2” Leveling spacers...

Hi all! So I ordered a 2” leveling supreme suspension strut spacer kit and after ordering it I wondered I don’t need new longer front shocks do I? I mean my stock ones will work right? A friend of mine just did his Tacoma and never mentioned anything about changing his shocks!

 

No need to get longer shocks. But spacers do cause damage to the shock.

 

The spacers work fine for tens of thousands of people. In a few very rare instances they could cause damage to the shock(along with any other shock). Don’t jump your truck or race the Baja with the spacers and you should be fine just like 99.9% of everybody else who runs them.

 

They work, sure. Even for me since I have some on from the previous owner. But every time you go within the outer limits of the stock travel, you damage the shock internally whether you see it or not. And in some cases, this happens:

It’s a real possibility even when just daily driving. There was a member on here who had this happen to his shock just by going over train tracks at normal speed. Can’t remember the members name though. Also as far as I can find, this mainly only happens to bilsteins. I don’t think I’ve seen another shock that’s had this problem from spacer lifts.

 

You'll be fine, skip the diff drop if it came with one!

 

This will happen if you run spacers.

 

Any time you off-road your most likely pushing the shock through it’s travel range.

I’ve heard all about the unknown member who was just driving Miss Daisy across the grocery store parking lot when his spacer lift broke his Tacoma directly in half. Everybody died. It was tragic.

 

Here are some 5100’s that broke even without spacers. They were just parking in their driveway when this happened.

 

Why would you get a 2" spacer to level the truck? You are going to need a lift in the rear to level the truck out actually lol.

These leaf springs suck on these trucks. Mine sat level with the stock springs after 4 years and 65k miles. You're going to sit ass-low before too long at all

 

You don't need longer shocks. A spacer will compress your shock and make it shorter. If anything this causes you to have less shock travel - which in turn means a shitty ride if you're off-road because the shock and coil spring have less room to squish before they bottom out.

 

Bruh... like this?

 

What kind of spacer compresses the shock and makes it shorter?

 

lol exactly like that

 

Every kind? The upper coil/shock mount and the lower mounting point can only move so far apart.



Note the "Reduced up-travel".

 

Lol that’s a pre-load spacer, but it doesn’t “compress the shock” or “make it shorter”. The shock is not any longer or shorter.

It compresses the COIL, the same exact way a 5100 provides lift.

 

Well actually 4wheel parts suggested no rear lift blocks to make it level and suggested 2.5” spacers for the front but I went with the 2” because I don’t want the front to be nose up!

 

Take a measurement from the center of the hubs(wheels) to the fender lip. If the difference is 2” you’ll be level.

 

No. Here's what Bilstein stays:

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

Preloading the spring reduces up travel. Thus, shortening the range of movement for your shocks. And, if you read the linked PDF, Bilstein says:

 

Are you aware of the difference between the spacers you’re referencing?

I think you’re confused. The first one you posted does NOT make the shock any longer or shorter.

 

No it doesn't change the structure of the shock. But it does in fact (unless you want to argue with Bilstein who actually builds suspension) compress the entire assembly, thus reducing up travel, which in turn can allow the shock to bottom out prior to the vehicle's suspension hitting the factory bump stop.

This can result in damage. Read their PDF if you haven't. They clearly show the typical type of spacer you're thinking of.