Most mild GX470 lifts don't permit additional tire clearance/size correct? (1 Viewer)

[NJGX470]

New user here - There are so many threads on here about what is the maximum size tires with what springs or lift combo etc. Correct me if I am wrong but the majority of mild lifts (1"-3") don't really do anything but increase the actual ride height of the truck correct? I mean for the most part, especially in the front, all the lift does is alter where the truck sits in the original arc of the suspension, right? For example, the typical OME front spring and shock combo. How does that lift allow for larger tires? I can understand at rest in a parking lot or normal driving the truck sits a little higher and a larger tire will clear, but the minute the truck is off-road and you stuff a tire when the front wheels are turned it is going to rub just as much as the stock suspension. Is seems that just shocks and springs will do nothing to limit the amount of up travel which would help the front tires clear, or gain any real clearance for the front tires.. I also have a 3rd generation 4Runner and it is the same thing, most mild lifts just raise the static ride height. I get that the rear is a lot more conventional and you get the clearance and the articulation with a small lift but the front seems like a bust. I am not missing anything right?

Oh yea I just picked up a super clean 2009 that my wife will be daily driving for the next couple years. When my 3Rd gen starts getting real banged up I plan on retiring it and then moving the GX470 to woods duty. The air bags are hammered and I most likely will do the rear spring conversion in the next week or so. I thought about lifting it now but really if there is nothing to gain I would rather just cut and massage the fender areas to fit the bigger tires. I would most likely go no bigger than a 32".

 

[HomersCanyonero]

A 2” lift does lift the body and helps with your larger tires not hit the fenders when you stuff them off-roading.

However, there are other limiting areas that you need to modify as well because they will rub on your larger tires. The fender liners, the running boards, the caster, the body mount, the front bumper, the wheel offset, etc.

A few people run 35” tires but you need a lift and a whole bucha of mods.

 

[NJGX]

You are absolutely correct. Suspension lifts only move the wheel to a lower part of the travel if all you change are shocks. To fit larger tires without rubbing, other mods are needed. Luckily, the GX can fit 285/70r17s (~32.5" depending on the tire) fairly easily with minimal other mods (mostly just getting plastic out of the way. So most people running a 1-3" lift stick to around that size or less because of the added benefits of the ground clearance and ease of fitting the tire. anything more than 32.5" WILL require more steps to fit.

I am running 285/75r17s (~34") and had to do a body mount chop, flatten the pinch seam, move innder fender plastic way out of the way, ditch running boards, and high caster UCAs (with a little more down travel than stock) up front to fit. Even still, I rub on some of the plastic on occasion off road. The rear was no problem fitting at all. Keep in mind that wheel offset and scrub radius will also come into play if you get away from the 17x7.5 +25mm OEM wheels. Here is a very detailed write up from the guys at Coastal Offroad on how lifts and tires come together on an IFS truck: Clearing 35” Tires at any Ride Height - Coastal Offroad - https://www.coastaloffroad.com/clearing-35-tires-at-any-ride-height/

PS - We should meet up some time and do some trail riding once you get your new ride ready. I am right in your area based on your ZIP code.

 

[NJGX470]

You are absolutely correct. Suspension lifts only move the wheel to a lower part of the travel if all you change are shocks. To fit larger tires without rubbing, other mods are needed. Luckily, the GX can fit 285/70r17s (~32.5" depending on the tire) fairly easily with minimal other mods (mostly just getting plastic out of the way. So most people running a 1-3" lift stick to around that size or less because of the added benefits of the ground clearance and ease of fitting the tire. anything more than 32.5" WILL require more steps to fit.

View attachment 2585056

I am running 285/75r17s (~34") and had to do a body mount chop, flatten the pinch seam, move innder fender plastic way out of the way, ditch running boards, and high caster UCAs (with a little more down travel than stock) up front to fit. Even still, I rub on some of the plastic on occasion off road. The rear was no problem fitting at all. Keep in mind that wheel offset and scrub radius will also come into play if you get away from the 17x7.5 +25mm OEM wheels. Here is a very detailed write up from the guys at Coastal Offroad on how lifts and tires come together on an IFS truck: Clearing 35” Tires at any Ride Height - Coastal Offroad - https://www.coastaloffroad.com/clearing-35-tires-at-any-ride-height/

PS - We should meet up some time and do some trail riding once you get your new ride ready. I am right in your area based on your ZIP code.

