Lift Kit Guidance for 1st Gens

I'm sure there have already been plenty of threads made about this but figured I'd make my own to dumb it down for myself. I am looking to add a lift kit to my 2001 4x4 Limited this summer and was looking for recommendations on which brand and materials to buy. I've looked into the Bilsteins, Old Man Emu, and Rough Country kits and honestly can't narrow down what I want so here are my "requirements":

I am trying to keep things cheap, but not at any expense to functionality. I do not need a 2000$ suspension kit that they put on crawlers or the newer model Toyotas. My truck is mainly used for a lot of camping and roadtripping, which means a combination of highway miles as well as offroading. So essentially, I want a suspension kit that handles well in the offroad setting while not making any major sacrifices on the highway and vice versa. Also, it is important to note I want a full kit, meaning front and back, so I do not just want a leveling kit(I have stumbled into some kits I thought were a great deal, just to realize all they do is level the truck out). Also mainly just looking for a 2.5 to 3-inch lift/level. While I have done my share of research online, I mainly just want to see what actual reviews you fine Tundra-Driving people have for me about the suspension kits you got.

Thanks to all, and prayers for better fuel mileage.

 

Avoid Rough Country like the plague.

Just get pre-loaded Bilstein 5100s front and rear, run 2nd notch up front, see how you're feeling about it. Go from there.

 

Avoid RC, got it. Did you install the shocks yourself or have someone do it for you? I would love to do my own work but after looking at my suspension under the truck, I just know all those rusted ass bolts and every component will be a pain in the ass to take off, and probably will end up having to replace.

 

You have rusty bolts in California? How'd that happen?

I haven't done mine yet. What I listed will put you over $1k already.

BTW how many miles on the current suspension, is it rusty, and have you done any work, LBJs, anything?

 

22 years of driving must have worn em down. Frame is rust free though And as of now sitting at 181k on the current suspension. Nothing has ever been done to it, and the only parts with rust are the bolts themselves.

 

If you have any wrenching experience, jump in. If not, pay a shop and hope for the best.

In the stickies there is a thread called "how big is yours", look into that to see what others did.

 

I also use my tundra for a lot of backpacking trips in the back country after many highway miles but no serious off roading. I went with the bilstein 6112 up front and the 5160 out back (think I got the numbers right). It is still stock height which is a bit better for gas mileage but can get me off road to most trails while the drive quality on the highway is great. I put them on myself and I am mostly a hack. ymmv
I also put a rear sway bar on and that vastly improved the ride quality on tarmac.

 

I'd look into the OME and Dobinsons kits.

 

I do have a fair bit of wrenching experience. Guess I will at least try it on my own before taking it to a shop. Thanks for the info!

 

Thanks for the input, especially about the sway bar. Was a little concerned about how much the lift would affect the handling, but that seems like it could mitigate a few factors. And stay safe in the backcountry! Had 2 run-ins with bears last Fall and had to use bear spray. Was alone too. Spooky.

 

Following as im in the same boat with my 05 crew (dbl) cab. I too cant really spend a lot of money on a lift (new tires and wheels last week were a good chunk already) and since im needing new shocks all around soon, ill most likely be going with adjustable bilsteins.. just not sure which ones.

 

Just go LT

 

I'm a cheapskate. I'd just go with Rancho QuickLifts for $400 both front sides and raise it 2.5" (maybe more if you're sagging). Get add-a-leaf's for the rear and +1" shocks.
RS999923 for left front.
RS999931 for right front.

 

I'll keep chiming in my opinion on topics like this and take it or leave it. Stay away from the puck style lifts like Rough Country. Additionally if you are combining phrases like "cheap" and "I don't have the money" with lift then just don't. Please trust me on this. These trucks have well designed suspensions and while yes you can achieve various lift heights reliably it isn't cheap and it all needs to be done at once because of the way each component affects other components in the system.

 

2nd.

 

This is an affordable kit: https://eibach.com/us/1861/E80-82-066-01-22-TOYOTA-Tundra-pro-truck-lift-system
You can also get the fronts preassembled from toyteclifts.com. I've been running them for a couple of years with no complaints. I definitely didn't get 2.5" of lift on my DBL cab but an AC probably would.

 

I appreciate the advice in this thread . . . I was kicking around the idea of a suspension upgrade, but I'm not touching it unless I can go all in & do it right.
The whole 'buy once, cry once' comes to mind, and I hate hodge-podge BS.

 

Update: Ordered a complete set of Bilstein Adjustable 5100's. Gonna put them on, then go from there. Now just looking into the possibility of an add-a-leaf in the back. Thanks for all the suggestions and help!

 

Be sure to take before/after pics and share!

Fender-wheel gap thread for before/after measures is here too: https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-big-is-yours-measure-up.46186/

 

Post #70 is the height to beat.........

 

@evanhmn I actually took a sec to look at what @Bikeric just trolled us with, only to scroll up and see this, which, if you have a double cab vs. regular/access cab, here's what you can expect on stock wheels and only doing 5100s, no aftermarket springs or leaf changes:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-big-is-yours-measure-up.46186/page-3#post-2323585

I also just noticed, you never updated us with pictures of your paint concerns over here a couple months ago:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/paint-maintenance.103832/#post-2674970

 

Absolute trolling lad. I do have a size larger tires which give me another 1 inch of lift, so that combined with the new shocks should give me about a 2-2.2 inch lift in the front and only 1inch in the back to kinda level stuff out. Am definitely looking into adding a new leaf in the back solely because I do constantly have about 400-500 pounds of custom-made boxes and gear in the back almost always. Im also trying to steer clear of spacers just because everyone says to, so there's also that to think about when I add lift.

And shoot I did forget to update that forum. Just washed and waxed my truck last weekend too! Ill try updating that ASAP

 

Just get Fox or King coilovers up front and you will always be happy and able to make adjustments to your adjustments.

 

I'm using Toytec 3 inch spacer kit with add a leaf ( ), Bilstein 5100s front and rear, and SPC upper control arms. I still have rubbing on my frame at too tight of a turn, but 295/60R20 need more room than I have. I did it all myself, but I have a Florida truck. Rust wasn't an issue, but to Hell with whoever designed the upper ball joint. It took two or three different kits to get a combination that would work, one being the Honda kit. I would suggest the extended sway bar endlinks up front since the bar isn't situated properly afterwards. The kit listed should come with the diff drop kit, carrier bearing drop kit and brake line mount relocation kit. I use this truck to haul a four wheeler in the bed and a trailer with three dirt bikes with no sagging.

 

I have both...

 

Well, yeah. I knew that....

 

Pardon my stupidity, but what does this even mean?

 

LT = Long travel lol