Leveling spacer kit or lifting kit

I have the revtek pro 40013, 3" kit on my 2017 off-road and like it. Allows me to run 285/75/16 BFG KO2's. It costs less than $420 and most shops will charge around $200 to install it. I've had no issues with hard bottoming out or damaging my stock bilstiens as of yet. Can't say it won't or can't happen if you are hard on any set up you can damage something.
The daily driving has a stock feel, comfortable ride. Where I live has lots of pot holes and it eats them up. The few times I've taken it on trails and forest access roads it handles everything I've thrown at it.
Eventually I'll put a set up of OME BP-51 or king OEM performance series but for now I like the revtek pro 40013 and it is adequate for my needs.
 
I have a 16 sport and tried a 2.5 inch spacer and it was a nightmare ...
Very stiff ! The truck was not happy at all especially with rubbing when I turned all the way
And not enjoyable to drive on the freeway ...
Yes I had it aligned...
And the back end of the truck sagged just enough to not look good I would have had to add wheel spacers and a 1 inch block in the back ...
I switched to bilstein 5100s
And its amazing !!!! It will hold me until I can save up for my 6 inch coil overs etc
 
I (so far) am SO glad I listened to Whippersnapper, Mjp2, and all the others that steered me towards doing it right. This is not to say that some, like OR17TRD, who are happy with spacers temporarily, are wrong. I don't understand why someone would go the spacer route, but I don't have to. I realize that budget has to be taken into account too. I guess if I couldn't afford to do it my way I wouldn't do it...
 
If I would have tore out the suspension and completely replaced it when my needle bearing went out and my front differential went out at 500 miles toyota would have stuck me with the $4000 bill on top of the $$$$ I would have spent to put OME BP-51 suspension on.
Because these are new trucks new engines new transmission Combo. I knew issues could arise. I wasn't about to give toyota any excuse to say it was the lifts fault for anything.
I went with the revtek 40013 because it was my dealer approved lift. All would be covered under warranty. It allowed me to put the wheels and tires I wanted on it. Allowed me to see if anything would go wrong... which it did. I'm not going to be rock crawling or wheeling the **** out of my new truck.
paid $600 to lift it.
The $$$ a month to have the tires you want on it $10...the money saved because toyota couldn't say the lift did it... Priceless
 
bryanm92109 said:
I have a 16 sport and tried a 2.5 inch spacer and it was a nightmare ...
Very stiff ! The truck was not happy at all especially with rubbing when I turned all the way
And not enjoyable to drive on the freeway ...
Yes I had it aligned...
And the back end of the truck sagged just enough to not look good I would have had to add wheel spacers and a 1 inch block in the back ...
I switched to bilstein 5100s
And its amazing !!!! It will hold me until I can save up for my 6 inch coil overs etc
Click to expand...
This makes since. A 2.5" spacer in front with no AAL or block in the back will put you nose high. The rake on these trucks run about 1". Adding 2.5" to the front and with the stock sport suspension compressed I don't doubt the ride was horrible.
I'm wondering what size tires you have, not stock? You said you had rubbing with the 2.5" spacer lift but now you don't with the 5100's? Did you get new wheels with a lower offset or wheel spacers? The offset on the stock wheels is +25 and won't allow you to put wider tires on without a wheel spacer regardless of the type of lift you'll have rubbing. You need a lower offset rim. 0 to -6 works with 285's. Otherwise biggest tire on stock wheel is 265/70/17 for sports. 265/75/16 for off-roads.
The Tacoma off-roads have bilstein 4600 shocks and the kit I used has an AAL in back. Leveling the truck out.
The 5100's have multiple settings for height/ride
1st setting = 0 inch
2nd setting = ~1 inch
3rd setting = 1.75 inches
4th setting = 2.5 inches
I hope yours is not set at 2.5".:)
 
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Yes my 5100s are set at 2.5 and I am very happy with everything...
and the first thing when I bought the truck new was swap the tires for 265/70/17 all terrains 2 , I have also added a Trd pro grill and skid-plate
And ...
My next thing is to get upper arms and coilovers etc
But for now I can have some fun in this truck instead of dealing with the spacers nightmare lol
 
bryanm92109 said:
Yes my 5100s are set at 2.5 and I am very happy with everything...
and the first thing when I bought the truck new was swap the tires for 265/70/17 all terrains 2 , I have also added a Trd pro grill and skid-plate
And ...
My next thing is to get upper arms and coilovers etc
But for now I can have some fun in this truck instead of dealing with the spacers nightmare lol
Click to expand...
Pictures?
 
I have a Revtek 3 inch Pro Kit on my 3rd gen and its seems to really only lift it 2 inches in the front. 1 1/2 inches in the rear. Looks good with 285's. I can't feel much difference in ride quality from stock.

I would not do an above strut spacer more than 1/4 inch. .....The Revtek kit essentially does the same thing to my factory Bilstiens as the 5100's with the preload set to 2.5 inches and a 1/4" top plate spacer. Preloading the springs. .....The factory spring rate is linear so again I didn't feel a difference before or after.

I know this is not the prefered method of lift from what you'll read on this board but I have no complaints.
 

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Took sway bar off and love the way it rides, on road and off road. Absolutely no coil bind. .....pushed inner fender well lining forward for factory look and does not rub anywhere with 285's disco'd. Factory UCA's and no drive line vibration.
 

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fino said:
I have a Revtek 3 inch Pro Kit on my 3rd gen and its seems to really only lift it 2 inches in the front. 1 1/2 inches in the rear. Looks good with 285's. I can't feel much difference in ride quality from stock.

I would not do an above strut spacer moe than 1/4 inch. .....The Revtek kit essentially does the same thing to my factory Bilstiens as the 5100's with the preload set to 2.5 inches and a 1/4" top plate spacer. Preloading the springs. .....The factory spring rate is linear so again I didn't feel a difference before or after.

I know this is not the prefered method of lift from what you'll read on this board but I have no complaints.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
fino said:
.The Revtek kit essentially does the same thing to my factory Bilstiens as the 5100's with the preload set to 2.5 inches and a 1/4" top plate spacer. Preloading the springs. .....The factory spring rate is linear so again I didn't feel a difference before or after.
Click to expand...

Except the 5100 is valved for preloaded springs while the OEM shocks are not. That's why the 5100s are softer than OEM when set to 0 lift.

The big issue is with the coilover assembly spacers that go on top of everything. That can lead to suspension damage and I have seen it happen before.
 
whippersnapper02 said:
Except the 5100 is valved for preloaded springs while the OEM shocks are not. That's why the 5100s are softer than OEM when set to 0 lift.

The big issue is with the coilover assembly spacers that go on top of everything. That can lead to suspension damage and I have seen it happen before.
Click to expand...

I understand the 5100's are designed for the preload adjustments. I've also heard the valving is actually the same between the 5100 and the 4600.

I agree with you re above strut spacers. The Revtek is NOT an above strut spacer. It does incorporate a 1/4 inch top plate spacer which is common practice on front lifts.

2 1/2 inch above strut spacer lifts can damage shocks without bumpstop extensions and also over extend the drive shaft angles. Revtek is NOT an above strut spacer.

Again I have no coil bind at full compression to bump stops and shocks do not top out. I off road often on moderate to difficult trails and have not yet experienced any reliability problems with the Revtek set up.

Funny. Seems like I hear of more people complain of driveline issues with the more commonly recommended suspension lifts on these forums.
 
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