Need some advice on which lift kit to choose (1 Viewer)

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re: Lift - anything over 2" is reducing your articulation and effectively reducing your actual off road capability



re: tires - not sure on the 150, but on the 120, 285s are not at all worth the extra work/energy/cost to make them fit. I would rock 32s (and I do) That extra ½" of axle clearance won't make a difference off road, but you will lose 1-2 MPG, you will have a spare that doesn't fit, have to chop your body mount remove front fender plastics, etc. Not worth it IMO.

re; lift kit - unless you plan to do A LOT of serious off roading, you don't need reservoir shocks

re: "poke" - Skateboard stance is for hispanic dudes in full size Chevys who drive 100% pavement and say "bro" every other word, wear flatbill hats that match their shoes, and don't care about their paint-job. When I see trucks like this I think "wow that person is a god damn moron"

Very well put👍
 
Reviving this thread. So, based on the video above, it appears 2" is the optimal level for a lift or is 1.5" with 32" tires the sweet spot? I was considering BP-51's at 2.5" with SPC's but that is probably overkill as it's my daily driver. Can the BP-51's be set at 2" and would I still need UCA's at only 2" height? Or, if 1.5" or 2" is the desired height, is Dobinsons IMS or similar kit ideal?

Thanks everyone. I am a newbie to the GX platform and getting ready to order my lift once I feel I have decided on a setup.
 
Reviving this thread. So, based on the video above, it appears 2" is the optimal level for a lift or is 1.5" with 32" tires the sweet spot? I was considering BP-51's at 2.5" with SPC's but that is probably overkill as it's my daily driver. Can the BP-51's be set at 2" and would I still need UCA's at only 2" height? Or, if 1.5" or 2" is the desired height, is Dobinsons IMS or similar kit ideal?

Thanks everyone. I am a newbie to the GX platform and getting ready to order my lift once I feel I have decided on a setup.
If you run factory offset you can run up to a skinny 33 with just pushing back the fender liner and getting an alignment.

The rub is storing the spare tire, which is why a lot of folks opt for the 265/70R17 which is ~31.7" depending on model of tire and manufacturer.

I absolutely love my skinny 33s off pavement and other than in very heavy crosswinds are decently mannered on the road, but not everyone is down for a spare in the trunk or a tire carrier bumper.

For lift i woild run the least amount possible. If you are offroading and want full suspension travel, the lift won't make a difference in tire fitment, unless you add bump stops and reduce suspension travel.

Also consider maintenance of the lift you get. Rubber bushings last a lot longer, are quieter, and ride smoother than poly bushings or spherical rod bearings

The BP-51s can be paired with different springs for different ride heights and payloads, much like other front dampers.
 
If you run factory offset you can run up to a skinny 33 with just pushing back the fender liner and getting an alignment.

The rub is storing the spare tire, which is why a lot of folks opt for the 265/70R17 which is ~31.7" depending on model of tire and manufacturer.

I absolutely love my skinny 33s off pavement and other than in very heavy crosswinds are decently mannered on the road, but not everyone is down for a spare in the trunk or a tire carrier bumper.

For lift i woild run the least amount possible. If you are offroading and want full suspension travel, the lift won't make a difference in tire fitment, unless you add bump stops and reduce suspension travel.

Also consider maintenance of the lift you get. Rubber bushings last a lot longer, are quieter, and ride smoother than poly bushings or spherical rod bearings

The BP-51s can be paired with different springs for different ride heights and payloads, much like other front dampers.
Another maintenance issue with high lifts are half shaft boots. More strain on those axle boots when they're pitched at steeper angles.
It's not a big deal, but something to be aware of.
 
Some suspension kits offer .75-1.25 inch extra travel in the front and sometimes the rear. Unfortunately, accurate info is hard to get from the manufacturers. This amount of extended travel works with the stock parts including the UCA. Where you might need the UCA is to get the correct alignment for the lift and for clearance for wider tires and possibly the front springs if the suspension is a much larger diameter. I have seen a few people report contact between stock UCA and Ironman FCP springs at full droop. Tire clearance to the UCA will be affected by wheel offset. Some suspension can be had in both regular and "mid travel" slightly extended travel versions (there are also long travel setups for Toyota IFS which use longer lower control arms but that's pretty extreme and not what I'm talking about here). I think some Dobinsons are like this.

Some suspension like Bilstein have digressive valving, where the damping is stiffer on small bumps and looser for big hits, or progressive damping which is softer on small stuff and stiffens up for big hits, or somewhere in the middle. Its even harder to get that information from manufacturers as they all want you to believe that their suspension is perfect for all situations. My experience with Bilsteins on other vehicles is that they are great on the street but will rattle the vehicle on washboard. The high end Bilsteins may be different, especially the bypass versions.
 
As an FYI my 265/70/17 fully inflated spare was a pain in the bleep to get down. Wouldn’t want to do that on the trail. I do have the big tow hitch.
Allll that’s coming out when I build a rear swing out bumper. Then I’ll throw an air tank in the spare location.
 
As an FYI my 265/70/17 fully inflated spare was a pain in the bleep to get down. Wouldn’t want to do that on the trail. I do have the big tow hitch.
Allll that’s coming out when I build a rear swing out bumper. Then I’ll throw an air tank in the spare location.
What tire do you run?
 
That is odd. My full size, unworn, fully inflated, 0 mile 265/70AT3W fit just fine in the spare hole. I pull it every tire rotation since installing. I have the 6500 lb factory hitch.

Also, STOCK sized 265/65 duratracs rubbed the front fender lines on TRD wheels (very slight offset difference).

Every rig and tire is a little different. I’d much rather deflate a spare a little than deal with a giant steel rear bumper cost, suspension requirements, weight and MPG differences. Then having to f around with swingouts every time you want to open the door? Yuck.
 
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Some folks have gotten a few mm more spare tire clearance by loosening the hitch and moving it back as far as it can go. I wonder if the mounting holes can be slotted a little to help. There can be a little more clearance by grinding down some protruding washers and welds. Also KDSS extensions are said to help a bit.
 
That is odd. My full size, unworn, fully inflated, 0 mile 265/70AT3W fit just fine in the spare hole. I pull it every tire rotation since installing. I have the 6500 lb factory hitch.

Also, STOCK sized 266/65 duratracs rubbed the front fender lines on TRD wheels (very slight offset difference).

Every rig and tire is a little different. I’d much rather deflate a spare a little than deal with a giant steel rear bumper cost, suspension requirements, weight and MPG differences. Then having to f around with swingouts every time you want to open the door? Yuck.
Interesting.. wonder why my spare was such a pain in the ass to drop? Maybe my technique was flawed. No matter what the 35s going on soon won’t fit there anyway. I’m excited for a rear bumper, but I also need it for ground clearemce, I’ve nailed behind the rear tires a few times with rocks. If I wasn’t going up in tire size I would be more inclined to keep the oem spare location. Hoping the loss of the third row seating weight will counteract the bumper weight.
 
From my understanding the 460 spare fitment is a bit tighter than the 470 spare fitment. I also have a 265 70R17 spare on my 470 with the OEM 6,500# hitch and it fits fine. FWIW, I eventually plan to upgrade to 33's and will probably just run a 275 70R17 spare to keep things in the OEM location.
 

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