Undecided lift!

Hello all of you 4Runner owners... Since I am new to the 4Runner crowd, I need to know which is the best 2.5" lift for my 2024 5th gen Limited AWD. I see a lot of SR5, TRD, TRD Sport and Pro information, but not much on the Limited. I kind of wish I bought the 4Runner with the KDSS suspension, but it's too late for that.
Here's what I need to know... Does the Bilstein 6112 & 5100's work better than the other kits? I am open to suggestions.
I hardly ever go off road (more of a Princess 4Runner), but when I get the itch, I would like it to handle smooth on and off road like the factory ride. I know I am asking a lot, but I figure I could get a few suggestions. Oh yeah, what size tires should I get? Keep the factory 20's or go with a set of 17" wheels and tires...?

 

The Limited's have the XReas setup. I think there are special things that need to be done before lifting, or things to consider?

@kmeeg has a Limited and can give you some guidance.

 

You will not have a factory ride with aftermarket parts.

That being said, you'll want to stick with a 32.5" tire or smaller. You can figure the metric equivalent based on wheel size, and if you go with an aftermarket wheel, pay attention to offset/backspacing.

If you update your location, in your profile, it would help answer the question(s).

 

Yeah, you don't have a lot of "lifting" options with the Limited, unless you want to get rid of the XREAS system. Then the world's your oyster. I think Cornfed makes some lifting pucks or some such nonsense for the Limited with XREAS. The XREAS is a good system, until it's not. I had about 150K on my Limited before it started leaking at all four corners. Then I junked the whole system and went with an OME suspension set up.

 

Guess what? The Limited is still a very capable off road vehicle. And if you just leave it alone, it will handle smooth on and off road like the factory ride.

 

I knew it! I should have bought the TRD Off Road package, but no... I had to get the limited! Lol
Thank you for the feed back.

 

You can do a lift like any other 4Runner, you just get rid of the stock system (xreas). You have to replace all four shocks, which it sounds like you were going to do anyway, but as stated before, you won't have a factory ride with aftermarket parts.

It's no big deal to do, but you're not likely to be happy with the ride.

 

I'be happy to give my 2 cents.

Biggest thing I learned no lift is comfy as XREAS to me. Back in my head there is always that thought I should have kept XREAS to enjoy the onroad comfort despite I dislike the front been low to my taste.

Also its interesting that OP said "I kind of wish I bought the 4Runner with the KDSS suspension, but it's too late for that." Maybe OP is not looking for comfort. OP maybe looking for handling.

From the lifts I did for my Limited the Bilstien 5100 wasn't that comfort to my taste. So I changed to Ironman Foam Cell Pro. It has a very respectable comfort level. The fact I used the 1.5in rear springs and dropped the height level from 2.5 to 2¼ may have helped. I have also tested turning at higher speed and it kept a very good control. Again Ironman Foam Cell Pro have a very respectable comfort level but not good as XREAS. XREAS have some strange ability to absorb the bumps on the road and not let it transfer to cabin, atleast a minimum level.

If I were to sell my 2019 Limited to a 2024 Limited may be I will swap the 20in wheels to 17in wheels with standard load 265/70R17 tires so my wife don't scratch the wheels. Again I have a TRD to abuse offroad so have no big reason to lift and modify alot.

Also I'm no expert, just my humble opinion.

 

Wait until Xreas leaks, then go for whatever suits your fancy.

 

There have been plenty of times i have chimed in to threads identical to this about lifting the Limiteds with Xreas.
I have done 3 of them, i still currently own two of them, and i think i have tried multiple different setups and can give you some honest options over my 300,000 miles of driving across these 3 vehicles.

The Limited 4wd with Xreas requires a little more thought into the lift. How big are you really wanting to go? How smooth do you really want it?
The MAXIMUM you can lift the front of the 4wd Xreas without a crap ton of work is about 2.25" any higher and you put the axles at so much of an angle that the front end will engage on its own hitting pot holes and dips in the road. Try to climb over a curb or cross a ditch and the front end with auto-lock in. The front diff has something that can tell the load or angle on the axle, i suspect as the axle angle increases the axle eventually gets pulled at its max stroke in the cup and then puts pressure on the diff to lock that tire up. I have found this when running a +2.5" lift up front, the axles would apparently be in a sort of bind and the front would auto-lock when turning and hitting a pot hole or hitting bumps. I figure this would potentially bust the front diff eventually and i trimmed it down to 2.25". They also make front diff drop down brackets which if you plan to do a 2.5 up front i would strongly suggest doing the diff drop down bracket.

