Another lift & tire question - I swear I searched....

I don’t find my e load K02s harsh at all. They’re smooth and civilized. Tough too.

 

Anyone know a good shop in Virginia to do my BMC?

 

Are you rubbing on the body mount?

 

There is a local guy here who ran a 305/65/17 without a CMC. He had SPC UCA and had the caster set to clear the body mount.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeO1n1IHrXy/?igshid=v78b9akb4orp

 

It’s a little smaller than a 285 in diameter, so that’s probably why. It’s not uncommon to see people run 285’s without a BMC.

 

I’m scratching my head on which way to go with the suspension on my Runner. Currently I’m leaning towards the Toytec Aluma series which is said to be put together with Elka parts, or I’ll just get the Elka 2.5 and be done with it. I’ll most likely go with FN FX Pro wheels, my only concern there is how well a 305/65/17 will fit on a 8” wide wheel. SPC UCAs are also on order.

 

Why not go 285/70/17 and get that extra rubber in between the ground and wheel? Better if you’re hitting trails and rough terrain.

 

I thought that might be the case but the difference in size is negligible. Might just be enough to make the difference between rubbing and not.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?tires=285-70r17-305-65r17

 

My brother runs a 285/70/17 Cooper AT3 XL with Icon Stage II. After a CMC and Rockblock flaps, he still rubs. I don’t think he has the front set at 3” of lift though.

 

Personally, I’d rather have extra tire in between the wheel and the ground. I have 295’s on a 9” wheel with -38mm offset and they fit fine with a 3” and a BMC.

 

I can understand more tire between the wheel and ground, especially in these applications. So many options for lifts for so many different applications here that it’s difficult to narrow down. Especially when considering everyone’s specific requirements.

 

He most likely has aftermarket wheels with a negative offset or wheel spacers. That's what causes the rub, not so much the lift height.

 

Go Elka.

Not sure about the rumor of Toytec Aluma series being made by Elka. Toytec claims all their parts are made in the US. Elka says they are a manufacturing company in Canada.

Nevertheless, Elkas products get very high reviews. Toytec reviews are pretty mixed.

 

That’s good info. He currently has factory wheels with spidertrax spacers. He will be going to a set of 17x9 Ray10s with -38 ‍♂️ Good thing I’m going with 17x8 with 0 offset.

 

thank you for the feedback. I’ll probably go with the Elka. That said, my Runner is a parking lot princess so if you have something that would fit the bill for St use better then the Elka I’m open to other suggestions. My brother has Icon, it doesn’t interest me. King is more then I need. I know Ella hovers around the same price range as Icon but it’s Canadian made and since I’m Canadian....

 

Get spacers if you’re rig isn’t ever going to see a trail. It’ll run you about $300 for a 3/2 kit.

 

Not a chance on spacers.

 

If you're not seeing dirt, then forget Elka.

Bilstein 5100's or Eibach adjustable struts will perform well on the road and should you need to go offroad, they will get the job done there too. They offer different lift heights in the front to dial your truck in. Then just get a lift coil and longer shocks for the rear.

I've tried both the 5100's and Eibach and like the Eibachs better. Their valving is really nice on our trucks and the price is great.

A lot of people like Bilstein 6112's and they are supposed to ride nicer than the 5100's, but I haven't personally tried them. They seem to be a bit on the expensive side for what you get, IMO. I'd still pick the Eibachs personally.

You could also look into Dobinsons. They have a bunch of lift coil options, but people seem to report lift heights that vary a little from the advertised lift height at times. That would bother me.

 

What about the Eiback pro lift kit or the OME?

 

Pro lift kit is great. They go 2.75" in the front with those lift coils and although they say UCA's are not needed, I think your truck will ride and steer a lot better with them. So if you want to go that high in front, I also recommend getting UCA's.

Also, this kit levels the truck and some prefer to have a bit more height in the rear so that they can still retain some factory rake for carrying stuff / towing. If you want your truck level, this is a great kit. If you want to retain some factory rake, you would need to find a taller lift coil for the rear or add a spacer to the one they provide.

 

I don't have much experience with OME, but after researching quite a bit a lot of user feedback was that the ride is on the stiffer side. If you like a firmer ride where you feel more of the road, Bilstein, OME, and Toytec seem to fit that category.

 

Just trying to help you not overpay for something you won’t use

 

Even on pavement spacers suck so if you ask me hes doing the right thing.

 

I’m familiar with the

I understand and appreciate the advice, especially when it comes to cost effectiveness. I’ve always preferred to pay to do it right. Gotta pay to play.

 

Thanks for all the great info. I do plan on getting some SPC UCAs with whatever kit I purchase, they worked great on my 15 Tacoma and seem to be well reviewed. I dint mind spending the money for better parts so if anyone had an opinion on UCAs please chime in.

 

If you liked SPC, I see no reason to switch. If you're itching to try something new, give these some consideration.

JBA - easy and cheap to change ball joint should you need to. However, a 285/70/17 with stock wheels will rub on these. You'll need a wheel with a different offset or wheel spacers with stock wheels to run these with 285's. If you're not going that big with your tires then consider this a non issue.

Dobinsons - virtually maintenance free. They run rubber bushings (like the stock UCAs) that don't require greasing. Another benefit is that rubber bushings absorb bump in the road a bit better than the urethane bushings that most aftermarket UCAs tend to use. The downside is the bushings might not last as long due to their softness. Also, I think these UCA's are backordered at the moment.

Dirt King (ball joint version) - Solid, dependable UCA. Urethane bushings will lend to a firmer, tighter feel but will require grease periodically. Competitively priced with some of the less expensive UCAs.

 

I’ll be running FN FX Pro wheels. I’m sure you’re familiar with their specs. 17X8 0 offset. Should be good for clearance. I want to do this once as I did with my Tacoma. Since were here, do you recommend gears with 285-295 tires?

 

I would definitely regear with 285/295 tires, but many on here accept the dead dog performance of their vehicle in order to gain a certain aesthetic. I get it, they look cool, and 4 Runners look best on a 285 tire imho. I would order that tire size as an option, if say, - like the Broncos are doing with their 35s in the Sasquatch package, if I could. But Toyota would never offer that. They don’t listen to their customers as closely as Ford does, and as one of the few body on frame SUVs left, they don’t need to.
But if you don’t mind bicycles out accelerating you at a red light, not regearing on big tires is ok. Full disclosure: I regard a 4 Runner with stock gearing barely adequate and I run stock tire size. An extra 50-100 HP would be great, or a slightly lower gear ratio would work too.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

285 is fine for the most part on stock gearing.