To lift my Tundra or not

[Shraggs]

Original style, 2000 tundra Trd. Ground clearance was decent but wanted it level. 2.5 in front and one in back and so glad I did. Not without a few issues front axle boot have leaked.

Did not want larger tires, cause I tow but I like the 16”, smaller wheel a touch more rubber.

I’d say .5 mpg loss. It is so much better “off road” in deep rutted mountain roads.

 

[billoo349]

Thanks for all the comments and awesome pictures. This forum is second to none, whether talking about hunting or not.

I do like the idea of bringing the rocker panels up a little higher with a small lift. I'm constantly afraid I'm going to hit them. I already completely destroyed the running boards that came on it. I'm now leaning towards the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo and a coach builder shackle in the rear. Coach builder claims that they fix a lot of the bed bounce which is a huge annoyance to me. I know those Bilsteins aren't considered high end but for my budget it sounds like it's an upgrade from the stock Bilsteins it came with. This thing is terrible on wash board now so I'm hopeful that it at least makes it bareable. I drive tons of washboard antelope hunting and just about rattled my teeth out this last year.

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[Cady Creek]

I think all of the above pretty much covered it, but just another example for you. And exactly what you asked about. 2019 with Bilstein 5100's all around. Middle setting up front. 275/70/18 BFG's. Minor rubbing in reverse that was easily corrected. Still get about 15mpg. If I keep my foot out of it.....downhill

 

[ddavis_1313]

Thanks for all the comments and awesome pictures. This forum is second to none, whether talking about hunting or not.

I do like the idea of bringing the rocker panels up a little higher with a small lift. I'm constantly afraid I'm going to hit them. I already completely destroyed the running boards that came on it. I'm now leaning towards the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo and a coach builder shackle in the rear. Coach builder claims that they fix a lot of the bed bounce which is a huge annoyance to me. I know those Bilsteins aren't considered high end but for my budget it sounds like it's an upgrade from the stock Bilsteins it came with. This thing is terrible on wash board now so I'm hopeful that it at least makes it bareable. I drive tons of washboard antelope hunting and just about rattled my teeth out this last year.

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That bilstein set up is nice. I did 2.5” and added 1/2” spacer to get the front up 3”. I don’t remember what shackle I did but it was highly recommended and is 1” and 1.5 or 2”. Can’t remember. Anyways, at 1” it sits up higher under the bed and was rubbing the bed bolts above the leaf spring. Multi tool and a couple mins and I cut the bolts down 1/2” and no more rubbing regardless of how mush weight I put on the bumper. The ride is super nice. They will settle a little (the shocks) but very very little. My buddy has the same truck stock as me and there isn’t a comparison on ride quality. If you do much highway driving you may not want something like a fox bc they are stiffer from everything I’ve read and several people I know that have lifted multiple tundras of their own. You’ll be happy. I was out around $2100 for complete shock setup, upper control arms, and shackles. It’s not hard to do the work yourself but you’ll need an extra hand, torque wrench, refer back to you tube video if you have an issue, and about 6 hours of your time. There is a trick to doing it smoothly and easy and that is follow the proper order on removing parts and putting them on. Otherwise it’s real easy to get a bolt in a very tight bind. Lol.

Ask me how I know…..


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[JFK]

Thanks for all the comments and awesome pictures. This forum is second to none, whether talking about hunting or not.

I do like the idea of bringing the rocker panels up a little higher with a small lift. I'm constantly afraid I'm going to hit them. I already completely destroyed the running boards that came on it. I'm now leaning towards the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo and a coach builder shackle in the rear. Coach builder claims that they fix a lot of the bed bounce which is a huge annoyance to me. I know those Bilsteins aren't considered high end but for my budget it sounds like it's an upgrade from the stock Bilsteins it came with. This thing is terrible on wash board now so I'm hopeful that it at least makes it bareable. I drive tons of washboard antelope hunting and just about rattled my teeth out this last year.

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You will be happy with the the 6112/5160 setup with coachbuilder shackles. Couple buddies of mine have done it as well and all are satisfied with it. It does firm up the ride a bit, but I wasn’t a fan of the stock suspension. Felt very car like. If you are going to do it yourself some sellers will mount the coil on the strut at the specified height. If not, just take to a local suspension shop and they should be able to do it with their hydraulic compressor for like $50.

