All I hear is that spacer leveling kits are bad.

1) Why is it so common to get springs with the Bilsteins? Why not just the bilsteins?

2) Also no one has mentioned UCA'S.. are these needed with the front billes set at 2.5"?

 

How about people that just want to get the front up a couple inches?? Are the Blisteins still the way to go. Also is there anything else a guy really needs to do if only upping about 2" in the front? Been reading a lot aboout wear and tear and failures.
Mine wont be doing any harsh offroading or anything like that. If I cant just an easy 2" front lift then will probably leave it alone and cut the flaps, dont really want to remove them though.

 

I initially utilized a an above the strut spacer lift on my 11' taco and it wasnt bad. The ride was fine although through some further research and really solid advice from a some very knowlegable members on this site I decided to go with toytec coilover ultimate lift (they use 5100's) and was much happier. The coilover setup enables you much more offroad capabilities with minimizing stress and breakage of other suspension parts. IMHO you should spend the extra money and go with a coilover setup. If money is really really tight and you are not going to offroad then go with the spacer lift just try and keep this kind of lift at no more thatn 2 1/2 "

 

I do not understand why so many people jump on the 5100 band wagon when 5100 and spring spacers are doing the exact same thing. Think about it....

5100's all you are doing is raising the lower spring seat which adds preload


Spacers you are basicly Lowering the upper spring seat.



You will still change the ride and will still run the risk of bottoming out the coils before you hit the bumpstops. The only true reason that a 5100 would be better than a spring spacer and a stock shock is the 5100 will ride better because it has different valving. Both are better that top mount spacers becasue they control the over travel of all the other components.

 

WRONG!

read: http://www.bilsteinus.com/fileadmin/user_upload/user_upload_us/pdfs/Bil_LevShks_WebArticle.pdf

 

The 5100 shock can handle the extra springload without bottoming out or topping out, stock shocks are not meant to handle a loaded spring.

 

I have full suspension setup on my 2000... the ride is stiff but dependable and I appreciate the level of engineering these components offer (Fabtech adjustable coils, Dirt Logic shocks, 5100s with Skyjacker leafs); had to support a topper and ARB front bumper.

On my 2010 PreRunner, I went with a Daystar 2.5" spacers and new leaf springs out back. The ride is better than stock IMO, and can keeps my occasional truckbed loads level, and most of all didn't break the bank. It's my DD and I had no intention of off-roading in it. I just wanted a higher stance and the ability to put on some beefier rubber. IMO spacers are fine if you only intend to drive on pavement... I would not use them offroad for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the over-stressing of stock components.

 

I have 2.5 inch spacers on the front and back, but all I do is commute, I purely upgraded for looks. I wouldn't do anything too aggressive on my spacers.

 

Same here in fact I went wheeling one time with my front spacer and it was so bad I drove down to engage the next day and ordered my front long travel suspension. No one wants to drive 5mph off road unless you are rock crawling. Look at Baja and tell me if they are running spacers lol

 

Chick doing LT. Rare breed

 

I have revtek spacer lift. Rides great! Just recently bought OME 885 coil springs and 5100's. Just have not installed yet due to time. Hopefully the ride will be just as good if not better. We will see!

 

thread dig here.... seems like all the people who have spacer lifts seem to be fine with them, and the people who don't have, or never had them are bashing them. just sayin

 

I never put spacers on my truck, but I rode in many that did- cheap lifts are popular here...

and I hated the ride. period.

 

I had a spacer lift for about 3 days. I hated the ride. I really wish I found TW beforehand. I would have bought 5100's and been done with it.

 

so I have an OME suspension lift with 1/2 top plate spacers. If I were to use washers or something of the sort to lower my bumpstops would that in turn make my 3 inch lift up front have no negatives? that's what I've picked up on.

 

This is why

 

so the problem is not the spacer, it's the stock shock isn't very strong. makes sense, on my 1st gen I remember the 5100's were much thicker.

I'd imagine with how much I plan on babying this truck, a spacer would do the trick for a year or so

 

Have you seen a difference in damaged suspensions when using top bolt-on spacers like a Redi-Lift rather than the Revtek type?

 

I got the readylift sst. 3 in the front and 2 inch block in the back right now. It's stiffer alright. But not bad, if anything I like the ride more than stock. But now I'm looking into 5100, I know that route is better and I should have went that route.

 

That will happen with any type of spacer that allows the shock to hit the end of it's travel or allows the coils to bind before the snubber bottoms out.

A longer snubber will prevent the problem.