Want lift with OEM ride (1 Viewer)

[E J Neil]

I was thinking about doing the Westcott lift on my 2008 LC because I rarely go off-road. The 2-in lift up front and 3/4 in the back seems right and a little bit bigger tires on stock wheels with spacers to make it sit right. With 150,000 miles it seems like if I'm messing with things I ought to be replacing the struts and shocks anyway so now I'm thinking either an economical OME or Dobinson's lift. To get a good on-road ride, what would you go with?
1. Westcott lift and maybe some new shocks and struts
2. Old Man Emu
3. Dobinson's

 

[tbisaacs]

OEM if you like the OEM ride.

 

[gaijin]

I was thinking about doing the Westcott lift on my 2008 LC because I rarely go off-road. The 2-in lift up front and 3/4 in the back seems right and a little bit bigger tires on stock wheels with spacers to make it sit right. With 150,000 miles it seems like if I'm messing with things I ought to be replacing the struts and shocks anyway so now I'm thinking either an economical OME or Dobinson's lift. To get a good on-road ride, what would you go with?
1. Westcott lift and maybe some new shocks and struts
2. Old Man Emu
3. Dobinson's

I want to be able to eat and drink all I want and never gain a pound - that's never going to happen.

@tbisaacs nailed it:

OEM if you like the OEM ride.

HTH

 

[CharlieS]

Agree 100% with OEM. Great ride for the street, tuned to the application, and inexpensive compared to other options.

What is the benefit of lifting, if not going somewhere that you need the clearance (offroad)?

 

[E J Neil]

Agree 100% with OEM. Great ride for the street, tuned to the application, and inexpensive compared to other options.

What is the benefit of lifting, if not going somewhere that you need the clearance (offroad)?

I druel on my keyboard when I look at all the pictures of LCs with mild lifts and larger tires. I've also never been a fan of the forward rake on this rig during the past 8 years, nor the rake on my 100 series years ago. Seems like the 200 would sit just right with 2" upfront and 3/4 in the rear. I admit it though, it's purely for the look for me so I want to do something that doesn't impact my on-street ride too much.

 

[TeCKis300]

I was thinking about doing the Westcott lift on my 2008 LC because I rarely go off-road. The 2-in lift up front and 3/4 in the back seems right and a little bit bigger tires on stock wheels with spacers to make it sit right. With 150,000 miles it seems like if I'm messing with things I ought to be replacing the struts and shocks anyway so now I'm thinking either an economical OME or Dobinson's lift. To get a good on-road ride, what would you go with?
1. Westcott lift and maybe some new shocks and struts
2. Old Man Emu
3. Dobinson's

I think you can get pretty close to what you'd like with another option to have your cake and eat it too.
4. Bilstein 6112/5160 shocks with OEM springs and 20mm rear spring spacer

With any lift, you'll want a bit more control and stability as lifts will raise the roll center, compromise anti-roll and anti-dive suspension geometry. Upgrading the shocks with Bilstein's that have a mild digressive damping profile and a tad more damping all around will give you some of that control back. While keeping all the ride goodness of stock spring rates.

The Bilstein front shocks have adjustable perches to give you the front leveling options. A 20mm spring spacer to bring up the rear that 3/4" you're looking for.

Bilstein 6112/5160 Installed

Last Thursday, I picked up my LC from Bilstein with the 6112/5160 shocks and springs installed. (While I loaned my LC to Bilstein to test the heavy springs, they are not ready for release yet and I got the normal load springs.) The lift in front is 2.3 inches and 2.0 inches in the rear. The...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[E J Neil]

I think you can get pretty close to what you'd like with another option to have your cake and eat it too.
4. Bilstein 6112/5160 shocks with OEM springs and 20mm rear spring spacer

With any lift, you'll want a bit more control and stability as lifts will raise the roll center, compromise anti-roll and anti-dive suspension geometry. Upgrading the shocks with Bilstein's that have a mild digressive damping profile and a tad more damping all around will give you some of that control back. While keeping all the ride goodness of stock spring rates.

The Bilstein front shocks have adjustable perches to give you the front leveling options. A 20mm spring spacer to bring up the rear that 3/4" you're looking for.

Bilstein 6112/5160 Installed

Last Thursday, I picked up my LC from Bilstein with the 6112/5160 shocks and springs installed. (While I loaned my LC to Bilstein to test the heavy springs, they are not ready for release yet and I got the normal load springs.) The lift in front is 2.3 inches and 2.0 inches in the rear. The...

forum.ih8mud.com

Oh, wow that looks like a great option. Just read all 36 pages of the thread you included. This might be just the thing for me.

 

[bloc]

10mm Toyota spacer up front and be done with it.

When the vehicle sits much higher the CoG and suspension geometry changes mean a stiffer ride is necessary to control the movement of the vehicle and keep it handling well.

Edit: this includes any kit that lifts 2” with stock springs and dampers.

 

[Gr8Daneger]

Best option!

Land Cruiser (200 Series) Preload Collar Lift Kit - Westcott Designs

Westcott Designs preload collar lift kit for the 200 series Toyota Land Cruiser (2008-21’). This kit is fore the entirety of the vehicle, not the front only.

westcottdesigns.net

 

[jefo13]

I think you can get pretty close to what you'd like with another option to have your cake and eat it too.
4. Bilstein 6112/5160 shocks with OEM springs and 20mm rear spring spacer

With any lift, you'll want a bit more control and stability as lifts will raise the roll center, compromise anti-roll and anti-dive suspension geometry. Upgrading the shocks with Bilstein's that have a mild digressive damping profile and a tad more damping all around will give you some of that control back. While keeping all the ride goodness of stock spring rates.

