Legitimate benefits to lifting a vehicle?

SloppyJ

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Feb 24, 2023
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no wheel spacers are not the answer. wheel spacers are the worst cheap thing you can do to get clearance for your spindles. just get proper backspaced rims.
that's like drilling out hockey pucks and using them for a body lift

There are good ones and bad ones. I wouldn't run them if I didn't have to but don't really want new wheels, I like the LTZ wheels that came on it. What I'm talking about aren't cheap, $400 for a set and made specifically for your hub.
 

KBC

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Mar 8, 2017
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BC
I wouldn’t do it to a daily driver.

If it’s a dedicated trail/hunting 4X4 you have to lift it. Bigger tires = more ground clearance, better approach and departure angles. Your axles may be close to the same height but you gain clearance everywhere else. Taller tires allow you to air down for better comfort and traction. Make sure you do new gears if the tires are more than a little bigger than factory.
 

swavescatter

Pain in the butt!
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Apr 3, 2021
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Another "legitimate" reason is more suspension articulation on properly designed lifts. This keeps your tires on the ground instead of up in the air.

Lifts have downsides, but so does driving a Subaru. You do you.
 
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
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Front Range, Colorado
A lift alone, no. Better quality suspension? More travel front and rear with better shocks? Then yes.
Tire clearance is achieved with trimming, not lifting. Lifts are for mall crawlers. True performance suspension runs in the same range as stock or with further up and down travel. It doesn't change tire clearance at all.

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mt terry d

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Shoot2HuntU
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Jul 18, 2023
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764
I have a 3rd gen (2005)dodge 2500. Cummins (of course.)

Approaching 400,000 miles. Rust free ( Montana) Daily driver and work truck.

I've been replacing a lot of wearables as I despise the electronic and imaginary-save-the-planet
crap on newer trucks and though I'm 68 I hope to drive this truck for another 30 years or so.

I don't need extra clearance or bigger tires and plan on keeping my first wife of 45 years for
another 30 or till she comes to her senses and dumps me, whichever comes first, so no need to keep the fat chicks out.

That said, I plan on lifting it about 3" because it will gain me @ 50% more suspension travel. What that does is allow a more gradual/progressive spring rate so it doesn't have to ride like a lumber wagon all the time.
It will require different coil springs up front, new leafs rear and new shocks all around.

And it will also give me a better view in my mirror when I mash the throttle and blow a smoke screen when passing Teslas.

:)
 

Poser

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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
I agree with an earlier comment that replacing and upgrading your suspension, all of it, will get you much more improvement in terms of your ride and handling. If you don’t need a lift, I see no benefit to doing it. Also, you’ll be surprised how much natural lift you get out of new suspension. I have my 4th Gen 4Runner leveled out do added just a bit of lift on the front with adjustable suspension. I’m often surprised at how comparably settled a lot of 4Runner are due to old suspension.
 

Fatcamp

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May 31, 2017
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We had a horrendous winter last year. I lost count of how many trucks got stuck on our road. With a lifted 4runner I was able to navigate through and around all the stuff that stopped them over, and over.

Eventually I got stuck, but I knew I was really pushing my luck that day.

There was no comparison to what a stock vehicle could do and what my lifted one did. It's just a matter of clearance. Being able to spin big tires with lots of tread, a narrow track, and a bunch of clearance made a huge difference. It honestly surprised me.

20230222_055023.jpg

Man I hope this winter is better. 😐
 
Joined
Jul 1, 2023
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68
Location
CA
Small lift of 3-4 inches seems like a good move on a TRD equivalent taco/4Runner.

285/70/17 should fit without rubbing and you should be able to get most places with that setup and still be street legal.

But if you don’t wheel then there’s no reason. Keep it stock
 

Wrench

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Aug 23, 2018
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WA
My 80 series sure enjoyed some new knees. It was a bit sacked out and now looks and handles great.
 

PineBrook413

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Shoot2HuntU
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Nov 26, 2020
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Northeast
With quality components and more lift you get better approach and departure angles, more articulation, less binding and of course bigger tires.

My jeep is on a 3.5" lift with 37" tires. Full suspension component upgrades, all new arms, joints, springs, bushings, track bars, sway bar disconnects etc etc. Makes a massive difference is traction, stability and articulation when off-road.

I do a bunch of wheeling with the local 4x4 club. Lifts, big tires and lockers make a HUGE difference. We run some pretty nasty stuff.
 

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SonnyDay

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Jul 22, 2019
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I replaced the suspension on my tundra two years ago as the shocks were toast anyhow. Beefed up the leaf springs, new control arms, etc. gave about 2.5”, which allowed bigger tires adding another ~2.5”. Now I can run chains front and back, and as others have said the ride and control is much better (even on the highway).

Also: a few inches above stock opens up a whole new world of places you can get that others can’t (or won’t).

The only downside is that when my Prius-driving East Coast relatives come to visit… they inevitably fall out of my truck onto the sidewalk when we arrive at my house after the airport pickup!
 

Luked

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Apr 3, 2014
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Sullivan, MO.
I have a hard time leaving anything stock. Dosent matter what it is if its an ATV or boat, it never stays stock.
And personally i like the look of a lifted truck.
Truck i have now is a 2019 Ram 1500 crew cab Bighorn edition with a 6" lift 35x12.50x20 Nitto Trail Grapplers with 20" Fuel wheels. Next thing will be Headers and a Cat back exhaust and Diablo tuner.

Its all preference. I have had a lot of different trucks and this one is so far my favorite.
 
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