Looking for lift/suspension guidance

So I'm brand new to the 4runner world and everything offroading/upgrading a vehicle, etc. Just got my silver 2018 SR5 Premium 4x4 and just trying to learn as much as i can as a beginner when it comes to upgrading suspension and adding a lift to my 4R. Not in a real hurry to do it now but i just want an idea of whats the best "beginner" lift ya'll would recommend? Not looking for anything crazy just a slight to moderate lift for the look and for some offroading capabilities thats not a total bank account killer lol so I'd appreciate any recommendations or advice from anyone here, thank you!

 

Welcome from Colorado..!

I believe a little search on the topic in this forum will produce quite a few options for you.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Thanks for the welcome! I have been reading up on other posts here and have been hearing good things about blisteins. What are your thoughts?

 

I had bilsteins on my Tacoma and they were great. They were the go to intro kit for Tacoma’s paired with ome coils in the front and an add a leaf in the back. Seems to be the same consensus here but paired with ome coils in the front gives more lift than advertised which comes out closer to 3” instead of 2”.

 

So were those 5100s all around? Since this will be my first lift, i dont want to break the bank right away.

 

Go with the best you can afford. The best. If you can’t afford it now, start saving and wait. It will be worth it to have the best if you value your vehicle. There’s no cheap way to do it right.

 

I'm new at this also as I have a 20 4runner and 20 Tundra. This is my second Tundra and I chose the Bilstein 6112 at 1.9" setting with 5160 in the rear. I'm not doing 70mph through the desert or rock crawling just some bumpy Ozark hill's backroads so I didn't see the need for expensive coilovers like King, Fox, ADS, etc. For the 4runner we are thinking full armor front and rear so with that in mind we will have to determine proper spring weights for suspension, what height we want, what brand, etc. Kind of planning on going a little more in depth on the 4runner and making it more of an adventurous vehicle due to its off road capabilities compared to the Tundra so our suspension will fall into the higher end category I am sure. Our plain is research research research and buy things one at a time then slap it all on together. This vehicle is almost like an open canvas.

 

Look into the 6112/5160 setup, it has a great street ride, and good off road performance. Most vendors also offer preassembled so it makes it easier for the diy’er to install. If it’s in the budget get a uca. Also depending on your rim and offset, you can run up to a 285/70 with minor trimming.

 

Yes all four corners but with the extended 5100 in the rear to accommodate a 2” lift.

here is the lift I will be going with for mine. I just need to narrow down which coil springs for the rear.

https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/s...ilover_-_983-02-051_(PAIR)_2010__4Runner.html


https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/s...t_(PAIR)_-_980-24-679_for_2003__4Runner_.html

https://camburg.com/shop/suspension...fj-07-14-1-25-performance-uniball-upper-arms/

 

Another happy Bilstein customer here, so far. We installed everything over the weekend, so I only have about 200 miles on them.

I went with 6112's in front, and just did 5100's with lift coils in back. I went with heavier springs all around as I added a bumper, winch, skids and sliders.

Here's how it sits now. The 6112's are set for 2.3" lift in front, and the rear springs advertised 1.5" lift. I did not measure before and after, but it seems to be the height I expected.



On a budget, there's nothing wrong with doing 5100's all around, and lift coils for the rear. This could be done for around $600, if you do your own installation.

Another popular option is the Eibach kit. There are a bunch of guys here who are very happy with it.

Also, if you're lifting very high, you'll want aftermarket upper control arms. I probably could get by without, but I installed BDS upper control arms, and they seem to be excellent quality.

 

Yup 5100s are a great budget option!!


My bud bought em used and they are still taking care of him! At least 90k on em.

 

Thats a great look and exactly what I'm looking for. Whats the best site to order 5100s from? Also in terms of 5100s, whats your personal experience with the difference they give in your ride capabilities?

