Overwhelmed By Suspension Options

Agreed! That’s a great deal. Wish I wasn’t all the way on the east coast, I’d def grab these.

Did you get an extra inch even on your TRD OR? Or is it same as stock height?

 

Out of curiosity how much lift did you yield after install? I'm looking to do this lift as well. Also what coils did you go with?

 

I did. A inch over stock OR height up front.

 

I got 2.5" in the front and 1.5" in the rear. I went with these coils: I really like them. They gave me the exact lift I wanted while keeping the 5100's at zero setting. Plus the ride is really smooth.

 

Awesome, ty for the reply!

 

So, I have reflected on this for a day. I guess I have a couple of questions. Suppose that I went with the Bilstein 6112/5160 with AALs. My questions:

1. Could I use this effectively just as a levelling kit?

2. If so, could I get 285 tires on the resulting truck?

Thanks so much in advance.

 

I’m no expert but I think you’ll only net about 2.5” with that setup. You’ll need 1.25” wheel spacers and possible CMC to run 285s.

 

So for 2 are you saying I could (likely) get away with 285s via the alignment route or the cab mount chop (i.e. as opposed to having to do both)?

Thanks.

 

I think you’ll need to do the cab mount chop either way.

Option 3: run the same setup, w/aftermarket UCAs and 1/4” top plate spacer and wheel spacers. That should eliminate the CMC...I think. Talk to a pro first though.

 

Arb air locker for the rear, some appropriate tires for the terrain stock size or 75s. Take advantage of someone “upgrading “their pro suspension if you want. A well balanced set up, I have a Pro 4Runner and it is more than enough with some armor and l let’s to get you where you need to go.
I used to lift my trucks and jeeps I really got into trail riding and extended use in The desert and mountains. Now I prefer little or none. The suspension should be for your comfort and drivability in your conditions and not to help fit tires that are not large enough t make a difference.

 

How much $$$ is one usually talking about to upgrade from the SR5 to Pro Suspension?

 

So, I thought about this and I am increasingly leaning toward the Bilstein 6112/5160 with AAL. A few more questions:

1. If I went with levelling + 1" lift, would I be able to be able to get 285s in without further refinement?

2. I am planning to add a winch and skid plate to the front. I assume this would be OK with the Bilstein 6112/5160 with AALs?

3. I am planning on sometimes having some weight in the bed. Not chock full of boulders, but I am planning to have gear in there and I have bought a Diamondback HD so can run some weight on that. Would this still be OK with the Bilstein 6112/5160 with AALs?

Thanks again for dealing with all of my questions, which are probably pretty basic.

 

A lot of people are going to tell you King, Icon, Toytec, etc. My advice...those are nice if you don’t mind rebuilding them periodically as a part of your maintenance. Billstein’s and the “lower end” OME’s are a more traditional coilover and don’t require that rebuild. Depends if you NEED the performance or not, or just want the bling factor (which is totally cool if so).

After lifting mine, and sorting out alignment issues, UCA’s, etc. I honestly wish I had left the stock suspension and ran a smaller tire - but I am pleased with the results now. It was expensive, frustrating at times, but also a great learning experience on how my truck works.

 

So, if I may ask, what all did you end up doing to make it all work?

 

Started with Toytec coilovers, but they had some issues (long story - could have been isolated issue). Replaced them with OME 888’s. Once that was done, we couldn’t get camber in the front wheels dialed in with a reasonable amount of caster, so I replaced the UCA’s to correct that issue (that was 2 weeks of tweaking). Once that was done, since I am running 285/70/17’s, I did a CMC to eliminate some rubbing in the front drivers wheel well. I might have been able to adjust the UCA’s to eliminate that, but by then I was tired of screwing with alignments. Overall, not horrible if I just committed to everything up front, but I felt like I was constantly chasing something. I am very happy with the results though.

 

The real difference is that king, icon, and fox can be rebuilt instead of your traditional shock which needs completely replaced. If a King shock needs rebuilt at 50k then a Bilstein needs to be fully replaced. The maintenance of these shocks is really nothing more than an oil change. Oil is oil and breaks down with use, Bilstein is no exception. The ability to rebuild a shock is an advantage not a disadvantage.

Anyone can rebuild a shock with simple hand tools. This is one of the many reasons why I went with a higher end shock.

To me the question is, would you rather rebuild your shock or have them fully replaced? Traditional shocks are not bolt-on and forget.

 

All true points. Asking this to learn, not be an a-hole...it was my understanding that rebuilds happen around 30-50k miles, where a Bilstein/OME would be replaced closer to 75-90k miles. Is this not the case?

 

You should really decide what your build is intended for. Off-roadin/overlanding or just aggressive look and occasional wheeling? It sounds like you really wanna run 285s. These will put more stress on your tranny, you'll need close to 3" of lift to avoid CMC, less mpg and more expensive. On top of that, you don't have any diff lockers. On the upside, you get a nice aggressive look and slightly more ground clearance.

With the bilstein setup you should be okay with just the winch and skids. AAL will be okay depending how much gear your haul and how often. You'll be limited by the factory spring in the end. Also remember that you're adding a 100lbs off the bat with that diamondback.

My suggestion: Scratch the leveling. Run 265/75r16. Upgrade to dakars and uca and rear locker.

This is what my build will look like in 6 weeks: 2nd gen 5100s, OME 888s up front, SPC UCAs, and Headstrong progressive AAL. 265/75r16 KO2. I plan to do occasional overlanding trips.

 

That is exactly what I'm going for except no bfg's as I don't want the e-rated tires.
But with the 888's, uca's 2nd gen 5100's and the headstrong 3 leaf AAL with the overload spring left in
My question is will the 265/75/16 tires on stock OR wheels fit with no rub on this setup...?

 

You “should” be fine, but the alignment will determine a lot of whether you rub or not. If you go with SPC UCA’s, you should be able to do it without a CMC. I have 888’s and SPC UCA’s, but did a CMC because I got tired of fiddling with UCA settings.