Does the 4" Slee kit ride better than stock?

[Kasprzak]

Our lx450 is my wife's dd. The only thing she doesn't like is the vehicle sway and wandering sometimes. My question to everyone out there is: Does the Slee 4" complete kit improve overall handling? Second, would it be necessary to step up to 285's or 305's or would the stock 275 width michelins still work for handling it sitting higher. Unfortunately, I do not get to wheel this rig for a while so my focus is on the 60 for that, I am mainly just looking to improve the ride for my wife's confidence driving daily.Thanks

Dennis

 

[T Y L E R]

If it's primary usage is the , then I'd shy away from a full on 4" lift. Change out the shocks to OME, and the coils. Once you're ready to wheel it, then go higher, fatter, beefier ..


Save the cash, and buy her something nice ..



TY

 

[landtank]

I'd start with some better tires myself. Something with a better side wall strength to handle the weight better. I personally never like the handling of the Michs.

 

[Walking Eagle]

How old is what's on there in the first place? There was a hole thread about aftermarket shocks vs. stock. If everything is worn out, shocks, bushings, springs, ect. it's going to wallow. If coming back to stock is enough, leave it at that. Someone said something about LC shocks being stiffer than LX shocks. OME has a heavy set of springs and shocks that is no-lift. Or if she really wants a firm ride (I feel dirty saying that) billies are high quality - but firm to the point of some considering them stiff. Never had them on a 80, but my dad put some on his Exploder. Performance Products refunded his money and let him buy rancho's or some other shock. He hated them and apparently enough others had that they weren't surprised when he called. I thought they wer ok, but was younger then. Biggest thing was on washboard gravel it was so stiff that unless you were going about twice the speed my dad would go, they didn't work and the truck would get real loose. (don't ask how I know that twice as fast was the correct speed).

Point is, there are alot of options to get a firmer, less wallowy feel without lifting at all.

Here is the discussion on going with Toyota stuff....

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=81420

 

[tucker74]

I got to see an 80 in action last weekend with the complete Slee 4" kit (coils, plates, linkage, drop brackets) and it flexed much better than my OME HD with spacers. That being said, your rig is going to ride way stiffer with this setup unless you're running full protection and a winch (this guy had ARB w/ 12K/sliders/4x4Labs w/ tire & cans) and will look down right funny with stock tires. For what you described I'd go with the OME stock replacement or Medium duty ...

Tucker

 

[alvarorb]

Dennis,
With a 4" lift your wife most likely will be bitching at you. Getting in and out is a choir for women wearing skirts and high heel shoes. Plus it's a lot of work. You need to change not just springs and shocks, but you need to change brake lines, put spacers on the sway bars, bump stops, adjust your panhards rods, etc,etc.

If you want to improve the overall drivability of your 450, my recommendation is to go with the 1/2" lift from Old Man Emu and Old Man Emu shocks. Visually the truck will be the same, but it should ride a lot better than 8+ year old shocks and springs.

Regards

Alvaro

I am mainly just looking to improve the ride for my wife's confidence driving daily.Thanks

Dennis

 

[Tools R Us]

If it still has the original shocks, they suck big time Dramamine is required for highway travel! Replace them with Toyota shocks from CDan or some good aftermarkets.

 

[Brentbba]

For the I'd leave it at stock height. OME 861/862 combo would be perfect. I had used Rancho 9000 shocks with the OME coils and was extremely pleased with the ride, but the OME shocks are good too. Just took off the 861/862 in favor of the OME 850/863 heavy 2" setup. Even for me at 5'11" I can tell the difference. My 5'4" bitched about the step up with the stock height and sliders. She hasn't tried to get in the truck since I just had the lift put on Monday. Waiting for that explosion. If you still have stock running boards, your wife may be ok with a 2", but I'd seriously question a 4" unless she's tall and/or a tom boy that loves climbing. The 861/862 is just a swap of the coils and shocks. Anything higher you get in to needing to take off the control arms to have new castor bushings pressed.

 

[Riad]

Yeah don't get the 4" coils/kit for the wife . Get the stock height replacement kit. That will give what your wife wants.

 

[taccruiser97]

I'd start with some better tires myself. Something with a better side wall strength to handle the weight better. I personally never like the handling of the Michs.

