Lifting a 1st gen 5lug - feedback and ideas

Hey 5 luggies! Here's the scoop.

I have this awesome 99 v6 extra cab 5lug that I have loved for years, but now it's become my daily driver and I'm a tall guy. I would love to raise it up some without jeopardizing the reliability of the truck, and hopefully do it without spending a ton of money, to have a nice looking truck.

I'm open for ideas. Ask questions, I'll also attach a pic of the truck.

Current Best Idea (looking for feedback)
- In another forum I found some links to Fat Bobs garage and he has some specific 5 lug stuff, he suggests. 3" spindle kit, 2" rear shackles, replace rear shock absorbers. Then he gives this for tire and wheel suggestion: "Use 30/9.50R15 tire w/15x7 wheels w/3 3/4" BS w/minor trimming"

What do you guys think? Is this the best and cheapest way or would you recommend something else?

Spindles Link
Shackles Link
Shock Absorbers Link ( Are these the rear? He has two options )

 

Yes, that's the best option.

Fabtech spindle lift with a shackle.

The shackles are a bit tough to put on, you have to remove the old bushing from the leaf spring. I had to burn and cut mine out with a saw zaw.

 

Glad to know I'm on the right track!

Do you agree with his wheel, tire, and spacer suggestions? Any recommendations on what ones to get or where to find some?

 

Yes the wheel and tire specifications that's on fatbobs website are the the actual fitment measurements provided by Fabtech. I bought my wheels from discounttiredirect.com

I would wait till November if your going to buy parts, as that's when I was able to get the best price on everything because of Thanksgiving sales.

 

I fergot to also mention that you can add the lift and still be okay to use the stock rims and stock tires. They do not rub at all. I drove my truck for a good year with the stock setup before I purchased after market rims and tires.

 

This is great advice, thanks man. How complex is the lifting project for the spindles, shackles, and rear shocks? Like is there high potential for mistakes or is it pretty simple and straight forward for a DIY?

I'll start trying to loosen up that bushing in the back ahead of time.

Also do you think that fabtech stuff will be much of a sale? or should I get that lift going and drive stock wheels and tires for a bit till I get the deal on those.

 

I found someone selling some cheap 15x7 rims locally on marketplace, if they are a 5 lug pattern will they fit or are there differences? They say: "15x7 DOT D-hole 5x100MM 3"

They are steel black with a red rim (Bassett Brand) I think they would look good if they fit, then I just wait for the right tire price.

 

If your mechanically inclined it shouldn't be a problem. If your not sure watch a few YouTube videos on how to do it, but yes pretty straight forward. You need spring compressors. Makes the job alot easier.

If your going to swap the spindles do the brakes and rotors and wheel bearings at the same time. Your there already, might as well do it right the first time.

I would do the lift and then wait for a sale on a set of wheels. I think I bought my rims from discounttiredirext for about 430 including shipping and tax.

 

Thoughts on those rims I mentioned above? I think I can get those for under $200. Just not sure if they work. And I just recently did the brakes and rotors.

 

No they will not fit, research our 5 lug toyota trucks lug pattern. I can't remeber off the top of my head. If you want bigger tires you need 3 3/4 backspacing or -6 offset

 

You're the man, thank you. I'll do a bit more research and planning, I'll be back. Seeing your truck got me excited

 

Will I need to mess with anything else? Ball joints? I've seen mentioned of gear ratios, etc. I want to do a lift and rim/tire swap that gets me maximum height and looks without having to go change a bunch of other things. Just bolt on.

If I do this planned, 3" spindle front, 2" shackle back, and replace rear shock absorbers.. would I need to plan on doing other stuff or will it be fine?

Lastly, with the rims and tires. Would you do what fatbob recommends with the " 30/9.50R15 tire w/15x7 wheels w/3 3/4" BS w/minor trimming" or would you do something else that is easier or better?

 

@lilred5lugger should I be replacing the front and rear shocks while I'm in there? Are those fabtech ones a good option with the lift or should I do something different?

Any last things I need to order to be successful with the lift? (in cart 3" spindle, 2" shackle, rear shock absorbers) Do I need new bushings in the back or other things to do it right?

Thanks for being like the only one who has done a 1st gen lift haha the other lifting pages don't have much for us.

 

Also... If i'm going to be in doing all this, and I kind of want max height without having to change a bunch of other things, is there more I should be doing to get it even higher without making it overly complex?

Its like on home reno shows when they are paying $100k for a remodel but don't spend the extra $2k while in the construction to get their dream bathroom. Drives me nuts. If I'm doing this, I wanna do it the best I can for my precious 5lug haha

 

Yes the rear fabtech shocks you need for the lift. The front you don't need so much. If you want to replace the front I would go with kyb gr2 from rock auto. They are dirt cheap, or if you want something even better go with bilstein yellows.

Nothing else is required for the lift, but worth mentioning that if you have the means, replace the wheel bearings for the front when you do the spindle swap, and if possible the ball joints and endlink bushings. If you can only do one, do the bearings.

 

For my truck personally, I did the rear shackles and 2 additional add a leafs. I did have to buy longer u bolts. The fabtech shocks still worked fine even with the extra 2 leaf springs. I installed the extra springs because I carry a constant load all the time. I eventually added air bags to my setup to help when I fully load it to go camping., or when I did side jobs and require alot of lumber or crushed rock.

 

Awesome. So how much total lift did you get? What all did you do in the front and the back? And if you don't mind me asking, what rim and tire sizes?

I'm just thinking about getting the max height I can while I'm in doing all this. And for sure I'll look into the bearings, ball joints, and endlink bushings for the front. I don't carry a load most of the time, just occasionally so I don't need the extra stiffness I would rather have good ride quality, but I would like any height I can get.

 

As I'm looking at these shocks on rockauto, https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog....4l+v6,1357589,suspension,shock+absorber,7556

I'm not sure what our 5 lugs are? I see the SR5, 4x4, prerunner stuff. Are we the extended cab or base model? Are those saying they fit all those types listed? Thanks for the help, let me know what ones you think from this rock auto list.

(having fun working on a second truck virtually yet!? )

 

I think total I'm at about 4 or 5 inches in the back total.

 

Th

For the front you want kyb 553360 rwd extended cab.

My rims and tires I have on my truck are 235 75 15 and the rims are 15x7 5x114.3 -6 offset.

The -6 offset is basically the 3 3/4 spacing you need for running bigger tires.

I'm actually waiting for a regeared differential to come in the mail anyday now from east coast gear supply. I'm planning to run 31x10.5x15 tires
With the current lift I have. I understand that fatbob recommends 30x9.5x15 but I figured it can't be much more of a difference for 31" tires.

If the front rubs more than i would like, I plan on doing the Qa1 coilover setup and getting lower control arm plates from mjbfab so that I can mount them. That upgrade is about 1200$