Cost of a suspension lift...... (1 Viewer)

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G

ghosttowner

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Oct 20, 2014
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Los Angeles
Hello all

I am thinking of the next mod for the truck, and a lift seems to be the most logical one. As my upgrade plans, I have installed EBC Green Stuff brakes all around two weeks ago, with EBC rotors that are slotted and dimpled (not cross drilled fancy and rather pointless for a truck this heavy). I also went to BFG KO2 tires as an upgrade from the KOs I had before. These new tires do handle terrains very well, aired up or down.

EBC brakes are working great in giving me back the bite that I was missing when I went to 33" tires months ago. Now the truck stops on a dime as it did on the 31" Michelins in factory configuration. I have tried out the brakes after the initial break-in with hard stops......and it is as sure footed as it can be with all the weight of an 80 series. It bites.....and it stops on a dime. I am quite happy with them. And the new KO2 tires are relatively quiet to my ear. I LOVE 'EM. I don't hear them on the pavement, but I guess I am not trying to find fault with them. Otherwise, I would have left the 31" Michelins alone.

Back to my initial question about a lift. What if I go and buy a lift kit, a heavy load bearing, 3" OME KIT, from one of the reputable vendors we know of. How much should I expect to spend to install them at a shop, if I can't do it myself. I know it might vary from state to state. But, what about in Southern California? I wouldn't want to spend more than $1500, all in. Is that possible? Otherwise, I would just get something else for less....like a slider. And donate the difference to help buy drinkable water for children somewhere.

Thank you in advance for all the advise.
 
Seems the best idea would be call a vendor and call an installer so you know your local prices. Better yet call one that does both. Otherwise we are guessing and sharing out experiences which may differ than yours.

On mobile so can't see your exact location but if near Bay Area which I know you guys call NorCal but I can't after living 6hrs further north There's georg at valley hybrids. If further south there is a well recommended shop in San Diego ..looking for name. SD truck specialist or something similar


But why don't you chim in to your local club and ask referrals or better yet some local help

$1000 lift
$200 in pizza and beer
Done
 
One of the SoCal guys can chime in the shops down there. I agree with jfz80, find a local club or group down there. Shouldn't take more than a 1/2day and you'll meet some other LC owners.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, jfz80 and retrofive.

I did get an estimate on the lift from 4WheelParts and that was about $2200 in parts and labor. The estimate did not lift my spirit and I don't think I need a lift that bad. I know it can be done cheaper. I am thinking I will call a couple of independent shops to get installation quotes, and will source the lift kit myself.
 
If you can install your own brakes you can install your own lift on these trucks. Slee's website breaks down costs of lift kits and even has instructions. Save yourself the $1500 in labor they are charging you for removing ~8 fasteners and a days work (if youre slow and never done it before). You wont need any special tools just basic sockets, a good jack, and tall jack stands, a helper to push down on the axle while you pull the spring out is handy, but not necessary.
 
Just playing devils advocate here.
I went for the slee 4 inch kit and then did the install with the trusty help of my roommate at the time. While we did save a lot on install costs, you may get hit with setbacks that almost make it more of a PITA than just shelling out the money. I had seized bolts, a brake line that wouldnt free up for the life of me, the worlds worst nuts on the upper shock and countless other things that turned a 1/2 day job into a 3 day job in a DIY shop with decent tools and lift capabilities.
Make sure the LC sits for a while with some liquid wrench or something along those lines to easy entry on those tight spots ;)

My roomie may give me crap that I'm in debt to him now, but nothing beats getting to put your own sweat and blood into something!
 
x2 on the Slee instructions
Slee - OME Suspension Installation (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)

Also great service and advice in case you haven't chosen a vendor.

I'll be a little contrarian here. You're running 33s. Why do you need a lift?

The truck doesn't need it to clear the tires. Lift = $$, higher center of gravity, more wind resistance, lower MPG, etc, etc

OME offers the 861/862 stock height coils. Very easy to install, as was mentioned, if you can do brakes, you can do this, just be sure your have adequate jackstands. They do provide some overload, so having some extra weight on is actually a good thing. Lift is said to be about 1", but they basically get back whatever sag has set in, plus a nudge. Thing about coil springs is that they do age. If original, you'll see a marked improvement in ride and handling just by freshening the coils.

