Spacer level lifts

Is it true that the spacer level lifts reduce longevity of front end parts?

 

Yes.

 

And they tend to break shocks as well.

Stay away from spacers. Trash all around.

At minimum 5100s.

 

Do 5100s.
I regret putting my 3/1 leveling kit on my truck. I’m getting a bunch of front end noise now and outside tire wear.

Your alignments will never be 100% correct with a level kit. Don’t let anyone fool you.

 

When you consider the amount of use you get from your vehicle. The difference in cost between a spacer brick and a set of 5100 series shocks is nothing.

 

Does anyone have a pic of the 5100's up front, I have been seriously considering leveling it out and want to go with the 5100's. Any complainants with the 5100's

 

I am not arguing that 5100's will be better than spacers, but it is not the spacer that breaks the shocks, it is the lack of adding the bump stop spacers. If you do 5100's and don't add bump stop spacers you will break the shocks also. Again, not arguing, just a warning to others who want to go that route.

 

True, proper bump shimming is the key.

There is a difference between a 1/4" spacer that comes with the 5100s and the 1" spacer that some spacer kits come with.

There is also the ride quality factor. A preloaded 5100 will, should (does IMO) ride much better than a spacer lift.

 

Thanks for the support.

 

As being one who recently purchased and had installed the Toytec 3" spacer lift, and so far no negative impressions compared to stock (minus a more truck-like ride), can people clarify why or how these reduce longevity of the front end parts? I am aware of the bump stop situation, the "harsh" ride but haven't heard anything about reducing longevity of other components specifically due to spacer lifts...

I have the 5100's on my FJ so I'm not new to that specific setup, but man people are harsh on bashing the spacers...

Just looking for more clarification to help me and others who have a tighter budget.

TIA!

 

Yes, tight budget.

 

Yes.

 

If you never take it off road except for graded fire roads, you’ll probably never have a problem. Spacer lifts are the most affordable way to make a Mall-crawler look awesome.

But take it off-road for real, and try to keep up with anyone with coilover suspension, including stock suspension, you may break it. All at once. The shocks collapse.

 

Nothing wrong with spacers. As long as you know the limits.
There is a lot of rumors about spacers that are not always accurate.

 

Yep.....and even a deep pot hole can cause failure.

 

My 07 had spacers on it when I bought it. Got rid of them asap. Looks good and levels the truck....that's all they accomplish...

 

Hell I'm trying to get my ReadyLift 3/2 spacers out of my truck, and it's a street truck!!

 

I'm looking to go with the Toytec Boss coilovers and rear shackles.....just trying to get clarification on what I need with the rear.

 

I have 5100s, have had them for 10 years, but I am curious how a spacer lift that goes on top of the front coil over can change the ride as it only moved makes the assembly taller and does not change the spring rate in anyway.

 

Bump stops required for the offset of the spacers............geometry has changed

 

If you have to extend the bumpstops to make up for your lack of up travel, your ride is going to suffer greatly. Hitting the bumpstop on every big compression sounds painful.

 

Yep....so true! But better than a failed shock I guess. Does it happen a lot? No, but the potential is there and when it does happen.........???? A matter of choice of course.

 

1st pic is the bilstein shim that's used to prevent coil bind (from what I'm told).

2nd pic used when a trash spacer is installed.

Big difference.

 

Had the same setup as you I think from when I bought the truck. Just replaced with BOSS rear shocks and coil overs. Left the 2” block in the back after talking to Toytec. Ride is so much better.

 

So mine is a 2013 2 wheel drive with the 4.6. I am running 285/70/18's with the Readylift 3/2. The ride is rough and I just hit 89,000 miles. What I am looking to do is put the Boss coilovers in along with the rear shocks and possibly shackles. I want the height to be at least the same as to what it is with the spacer kit....higher is fine if the coils come out a little more than 3 inches because of having the 4.6. I have a slight rake as it is now but I can always fine tune the rear if needed once the front is done.

 

Ok on the bump stops, so if the geometry changes with a spacer mounted on top of the oem coilover it also does with any aftermarket coilover or an upgrade like the 5100s which use the oem springs, how do those two choices combat the geometry change vs a spacer.
How do the aftermarket coilovers and coilovers like the 5100s ride any different then, if anything they ride harsher, it is always stated on this forum that spacer lifts do not ride well but never explained why and a lift where you don't disassemble the eom coilover and the spacer just goes ontop should have very little effect on how the truck rides.

 

Let's see....for one, spring rates. Spring rates affect the ride. Not all coils are the same. Not all shocks are the same. Depending on the lift a diff drop can be used but that has nothing to do with the ride, it just offsets the geometry change at the CV's. The use of bump stops has been explained here too and has nothing to do the the ride. All this has has been discussed quite a bit here on the forum already.

 

It has been discussed but the majority seems to be repeating the same old thing with no explanation.
So when people say spacer lifts do not ride well the reason is geometry change? because with a spacer lift that goes ontop of the coilover there is no change to the spring rate or the shock.

 

You lose usable travel, so the suspension travel is almost non existent. Your riding in a short window between being fully extended and bumped.

So what you are saying is, that if one was to fully extended their front suspension and drive around stuck in that position - there would be no change to ride quality? That's what a coil mounted spacer does.

 

How does the travel amount change from the amount of travel that the truck has stock ?