The Bilstein front shocks have adjustable perches to give you the front leveling options. A 20mm spring spacer to bring up the rear that 3/4" you're looking for.

Bilstein 6112/5160 Installed

Last Thursday, I picked up my LC from Bilstein with the 6112/5160 shocks and springs installed. (While I loaned my LC to Bilstein to test the heavy springs, they are not ready for release yet and I got the normal load springs.) The lift in front is 2.3 inches and 2.0 inches in the rear. The...

forum.ih8mud.com

This is practically what I have (30mm instead of 20mm in the rear) and it rides better than OEM

 

[1Maverick]

Best option!

Land Cruiser (200 Series) Preload Collar Lift Kit - Westcott Designs

Westcott Designs preload collar lift kit for the 200 series Toyota Land Cruiser (2008-21’). This kit is fore the entirety of the vehicle, not the front only.

westcottdesigns.net

Do you have this setup?

 

[21200]

Bilstein is likely your best option, outside of the spacer lifts. Slightly firmer (enough to get rid of the brake dive) but very close to factory ride.

 

[E J Neil]

Here is my current plan:
Install Bilstein 6112 with clip on level 4 for a 2.2 inch front lift and install 15 mm (.59 inch) spacer on the rear springs.
Today, I have a 2 inch rake and this will lift and reduce my rake to .39 inches, at least on paper.
I can always come back and do springs and shocks on rear if I want to.

Questions:
1. Anyone know where I can order the 15 mm rear spacers?
2. How about a good install shop close to Issaquah, WA? I know some shops will only install parts ordered through them but I plan to order the Bilsteins and spacers online.
3. Would you recommend finding a place online that pre-assembles the Bilsteins with top caps and the clip on the setting I want, or let the shop do it?

 

[TeCKis300]

Here is my current plan:
Install Bilstein 6112 with clip on level 4 for a 2.2 inch front lift and install 15 mm (.59 inch) spacer on the rear springs.
Today, I have a 2 inch rake and this will lift and reduce my rake to .39 inches, at least on paper.
I can always come back and do springs and shocks on rear if I want to.

Questions:
1. Anyone know where I can order the 15 mm rear spacers?
2. How about a good install shop close to Issaquah, WA? I know some shops will only install parts ordered through them but I plan to order the Bilsteins and spacers online.
3. Would you recommend finding a place online that pre-assembles the Bilsteins with top caps and the clip on the setting I want, or let the shop do it?

On the front axle lift, less may be more. A 2.2" lift could require a slippery slope of UCA to get alignment in spec. Lifting also changes suspension geometry enough that handling dynamics can suffer. Long way to say that you might weigh having the clip one position milder for a better working setup.

I think you're also aware some rake is good. Too much leveling can compromise how payload is carried on trips. The Carlina squat isn't a great look IMO.

 

[jefo13]

I’m on 4th clip and no alignment issues without UCAs. I would have your shop do the front only first (but all 4 shocks), wait a week or two, measure and then order spacers for the rear, to ensure you get it right… Most people with Bilstein lift and stock springs (like myself) noticed the rear went up with the Bilstein shocks. So it’s best to see how that all settles before deciding what to do in the rear… and rear spacers are a very easy installation…

I ordered my spacers on eBay… many options out there…

 

[TimCFJ40]

I'd consider new springs all around at 150k miles. I run the Bilstein Springs up front with my 6112s, and OME 2721 coils in the rear and it rides great. Before I replaced the rear coils, the rear end was wallowy, even with new shocks. Bilstein makes a rear coil as well, which may be closer to stock and not as tall as the 2721s.

 

[jefo13]

I'd consider new springs all around at 150k miles. I run the Bilstein Springs up front with my 6112s, and OME 2721 coils in the rear and it rides great. Before I replaced the rear coils, the rear end was wallowy, even with new shocks. Bilstein makes a rear coil as well, which may be closer to stock and not as tall as the 2721s.

yikes 150K missed that...

 

[bloc]

Note that one shop getting the alignment in the green doesn't mean it'll be correct on another rig, when considering differences from truck to truck, whether alignment machines have the correct specs, whether the tech actually wants to dial things in perfectly or just accept "in the green," whether the vehicle owner is happy having the alignment cams maxed out which removes room for future adjustment after abuse.

There is a reason toyota's spacer is only 10mm, and designed to work as a system with the rest of the vehicle.

 

[cheddar bob]

I spent a lot of time looking at soft ride options. Eibach is plushhhhh. Lower spring rate than Bilstein. Here it is on my truck. You can get a full 3" out of this kit despite what the website rates it at. Rear is puny 1" and I later added a 1" spacer to the rear to get slight rake.

Lift Kits, Lowering Springs, Race Springs, Shocks & Sway Bars - https://eibach.com/us/c-56-car-truck-suv.html

 

[04UZJ100]

I spent a lot of time looking at soft ride options. Eibach is plushhhhh. Lower spring rate than Bilstein. Here it is on my truck. You can get a full 3" out of this kit despite what the website rates it at. Rear is puny 1" and I later added a 1" spacer to the rear to get slight rake.

Lift Kits, Lowering Springs, Race Springs, Shocks & Sway Bars - https://eibach.com/us/c-56-car-truck-suv.html

View attachment 3215123

Truck looks great - any more pictures? What size meats are those?