July 17, 2023

Lift kit for a 4runner

OK, I'll say this up front. I am not going to lift my 4runner. The main reason is simple, and perhaps not what you would expect. If I lift it (and put on bigger tires) -- and why lift it if you aren't going to put on bigger tires? Anyway, if I lift it, it won't fit into my garage. Plain and simple. End of story for me.

People say that if you add skid plates, you also need a lift kit to get back the clearance you lose. And with a lift kit installed, you can opt for bigger tires.

However -- I have been told that the 4runner does not like to be lifted. In particular, this changes the geometry of the front differential, causing trouble with needle bearings and premature failure. You have been warned. With 3 inches or less of lift, would this be an issue? More homework needed. I have only heard this from one source so far, but for now -- no lift for me.

This topic gets more complex and controversial. Some people lift, then drop the differential. Given what has just been said, this makes sense -- it maintains the geometry of the differential and front axles. But it leads me to ask, what have you gained? Isn't the point of doing the lift to raise the front differential? Indeed this is a common objection, a diff drop will require you to also drop your skid plate sacrificing ground clearance.

And this guy talks about more geometry issues with the rear axle and something called a panhard bar.

Lift, leveling, spacers, upper control arm (UCA)

Another thing is "leveling". This is done because the vehicle comes from the factory with the front lower than the back. The reason is that they expect you to load the back with stuff, but if you are going to 4x4 around with little or nothing in the rear, the vehicle will not be level, and this is not ideal.

The above video shows the Pro Comp leveling kit install. I doubt that I would go with this, it gives 3 inches lift in from and 2 in back and requires new shocks, but the video lets you know what the game is. On the other hand, someday down the road maybe I would do this and jump to 285 tires? But not right now with a new vehicle under warranty.

The following gives a list with lots of options and talks about the whole business. I sort of like the OME kits (no external reservoirs). I like simple.

They say that spacer kits are the worst way to do a lift -- see the "shocking discovery" thread below for details. Maybe they would be OK for a 1 inch lift.

  • Toro (spacer kit $400)
    Have any comments? Questions? Drop me a line!

    Tom's Auto repair pages / [email protected]