To lift my Tundra or not

[Kleos]

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

View attachment 395064

TELL ME YOUR WAYS?

I drive like a grandma and cant get that.

 

[ODB]

TELL ME YOUR WAYS?

I drive like a grandma and cant get that.

Pretty simple. Put the instant fuel economy gauge in the center of the dashboard. Pay attention to it and it will teach you how Toyota designed the truck for optimum MPG. Basically it’s always keeping the RPMs as low as possible. Rolling on the throttle very slow and just slowly coming up to speed. Or lifting and coasting periodically on downhills.

And don’t use cruise control unless the road is flat. I find I can do much better than the machine. The last time I drove from Ketchum to Boise (165 miles) I got 21.1 MPG.

Keep in mind the 20.4 was for the latest 98-mile drive. With in-town driving added in its less. I filled up this morning and at 1/2 a tank I was at 17.5 MPG combined.

It’s not great, but I seem to be able to hit the higher estimates pretty easily.

 

[YoungRestorer]

I find leveling a truck much more practical and worth while then lifting it. They have the old saying, "The further away from stock, the more problems you'll incur"

 

[zion zig zag]

Pretty simple. Put the instant fuel economy gauge in the center of the dashboard. Pay attention to it and it will teach you how Toyota designed the truck for optimum MPG. Basically it’s always keeping the RPMs as low as possible. Rolling on the throttle very slow and just slowly coming up to speed. Or lifting and coasting periodically on downhills.

And don’t use cruise control unless the road is flat. I find I can do much better than the machine. The last time I drove from Ketchum to Boise (165 miles) I got 21.1 MPG.

Keep in mind the 20.4 was for the latest 98-mile drive. With in-town driving added in its less. I filled up this morning and at 1/2 a tank I was at 17.5 MPG combined.

It’s not great, but I seem to be able to hit the higher estimates pretty easily.

I nerded out on that pretty hard for awhile, seeing how much better my gas mileage could be. Then I realized I was saving, like $350 a year vs. just driving naturally. I'll have to recalculate with today's gas prices and see if it's worth it again.

 

[ODB]

I nerded out on that pretty hard for awhile, seeing how much better my gas mileage could be. Then I realized I was saving, like $350 a year vs. just driving naturally. I'll have to recalculate with today's gas prices and see if it's worth it again.

Understood.

I’ve driven like that pretty much my whole life so it’s actually my normal mode - much to my passengers’s chagrin. ;-)

 

[zion zig zag]

Understood.

I’ve driven like that pretty much my whole life so it’s actually my normal mode - much to my passengers’s chagrin. ;-)

I'm kind of a grandpa driver too, except for top speeds on interstates where there is some real time to be made up.

 

[ODB]

I'm kind of a grandpa driver too, except for top speeds on interstates where there is some real time to be made up.

Ha! On my 02 Tundra I literally a have a “Limited to 65 MPH” sticker on the tailgate. I don’t like pushing that one 85-90 mpg on Idaho’s interstates.

 

[Bobinbend]

Question you should consider answering... How much time do you spend off roading? For most of us, probably way less than 5%. And why are you there? Having fun? Or a more serious effort? As in the only way to get from Point A to Point B.
And gas prices will continue to increase given current social policy.
Highly doubtful you will recover any of your costs when you sell.
FWIW

 

[Huntin_GI]

Not sure if it has been brought up, but stiffening the suspension (ie leaf pack), and stock ride height Bilstein 6112's, it may feel like you have a lift as you won't be dealing with the suish on the backside of those bigger rocks.

I have a Taco loaded down with a ton of gear and with the 6112, and the EMU leaf packs I do pretty good.

 

[JBrew]

And don’t use cruise control unless the road is flat. I find I can do much better than the machine. The last time I drove from Ketchum to Boise (165 miles) I got 21.1 MPG.

I figured out the same on my 21'. On top of being able to outdrive the cruise control, I hate the radar on it with a passion

 

[dmoran5]

Lift It!

 

[Thinkingman]

I'm late to this party but it seems a popular Toyota thing to lift the front by using Bilsteins and preloading the springs, which is a massive fail by suspension tuning standards.
If you do lift, and I would recommend level, not lift, use springs and proper shocks.
I leveled my F150 using Eibach springs and 5100s and gained enough suspension capacity to run 275/70/18 (33.5" tires) but also support a Road Armor bumper and grill guard to keep stray elk out of the radiator.

 

[rpinelli]

Yes! Thinking about lifting my TRD pro 4runner a couple inches.