 

Bilsteins have a slightly rough ride. I would compare the ride to icon. But it really depends how sensitive you are to ride comfort.
Wheelers/Bilstein lift/toytec/rouge off-road are some of the good vendors I’ve personally worked with before. Some of them offer a forum discount so make sure you mention that if they do.
Most of these vendors also offer preassembled with new springs and top mounts. You can also request to have them offset the height for the driver lean as well. If you plan to run 285/70 or a 2.5”+ height I would recommend you get an upper control arm. Or take it to a really good alignment shop.
Off road I feel the 5100s get hot fast, and performance is hindered. I ran them on my Tacoma. For the slow stuff it was ok, but when I tried to get her going, the 5100s started to fade.

 

So this may be a completely newbie question, but when i'm looking at blisteins lifts, they offer the adjustable shocks and then the full lift kit? Whats the real difference between them for the kind of lift/capabilities I want?

 

285’s on both the runners?

 

Bilstein is a perch setting lift. You will adjust the perch to desired height, mount the coil, then mount the top hat.
If you are meticulous about height/adjustment- it’s a pain in the ass to adjust. the more expensive brands are an adjustable coilover, which will give ya some adjustment, before you will need to put it on a compressor.
For what you plan to do, the 5100’s will do. Toytec offers a similar “5100” adjustable coilover if you want to have that option

 

The one I posted is a 285/70/17

 

Thank you for that. I'm trying to not get overwhelmed with all these options when all i want is a good lift on my vehicle without totally breaking the bank. So the 5100s adjustable lift shocks is what i should be looking at.

 

Yep those will do! Get some rear springs for a little more height in the back!

or just go kings and call it a day!

 

Stock size (265/70/17)... For now...

 

I mentioned earlier about my 6112/5160 on my Tundra but between Tundra and 4runner it seems like the OME Nitrocharger is a very popular option and kind of a set it and forget it deal. They are an Australian company and make a great product but I believe they are going to put you around 3" which will more than likely call for aftermarket upper control arms. The reason for the name Old Man Emu is because when you watch an emu run his body stays flat while his legs do the work so imagine a desert truck going 70 through washouts and the body being flat but the suspension doing its work moving the tires up and down. They make a BP-51 system that puts you in a much higher price range but it's adjustable. Also Bilstein has a new system, the 8112 adjustable remote reservoir coilovers. Like I said in my earlier post research research research.

 

Once you get up into Bilstein 8112 territory, there’s also ELKA, that’s in a league of its own. One of the best systems out there, IMHO.

 

Yeah, you can get into Kings for less.

 

Whats the price range for your lift? Would i get the same look with 5100s all around?

 

Welcome!! I have Fox 2.0's front and back... The ride is 1000x better than stock. Had I to do it all over again... I would go with what my original plan was... 3" Toytec and all the goodies... UCA's, new rims and bigger tires. I half ass things very well... don't be like me. Go big or go home...

 

Part of me wants to just save up and go big but the small, financially responsible side says start small first haha.

 

I got the coilovers, shocks, lift springs and upper control arms for around $2K.

You could save around $700 by skipping the upper control arms. They aren't totally necessary with this amount of lift.

You can get the same stance with 5100's all around, and save another $500 or so. I can't compare the ride quality because I went directly from stock to the 6112's. Although, I have the 5100's in back, and I'm not noticing any problem with the ride back there.

 

You don't need to spend a fortune to get a decent setup. Some people are happy with a spacer lift, even.

There are plenty of guys here running 5100's all around. Or, the Eibach kit. Or 6112's and 5160's. Most of us would never fully utilize high end off-road shocks.

The fact is that even the stock suspension will hold up to a decent amount of wheeling. And, even 5100's are an upgrade from stock.

I understand the "buy once, cry once" mentality, but an entry level lift isn't a bad idea.

The money you save can be used to buy skid plates, rock sliders, a winch, or recovery gear. Then, you can go and do some exploring, and see what kind of off-roading you want to do. Then, you can upgrade the suspension if you want to.

Just some of the stuff I've thought about over the past year or so.

Good luck with your decision!