How to achieve “nose high” look when adding a front bumper?

Hi all! I am new here, but have been browsing the site as a resource for months! Super excited to finally sign up.

I have had my 2020 SR5 for about a year now and I’m ready to start doing some mods to her. The first question I want to get the communities help with is how to achieve / keep a nose high look after adding a front bumper?

When I bought the truck it already had a couple things done to it with the suspension, but I don’t (nor the dealer) know exactly what. I do know it has bilsteins added (unsure if 5100’s or 6112’s), but potentially some additional lift? Point being, I LOVE how it currently sits. It looks to my eye to be ever so slightly nose high, but some angles it looks level.. either way I absolutely love it!

I am getting in a front bumper from Demello off road in the next couple of weeks and I am so scared I will lose that sweet stance once I add on the bumper. Is there something I can add to ensure it maintains its current nose high stance ( heavy duty springs, shims, etc?) I really really want to avoid any rake and would rather the front sit ever so slightly higher than the rear after the bumper!

also posting a picture of it here to get yalls opinion on what you think the front / rear height is?

thank you so much for any guidance!!

 

Can you post pics of the front suspension? That will help identify what you have. I have Toytec Aluma coilovers with 700 lb springs and I didn't notice any drops when I installed my bumper.

 

Absolutely! I am away from my truck for the evening, but will post a pick tomorrow! I would really like to identify what exactly I have on it. I’ll hit you back tomorrow!!

 

sorry for the delay on this, but here is what it’s looking like! Multiple pics of front and one of rear setup.

 

Those front shocks are Bilstein 5100's. They have an adjustable circlip with several different grooves on the the shock body to adjust height. Yours look pretty high already but there might be one more notch left to move it up and offset the weight of the bumper. Unfortunately, you need to remove and disassemble the shock to check or adjust. An experienced DIY'er or shop can do it in an hour.

But you could also use some shims on top of the shock body. They usually come in 1/4" increments and you can add up to two per side. 1/4" shim adds 1/2" of lift, so you could adjust for up to 1" of sag using the spacers. You need to unbolt the strut assembly to install the shims, but you don't need to disassemble the strut like moving the circlip. Years ago I went that route to offset some shackles in the rear and give just al little bit of lift to my truck; I think I was able to get away with not removing the strut assembly entirely an just undoing the lower ball joint mount (two bolts at the very bottom of the spindle) as well as the four bolts at the top of the strut. You then pry down on the lower control arm and slip the spacers on top of the strut before pushing the top bolts back up in to the strut tower and bolting it back together.

BTW, I would consider replacing the rear shocks with some matching 5100's. You will thank yourself. Nice truck, too

Edit: I should also add that the 5100's retain the stock coil, which is a 700 lb/in coil. If the Demello bumper is 150 lbs and is about 2 ft away from the coil, you can expect less than 1/2" of squat from the bumper.

An alternate route to go would be to replace the front coil itself with an aftermarket unit with the desired lift built in or a stiffer spring rate. I don't recall offhand what coils will fit as stock replacements, but I think ARB coils and Dobinson coils work. They both offer different coils for different setups, so you will need to find a stock replacement coil, not replacement coils for their higher end shock models. I don't think Old Man Emu coils work, but perhaps somebody will correct me on that. Either way, shims are the cheapest and easiest way if you are satisfied with the ride as is. Do NOT confuse the shims (1/4" thick) with spacers (1.5+ thick). The latter will screw EVERYTHING up.

 

ohh my goodness this is SUCH a helpful reply that has shed light on so many questions I’ve had, I really appreciate you taking the time!

After all my research and then your reply, I figured those 5100’s are set at the top setting, just based on the current rake, so thank you for confirming what they are and what they are set at. So your point on adding shims is what I was really starting to think about doing. However, the Demello bumper I ordered is ~120 pounds, so I honestly figured that just adding one 1/4” shim would be enough to offset the bumper sag If there’s even any at all. I am also kickin around the idea of adding 2 1/4” shims like you mentioned to get an additional 1” of front lift and really get that nose high look, but unsure if there’s any downside to this?

I guess another question that popped up in my research was possibly needing aftermarket bump stops if you add shims on top? This is getting a little out of my knowledge level, but I guess I had read that there’s a risk of shock damage if you add too much shim height?

Totally fine with the ride quality as it is, i did think about maybe getting heavier coils, but just figured that adding shims would be easiest for what I am trying to achieve.

and I think I am going to order some 5100’s for the rear this Black Friday!! I really appreciate the recommendation. It looks like the 5100’s on the back don’t add any lift, and just keep stock height?

thank you again SO MUCH, you have been insanely helpful my friend!! Cheers!

 

I am no suspension guru, but have been doing my own research as well. The consensus on aftermarket bumpstops is a 'Yes' if you have spacers for the reason you mention. Opinions vary on which ones to get, but I went with Wheelers Superbumps based the threads mentioned below. Good luck!

 

Awesome, thank you for the input!!

 

Regardless of brand, rear struts/shocks do not add any height as they do not actually support any weight. Your leaf springs and shackles would be what add height if you change them, but if you lift the rear you may need new struts/shocks in the rear to accommodate any increase in travel.

 

Ahh this is all starting to click! Thank you so much for the helpful info!!