Don't even need to change the shocks if they're fresh, too. If not, the factory OEM Tokico shocks work great and are a bargain. I think beno said they run about $140/set recently and they're designed specifically for the 80.

The thing that makes the 861/862 combo an easy install is that there is no need for caster correction, which substantially cuts the install cost if you do have someone else do it.
 
Last edited:
greentruck said:
x2 on the Slee instructions
Slee - OME Suspension Installation (Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser)

Also great service and advice in case you haven't chosen a vendor.

I'll be a little contrarian here. You're running 33s. Why do you need a lift?

The truck doesn't need it to clear the tires. Lift = $$, higher center of gravity, more wind resistance, lower MPG, etc, etc

OME offers the 861/862 stock height coils. Very easy to install, as was mentioned, if you can do brakes, you can do this, just be sure your have adequate jackstands. They do provide some overload, so having some extra weight on is actually a good thing. Lift is said to be about 1", but they basically get back whatever sag has set in, plus a nudge. Thing about coil springs is that they do age. If original, you'll see a marked improvement in ride and handling just by freshening the coils.

Don't even need to change the shocks if they're fresh, too. If not, the factory OEM Tokicos shocks work great and are a bargain. I think beno said they run about $140/set recently and they're designed specifically for the 80.

The thing that makes the 861/862 combo an easy install is that there is no need for caster correction, which substantially cuts the install cost if you do have someone else do it.
Click to expand...
I agree with Green truck. Especially where he agrees with me.

I started with the OME stock height springs on 33s. Great ride and handling and did great off road.

I have since gone to OME 2.5 and will be going to 35s.

You don't need lift for 33. Buy the sliders and armor you mentioned first.
 
haydenwyatt said:
Just playing devils advocate here.
I went for the slee 4 inch kit and then did the install with the trusty help of my roommate at the time. While we did save a lot on install costs, you may get hit with setbacks that almost make it more of a PITA than just shelling out the money. I had seized bolts, a brake line that wouldnt free up for the life of me, the worlds worst nuts on the upper shock and countless other things that turned a 1/2 day job into a 3 day job in a DIY shop with decent tools and lift capabilities.
Make sure the LC sits for a while with some liquid wrench or something along those lines to easy entry on those tight spots ;)

My roomie may give me crap that I'm in debt to him now, but nothing beats getting to put your own sweat and blood into something!
Click to expand...
Learn a lesson from haydenwyatt here. Use the extra money you save for penetrating fluid a good metric tap and die set, and new OEM fasteners.

And still the money you save after all that, you can buy some water for my kids... PM for my PayPal info.
 
mod5csi said:
I agree with Green truck. Especially where he agrees with me.

I started with the OME stock height springs on 33s. Great ride and handling and did great off road.

I have since gone to OME 2.5 and will be going to 35s.

You don't need lift for 33. Buy the sliders and armor you mentioned first.
Click to expand...

Yep, if you've got a $1500 budget, just the four coils (861/862) should be under $400 (although it's been awhile since I bought mine, that's a ballpark figure anyway). You need nothing else. If you want the Tokicos, throw in another $150.

That leaves you $950 for sliders. That'll buy a nice pair of those. If you get bolt-on sliders that you can install yourself, you're good. If weld-on and/or you can't install yourself, then you'd have to keep that cost in mind.

Another good thing about ~stock height and 33s, you can still navigate in most parking garages. Once you start lifting, if that's something you need to do, then your options tend to be more limited in the big city.

Then there's the home garage...which tends to limit things around here...:doh:
 
I paid to have my lift installed and wish I had done it myself. If you don't have major rust, and have access to an impact, I recommend doing it yourself. You'll save dough and learn a lot. The caster correction bushings will probably require you to drop the control arms at a machine shop but that won't be costly. Good luck.
 
Friend of mine paid about $1500 for the lift, shocks, bushings and about $800 to have someone install it.
 
@ghosttowner If you find someone local to help you out, let me know! I would like to come by and see/learn and lend a hand. I've done a lift on 3rd gen 4Runner but never on a LC.
 
d0nkeyxpunch said:
@ghosttowner If you find someone local to help you out, let me know! I would like to come by and see/learn and lend a hand. I've done a lift on 3rd gen 4Runner but never on a LC.
Click to expand...
Like mentioned, the 2.5" lift on a 80 is SUPER easy, long as the hardware isn't rusted into melting pot of metal hate.
 
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