Westcott lift rides harsh!

Does anyone else’s Westcott leveling kit make your 22 tundra take bumps super harshly? When I go over a speed bump or any other uneven surface it almost literally feels like the wheels are being thrown back to the ground. Understandably the ride quality was going to decrease some when compressing coils, but it’s unbelievably harsh now. I spoke to Jeff at Westcott and did the few things he said to do, and no relief still. Let me know your thoughts, thanks y’all.



Also, I say this all after the Westcott team telling me almost everyone they’ve put one on said it improved the ride much over stock. So I was in a way hoping it was just installed incorrectly or some anomaly. But doesn’t seem to be that so far. Assuming the Westcott team is being honest as they seem. Understandably they’re not going to trash talk their own product. Also, forgot to mention originally I now have E rated tires (shown in picture) and I know that doesn’t help the softening of the ride at all either. May try to run a less rated tire if I can find one in this size. E rated is overkill for this truck.

 

Yes.

 

Curious to know what "few things" he had you do...

 

Preloading a spring is going to do that for sure! Not sure how or why westcott is so popular… specially seeing how they can’t fulfill orders within a timely manner

 

It does…but it also looks like you have 20’s and some aftermarket tires? What size/rating? …and did you put those on around the same time?

Not trying to be a smartazz or defend the increased harshness (I have them too) but the tires add to that harshness also.

 

It’s a preload collar. You’re essentially adding load to your spring on your stock shocks. Doing that is going to result in a more harsh ride over bumps.

It’s almost like using pucks to get a lift in versus upgrading your coilovers to get a lift in.

 

Weird.
My Platinum ride was much more affected by going to E rated tire (as expected), than by Westcott kit.

To back track a bit: once I mounted 265/60/20 Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLTs, it's ride became that of "typical pickup with E rated tires).
Firmer than stock for sure, but just normal for a truck tire.
The damn stock setting on my rear air bags was far more annoying than anything else. I'd bottom out regularly on mid sized drops/pot holes; once bumped up it became livable.

I will say 2 things re: Westcott.
1. Right after my 2/1 kit install (Platinum with AVS/air, so we only get 2" front) I had to drive the truck for 2 days w/o proper alignment - it drove a bit "squirrely" ... I wouldn't say "harsh" but when going over uneven pavement and bigger bumps it jarred a bit and seemed like it wanted to go somewhere, just wasn't sure where.
2. After alignment it drives almost the same as before. I'd even go on to say that rebound improved...the stock shocks are crappy (even AVS) so the spring preload makes it react quicker to small/med bumps, yet the shocks are able to comfortably manage damping.
I'd say the ride is just sportier.
Now, they are a bit harsher in more extreme conditions, as expected, but nothing that would make me 2nd-guess truck's handling or safety. I still blame the shocks more than the "mild" preload from Westcott collar.
AVS shocks are a step above bare minimum; just like my wife's 4Runner XERAS shocks were a joke.
Both easily beat (in comfort) even by the Bilstein 5100 series.

Ohhh,
Speaking of which:
Ride on the 2022 Platinum with AVS/air and Westcott kit is still more comfortable and much better behaved than on my previous 2017 with 1.75" Bilstein 5100 setup.

For what it's worth...
-99

 

Good info, thanks. I absolutely hate the AVS suspension and want to swap it out (dealer hasn't yet confirmed if this is straightforward or provided cost estimate). I have the avs set at max rear height (tried some intermediate positions but this was best for me). I think the comfort mode is actually the worst because it is loose without damping. Really, the lack of damping coming from the errr... "damper" seems to be the main problem. Really wish the Platinum had a TRD option.

 

just a heads up that two features may be getting mixed up on this post. avs is adaptive variable suspension that is enabled in comfort and sport+ drive modes. it is orthogonal to rear air leveling. avs can't be "set at max rear height"

in terms of the ride after westcott install, i'm waiting on the kit to find out. the stock ride quality is super plush to me so have some concern about how much it will change after install. coming from (and still have) an 08 with fox stage 4, 2.5" coilovers with dsc so fully adjustable. before that kit i ran a spacer for 10yrs on stock struts.

