Tell me about your lift kits

I'm sure there’s already threads like this...
So I was interested in getting a 3 inch lift or something along the lines of that , but I was interested in hearing about what kind of kits you guys have and your opinion on them. I want to find the best kit pretty much.

Post a pic of your lifted tundra, tell me about how it rides, what brand, what size, what problems you’ve experienced, etc

Thanks

 

Off Road or Street or both?

 

• Toytec Boss Coilovers on the front set at 2.75”
• JBA Off-road UCA’s
• OEM style TRD sway bar links
• Rear 2” lift block with Bilstein 5100’s
• Kenda Klever KR601’s - 33x10.50R17
• Vision Manx wheels 17x8.5”

As of now, I don’t rub any where. I haven’t really taken it off roading but it performed well in the recent snow storm with 36”+ of snow. To me, it feels like it rides the same as it did stock but I still had the original suspension components with 189k on them so things were pretty worn. I haven’t really noticed any major differences in ride/power. The only thing I would change is using an add-a-leaf vs the blocks.

 

I agree with @SouthPaw in general, but...
King OEM 2.5 extended with or without reservoirs (Call Accutune for the best Advice). You may want 3.0 shocks
Total Chaos UCAs
Rear leafs instead of blocks, but only enough to level.
Extended sway links or new sway setup
King Smooth rear shocks
4WD may require some other mods.
No spacers on wheels or stacked on suspension components

Edit: I didn't get extended Kings at first, I didn't know any better. They are at King now getting rebuilt. I have some new 700# Eibach Springs, but I'm keeping the 650s on for now to tweak one thing at a time. Softer is better without a bunch of weight. I got the 700lbs to reduce pre-load which reduces droop at my height, but the TC and EXT travel may make that a non-issue. The TC UCAs gave me more droop at 2.75" lift. Ill get some more soon. The things ride really well on the street, but love to be hit at speed. I have 5100's in the back, I am scoping some new leafs and bigger billies or kings for the rear. Tires are 275/70/17 on Methods 8.5 / 0mm offset. A few pics. I'll try to add some more of my phone, or just look at https://www.tundras.com/threads/not-a-build-as-much-as-a-renew.86734/

 

I bought the same kings and also learned about the 'extended travel' option after the fact. What does the rebuild at KING entail and how much $ they charging? I'm assuming you're having them rebuilt extended. Appreciate the info if you don't mind sharing. I was told the only difference is a bushing inside the standard's that limit the extension, so my understanding is that it can just be removed and voila- extended travel. (I know its not quite that simple) Is that right?

 

Factory they cost the same

its pretty much that simple. If I had an adequate spring compressor, I would have tried myself. I’ve read the shaft needs to be changed as well, I don’t think so. At King, they told me prob just an hour of labor. No mention of parts. Mine are new, so nothing to replace. Unless there is something to that shaft business. I live close enough to King that I dropped them off. Might get them back in the next two, may have to wait until next week. Depends on my speaking skills when I call tomorrow. So for new, what’s an hour of labor $100?

EDIT: So Apparently an hour of labor is $75. I just installed them again, but can't speak to the benefit yet. In my situation is was a drop off/pickup. More droop, just can't say yet how much of a difference.

 

BTW, Accutune won’t touch OEM Perf, they are too complicated apparently.

 

I think I read somewhere that the EXT version adds an extra 1/2"-1" of droop. Don't quote me on that though.

 

That’s my info.

 

That’s a nice uca you got there. Is it only recommended to get a new uca after you lift up the front? Or does it maintain the same geometry as the original?
Also how does the ball joint work on that one? I’m assuming it still gets compressed into the spindle despite being upside down compared to the oem ball joint?

 

The locals are going to kill me for a response, lol. UCAs are needed after 2.5” or so of lift and help better align. I found sway bar mods are needed as well. I’m 2WD, so maybe some transfer case and or tie rods on 4WD. But, TC UCA owners never seem to have problems with alignment from what I have seen, searched.

 

Bilstein 5100s with 882 springs on the lowest perch with energy suspension isolators up front, oh and camburg upper control arms

bilstein 5100, icon AAL with overload still in place in back. Truck sits nice, slight rake even with the cap, drives wonderful and tows like a dream

 

That was a great link, BTW...

 

Radflo 2.5 ext coilovers, Total chaos uppers, Icon add a leaf
Really like it. Rides good and flexes good.

 

I see you are a 1st gen owner.

Can I talk you out of it? Probably not what you wanted to hear, but here is what I went through...

Old man emu 2.5/1.5 with an add-a-leaf in the rear.
Kit showed up, looked great, excellent quality, fun to install. Good stuff so far.

