Front end lifts, good or bad?

For you guys who just lifted the front end of the Tundra using the strut spacers to level the truck out. Are you happy with the results? I am just getting back to the idea of doing it as I don't plan on anything except towing a smaller boat (17'-19').

 

I would say if you aren't planning on doing anything crazy, you wont notice any difference in ride quality. Its also a good excuse to get under the truck and get familiar with all the parts that make up the suspension. Very satisfying.

 

Strut spacers WILL make the ride more firm, period. It's basic geometry. No way around it. How much firmer it becomes depends on how high you go. Personally, with a "top hat" style spacer that sits on the top of the strut I would not go beyond 1.5".

Having said that, firm is not always bad. Some people like it better. It controls bounce and body roll better.

 

I put 2.5” spacers on two different trucks. One of them was a 1 ton ford and it road like a box of rocks anyway so I can’t tell you if their was a difference. The second was a 1/2 ton gmc and as rude quality wise I never noticed a difference. I did go through a couple sets of wheel bearings but that was GM’s bad design and those trucks were known for it. I took it off road but not four wheeling hard. Mainly it was just gettin to the hunting spot. My tundra that I had I installed the bilstein 5100’s. You can go from stock height to 2.5”. They are fully adjustable. Those actually improved my ride over the stock shocks. If I do another level I will most likely do the bigger torsion keys and new longer shocks as with the 2500 Chevy s that seems to be the most common thing.

 

1.75 inch spacer lift in the front would be very minimal difference in ride quality. I doubt anyone could realistically tell the difference on the road. I agree 5100s ride noticeably better than stock. But that's like 150$ compared to 500$. I think if you're keeping the truck for a long time, you will appreciate the 5100s. Lead times might still be high right now though.

 

Only want to go enough to make truck level.

 

You're going to squat, and when you do... you're going to ask us about leaf springs and shackles... I'd advised against it.

You're only going to replace half of your suspension which is a critical component of your vehicle...

 

I have used small top hat spacers in three Toyota trucks (2012 Tacoma, 2017 4Runner, 2020 Tundra) at this point in my life. I have never exceeded an inch of lift in any of these applications. I have never noticed a change in ride quality and I commuted with the Tacoma and 4Runner into NYC daily. Getting a proper alignment is key however. And I never installed LT tires on any of these trucks. I have no experience with spacer that lift beyond 1 inch…

To mirror what @pvn.beluga said, after installing you will probably start looking at rear lift options once adding a small front spacer. Ask me how I know…. In some ways I wish I left my truck alone but it the end my Tundra rides exactly the same way it did prior. And having the truck aligned to Coach Builder specs made it track much better on the highway. It’s a slippery and not cheap slope for very little gain. It is what it as at this point. Just waiting to get my 1 inch shackles installed.