If you want to make the front end "LEVEL" You need about +1.5" of lift up front and you can do that with a spacer that is 7/8" thick. To do this you can pull the shock/spring apart and punch out the bolts in the top spring perch and push in longer bolts and put a 7/8" spacer and tighten everything back down. -OR- you can get a spacer lift that has new studs and you will have to grind down the top of your studs to clear. -OR- you can jump up to the 2.5" lift spacer pucks and have them machined down about 1/4" shorter to give you about 2.2" of lift and then lift the rear about 7/8"-1" to be back to level.

If you lift the front 1.5" you will be level with the rear
If you lift the front 2.25" you will be nose high and need to lift the rear about 7/8" to give a slight hint of rake back.
You can use some 1" rear spring spacers or the Eibach 1" rear lift springs give right at 7/8" of lift

You are MUCH better off running spacers on the stock suspension than you are replacing it if you want the OEM ride quality. Using a spring spacer you will lift the vehicle but retain the OEM ride quality and i can assure you, you will want to keep the Xreas if you want to keep ride quality. There are no aftermarket or OEM options that will make your vehicle ride as nice as the new OEM Limited Xreas suspension.

You are also much better off buying tires for those stock wheels, i personally think they look bishin and there are a ton of tire options to fit that look beefy and tough. Me personally i like the General Grabber AT/X tires the most, i get the most life out of them and they ride so so dang good.

If you do the 2.25" up front and the 1" out back you can fit these tires on your vehicle with ZERO trimming
255/60-20
265/55-20
275/55-20

If you do the 2.25" up front and the 1" out back you can fit these tires with ONLY clipping the inner fender forward no other trimming
285/50-20
285/55-20
305/50-20

 

For me the 6112s and 5160s were stiffer than xreas, which is what I was going for as it feels less rolly. The 17s instead of 20 is a big help for some compliance. I’d figure, although this is not my setup, that 6112s and 20s are less soft. Don’t forget pressure. That makes a big difference for me at least. Good luck.

my results are over here.
https://www.4runners.com/threads/‘21-limited-build-results.38244/#post-585262

 

i wouldn't change the limited suspension, for off road, the 17" tire.

 

I ripped out the XREAS and went with 6112s and 5100s (wheelers lift springs in back). I love the way it drives. I also replaced the 20s with 17” wheels and 285s, but I made sure I kept the total weight at each corner the same (lighter wheels, heavier tires, same weight). I needed a little bit of trimming and opted for a bodymount chop, and UCAs (went with OMEs) but I think it was worth it for what I wanted to do. Personally, I think the lifted Limited with 285s kinda looks like what stock should be.

 

Ripping out the suspension system on a new $55,000 4Runner is probably not the way to go - especially since the OP's not planning on doing a lot of hard 'wheeling.

I think a subtler approach would go a long way - a Cornfed or Westcott "lift" (nudge the front end up 1" or so) and swap the 20" wheels and minivan tires for some 17s and ATs. My Limited is all stock with the wheels and tires swapped. I think with that nose up an inch, it'd look perfect - and retain that sweet sweet XREAS ride.

 

Hey CB-

I happen to be one of the folks who really like the XREAS suspension on my '24 Limited, but don't understand what's so special about it that it was be so ridiculously expensive to repair/replace the components when the time comes. Any info on why this is? I mean...it's not nearly as complex as some of the electromagnetic dampening shocks that are out. I'm only at 6700 miles right now and hope I've got a long way (and long time) until I have to worry about it, but as many people here have said....mods--including suspension-- represent new points of failure your vehicle didn't have before.

Just curious - thanks

TimG

 

You know....every time I look at your rig, it makes me question whether going with the matte black Pro rims was the right decision. Since they're black (and flat black at that), the only time you can really make out the wheels from the shadows is when they have direct sunlight on them.