I used a 1" diff drop to lessen the angle on the CV's. Also very easy to install.

So I got everything together. The rear springs were saggy from 20 years on the road and the add a leaf packs didn't quite get the rear end up to the same height as the front. "Cali lean". It didn't look terrible, so I moved forward.

I drove it for several miles to get a feel for it. Definitely a lot more body roll than I expected for such a modest lift. Poked my head underneath to check things out and both CV boots were spitting grease, again due to 20 years on the road. I now have to replace those.

Off to the alignment shop... Went to a place with a good reputation. The alignment turned out terrible. I have been told that the cam bolts freeze into place requiring them to be cut out and replaced in addition to the lower control arm bushings. The shop called me and said everything was done, no issues. I picked the truck up and the camber still looked terrible, additionally the shop could not produce the alignment measurement sheet.

I noticed there was a nearly identical 2006 on the alignment rack, same color, lift height and everything. Well, they got confused and gave me the alignment sheet with that truck's information on the header, but they insisted it was my truck (not buying that). SO, now I have to take the truck back in after I replace the CV's (also replacing the lower ball joints while I'm in there). The shop even tried to charge me a 12 dollar hazmat fee which I said I would not pay under any circumstances, it took them half an hour to delete the fee, but they were waiting for me to say "I'll just pay it." Well, no I didn't. It's pretty much a slam dunk that they are going to accuse me of changing parts and wanting a "new" alignment afterwards. Admittedly, the alignment situation is entirely my fault, I shouldn't have driven off until they reverified everything.

Cost breakdown..

770 for the lift
40 for diff drop
80 for the alignment (way overpriced, I live in a small town)
??? for the CV's and ball joints, but they aren't going to be cheap.

For me, NOT WORTH IT.

 

Don’t feel bad about the alignment cost. I paid Les Schwab $89 the other day for an alignment. I swear a couple years ago it was only $60.

Anyways yeah, I had the same problem with the cv boot spewing grease last week about after I put on a 2 inch leveling kit. I posted a thread about it not too long ago.

All in all though your truck looks pretty good with all that. I would’ve given the alignment shop a harder time in your case.

 

I feel like your truck would look pretty rad with some fatter tires with your lift

 

Really my only reason for lifting it was to use v-bar tire chains without having to have an extra set of smaller tires so everything would clear under the fenders. I agree though, it would look much better with some stuffed wheel wells!

 

The gif (kicking 2nd gen out, which is always fun 'round these parts) was easy to understand, but I don't think it was posted by the OP, if that's what you were referring to.

 

Definitely gonna be askin for another report back on these later. I'm also pretty close to KING and may do the same, $100 would be worth it. Did you drive on them at all before you took them in? Would be cool to hear first hand comparison once you get them back and installed. thanx I appreciate the info.

 

I pulled them and drove them down, my truck is home but out of commission. I’m guessing the cost, but what is an hour of labor? I’ll probably end up paying 100-200. When I dropped them off last Tuesday, I was told a week. When I called Friday, I was asked if I knew the turnaround was 2 weeks. I said no, because that is not what I was told. They said call back Monday and they will try to push it through. I’m fine regardless, I have my son’s truck. But they did have a lot of shocks on carts and looked pretty damn busy. Just a heads up.

 

Oh, sorry about that. Posted in wrong thread, lol

 

Still looks good in this thread

 

Recommended but not needed. It does help with alignment though but plenty of guys are running Bilstien 5100’s at 2.5” and stock UCA’s with no alignment issues. My upper and lower ball joints had 189k on them so I figured it was a good time to replace them.

 

How long have you had them for? Pretty good durability you’d say?

 

I read this thread 3 times trying to figure out how OP was being arrogant

My advise would be do a lot of research before buying anything. OP sounds pretty unfamiliar with a lot of this.

 

Trying to figure out everything I can so far I’m definitely going to add some bilstein 5100s I think and maybe try to get a grasp on the most superior uca upgrade

 

Just trying to lighten the workload for @bmf4069 He has to ease his way back into protector of First Gen land.

 

so many options, i have 6112 for the front and 5100 for the rear , should be here tomorrow. Also have new UCA ordered from Toytec with dif drop kit. 1-1.5 rear shackle waiting in shop. I pray all this works out like a want. My 2021 truck has factory 20 inch wheels , the midnight edition ones. I will sell them and moving to an 18 inch rim, probably methods. Truck was drove home a few weeks ago and parked. Let the games begin. Too many options

 

I think you're UCA upgrade depends on what you really end up doing with the truck other than driving on the street. None of the better brands are necessarily cheap.