How to delete this lift

just got a 2003 tundra. clean truck, but some known issues: trash cats & welds replacing the stolen ones (P0420/430), a lift (including 1/2" strut spacers), and might need lower control arms. I'm willing to take all this on, apart from welding and strut compression.

My questions are:
- can I replace the entire strut assembly with new strut assemblies to get around compressing the struts/taking it to a shop? If so, what aftermarket strut assembly do you recommend for stock?
- do I have to purchase new leaf springs to return the back to stock? I understand I'll need U locks
- any other considerations to return the lift to stock?

 

Yes, you can take them out and put in some cheapo Monroe struts to get you around temporarily.

What don’t you like about the Bilstein 5100 setup? The spacer on top needs to go though.

You shouldn’t need new leafs.

 

I don't mind the Bilsteins, I just would like to get all this done without taking it to a shop/compressing the strut assemblies on my own. If I can take the spacers out without compression, I'd be happy to! I guess I would also have to adjust the Bilsteins to completely lower the truck though. I wouldn't mind a 1" lift, but 3" is way too much, and I want better fuel economy.

Any insight on what I need to do in the back?

 

Yes you would have to adjust the Bilsteins to the appropriate notch. Others here who have them can fill you in on the details.

 

Those front spacers appear to be between the top hat and the shock mount, not under compression between the spring and top hat… if that is the case, no spring removal required.

 

excellent. any insight on how to do the back? additionally, do you know if I can adjust the bilsteins without compression?

 

You’ll also have to replace the top hat studs with smaller ones.

The snap ring on the shocks the spring perch mounts to have to be adjusted. I don’t know how anyone would adjust it without compressing the spring to get at it.

Are the leafs not directly bolted to the axle? Is there a block there to increase the height? Nevermind. I can see it if I squint. You’ll have to undo the U-bolts to remove the block and then use OEM or aftermarket U-bolts to replace them.

 

I can’t see if there is a lift shackle on the leaf springs in your photos.

The front looks like a leveling kit rather than a lift. I can’t see any adjustment grooves on the shock body.

On my 4Runner, I was able to disassemble the shocks (technically, coil-over units not struts) by using a jack under the lower control arm to control the spring while unbolting the shaft nut from the top hat.

If you don’t understand what I’m saying, I wouldn’t recommend that method and having a competent shop do the work is the safe bet.

 

so - what I'm gathering from everyone's info (thanks btw):

- While I'm replacing the lower control arms and tie rods, I'll drop through the strut assemblies completely and install new strut assemblies
- I will undo the U-bolts in the back, remove the blocks, and then install new U-bolts

sell the bilstein's because I don't want to deal with the headache.

 

I’d shop around for a quality set of coil/shock setups and not waste money on cheap struts in the meantime. Several vendors will put them together for you. www.1stgenoffroad.com is one of them.

 

@memario1214 at hotshot off-road is a forum member, vendor, and solid source of advice and parts. Hit em up.

 

This is one way to tell people you're totally nuts, without telling them you're totally nuts.

That spacer looks to be about 3/4", so it's probably providing most of the lift (ratio is either 2:1 or 3:1 or in between, I forget, so 3/4" spacer will net you 1.5" lift if ratio is 2:1, or 2.25" if it's 3:1).

Before you start talking this gibberish about getting rid of those 5100s, which are generally sought after, how about you tell us which perch (clip) setting they're on? They may be set for the lowest or 2nd lowest setting, and are at stock ride height, or barely above it.

Save yourself some money. But before you start blathering on about getting rid of perfectly good hardware, that some dudes would shank someone for, how about we actually sit down and see what you have, what setting they're at?

Also, give us a shot from under the bumper that shows your FULL rear axle, where the leaf springs touch it, both leafs fully in the shot?

 

Yeah, I was thinking about it more, and just taking the strut assembly to a shop after I pull them and having them adjust it. The strut spacer is 3/4". The leaf spring blocks are 2". This means the 5100s are not stock?

I admittedly know nothing about lifts because I've never wanted one lol. I can get a pic tomorrow, but it's just the 2 inch block.

 

My advice. Keep the bilsteins. And remove the spacer. This is work you can do on your own without removing the shock from the coil over. As @shifty` has said if you don't want any lift you may have to move the circlip location to adjust the ride height on the 5100's once the the spacer is removed. This will require a spring compressor or you can take the shock and coils overs to a shop to do the work for you.

We need more pics of the rear for advice on what to do with those.

 

The ratio on our trucks is 2:1, so removing the 3/4" spacer will drop him approx. 1.5".

Removing both the spacer in front and lift block in the rear, will net him a 1.5/2" drop front/rear.

The only reason to go up or down on notches is if there is a 'rake' he doesn't want, or to compensate for a lean. So depending on his results he may not need to alter clip position at all...