 

the Xreas is basically a big remote mount reservoir system that links the shocks together. There are lines running from the shock down the frame to two big expansion canisters. This links the shocks in a big X meaning drivers front and passengers rear are linked with lines to each other and share an expansion tank that houses fluid and nitrogen pressure. These shocks are close to a remote mount reservoir shock but the long lines and how they’re linked to the opposing shock allow for a tremendous amount of fluid so you can run the shocks hard and it not get hot and cavitate. Also the shocks are valved tremendously well, the valving is better than the remote reservoir. The valving is spot on and the remote resis just help with dampening. The reason the whole system is so expensive is you can’t just buy one part or one shock you’re “supposed” to buy the whole system. Once you get a shock or line or a leak you lose the fluid and nitrogen and there is nobody stateside that can recharge the system. This forces you to ditch it or start over with a new system.
The brand new system comes in a massive box with all new lines and expansion chambers already pressurized. The shocks and lines have male / female couplings with one-way valves that only open once you connect the shocks to the lines. Replacing the whole system is far more expensive than pretty much the best aftermarket setup, but the ride is unmatched for on-road comfort and predictability. I had 175,000 on mine when an Xreas shock started leaking. I was around 185,000 when I started to notice that shock flutter on bumps. I was about 195,000 when both that shock and the opposing shock both were fluttering over bumps. (No longer able to control the spring reverberation) and I had to replace them. I bought a set of new take-off. TRD-Offroad shock and spring assemblies front and back from a guy on Craigslist for $300. I got them cause people said the spring rates were good on the TRD OR front shock assembly.

while the change was nice, it got rid of the fluttering blown shock and topping out on pot holes, it didn’t ride nearly as nice on the slow speed stuff like 10mph gravel roads and chatter bumps on chip seal roads Ect. I almost preferred the ride of my blown out Xreas over the new TRD OR stuff.
The TRD OR stuff is better on high speed gravel roads I think. Like 30-40mph gravel roads I think the new setup maybe better but if I had the ability I’d go back to Xreas right now. The slow speed drive around town and highway ride is nicer and softer with xreas.

 

I don't have experience with the Limited, but I do like the looks and would probably appreciate the full-time 4WD and the suspension. In your case, you have a perfectly functioning NEW or nearly new vehicle with impressive capabilities. Why not just drive it for 6 months and see how you like it? Especially if you get snow where you live? Reading comments here, it seems that anything you do will degrade the excellent ride that your truck has today. Plus, a lift will negatively impact MPGs. I personally wouldn't be in a hurry to 'upgrade' anything.

 

Wow, fantastic information. This is actually more informative than I've been able to find online, so thank you for this. And here I thought it was much more simplistic....Now it makes some sense why I've read the system is only sold as a set and can cost in excess of $4K+. I have to imagine the "enemy" of this complicated system can be time or miles/usage or both,. So fingers crossed that I don't have to worry about this for a long while because I really do love the ride.

Thanks again!
TimG

 

Yeah Tim, I actually really liked the XREAS on my '11, but after all four corners started leaking something had to be done. The only thing I can think is that the system is proprietary to Toyota. There's no aftermarket support, and yes it's stupidly expensive. I think I was quoted $3200 to replace just parts with me doing the work. And that was about 5 years ago. I just ripped the entire thing out and went with a traditional suspension system. My XREAS made it to around 150K, so it shouldn't be a worry for you for a long time. I'd say that's about normal. Some people get more. Any type of suspension is going to fail over time. Seals get old, stuff leaks, springs lose their springiness. I'm in the process of replacing springs in my 23 year old Tundra. Already did the shocks but it will be nice to have a good firm cornering feel again.

 

Out of the gate I took my 2015 LE on desert trips over heavily washboard roads. My XREAS started leaking somewhere around 60k just inside the warranty. The dealership replaced the one leaking shock no problem. The second started leaking within 30k or so. At that time I replaced the entire suspension.

My point is that your actual longevity will depend on how much you beat on it. If it’s a pavement princess you should get a lot of mileage on it. You’ll know when it’s time to replace it