Cheap ebay lift?

I'm not sure what my signature has to do with anything, but I'd hate to jeopardize someone's maturity or character.

 

This got heated pretty fast. Lol

 

So after all has been said, do you have a better idea of which direction you will go?

 

At the risk of getting flamed because someone doesn't like my reply, here we go;

I have a full suspension lift on my truck. A popular "kit" that features a balanced package of springs, shocks, etc.....And it rides kinda harsh at certain speeds. Most of the harsh ride is in a speed range where I do much of my driving. Not bad though....just not as smooth as the original suspension.

I've installed 2 top plate spacer kits for friends. Their trucks retained the same ride as prior to lifting. While some people would say "stock" ride is a little soft, it isn't bad for 95% of drivers. One of the spacer lifts I installed is on a truck belonging to a maniac 19 year old that thrashes his truck. No ill effects so far. The other spacer lift is on a truck that's ALMOST identical to my Tacoma. The owner of that truck has driven mine and tells me he can't tell the difference between mine and his when he drives it.

For the record, when I put a spacer lift on anyone's truck, I also put a spacer beteen the bump stop snubber and the control arm. (Spacer is of same thickness as strut spacer. I make my own)

In spite of what often appears to be an eletist attitude by a number of folks, lifts, and their "worth" to individual end users ISN'T always determined by which one cost's the most. Spacers aren't evil, and to a degree, shocks are shocks.....until you find their limitations......which MOST people never will.

There are instances where people just can't afford a $1500 two inch lift. And there are occasions where people just don't see the point in spending $1500 for a lift when a $100 spacer will accompish the EXACT same goal and do so in a manner where things don't break, work well, ride good, and keep the other $1400 in their back pocket. Not everyone in the world live by the "easy come, easy go" approach to spending money.

What works for YOU, might not be what works for ME.....My father used to have an expression that applies well at a time like this. He'd say, "That's why they make chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.....So we all can have what we want".

I used a suspension lift kit because it came with the truck when I bought it. Not sure which direction I would have gone otherwise. The spacer lift's I installed are doing just fine and the owners have no reservations about their choices.

And with that, I'm not going to argue with anyone on which style of lift I feel is "best". The "best" is the one you feel will do YOUR job, do so without damaging the truck or impairing it's reliability, and the one that fits your budget. YOU can't tell ME which one is best for me, as well as I can't tell you which one works best for YOU. All I can do is offer my objective opinions and NOT be influenced by people who parrot comments they've heard on the internet.

 

^^^

Right there!

... and I tried spacers, they didn't work for me, so I moved on. Amen.

 

Well said couldn't agree more.

As I feel i.must say this... I'm not sure how this turned into an "argument " but I do apologize. Looking back at what I said, I simply gave my opinion in effort to try and help a stranger asking for help. Not sure I could have done any different. My opinion IS HOWEVER based off of what's best for me as you said. In life we make choices and live by them.

 

Poseurs gonna pose?

My apologies to the OP, but I just don't get the hot urge to 'lift' when stated use of the vehicle doesn't benefit from lift. In fact, may be detrimental, as COG is raised and street handling is negatively affected (regardless of the quality of the lift).

 

You forgot to mention that the guy was actually drunk, ran down into a ditch, and ran over a cement culvert and thought he hit a pothole.

 

It's all about the details....

 

Just to clear everything up.. I bought this truck because quality is unmatched in a Toyota and I like the way it looks. I am unaware of its superiority in any other aspects nor do I plan to ever test them. I'm gathering from other members here that these are pretty capable offroad but 99% of my driving is interstate. All I want is to improve on the appearance of the truck. I think it looks too low. 4 door is long and makes it seem low I guess. I would also like to put some 285/75/16 Dueler A/T Revos on it. I took the bran new 265 Revos off my previous truck which was totalled and I love the tire but again this larger truck needs larger tire to look appropriate IMO.

To answer a previous question I am leaning on block and shock for the rear and a strut top spacer for the front. (Assuming I can find or make a bump stop spacer) The AAL kits add load capacity and inherently add stiffness which I don't want. I like the factory ride. Since I have now learned that 3" puts alignment out of correctable range I am leaning on a 2/1 spacer lift. I am hoping that will free up some room for bigger tires and allow me to not replace control arms.. One day if I move to Moab or find a place here to go offroad I may change it up but in the scheme of things what is 150 dollars and a couple hours work. It can be undone just as quickly and replaced with a "Real" lift.

All that said nothing is in stone and if I can convince my wife that my toy budget needs a 1000 dollar increase I may do said "real" lift. thanks again for all the input.

 

Wow. People get just as butt hurt about spacers as they do negligent headlights.

 

Negligent headlights seems a bit more serious to me.

 

Headlights impact others. Bad lifts impact truck owners more than the public.

 

My god can't people just try to be helpful and not insult people who don't make the same exact choices they made? Soooo many insults in this thread including income related bashing just because someone uses a $150 spacer instead of a $400 shock to lift *THEIR* vehicle in order to clear a larger tire.

Sometimes I swear Bilstein pays people to create fake accounts and push the sale of their 5100 shock line lol.

I'm wondering when the masses are going to turn their attention to the next series in the Bilstein line and start bad mouthing those who choose to use the "poor people's" 5100 lol.

 

Why in the World would any dope use a 5100 when you could use the more glorious elite shock? The new, and amazing 6112. Why use anything other than the best that is out there?

Garbage =



Elite =

 

And in case anyone is looking for said Elite shock and not the garbage overrated junky 5100. Here ya go, not a bad price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BILSTEIN-46...OMA-/171910556155?hash=item2806aae9fb&vxp=mtr

 

front spacers if installed with longer bump stops to prevent the shock from bottoming out should work just fine on the street, add an aal to rear, again, longer bump stops, street driving, should be okay...on the rears though, the shocks are stretched, so bottoming out is not really the problem, might pop the shock because it is stretched beyond its limit...thus a longer travel 5125 bilstein would be the prudent move on the rears with the aal....

best to avoid blocks on the rear, aal is better...

 

Yes but I'm one of those secret fucking squirrel Bilstein reps. Don't buy my shitty 5100's buy my Elite, untamed 6112's. Spacers are junk, nuff said.

 

Uuuuh.... careful, Rick. You have 5100's on your truck.

.... and don't you work for some eBay company?