Right on, I figured as much. I would rather just trim everything out of the way than actually lift it then. For now I am just going to freshen up the stock suspension. I have seen that public service announcement from coastal off-road when I was first getting into 3rd gen 4Runners, very informative. After I crawled around my new-to-me GX470 I figured it was pretty much the same thing.

Is your avatar picture taken on the Forked River mountain? I only live a couple miles from there! Not too long ago, in the fall, I came across a large group of Toyotas in one of the abandoned gravel pits out that way, the group seemed pretty organized and the trucks were pretty well built. Kind of between 539 and the Forked River Mountian. Everyone was out of the trucks sitting in camping chairs and taking a break. Were you part of that group? I was actually on a dirtbike that day. I don't plan on taking the GX470 in the woods anytime soon. I have a 3rd Gen 4Runner that I drive out in the woods. The pine barrens are pretty brutal on trucks, between the sand, clay, and scrub oaks you kind of commit to beating up the vehicle pretty bad if you have any sort of fun out there!

 

[NJGX]

Right on, I figured as much. I would rather just trim everything out of the way than actually lift it then. For now I am just going to freshen up the stock suspension. I have seen that public service announcement from coastal off-road when I was first getting into 3rd gen 4Runners, very informative. After I crawled around my new-to-me GX470 I figured it was pretty much the same thing.

Is your avatar picture taken on the Forked River mountain? I only live a couple miles from there! Not too long ago, in the fall, I came across a large group of Toyotas in one of the abandoned gravel pits out that way, the group seemed pretty organized and the trucks were pretty well built. Kind of between 539 and the Forked River Mountian. Everyone was out of the trucks sitting in camping chairs and taking a break. Were you part of that group? I was actually on a dirtbike that day. I don't plan on taking the GX470 in the woods anytime soon. I have a 3rd Gen 4Runner that I drive out in the woods. The pine barrens are pretty brutal on trucks, between the sand, clay, and scrub oaks you kind of commit to beating up the vehicle pretty bad if you have any sort of fun out there!

Good eye on the Forked River Mountain. Have you been out the that spot recently? They regraded the hill and put up a bunch of barriers on the more fun/challenging trails that go to the top. Only the main "road" is open nowadays, or at least until erosion claims those barriers back. I am in the area there too, so be on the lookout for my truck next time you venture to Manahawkin. I know the section of forest north of 72 and east of 539 pretty well. I usually just go out solo or with 1 or 2 other people, so I wasn't in that group you came across.

Anyway, back to the GX.. Before I committed to full suspension swap and 34s, I was pretty much stock with 255/75r17 (skinny 32) Duratracs and it was a pretty good step up from the mom-mobile look of a stock GX. They fit with very little effort with stock wheels and were not bad at all for daily use.

 

[NJGX470]

Good eye on the Forked River Mountain. Have you been out the that spot recently? They regraded the hill and put up a bunch of barriers on the more fun/challenging trails that go to the top. Only the main "road" is open nowadays, or at least until erosion claims those barriers back. I am in the area there too, so be on the lookout for my truck next time you venture to Manahawkin. I know the section of forest north of 72 and east of 539 pretty well. I usually just go out solo or with 1 or 2 other people, so I wasn't in that group you came across.

Anyway, back to the GX.. Before I committed to full suspension swap and 34s, I was pretty much stock with 255/75r17 (skinny 32) Duratracs and it was a pretty good step up from the mom-mobile look of a stock GX. They fit with very little effort with stock wheels and were not bad at all for daily use.

I have not been out there for a while but I did hear that they put some barriers up. I do remember back in the day climbing up the backside in a 1987 4Runner I used to have. There were some points when you had to commit to an almost full throttle hillclimb and it was kind of scary! I'll keep an eye out for your truck! I am out there way more on dirt bikes than in the truck. I am a pretty avid single track rider and I also know those woods very well. I have been out there pretty regularly for the last 25 years or so.

Good call with the 255/75r17s, I will go that route once the current stock sized tires give up the ghost. The GX470 is for my wife more than me (for now!) and I would like to keep it mostly stock for the next couple of years.