Looking for advice with suspension set-up on "new to me" 2004 DC 4x4

Hello All,
New to the forum but previously owned a 2004 DC and 05 DC years ago. Just bought a 04 DC 4x4 for me and then my son to drive late next year.

I don't pick it up until later this week so I apologize for the lack of pics.

The truck has what I believe is either a Tuff Country or Rough Country 4+ inch spacer/cradle lift. I'm not a fan of these and realize I can't do anything about the cradle/lower bracket parts without welding in a stock crossmember.

But is it possible to remove the 4inch spacer that's on top of the front shocks and put in a set of Bilstein 5100's set at 2 3/4 to 3" or 6112's at the same?

This will be a 80% street truck and just looking for a solid cost friendly solution. (not Icon's or King's, see no reason to have shocks that need to be rebuilt)

Any advice would be appreciated - Thank You in advance

 

I know you said 'no pics til pickup the pickup' but ... this is one of those cases where pics would genuinely help us identify the lift, whether it's Tuff Country or RCD, since Rough Country didn't make a bracket lift, or maybe something else.

Once we can ID the lift, I think we can probably hook you up with someone here who's done what you're trying to do, or at least give you some guidance on how one of the members here would handle it, or did handle it already.

 

Thank You,
I'll get pics asap - pick it up Thursday afternoon.

It's definitely not RCD, I recall seeing Tuff Country or Rough Country on the top of the spindle arm when I looked at the truck.

From my experience, RCD doesn't use spacers on top of the shock tower, they have their own Bilstein's designed for their lifts, with 2 settings for the clips for the 4 to 6" settings. (F4-BE5-B109-T5)

Most likely it's Tuff Country then......

 

Tuff Country had two different bracket lifts. a 4.5" that used a questionable (to me) strut spacer on the factory spindle, and a 5" bracket lift that used a new spindle (see video below). Both used a tall tubular strut spacer. There's one other bracket kit out there but I'm drawing a blank on the name.

Picture of the later version spindle spacer. I think if you have this version, and you remove the spindle spacer and the strut spacer, you can get there... @Hi06silver has is the guy I'd tag, as he's "unfucked" his truck using the 4.5" version already, as best as possible:

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This video shows the 5" lift version which replaces the spindle, it shows the 5" TC spindle next to the OEM spindle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne_323w7BNM

 

Holy CRAP - If it looked like that first pick with the adapter bolted to it, I would have passed on the truck. WOW, that's 100% questionable!
I believe this "may" be the kit - https://buytuffcountry.com/tuff-cou...ndra-2004.html?find=2004-toyota-tundra-144197

Or an older version of it, definitely has a one piece spindle and I guess it could be 5" instead of 4. The guy said it was 4" but I didn't measure the spacer.

Here's a pic of the truck I took when I went to see it:

 

The spacer in between the upper ball joint is the potentially catastrophic difference between the 4.5" and 5" TC bracket lifts. I don't have any issues with my truck the way it is now that I got the spacers and what not outta there. I didn't know shit about lifts when I bought this truck. Just a crash course on here asking dumb questions and reading. I'd say if the rest of the truck is legit this lift isn't a deal breaker depending on what you're doing with it. I'm not out catching air or anything super fun. I have a convo with
a guy somewhere, after I did my trucks suspension work/lift upgrade, from years ago that used Bilsteins instead of what I used and iirc it worked out for him. Gimme some time ill find it.

That kit you linked is the better of the 2, the shocks are likely trashed just FYI. Not great quality to begin with I don't think. From that picture it somehow doesn't seem too look tall enough (gap between tore and fender) to be the 5...

 

If i needed a longer shock i’d be searching for a set of the trd fox shocks from the turd gen trd pro. No clue about how they ride, just for the cool points.