I have to second this. Getting rid of the Michelins and putting on the BFG ATs made a tremendous improvement in ride and handling. Then I put on the OME nitrochargers, another significant improvment in ride and handling. Finally the OME springs, and it drives great.

Shocks and Tires would be the first things I would change if I was in your shoes.

 

[Kasprzak]

Wow, I am completely surprised by most of these answers. I guess growing up in fords highboys and chevy's 4" just doesn't seem like much at all too me. I am in the process of a 8" lift and 38's on my 4doorbronco right now, and I figured 4" wouldn't be that bad. I am also surprised at the michelin responses out there. I personally have run these tires for years on f250's, broncos, Blazers and had nothing but long life, great performance, and never had one fail. We actually got 80K miles on a set of 265's running on a f250 4x4 that saw a average of 2000 lbs riding in it all the time. Does anyone have pictures of a 4" slee equipped Kit with some measurements just so I know what it compares to stock. Thanks for the comments, I am still shocked by the answers

 

[Kasprzak]

Wow, I am completely surprised by most of these answers. I guess growing up in fords highboys and chevy's 4" just doesn't seem like much at all too me. I am in the process of a 8" lift and 38's on my 4doorbronco right now, and I figured 4" wouldn't be that bad. I am also surprised at the michelin responses out there. I personally have run these tires for years on f250's, broncos, Blazers and had nothing but long life, great performance, and never had one fail. We actually got 80K miles on a set of 265's running on a f250 4x4 that saw a average of 2000 lbs riding in it all the time. Does anyone have pictures of a 4" slee equipped Kit with some measurements just so I know what it compares to stock. Thanks for the comments, I am still shocked by the answers

I also have to say that I have never been impressed with the bfg's ats. I am already at half tread with only 10,000 miles on them. Maybe they get better with tire size, these are only 31 10.50 15, but I have seen premature wear on alot of these.

 

[landtank]

I also have to say that I have never been impressed with the bfg's ats. I am already at half tread with only 10,000 miles on them. Maybe they get better with tire size, these are only 31 10.50 15, but I have seen premature wear on alot of these.

Actually it's the vehicle I think and not the tires. I'm the lone Jap driver in my in-law family. They drive Fords, chevys and dodge trucks. First comment I got with the BFGs on was how bad they wear. I just sold them here on the forum with 110k with 3/8" of tread left and no scalloping at all.

These aren't Fords

 

[Beowulf]

First comment I got with the BFGs on was how bad they wear.

I had a set of 5 BFG A/T's (285's) on the 80 for about 2+ years and loved them. They were sold to another 80 owner and he ran them for ~2 years and then moved them to his T-100. That set will easily do over 100k miles.

I have a new set of 31's on my Taco and love them. They seem down right quiet compared to the M/T's.

-B-

 

[FirstToy]

JMHO,
I think Michelin tires are great for DD duty as the orig poster described. They are very good tires.

My 80 came w/ BFG AT's and tho they were not worn down to wear bars, they were used but good cond. (all street duty, no offroad).
I replaced w/ MTR's and they were much, much quieter than the BFG AT's.
Not a fair back to back comparison but it tells you how noisy any AT/MT tread will get compared to anything new.

My good friend had BFG AT's and hated them (exclusive on road use). He said they were noisy, lost mpg's and were slippery in rain.

I've heard plenty of great reviews of the BFG AT's so I think it all has to do with where you are coming from and how they are used.
I really like the looks of them...

I would try new shocks and then new street tires first. I notice a HUGE difference with new tires and new shocks, even if they are OEM replacements. Plus, it's the cheapest way to go.

 

[Kasprzak]

Actually it's the vehicle I think and not the tires. I'm the lone Jap driver in my in-law family. They drive Fords, chevys and dodge trucks. First comment I got with the BFGs on was how bad they wear. I just sold them here on the forum with 110k with 3/8" of tread left and no scalloping at all.

i guess the same can be said for the michelins on the domestics. i would say some treads match up better than others on diff vehicles, i have just always personally felt the ltxms was one of the most superior all terr street tire out there. I current feel that the cooper discoverer line is one of the best right now