 

[Grip_tony]

Lift it. It’s just money.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Thanks for all the comments and awesome pictures. This forum is second to none, whether talking about hunting or not.

I do like the idea of bringing the rocker panels up a little higher with a small lift. I'm constantly afraid I'm going to hit them. I already completely destroyed the running boards that came on it. I'm now leaning towards the Bilstein 6112/5160 combo and a coach builder shackle in the rear. Coach builder claims that they fix a lot of the bed bounce which is a huge annoyance to me. I know those Bilsteins aren't considered high end but for my budget it sounds like it's an upgrade from the stock Bilsteins it came with. This thing is terrible on wash board now so I'm hopeful that it at least makes it bareable. I drive tons of washboard antelope hunting and just about rattled my teeth out this last year.

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

I’ve got the 5100s on all 4 wheels. Night and day difference on washboard, it’s the thing I like the most about them actually. I’ll never own a truck again without doing an upgrade like these.

 

[Wrongside]

2-3” inches of lift sure doesn’t hurt a Tundras ground clearance and off-road capability.

The departure angle is the biggest limiting factor on the them. IME.

 

[bbrown]

Anyone seen any of the 6112/5160 kits in stock? Been looking around and seems like they are all 4-6 months back ordered

 

[billoo349]

Anyone seen any of the 6112/5160 kits in stock? Been looking around and seems like they are all 4-6 months back ordered

Try this out and tell us if it's a scam https://mbenzgram.com/products/bils...it-07-15-toyota-tundra?variant=39346660343963

I can't tell, some comments seem to say it's legit and actually does ship in 7-10 days but I'm leery based on the price and weird name of the website.

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[bbrown]

Seems like with the current situation, the scammer market on shocks/coil overs is almost as good as the powder and primers jokers. Never turned up one reputable shop with the 6112s and most are quoting 4-6 months lead with lots of pre orders for when they do show.

Gave up and bit the bullet on some Fox 2.5 RR coil overs for the front plus some 2.0 RR for the rear. Over 170k (mostly HARD) miles on the factory TRD 4600s and they aren’t leaking but since adding a bumper and winch a couple years it’s been a long over due upgrade. Hope the hype is worth it…

 

[blue62]

Anyone do a leveling kit? It looks good and fits bigger tires but it made the ride worse.

Thoughts on some changes that would improve ride and not compromise my ground clearance/clearance for tires?

 

[PathFinder]

I'm going to assume that your "leveling kit" was just a spacer. That's where the issue is.
Leveling kits, and lift kits that aren't the drop bracket type, DO NOT clear larger tires. Your suspension will still cycle through the same range and cause the same clearance issues as stock ride height.
Drop bracket kits are not a good solution. They're fragile, don't increase wheel travel, and induce bad handling characteristics.
What you want are quality aftermarket coilovers, aftermarket UCA, and a front alignment that provides 3.5° of caster or more. Then, start trimming. 37s are an easy fit on a Tundra.
In the rear, I'd recommend Icon RXT springs, extended brake lines, and a shock relocate to accommodate a 14" shock. Even if you don't relocate, a good 2.5" monotube will be a game changer.

In summary:
-Clearing bigger tires:
1. 3.5° or more of caster (pushes tire forward)
2. Trim all the unnecessary stuff out of the way (cab mounts, sheet metal, fenders)

-Suspension Performance:
1. Quality coilovers
2. Quality UCA
3. Aftermarket leaf pack
4. New rear shocks (ideally relocated for max travel)



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[blue62]

I'm going to assume that your "leveling kit" was just a spacer. That's where the issue is.
Leveling kits, and lift kits that aren't the drop bracket type, DO NOT clear larger tires. Your suspension will still cycle through the same range and cause the same clearance issues as stock ride height.
Drop bracket kits are not a good solution. They're fragile, don't increase wheel travel, and induce bad handling characteristics.
What you want are quality aftermarket coilovers, aftermarket UCA, and a front alignment that provides 3.5° of caster or more. Then, start trimming. 37s are an easy fit on a Tundra.
In the rear, I'd recommend Icon RXT springs, extended brake lines, and a shock relocate to accommodate a 14" shock. Even if you don't relocate, a good 2.5" monotube will be a game changer.

