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Lift affects handling

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by chilow, Mar 14, 2011.

  1. Mar 14, 2011 at 12:55 PM
    #1
    chilow

    chilow [OP] Well-Known Member

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    New to trucks, I normally drive sports cars and I LOWER them to get the most handling out of the cars. I have never owned a truck before, but I assume that once you lift a truck, the handling will suffer. I'm not trying to say that I want the truck to handle like one of the lowered cars I've owned, but I don't want the truck flipping on me if I encounter a hard turn. Is there anything I can do to improve handling after the truck has been lifted? Again, I don't have a background in trucks so any help will be much appreciated. Thanks!
     
  2. Mar 14, 2011 at 12:59 PM
    #2
    macgyver

    macgyver Well-Known Member

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    Your assumption is correct.

    It's a truck...why do you want it to handle well? If you want good handling, buy a car.
     
  3. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:02 PM
    #3
    steve o 77

    steve o 77 braaap

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    Leave the sway bar on and don't F1 around turns and you should be good.
     
  4. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:05 PM
    #4
    spamy

    spamy Truck guy

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    It should enhance off road capabilities. Thats the idea, not just for looks. If you dont plan on offroading or towing stuff then stick with cars.
     
  5. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:11 PM
    #5
    chilow

    chilow [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I know it's not going to handle like a car. Just making sure I got the right idea about how it will handle after a lift. I plan on using this truck as an all around type vehicle ( tow my car to race track events, offroading once every few months, take it to go camping, etc.) It will also be my daily driven vehicle.
     
  6. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:16 PM
    #6
    davidpick

    davidpick NWXPDTN

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    you can put wider tires and wheels with less backspacing on them to widen the track slightly. this will help regain some of the stability lost when lifting.

    my truck is lifted 2.5" and i ran it like that with stock tires/wheels for 8 months and didn't worry one bit about stability. it felt fine in the corners. granted, i don't drive very aggressively in my truck (that's what my motorcycle is for!), but it wasn't even an issue.

    i now have 15x8 wheels with an inch less backspacing and it does feel a bit more planted in the corners, so that may be a route you can go.
     
  7. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:19 PM
    #7
    macgyver

    macgyver Well-Known Member

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    It's not going to feel like it's gonna flip or anything after the lift doing normal driving. We have some very curvy roads here in GA especially up where I live in the foothills of the N GA mountains. Just leave the sway bar on. I have Bilstein 5100's @ 2.5 on stock coils with 2" AAL in the rear and I don't feel like it handles any worse than it did stock. At the same time though I wouldn't dare drive it like I used to drive my accord I used to have that was lowered w/ suspension mods and wider wheels and stickier tires.
     
  8. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:21 PM
    #8
    Southern01Taco

    Southern01Taco Well-Known Member

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    Mine handles about like stock. Its a little stiffer but its not a big difference. I don't ever feel like the truck is about to tip over or anything.
     
  9. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:24 PM
    #9
    krimson

    krimson Nothin

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    Not much different, just don't think you're truck is fast and furious and you'll be fine. New UCA's can help with the truck's handling.
     
  10. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:32 PM
    #10
    chilow

    chilow [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for everyones input.
     
  11. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:44 PM
    #11
    gpend5.7sport

    gpend5.7sport Well-Known Member

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    too damn many
    you could always get a new rear sway bar that is adjustable according to whatever lift you get and it will help with stability considering that toyota trucks dont have a rear sway bar, and also just dont take turns super fast and youll be okay, my record for a corner is 90 lol but it was exchange going from beltway to the highway lol but i also have a tundra at stock height with a 1 1/8" rear sway bar, handles like its on rails and improved the ride as well
     
  12. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:53 PM
    #12
    Bama_TACO

    Bama_TACO ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!

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    I haven't noticed a decrease in handling from stock. I know I have significantly decreased body roll.
     
  13. Mar 14, 2011 at 1:57 PM
    #13
    mxnborder

    mxnborder Well-Known Member

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    DR coilovers AAl 285 kelly safaris lightbar/skidplate need more!
    How large of lift are you going to put on?
     
  14. Mar 14, 2011 at 2:18 PM
    #14
    Cvd2312

    Cvd2312 Well-Known Member

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    For starters, make sure you put on a suspension lift and not a body lift.
     
  15. Mar 14, 2011 at 2:56 PM
    #15
    Madjik_Man

    Madjik_Man The Rembrandt of Rattle Can

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    My 1990 Bronco handled and rode far better than stock once I put on a full 4" suspension lift on it.
     
  16. Mar 14, 2011 at 3:13 PM
    #16
    SlimDigg

    SlimDigg We Back!!

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    You could also try wheel spacers to widen the stance and improve handling.
     
  17. Mar 14, 2011 at 3:16 PM
    #17
    pittim

    pittim mittip backwards

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    You're raising the COG. Guess what happens to handling.
     
  18. Mar 14, 2011 at 4:17 PM
    #18
    chilow

    chilow [OP] Well-Known Member

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    This will be a mild 2.5 or 3 inch left, nothing too crazy.
     

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