Guidance on the need to upgrade suspension or just do a lift on a 2025 Offroad Premium

[T_Pomp]

I think you guys are nuts for doing a spacer or preload collar lift. Especially if you’re going to do any serious offroading.

A spacer effectively makes your shock longer and screws with CV angles etc. quite a bit.

A preload collar changes how much sag you have at 0 load and can significantly alter the ride, potentially decreases suspension travel, and certainly adds stress in a shock that may not be designed to take it.

I would:
- Put on skid plates and rock sliders
- Put on a real A/T or R/T tire. You can probably size up on stock suspension
- Send it on some tr

At that point if you need better damping or want adjustable shocks then upgrade.

Who hurt you?

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[Macaque]

Who hurt you?

Well, I destroyed both front shocks on my old 4th gen getting a little too frisky down a fire road with a spacer/collar lift. It topped out too hard and busted the nuts on top of the tower.

So I hurt me I guess. As far as I’m concerned they’re essentially cosmetics only and you’re putting a lot of additional stress on your shit just for looks.

Just offering OP some additional perspective from someone who learned the hard way.

 

[T_Pomp]

Well, I destroyed both front shocks on my old 4th gen getting a little too frisky down a fire road with a spacer/collar lift. It topped out too hard and busted the nuts on top of the tower.

So I hurt me I guess. As far as I’m concerned they’re essentially cosmetics only and you’re putting a lot of additional stress on your shit just for looks.

Just offering OP some additional perspective from someone who learned the hard way.

You’re correct. Pre load lifts and spacers are not designed to Baja style race, especially over large rocks, small boulders, technical tails, etc. Having said that, if you drive over terrain slowly and pick your lines you’ll be fine. I will also add the quality of components makes a huge difference. I don’t necessarily like how Westcott handles everything customer service wise, they make damn good products.

I have a combination of Westcott and Dobinsons parts and I’m confident that I could tackle most blurb and green trails with zero problems.

 

[Macaque]

You’re correct. Pre load lifts and spacers are not designed to Baja style race, especially over large rocks, small boulders, technical tails, etc. Having said that, if you drive over terrain slowly and pick your lines you’ll be fine. I will also add the quality of components makes a huge difference. I don’t necessarily like how Westcott handles everything customer service wise, they make damn good products.

I have a combination of Westcott and Dobinsons parts and I’m confident that I could tackle most blurb and green trails with zero problems.

Sure, but you could also do green trails stock.

Having “high quality” spacers doesn’t affect the physics. It reduces the chances of the spacer itself failing, at best. Spacers are a very simple part and there’s not going to be much difference between a $200 spacer and a $400 spacer at the end of the day.

I’d rather have full skids and sliders than a half-assed lift if I had to choose for offroad.

 

[RedB4Black]

Sure, but you could also do green trails stock.

Having “high quality” spacers doesn’t affect the physics. It reduces the chances of the spacer itself failing, at best. Spacers are a very simple part and there’s not going to be much difference between a $200 spacer and a $400 spacer at the end of the day.

I’d rather have full skids and sliders than a half-assed lift if I had to choose for offroad.

That's the route I'm going. Just got the RCI aluminum full skid package, fuel tank skid and sliders for 20% off with the current sale. New wheels and tires going on tomorrow. It will be a few weeks before all my skids and sliders come though. My intent was to do the Bilstein 6112/6100 suspension/lift (and upgraded UCAs) to support the added +150 constant pounds from the skids and sliders. Now I'm wondering if that will be necessary, and the stock suspension can handle the added weight without much sag. I already know I don't want a spacer lift. I won't be doing anything crazy when it comes to offroading, but there are some 14er trailhead roads and mountain passes I'd like to drive on without worrying about getting stuck.

 

[GSM4runner]

Then you should be doing the TRD lift.

I don't understand why the TRD lift doesn't get more love .....

 

[T_Pomp]

That's the route I'm going. Just got the RCI aluminum full skid package, fuel tank skid and sliders for 20% off with the current sale. New wheels and tires going on tomorrow. It will be a few weeks before all my skids and sliders come though. My intent was to do the Bilstein 6112/6100 suspension/lift (and upgraded UCAs) to support the added +150 constant pounds from the skids and sliders. Now I'm wondering if that will be necessary, and the stock suspension can handle the added weight without much sag. I already know I don't want a spacer lift. I won't be doing anything crazy when it comes to offroading, but there are some 14er trailhead roads and mountain passes I'd like to drive on without worrying about getting stuck.

You’ll need to upgrade your coils to counter the weight. I upgraded one level to the 110 lbs Dobinsons coils and wish I would’ve gone heavier duty. Once I got everything loaded in the back of my 4Runner I noticed some slight sag.