 

Naw, I'm saying I manually adjusted the "normal" height with the sensor arm so the shit doesn't bottom out in a small pothole. I thought all AVS had leveling, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

I got another alignment, because when I got the lift, I still had the stick wheels and tires. Alignment did nothing, also he said to let the coils “seat” basically and that they should soften up a tad.

 

no I agree my man, they’re E rated which is over kill for this truck for sure. And yea they’re 20s, both surely don’t help the ride quality Any. I put them on right after the lift.

 

Hey thanks man, yeah understand my my E rated tires don’t help at all, I may try to go to another 35 that isn’t e rated, as well as maybe replace the UCAs. Hoping that combo will soften the ride up. Not sure.

 

Oh for sure, like I said understandably doing the minor preload wouldn’t help the ride any. But surely wouldn’t expect it to be this bad. There’s almost zero absorbing of bumps when I go over them. It slams the wheels back down violently. Hoping maybe new UCAs and non E rated tires will fix this.

 

I would not expect anything different adding a spacer lift, 20"s and E load range tires, thats all terrible for ride quality

the stock platinum I tested rode awesome with comfort mode for normal driving, but that was stock set-up. It did bottom out in the rear on bigger bumps but thats been addressed I think raising it up a notch

Im going to try like hell if when I get one to stay with P rated tires this time, they are hard to find if you want 33 or 34

 

lol what?
Alignment has nothing to do with wheel and tire size to my knowledge. Once it’s set, it’s set.

edit: maybe a different offset would have an effect but that’s about it.

 

Yeah, it was questionable to me but I was willing to listen to them and try. More info on that was when I got the lift and I did the alignment originally it was with stock wheels and tires so he was saying with the bigger tires and a slightly different offset that it could be toed in differently and causing the wheels to basically be pulling the suspension more. In theory it made some sense. But yeah it didn’t do anything. When I went back to re alight it. They showed me the numbers and they were all still good with the new wheels and tires on.

 

A significantly different offset could change it some, but probably nothing a shop would even bother trying to adjust for.

 

These might be an option (hopefully still P rated in 18’s)

 

did you install or have it installed? Torque was done with truck in the air or on ground ?

 

I did a ton of research and at least for 20" wheels, 275/65r20 was the absolute largest size I could find in a P rated tire. Even then, I had to hunt for it as Pirelli makes the same tire in an E rating that is far more common.

Ended up finding mine at Walmart.com

 

I had it installed by a reputable truck accessories place. I’m not sure about the air or the ground as far as torque. Good question.

 

Not to hijack, but what is the proper way/time to torque everything? In Westcotts video they just sent everything home with impact while in the air… R4T (I think) did most of theirs the same, with the exception of the bottom strut bolt… Another video I saw had someone mention the 4 upper strut bolts were to be tightened under load…

also, nobody gave torque specs either…

 

This is the one and only thing stopping me from getting a lift. I am waiting for a proper suspension kit. I do not want some compressed springs and an added block of aluminum/steel - then call a day. That is exactly how you end up with shitty ride quality.

 

Upper strut bolts can be tightened in the air.

Basically anything at all that has a rubber bushing needs to be tightened once it's back on the ground under the weight of the truck.

 

Yep not impressed with my ride quality either since they sure sell it as keeping the factory ride and I’ve had it for a few months now. Mine is just a temp solution till I can get a proper suspension setup that I want (probably fox/Camburg). I had it on with stock wheels and tires for a week and my ride actually improved when I went to 35x12.5x18.

 

good to know. thanks!

 

I am not sure at all, but call David at Ekstrom Design @Coachbuilder1 and see if his shims work on a 2022, unless someone already knows the answer…

 

...for the springs we don't have?

-99

 

LOL I am sofa king we Todd did