 

Ok, let's start by explaining this much.

Stock "upgraded" suspension from the factory would've been basically equal to the yellow/blue Bilstein 4600 strut/shock. The Bilstein 5100 is basically the 4600, but upgraded with a silver body, and some notches which allow raising/lowering the shock. That 5100 is about as close as you can get to an upgraded version of the OEM TRD sport suspension. It's not something you want to throw away, and you'll spend less money adapting and using it than buying some shitty product from Monroe or similar, which will be floaty/nasty feeling.

As I and @assassin10000 mention, you can nicely drop the entire truck at least 1.5" - 2" by simply pulling the rear blocks (if existing) and front strut spacer. If you need explicit instructions on how to do so, and any "aha!" or gotchas involved, holler. You DO NOT need to clamp the strut to accomplish that simple feat of removing that item on each corner of the truck. Pull the front pucks/spacers, and the rear blocks, see where you're at, then decide on next action. BUT before you touch anything, get us that rear picture I requested, and also get this info I'm about to ask you for ---

Unless the person who had the truck before you was a complete fucking idiot, they should be running the 5100s on the bottom circlip setting. You don't want to mix strut spacers and lift, it can cause a wild array of issues, and I can link threads showing the kind of damage which can result. Lifting your truck normally, just an inch or two, isn't going to do much overall, but when you life 1.5" and add a 1.5" spacer lift on top, with the geometry changes at play, it may come out relatively like a 4" lift in what it does to your suspension geometry (oversimplifying here).

What would be extremely helpful is if you can figure out the notch setting of the 5100s, as I asked for previously. Go see if you can snap a pic of which circlip/line the ring is set to, understanding you may need to look up under the spring cup/seat to visually see it. Specifically this setting, I suspect your 5100s are currently at circlip ring location #1, the lowest, and closest to the eye bolt at the bottom of the shock.:

​

 

I'm willing to bet these Billies are not set to the bottom notch. I bet they are on notch #3 (the highest recommended for AC trucks) and the spacer together makes for about 3-3.5" of lift to match that big rear lift block. Look at the UCA angle in the posted pics. Also, no reason to put lift blocks in the rear, especially one that tall, unless the front is lifted greater than 1.5-2".

 

It also looks, now I'm comparing to the bolt width on top, that may actually be a 1" spacer, which would put it more in the 3½" - 4" lift range if it's on the 3rd circlip, which is nuts. The only reason I'm hoping the 5100 is on the 1st or 2nd circlip is, I can't see the #1 circlip in his 1st pic of the thread. It could be due to angle. He'll need to really look up inside there to see how many circlip notches he sees outside the cup, that's the last bit of info we need.

It's hard for me to tell in his pic if that block is 2" or taller. Given the distance to the passenger side from where his shot is, it could even be 2½" - 3" out back.

I bet the truck brakes like shit.

 

Considering that the fool put a spacer on top of an adjustable coil over I'm also guessing that the 3rd circlip location was used. Some people are just dumb, that's an easy assumption from what little we know.

 

- front spacer is 3/4" measured
- back block is 2", pic below
- 5100 circlips look elevated [3rd notch? ], pic below

does this change anything with the plan: remove rear blocks, replace U-locks, remove front strut assembly and spacer, take to shop to adjust 5100s to stock height?

 

I would recommend removing blocks and spacers. Reinstalling and seeing if the ride height looks good to you. Being 2-3 clips up may have the truck nice and level.

You only need to adjust the notch if it doesn't look right to you.

 

3rd clip should have the truck level from front to back with the spacer and the block removed. If you like the leveled look, then just pull the spacer and block, and reinstall the front strut and new U-bolts outback. The longer studs may or may not be an issue, can always cut the studs off to length as needed. Put a nut on each stud first to help straighten the threads out after cutting. If you want the factory rale from front to back, then you’ll have to take the strut to a shop to compress and reseat the clip at the lowest position. That gives only 0.4” of lift which should leave an inch or so of rake.

 

Jinx

 

Ha!

Beat you to it.

 

appreciate everyone's help. I wouldn't mind it staying level, though I do plan on building a cab over camper, so I'll probably drop the front down when I'm in there.

 

You'd be better off going with some HD leaf springs and/or helper bags.

 

I like that. I'll keep it level then, wait to see how it rides with the camper, then reevaluate it all then.

 

What @KNABORES and @assassin10000 said. I basically had the same message as them all typed out and never posted it so no need to repeat it now.

 

What all of them said! ^^

And +1 on the helper bags. Get the firestone kit. Plumb the bags separate and air up when towing to keep the ass end up.

 

Make that +2 on the Firestone bags. I ran them on my best gen and loved them. Plumb separate and only run 4-6 psi when not loaded down.