Hello all,
It's come time to replace much of the suspension on my 99 SCAB 4X4. I've researched lifts and I'm not totally convinced it's a performance upgrade. I chiefly use my truck for hauling firewood and dirtbikes. I also drive it regularly and I'm what you'd call a spirited driver. The firewood involves extensive off road use. I want more travel and increased strength. I've broken tie rods and ball joints and plan to upgrade those at the same time. I understand the idea of a lift with bigger tires giving more ground clearance and of course the look, which I do appreciate. But, does it really give more travel? I'd really like a long travel suspension but that's not in the budget. I have a 5.4 on the stand waiting to be matched to my 5 speed so I want to be happy with whatever I do--this truck is going to be around a while. Is there an upgrade for the front that would work well with deavers in the rear for a little better travel making say a "mid-travel" suspension? Even if I just get a lift (maybe RCX) I plan to go with Bilstein shocks. Also, how would the above options handle a load of firewood? I guess if that's worse this is all moot and I'll get stock replacement bilsteins, Moog chassis parts, and stick with my 33x12.5 mud country tires.
Thanks ahead and sorry for the long post.
Jason

 

If you want travel go Dixon bros front and get a set of custom deavers, nationals, atlas, or alcan rear leaf springs so you can get travel without sacrificing too much payload. But it ain't cheap, you gotta pay to play.

 

Hmmph. That's a bugger. So if I want a better handling truck for off road use aside from just more ground clearance with a lift, I gotta spend $10K? Guess I better save some more money lol! **** for that I may as well get a new truck.

 

my friend has a mid travel on his tundra and its pretty freaking awsome
it makes ahuge difference and isnt super expensive

 

Edit: Posted kit for 2wd

 

He's 4x4 the fabtech is 2wd only. His only options for 4x4 travel I can think of is Dixon bros which is the cheapest and then HnM but that's more race than daily driver.

 

Aw sob, I didn't even read that. My bad

 

my friends tundra is 2wd also
the mid travel is definitly worth it for minor off road

 

Any kit with more travel will perform better off road. As for rear springs alcan custom makes every set so you can have them make it for travel and to still carry a load in the back.

 

I researched multiple lifts and I think one mentioned a 20% increase in travel but now I can't find it. I saw that Bilstein also makes shocks that are designed for trucks lifted 4" and they are longer than stock. Now if the shock is longer would it now have more travel? I'm trying to learn how these work and I thought that by using a longer spindle (which most lifts do, no?) then you really don't gain more travel and can use a shock of similar length as the factory. If so then what lifts are these longer Bilsteins designed to be used with?

If I didn't have 4 motorcycles/dirtbikes and 2 project Audis I'd buy the Dixon kit.

 

Any lift besides spindles require longer shocks. And spindle lifts are 2x4 only iirc. While they are longer shocks you may be adding only one to two inches of usable travel at best with a standard lift, where from factory you maybe getting somewhere around six inches.

 

Ahh ok. Are the "knuckles" and "spindles" the same thing? Forgive me I've just been researching this stuff online--I'm a newb when it comes to truck suspensions. I thought the knuckle (part the shock attaches to) was taller, thus providing the lift.

 

The way most lifts increase height is a drop down crossmember which drops your factory suspension parts thus increasing the distance and providing lift but usually the same amount of travel

 

Yea, basically any standard lift isn't gonna show you any increase in travel that would be enough to make you notice.

 

Thanks for clearing everything up for me guys. I think I'll just replace the wear parts with heavy duty items and get the bilsteins. I can put the rest of the money towards the 5.4 swap.
I'm sure the above will be a great difference since the current shocks are trashed.