Leveling Kit

Hi Gang. New to the forum. I have a 2003 SR5 Access Cab 4X4 and wish to install a 2 1/2 inch leveling blocks on top of the front struts. My mechanic states this will add unacceptable positive camber to the alignment. Regrettably, my truck spent 22 years in Massachusetts and the control are camber bolts are frozen by rust and new bolts and control.arms are necessary to do a proper alignment.
Here's my question. Is this alignment really needed? I had read before that the blocks go in and that's it. No camber adjustment necessary.
Can anyone shed some light on this subject and help me win an argument? Thanks in advance.

 

You can remove those LCAs with a sawzall and diamond or carbide tipped blades.

I’ve used Milwaukee Torch blades to get the job done before. Just be careful if you choose aftermarket LCAs as the bushings on some like Mevotech are crap.

Many here don’t recommend leveling spacers and choose to use height adjustable Bilstein 5100s instead to get the job done.

 

That would be a a really ignorant thing to do. You should never use strut spacers with these trucks. Maybe on other trucks with a different IFS setup it's tolerable, but on the 1st gen Tundras, bad move.

Your mechanic is a smart dude. But more than just that, you're liable to end up with suspension rub due to the geometry change caused by the spacer shoving the strut assembly downward **AND** you're going to be putting added stress on the lower ball joints, which are known to fail on these trucks, abruptly and catastrophically without any prior warning, especially if you (A) ever choose to make the ignorant mistake of installing aftermarket lower ball joints or (B) don't change your lower balljoints with new OEM joints and mounting bolts at least every 125k-150k miles. This is a wear part, and the LBJ-under-tension design Toyota chose for these trucks is fucking stupid.

That's typical, and the sad fact of the matter, that's another part you cannot use aftermarket. Aftermarket cam adjusters usually come with plastic sleeves that will crush after your fist alignment or two, and you're back to square one again.

The only aftermarket part I've seen that uses metal sleeves, sadly, the cam adjuster plate at the end of the sleeve snapped off by the member who tested them on his truck, rendering the part useless unless repaired.

Wrong. You're shoving the suspension downward, there is ABSOLUTELY a geometry change involved.

Sorry, can't help you win any arguments, but if you want to learn about the proper way to lift these trucks, please see the "Suspension, wheel and tires ..." section of our community info thread, it's laden with info you really need to read.

 

Thanks for your quick replies. I stand corrected and will just leave it alone until I'm ready (if ever) to invest in a proper suspension lift.
We did replace the steering rack which brought back the drivability I came to love in my first 1st Gen back in 2000.

 

Hey Dave, truck looks awesome! I love the old school hot rod style rally/US Indy style wheels. That's one I haven't seen, but I really like it.

Leveling the front of your truck doesn't need to be expensive. Knowing a budget would definitely help, but a pair of Bilstein 4600s with updated tophat/isolator kit and Old Man Emu lifted springs installed in them should be feasible for under $1,000, potentially less than $800. It sucks about needing to cut out the cam bolts due to being seized in the sleeves, but as some of our NE members will tell you, sad fact of life when salted roads or salty area driving is involved.

 

Thanks for your kind words. The wheels are Mickey Thompsons and weren't cheap, but have the look I was after. Oddly, the truck has the original Dunlop spare tire with a 22 YO date code. The bad news is that it's rusted solid in place.

 

Ha! Yeah, I think @Jack McCarthy can relate to that spare situation too. Quite a few guys on here have replaced the spare tire assembly, it's not too bad.

My truck (2006) also had the original factory spare tire under it. I've had the truck for ~6yrs now, and finally replaced it last year!

 

Mine still holds air. For about a day or two. Haha

 

Mine did also, but for days, this is what it looked like. In fact, I didn't realize how bad it was until this happened. What a shit week that was.

And of all the things to get stuck in my tire, a freaking sidewinder key blank, off a VW/Audi or something. Meh.

 

Mines not that bad from the dry rot. I believe it’s mostly the rusted out rim. Got an electric air pump just in case.

 

Strangely, mine is aired-up and in good shape and the wheel looks good. It's the drop down mechanism that looks like it will fight you until the end of days...

 

I pumped my spare up a month or so ago and last weekend the tire pressure light began to blink. I assume that's the spare, which I further assume is original to the truck (2006).

At some point I'll replace it with a slightly larger tire to match what's currently on the truck.

 

Did it get treated for the recall on the rear crossmember? They should have replaced it.

 

My drop down mechanism works just fine......in fact......I was expecting trouble but no, down she came.

 

What shifty said on price.
Just put 4600’s with 2884’s with new isolators on mine for right at $537 for front. I just did all the assembly myself.
I did have to buy some new cheap sway bar links because of threads on my old ones stripped removing nut.

 

Thanks for all the good advice! I'll discuss the budgetary matter with the General and start a swear jar. Should have the funds in no time...

 

Did it get treated for the recall on the rear crossmember? They should have replaced it.

As I just bought it, I can't say if it has any recall work done. I did find some frame repair work that the seller must have decided wasn't important to disclose. My mechanic says it's done correctly but we'll need to keep an eye on it as it appears to have been done several years ago.

 

Look up the VIN on the Toyota website to see if it had the frame inspected and treated. If not and there’s holes from rust in it greater than a centimeter you might be able to argue with Toyota about getting a free frame. Very few places are replacing them but they supposedly still exist.

 

Typical!! Ugh...