhbye to your cv's though if you go too high. dont bother stacking spacers..that just sounds like a bad idea. you should have a diff drop with your 2.5" spacers in the first place...

or you can go with an ome setup or trd tundra coil setup w/ one or two 3/8" top out spacers...
bad, bad, bad advise on the coilovers. they don't give you more lift than what he has now, and they certainly don't perform better. you can't go higher than he is right now w/ a 4wd. i also advise against using two top spacers on anything other than a stock black OEM shock. w/ the tokicos, then one top spacer is OK, and w/ the OME's, you shouldn't run any top spacers in reality. you can still run the tundra coils and an in-the-pack spacer like a cornfed, but then you go right back to the first thing i covered and the limit's of an IFS lift.

Originally Posted by neliconcept
tundra coils and 1.5 inch spacer could work too.. but yeah CVs might be at a demolishing angle
tundra coils and a 1.5" spacer would be 3" of front lift. that's the MAX, and it would be pretty much useless off road since you would loose a lot of your droop. it would look OK on the street, but that's it.



if you want a level look and max height, then you need either different rear coils or add more rear weight. you don't want to go higher in the front.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 07:21 AM
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Originally Posted by paddlenbike
You will not need limiting straps if you use either the Tacoma shocks or the Tokico Trekmasters that Steve bundles with the kit.
Not true of the spacer is on the top of the pack. If so, the spacer extends the length of the shock.

If the spacer is inside the pack he might be ok, but loose all of the droop.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 08:00 AM
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Thanks for all the input...it's appreciated! My thinking on leveling out the front was mostly for appearance. With 285/75's, it's gonna look like the front tires are stuffed in the wheel openings compared to the rear. But, I can live with the raked look if it means keeping my setup decent for wheeling. I'd hate to give up the little bit of travel we get with IFS anyway. Guess she'll stay the way she is!

BTW: when I get the 285's, approximately how much will I need to grind down the upper A arm? I'm trying to stick to the smallest 285's out there. The Trxus MT is 32.7" dia and 11.2" wide.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 08:02 AM
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you can't grind them. they're hollow. you have to cut off, and then reweld them or get new wheels. you can also get "trimmed" upper arms from sonoran steel.
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