Lift or stay?

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corleykj

corleykj

Jack of some, definately master of none.
10 Year
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Threads
102
Messages
731
Location
Casper, WY
Here is my 99 LC 100 series with new 285/75r16 Nitto Terra Grapplers. I had the truck leveled today. I really like it, but want to go a little bigger. It has 170K miles, and stock shocks and scoils. I want to know, with a balanced opinioin of look and function, if I should lift the truck? it will cost me $1,000 in parts to do it really well, or $200ish if I only purchase shocks and spacers and reindex the torsion bars. But I want to do it right and will keep reading on components if I decide to lift.

I won't be doing any crawling or offroading for leasure. I will be going down back roads for hunting and fishing, and maybe a few continental divide two tracks for exploring the high rocky mountains. I drive up a mountain road regularly that is paved but in nasty shape all winter. I would like it to still be able to cruise at 80 down the interstate to go on road trips. I would like it to be able to haul gear, but also ride around town descent without a load.

Should I lift the truck a little more now that I have 285's? If so, what height and where would you recommend?

Thanks for your time!
Kyle

One picture attached is how I bought the truck a few days ago. And the other is how the land cruiser is now that I removed the running boards, put new tires on it, and leveled out.
photo.webp
cruiser.webp
 
Pic of gray cruiser with tires and leveled

For some reason my mac flips some photos. Here is another picture, hopefully right side up.
LC upside.webp
 
Not sure why it is upside down? If you want to see it drag it to your desktop please and flip in using a previewer. Thanks.
 
30MM spacers,crank the stock torsion bars and get some Blstein 4600's. Total cost under $400 and you get a 2" lift while maintaining a near stock ride. If you don't like it than order some OME coils and OME torsion bars to stiffen it up further. Cheap and effective...
 
I think you put the lift on upside down???...... I like 2000UZJ's advice. No need to spend $1000+ for what you'll be doing. Keep your eyes open for a set of OME springs on Craigslist or MUD's for sale section, and crank your TBars. Don't forget to have an alignment done after the TB lift.
 
For your intended purpose, get good shocks and then keep it the way it is. Lifting causes all sorts of front-end issues that require all sorts of aftermarket parts, which require all sorts of further lifting and modifications, which require...well, you get the idea.
 
I will try attaching the photo again. I already have the tbars maxed out. I will have to read and see how much more I can get by reindexing. Then some rear springs and new shocks all around.

As it sits leveled though, does it look too low?
image-2907402688.webp
 
pfran42 said:
For your intended purpose, get good shocks and then keep it the way it is. Lifting causes all sorts of front-end issues that require all sorts of aftermarket parts, which require all sorts of further lifting and modifications, which require...well, you get the idea.
Click to expand...

:confused: What problems are caused with lifting besides CV leakage? What parts are "required"? I'm confused as I'm running 100% stock suspension (minus shocks) and my truck sees
more abuse on the street than 99% of the rigs do offroad in the 100 section
 
So I should lower the front to get better rake. How about spacers in the rear to get that, and shocks all around? And leave the front?
 
corleykj said:
So I should lower the front to get better rake. How about spacers in the rear to get that, and shocks all around? And leave the front?
Click to expand...

Are you satisfied with the height of the rear? If so lower the front to achieve 3/4" of rake. If your satisfied with the front then lift the rear to achieve 3/4" of rake.
 
I am not satisfied with the height, I want more out of it. One reason for looks. The other is, I want to haul gear on this thing for hunting, camping, fishing. I will have a light steel roof rack. I don't want the baja look of the front higher than the rear, and it handle poorly. So, I like the idea of acheiving the 3/4" rake by getting the rear up a little more.

My question was two part....one part is....does it look stupid the way it sits now? The other part was the lift, which I have gotten some great ideas on. Now I need to read on reindexing the torsion bars (which I don't think I will do after reading feedback on rake) and how to add spacers. Then on to shocks.
 
If you want to carry more weight, I would suggest getting new springs. 866's will probably fit your bill perfectly.
 
I don't want to pay for springs...or anything:) but when you are doing the same amount of labor for the spacers or springs, I should probably cough up the dough. Any idea how much 866's will raise the rear?
 
corleykj said:
I don't want to pay for springs...or anything:) but when you are doing the same amount of labor for the spacers or springs, I should probably cough up the dough. Any idea how much 866's will raise the rear?
Click to expand...

Check out Slee's spec chart:
Slee - Springs
 
corleykj said:
I don't want to pay for springs...or anything:) but when you are doing the same amount of labor for the spacers or springs, I should probably cough up the dough. Any idea how much 866's will raise the rear?
Click to expand...

if you ever plan to add some real weight like a steel bumper, getting spacers might be a good way to buy some time before you have to get real stiff springs. That's what I did by accident. I got the spacers but now have a rear bumper and need to slap in the 863's I got. If you don't have plans to add lots of weight, I would go springs right off the bat and get 865's. I said 866's earlier, that's probably wrong.
 
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PetrotK40, Can you send me some pictures of your cruiser with the rear spacers and 285's? Just curious how the rear spacers changed it?
Thanks.
 
Man that looks awesome. And very functional. What did you do for your front torsion bars?
 
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