Why did I get 2.5" on 1.75 Bilstein setting?

I'm scratching my head and would like to hear your thoughts. I have a DCSB 4x4 OR, and installed 5100's set on the 3rd notch from the top. I also added a 1/4" spacer on driver side. The height on both sides has increased 2.5"! I've double checked everything from the shock setting to the position of the spring on the perch and everything looks perfect. In all the searching and reading I did prior to the install I never heard of this occurring. 1.75" was the max I wanted and now I'm nose high and don't want that. Does the front ever settle? I've had them on for a couple weeks now.

 

Can you take a pic and post it?

 

the settings on the bilstein shock bodies are only approximate, as preloading stock coils introduces a myriad of variables-different trucks will get different lift numbers from them on the same settings

 

yes, the spacer is 1/4" on the driver side for taco lean. I've driven it about 150-200 miles with no settling. The truck has 46000 miles and the original shocks seemed fine, so I don't think they were sagging (if that's even possible). With 265/70/16 tires, my measurments from the ground to the fender, just above the tire, was originally 33 3/8" DS, 34" PS. Now my measurements are 36" DS, and 36.5" PS, for a total of 2.5".

I'll try to get a picture and post, but I'm not sure what your wanting to see. The top snap ring notch can be seen above the spring perch, so it's definitely set on the 3rd notch from the bottom.

Konaborne, I had a feeling that might be the case. I was surprised to see the additional 3/4" though.

 

Op did you accidently put the collar were the spring sit up side down usually if you do it gives you more lift.

Take pics of your shocks and we can determine your issue

 

This. I think you have the perches upside down. Example:

WRONG


RIGHT

 

Spring perches are correct.

 

You don't need the lean spacer if you're using stock coils so that would accont for part of your problem. Additionally, you have the TRD OR and those springs do not take preloading overly well. They are a progressive rate spring so I would guess that is part of the reason you got more lift than expected.

 

Your CVs don't look bad at all for 2.5" of lift

 

Did you add new tires at the same time? Are your measurements from the center of the hub or from the ground?

 

UPDATE - I just set both sides back down to the second notch, or .85" setting, and left the spacer on the driver side. This has given me 1.5" of lift on the passenger side and about 2" on the Driver side. Now the truck has no lean and looks and drives great!

Original tires, and my measurments are from the ground to the fender. Both sides are now measuring 35.5"

Pugga, I'm using the stock coils and that's a great thought on why I'm getting more than expected. How do you deal with the taco lean if you don't use a spacer?

I appreciate everyone's comments.

 

For future reference, the proper way to measure is from the center of the hub to the fender. That eliminates any variances from the tires.

 

Stock coils are side specific, that's why you don't have a lean at stock height (driver's side coil compensates). Aftermarket coils are not side specific so if you don't use the lean spacer, the driver's side ends up sitting lower.

That leads me to another theory, did you put the coils back on the sides they came off of? I wonder if you put the driver's side coil on the passenger side and the lean spacer is what's leveling you out side to side.

 

Looking at this pic, I don't think you're getting 2.5" of lift as with the 2.5" setting, the cv fins are real close to touching. This is how mine looked like at 1.75" setting.

 

Oh, thanks for clearing that up! I did one side at a time, so no chance that occurred. I had slightly over .5" of lean on the drivers side when it was stock. Looking back, it would have been interesting to swap them and see if that cured the lean.

I guess I'll just have to chalk this up to being an oddball case. Thanks!

 

Swapping them likely would have made the lean a lot worse. There have been cases where people have accidentally swapped the coils and had over an inch difference side to side. The Tacomas do have some lean even when stock.

 

I was on the 1.75 setting in that pic. But my truck body sat 2.5" higher in the front on that setting.