 

[RedB4Black]

You’ll need to upgrade your coils to counter the weight. I upgraded one level to the 110 lbs Dobinsons coils and wish I would’ve gone heavier duty. Once I got everything loaded in the back of my 4Runner I noticed some slight sag.

that may be a cheaper solution I wasn't thinking of....heavier coils on existing shocks.

Edit: according to AI...this is not a good idea, but with the spacing of the weight...mostly inbetween the front and back, the stock shocks should be fine with approx. 1/8 inch sag. I'll measure before and after install of the sliders/skids.

 

[T_Pomp]

Sure, but you could also do green trails stock.

Having “high quality” spacers doesn’t affect the physics. It reduces the chances of the spacer itself failing, at best. Spacers are a very simple part and there’s not going to be much difference between a $200 spacer and a $400 spacer at the end of the day.

I’d rather have full skids and sliders than a half-assed lift if I had to choose for offroad.

For the type of wheeling, I’m going to be doing. I’m 100% comfortable using the preload collar lift kit from Westcott designs with heavier duty coils. I have a full skid package as and weeding on rock sliders still from RCI. Maybe down the road I’ll put a bigger lift on and upgrade the entire suspension but for now I feel like I’ve made the right choice.

 

[Macaque]

That's the route I'm going. Just got the RCI aluminum full skid package, fuel tank skid and sliders for 20% off with the current sale. New wheels and tires going on tomorrow. It will be a few weeks before all my skids and sliders come though. My intent was to do the Bilstein 6112/6100 suspension/lift (and upgraded UCAs) to support the added +150 constant pounds from the skids and sliders. Now I'm wondering if that will be necessary, and the stock suspension can handle the added weight without much sag. I already know I don't want a spacer lift. I won't be doing anything crazy when it comes to offroading, but there are some 14er trailhead roads and mountain passes I'd like to drive on without worrying about getting stuck.

150lbs does not warrant the need to go to a heavier coil. It’s like riding with a passenger

You’ll need to upgrade your coils to counter the weight. I upgraded one level to the 110 lbs Dobinsons coils and wish I would’ve gone heavier duty. Once I got everything loaded in the back of my 4Runner I noticed some slight sag.

You have more than just 150lbs on there if I had to guess….Including a diesel can? That’s an interesting choice.

that may be a cheaper solution I wasn't thinking of....heavier coils on existing shocks.

Edit: according to AI...this is not a good idea, but with the spacing of the weight...mostly inbetween the front and back, the stock shocks should be fine with approx. 1/8 inch sag. I'll measure before and after install of the sliders/skids.

Probably not a good idea unless you really know what you’re doing

For the type of wheeling, I’m going to be doing. I’m 100% comfortable using the preload collar lift kit from Westcott designs with heavier duty coils. I have a full skid package as and weeding on rock sliders still from RCI. Maybe down the road I’ll put a bigger lift on and upgrade the entire suspension but for now I feel like I’ve made the right choice.

That’s a choice. Coils with a stiffer spring rate AND a preload collar are probably beating the piss out of your shocks. And you’ll have changed the dynamics quite a bit. I’m actually curious how it rides lmao.

 

[T_Pomp]

150lbs does not warrant the need to go to a heavier coil. It’s like riding with a passenger


You have more than just 150lbs on there if I had to guess….Including a diesel can? That’s an interesting choice.


Probably not a good idea unless you really know what you’re doing

That’s a choice. Coils with a stiffer spring rate AND a preload collar are probably beating the piss out of your shocks. And you’ll have changed the dynamics quite a bit. I’m actually curious how it rides lmao.

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

New profile, no picture, one thread with 12 posts-probably all right here on this thread. You just came on here to troll people. Get a life.

 

[Macaque]

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

New profile, no picture, one thread with 12 posts-probably all right here on this thread. You just came on here to troll people. Get a life.

If you have an actual argument and some facts you can present to show that I have no idea what I’m talking about then you should present them.

Otherwise get out of here with that “troll” bullshit. I’m not a troll because your dumb ass didn’t bother doing basic research on the way suspension works.

 

[NotApplicable]

Sure, but you could also do green trails stock.

100%. And then with nothing but some decent tires, you can do probably more than 2/3rds of all off-roading members of this forum do.

If you have to ask what to modify, you probably don’t need to do it. If you wanna do it for looks, great. But you probably aren’t even scratching the surface of the stock capability.

 

[Macaque]

100%. And then with nothing but some decent tires, you can do probably more than 2/3rds of all off-roading members of this forum do.

If you have to ask what to modify, you probably don’t need to do it. If you wanna do it for looks, great. But you probably aren’t even scratching the surface of the stock capability.

Watch out! T_Pomp is going to call you a troll.

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