In summary:
-Clearing bigger tires:
1. 3.5° or more of caster (pushes tire forward)
2. Trim all the unnecessary stuff out of the way (cab mounts, sheet metal, fenders)

-Suspension Performance:
1. Quality coilovers
2. Quality UCA
3. Aftermarket leaf pack
4. New rear shocks (ideally relocated for max travel)



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Thank you!

 

[roosiebull]

2016 Toyota tundra SR5 double cab that I just paid off. It's needing new tires and shocks and I'm torn between sticking with stock height and tire size or lifting it 2"-3" in the front and 1" in the rear to fit bigger tires and give me a little more ground clearance. Coming from a GMC Sierra that had 11"-12" of ground clearance vs my tundra with about 9" (at the lowest point of the skid plate) I definitely have to be more cautious to not bottom it out on the forest service roads I take on.

Here is my dilemma- keep it stock height and have it be more reliable and fuel efficient and have to deal with being more careful over rocks etc. Or do something like the Bilstein 5100's and block or add a leaf on the back and gain a little clearance for bigger tires but will lose fuel efficiency and stress some drivetrain components more.

Perhaps someone with experience could tell me if 275/70r18's would fit with no rubbing. Stock size is 275/65r18 and I keep getting contradictory info on rubbing. That would be the easiest and cheapest way to get a little more clearance with only a ding on mpg but not necessarily reliability.


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I think just leveled is the most practical option, I have done that to both of our tundras, unless you really do it right, I think lifting any pickup can make them less functional.

If you do it right, it will be expensive, is it worth the money to you? Leveled makes them look good without compromise.

 

[Kleos]

That depends, are you Bill Gates?

I have a stock height 21 Tundra with 33's and boy do I get poop gas mileage. With the steadily rising gas prices and this being my main commuter I'm getting killed. I was going to lift mine but now I just cant afford it.

Lift looks awesome don't get me wrong. But how much are you spending for maybe 2 inches more clearance?

 

[MattB]

Lifts don’t really give you more clearance (solid axles specifically), they give you room for bigger tires which gives you more clearance.

 

[ODB]

That depends, are you Bill Gates?

I have a stock height 21 Tundra with 33's and boy do I get poop gas mileage. With the steadily rising gas prices and this being my main commuter I'm getting killed. I was going to lift mine but now I just cant afford it.

Lift looks awesome don't get me wrong. But how much are you spending for maybe 2 inches more clearance?

I also have a 21 tundra. Get decent mileage if I’m careful. Go back and forth on the lift/level

 

[Redwing]

I'll play devils advocate here and say: Don't Lift It.

I considered it when I got my Tundra, but I just didn't see the point then and I still don't see it now. I would have spent a pile of money on the lift, spent a pile of money on tires, and spent more money every week or every hunting trip when I go to refuel.

What would that money get me? A couple inches of ground clearance. And a rig that looks cool to my eye. That's it. I've had this truck for 4 years now, have had it in some nasty terrain, and I've never been stuck or wished I had more clearance. I've had to pressure down a handful of times, I've had to chain up, but I've never felt like I NEEDED a lift and huge tires. I'm not rock crawling in this thing, but it gets me where I need to go.

I took the cash I would have put into the truck and spent it on ammo, boots and good glass instead.

My two cents. YMMV. If I had a dedicated hunting rig it would be lifted. Until then, I have one truck with no lift and I do just fine.

Edit: I'm also quickly turning into my dad, an old man, who drove slow, and was careful with his rig. If you want to rally get the lift and the rubber.

 

[Goatboy22]

Honest question. Why lift your truck for ground clearance purposes when you have steps hanging down to get in or out? I was looking at a new Tacoma a couple of years ago that had the steps that added $1100.00 to the sticker price. The salesman wouldn't take them off and knock the $1100.00 off the price. Said I could take them off and sell them. I'm 6'3" and all those step thingy's do is rap my shins and get mud on my pants. First thing I take off on a pick-up. Seems to cut down on ground clearance big time!