 

[Hansoman]

Lots of variables there. If you lift 2.5"+ and you go with a shock that doesn't have a reservoir, you can go all the way up to 285/75r18 or even 295s without rubbing and without having to do a BMC. There's some caveats there though. If you go 2.5"+ in lift height and stick with the factory wheel, you might not have enough clearance between your tire and UCA to run chains. If you lift over 2.5" it's also time to start thinking about changing to an aftermarket UCA. Not only is it usually the shock manufacturers recommendation, but it also allows more articulation depending on the shock. If the shock you choose has a reservoir, and the front shock has the reservoir mounted towards the front of the wheel well, you will likely rub on the reservoir with factory wheels. Only way around this is spacers or after market wheels with a lower offset. Factory offset is +60, most after markets are +25 or lower (about an inch difference).

If you don't lift, you can go up to a 275/70r18, but you might get a little rubbing on the wheel well liner and the little flap that's screwed into the wheel well in front of the tire. Just remove that little flap and take a heat gun and push where it's rubbing anywhere else, problem solved and you're gtg.

Also, unless you do some HD towing and really need to beef up the rear end for weight, I would use an aftermarket shackle that gives you lift height, not a block or add a leaf. Add a leaf will stiffen up your ride and make it harder for that shock to do its job. An aftermarket shackle is easier to install, cheaper, gives you more ride height, and reuses your factory leaf springs. Jack up the rear end and find a spot where your leaf springs relax a bit, remove factory shackle, ensure leaf spring lines up with holes in the frame, throw in aftermarket shackle. tighten to spec, job done. I use a 1.5" shackle and pull a 21 foot fiberglass boat around all summer and I do just fine. You could probably argue I'm a little light in the rear end, but in ND, the summers are short.

Lift it, get icon suspension

 

[cjdewese]

I'll give you my perspective and take it for what it's worth.

I own a 2017 4runner TRD off Road, I was lucky enough to get a nice payout on my 2009 tacoma when it got totaled by a motorcycle so I had a little to use towards extras so I decided to do everything I wanted as early as I could.

By 5K miles I had my lift, sliders, skid plates, hybrid front bumper but the roof rack took a little longer to get here. One note on the lift, it was mainly to handle extra weight and only give it about a 1.5" in the front and 2" in the back. I love it all and wouldn't trade it for the world, I have had more fun with my family using this car than any before it. I now have 139K miles on it and I have 0 issues with any of my suspension components or otherwise.

Now here's the reality of it all as well.

I went from getting 20-21 MPG hwy to lucky to get 17 with 265/70/17 and all the extras.
Was lucky to get 16 mpg with 285/70/17 when I tried 33's for a cycle of tires.
I have been in places where I was happy to have every single piece of protection I have exactly 1 time.
I have hit every skid plate many times.
I'd probably save weight by doing aluminum skids.
My stock gas tank skid can take quite a beating.
Best piece of protection has been the sliders 100%.
The lift alone was about ~.5 MPG
Roof Rack was ~1.5 MPG
Protection ~1 MPG
Tires ~1 MPG
With rising gas prices I bought a Camry Hybrid as our family car for most situations now.
I still love it and it's my favorite car to drive.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I would not life a Daily Driver.
Off Road Toy/hunting rig, definitely.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

Here’s my old 2017 Tundra. Had 3” front, 1” rear, and 295/70/18. Gas mileage was virtually unchanged from stock.

View attachment 372663

Bringing this thread back to life since I'm considering suspension upgrades to mine. What suspension did you install on this, and what was your MPG before and after? I have a grandpa foot and I'm averaging 17-18 in my '21 with mixed city/hwy.

 

[ktm450]

My lift did not change the mileage on my 2021, but 35”’s did by 2mpg. I am a grandpa driver but best I ever got was 15ish and now I get 13ish. I have an 8’ bed though.

 

[BrentH]

Bringing this thread back to life since I'm considering suspension upgrades to mine. What suspension did you install on this, and what was your MPG before and after? I have a grandpa foot and I'm averaging 17-18 in my '21 with mixed city/hwy.

I used the Low Range Offroad spacers in the front, and Toytec shackle in the rear. A lot of people will talk bad about the spacers, but the LRO ones instal on top of the stock coil plate, so they are not adding additional preload to the factory spring.

My mileage didn’t change much, if at all.

 

[Cady Creek]

Bilstien 5100’s all four corners on second setting. Got me about 2”. 275/70/18 got about another inch. 106,000 miles on a 2019. Get about 15mpg at best. Think I lost a couple mpg, but made the change shortly off the lot so don’t remember. I think at around 3k miles.