Level/Lift

Want to level or small lift my 19 Sport without sacrificing ride quality too much. What’s the best way to go. Any advice is appreciated thanks!

 

I have a Sport and just recently did a 3/1.5 level lift. It is a spacer in the front and block in the back. It is frowned upon by some here on the site, but I did not see the need to replace the shocks, springs etc. just to level it. It works for me and ride quality is the same. What did make a difference in ride quality is that I added bigger tires (275/65/20) . They run at 42 psi vs the OEM tires at 32 psi. This is giving a little harsher ride, but it is a truck and still drives fine.

 

Bilstein 6112/5160. Did this on my 18’ Sport and it rides ten fold better than it did stock.

 

What he^^^ said. Don’t dont spacer kit. In the long run you will spend more money by doing it right the 2 time around. You can pick up the bilstein combo for under $1000 and you will have a better, safer, more reliable ride then the spacer kits.

 

3/1 spacer kit here. 2 years later no issues. Now if u are going nutty in the dirt probably not the best option.

 

Go for 5100's or 6112's on the front to level it out. If you want another inch or so go spacers on the front and shackles in the rear.

 

I recently installed the Rough Country 2.5-3" spacer/1.5" block kit. I am happy with it, but I know (and already have the itch) that I will go to a better setup eventually. Maybe sooner rather than later. Currently looking at ICON stage 2.

Ride quality with the spacer kit is same as stock. Only have about 1000 miles on so far. If you plan on only street driving the truck, I bet the spacer kits will be just fine. If you want better off road use and a better than stock ride quality on-road, go with a better, non-spacer kit.

 

Forgot to mention this. If all you want is visual spacer will be fine. In fact if you buy a factory lifted truck 99.9% of the time it’s a spacer kit.

 

Just did 6112 @ 1.9 setting and ds Coachbuilder shim and netted 2.5" over stock.

 

I'm interested in this. Can you please describe what you mean by "better?" I'd kind of like to level out my crewmax beacause It's unlikely that I'll ever over-load such a short bed and, if I do, it has a headlight aiming knob that will let me compensate. I'm curious if this mod will make it softer or the steering less precise or materially affect mileage though . I opted for a limited over a trd pro because i hated how squishy and unstable the later was on roads. This is my only vehicle / daily driver, so i just drive slower off road.

 

I have a 2019 sport. First think I did was swap out the 20" for 18" wheels and went to 275/70/18 tires. That made it ride better - less rigid feeling. Then I added the 6112 @ 1.9" up front and left the back stock. I actually don't notice a difference in ride quality on pavement after the front suspension upgrade, but it should do much better off road.

 

The ride is much more compliant. I don’t cringe when approaching a pot hole because the suspension soaks it up. No longer is it jarring. It just feels like a bump in the road. The rear end also feels much more stable with little to no bed bounce over wash board roads. The truck just glides through it effortlessly. The truck just feels better with day to day driving

 

I bought my 16 brand new .put a 3" ready lift on front and back. Spacer lift basically. Oh and 35s. Three years later front coil over struts were shot and leaking oil. Rather than fixing went with a 5" Zone suspension lift. What I should have dun in first place)

 

If you're on a budget get 5100's instead of spacer lift. In the long run you take a chance of the shock collapsing on itself.

 

Usually (if not always) this only happens when not extending the bump stops which is easy to do

 

The exact same thing will happen with 5100s if you do not add bump stop extenders. There is no difference between a longer shock and a standard shock with a spacer. Both need bump stop spacers added.

 

Not necessarily. Could it happen? Yes. Is it as likely? No. The 5100s don’t have the same amount of preload on them as the stock shocks have with the spacers. Bump stop extenders should be installed either way.

 

Nope, stock bump stop is in the correct location if you go the 5100 route. With the 5100 you don't change the amount of shock travel available, you change the resting position of the spring. Somewhere buried in this forum there's a post that goes through exactly what happens with spacers, 5100's, and other aftermarket suspensions. Spacers and 5100's are completely different in how they would bottom out - spacers change it from stock and you are much more likely to break a shock if you abuse it, 5100's act the exact same as stock suspension so stock bump stop is in the right spot, and unless the bump stop fails you don't bottom out a 5100 shock.

 

Not correct. 5100s have more travel, but they need bump stop spacers also. It is common sense. You change the length of the assembly from 12" to 14" (or whatever the exact measurement is) by either moving the spring perch up on the 5100 shock or adding a spacer to the top of the oem shock. Both are just an extended assembly to provide the lift. Both will bottom out (given that the 5100 have more travel and needs a smaller spacer)

From the 5100 installation instructions:

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/bilstein-5100-breaking.42423/page-2 - check out post 35

Goes over why you don't need a bump stop adjustment for just doing 5100's. That washer you show only adjusts maybe 1/2", while the shock will adjust up to 2.5", I'm guessing Bilstein has just added it to cover their ass. Bump stops need to be changed when you change the Control Arm relationships - shims will do this, 5100's do not.

Adding to the bump stops isn't a problem, it's just not necessary with the 5100's. When you hit the stock bump stop there's still travel left in the 5100 shock IF there's no spacer on top.

 

I have $40 2” level (hockey puck) now until I burn up current tires/ $$$$$ allows!!
Then looking 35’s - but I’m wanting a little more then the typical 3/1- something more like 4/2 but no cutting of the crossmember on my first ever brand new vehicle!

Do u have to “ cut” with the 5” Zone ?
How long have u had it- NO issues?

 

Looking to purchase a set of Bilstein 5100’s to level out the front. What setting should I use #3 or #4 without the truck going nose high?

 

Yes I beleive you do .I didnt install ,best shop around did it here. No problems yet. Rides great better ride than before. It was a money thing. I was told ,Zone is same company as BDS . But its alot cheaper of a lift money wise. Plus I needed different wheels cuz of lift. So total came to 4g installed. Tires n wheels and alignment. Compared to bds 6"lift was over a grand difference. I'm happy with the zone lift

 

I was ok with the 3" in front and 3" in back spacer/ block lift and at time was very cheap compared to suspension lift. But I knew I wanted it higher so when struts blew out that's when I made the move to zone

 

For 3rd gens there is only 3 settings. Mid will sit you a little lower than level, which is good if you tow. 3rd will be near level. I'm having mine installed in a couple weeks, but have the shocks in hand.

 

How are your measurements in relation to front and rear with the new setup. I'm asking cause I just installed new coilovers and they gave me about 3.25" of lift up front. My rear, strangely was already 3" higher than front so though I'd be level out but now with the coilovers giving a little more than 3" my front sits .25" higher than rear. So I'm trying to decide whether to lift the rear by 1" or 1.5".

You go any level ground side pics?

 

Also, I'm between 275/65/20 and 285/65/20. Could you have fit 285/65 and have enough room with the upper control arm? Thanks.

 

I only had about 1.5" of rake before the leveling. It is interesting how the trucks differ. With my 3.0 in front and 1.5 in back, I am exactly level. I don't remember the exact measurement, but I think it was 26" from center of hub to wheel well on all 4 wheels, give or take a 1/8" between them.

This is probably the best level ground pic I have: It's not exactly a side pic - I will see if I can find more.

 

Better side pic. I just measured; 25" at all 4 wheels.

 

285 will be tight. I have about 1/2" gap between tire and UCA.