Lifts and wheels

Hello everyone,

I have a 2001 Toyota tundra V6. Access Cab.

I would like to give it a lift to fit rims and tires.

The rims and tires I would like to put on are 20x12 -44 offset with 305/55/20 Tires.

I am not sure if I even need a lift. I know cheapest way is spacers. I saw threads in reference to Bilstein 5100…

I will def need shocks, so I don’t know too much about this so any advice will be appreciated.

I would like to do this in the least expensive way.

TIA.

 

Least expensive ... just don't go with Rough Country products.

If you went 5100s, AC with a V6 would put you maybe a hair below level with OME 2883, maybe a hair above level with 2884 spring, once it settles out. If you went OME 2884 and you found the front was a bit higher, you could always add 1" of lift out back and get it right.

I suck with backspacing ad offsets and how that comes out. I'm not a wheel/tire guy, I have people for that. I couldn't tell you whether spacers are needed to avoid rub, etc. Honestly, dunno if anyone else here is good with that, since most people aren't putting 20s on their trucks.

Are these aftermarket 20" wheels, or OEM from a newer generation Toyota? Have you test-fitted on your truck? Are the tires on them yet? That'll tell you if you need to lift.

I'm dropping this here, only for reference, in case someone better at calculating offset and BS may find it helpful. The tire you want to run is a tad larger than . 33x12

 

This will be helpful to understand what size tires will work stock and lifted https://www.tundras.com/threads/largest-tire-you-can-run-stock-for-all-generations.9762/

and -44 offset is going to be a problem, as is a 12 inch wide wheel.

 

Thank you!

I have been reading all the threads on this site and I have decided to give my 2001 tundra a 4" lift . I just dont know what my best option would be......




I saw block 4" lift kits for about $200 Then i can get new leaf springs. I have seen them online about $200 each side . Then the Bilstein 5100 shocks with springs for front along with new shocks for rear .


Does this make sense? if you know a better cheaper option, please let me know

Thank You

 

I've never seen a 4" lift kit for $200. Are you talking about a body lift at 4"?

Lifting these trucks above 2.5" - 3" is going to leave you replacing several other suspension components. Pretty much forces you to get new upper control arms, extended links, high angle boots at minimum to avoid premature wear and actually be able to align right after. A lot of people choose to stay in the 2.5" lift range. A lot of Access Cab/Regular Cab owners who've bought 2.5" kits have ended up with 3"+ in actual lift to boot - our trucks are different from the Double Cab truck it seems most kits are geared toward.

Any reputable lift, just for shocks and struts alone, is going to put you in the ballpark of $600-800 if you re-use your stock springs, disassemble your old struts yourself, then reassemble the fronts. There's a variety of reputable options out there in that range. New upper control arms will cost you in the ballpark of $700-800 for a reputable brand, if you're teetering close to that 3"+ range you'll need 'em, but some folks will recommend on anything 2.5" and up. That puts you into $1,400-$1,600 alone.

I keep caning this "reputable brand" thing because there are tried-and-true solutions out there who members have used and had absolutely zero problems with. Then there are kits (like the cheap Rough Country kits) that people have bought and royally f'ed up their truck with.

Let us know where you're seeing that 4" block kit. Blocks and spacers are sometimes 'the only way', but generally viewed as unreliable hacks if there's another reasonable alternative. If you must use them, try to avoid aluminum if you can, it will fracture.

 

Hey Shifty,

Thanks for the response. I’m new to this and I don’t know too much on lifts and what struts are needed..

I will stick with your recommendations.There is a lot of info on this forum. Sometimes it’s overwhelming to try and put it all together

So help me out here….

I have the 2001 tundra v6 SR5. All original.

What do I need to get about 3” lift on my truck? It sits nice and level now and that’s how I would like it.

I am definitely trying to spend the least amount as possible.

I drive this truck about 10 miles a day Mon-Fri. That’s it.


BTW…the block lift kits that I saw were on Supreme suspension And they were 3” not 4” My mistake




I

 

I'm still confused on the block lifts, maybe that's just blocks to lift the rear? You normally use blocks on the rear only. Some use strut spacers in the front.
Either way, it's a hackish and not-exactly-great way to do the job. I'd put it right up there with guys torching their coils to lower their vehicle.

Will you be doing all the install work?

Are you 2WD or 4WD? I assume 2WD, but don't like making assumptions.

Has anyone lifted it in the past?

Also, if you measure from the center of your wheel, to the edge of your fender, on all four corners, what are the measurements?

​

 

Oh, and you mention yours "sits nice and level now", am I understanding that correctly?

Stock stance usually has the front about 1" - 1.75" lower in the front. Check out my pics, especially the ones shot from the front corners, and from the rear corners. From the front corners, it looks level. From the rear corners, the truth comes out - stock stance is definitely 'raked' (slanted) towards the front.

With 10 mile commute, I hope you're on short oil change intervals, every 10-12 months. Short trips like that is hell on an engine. You should see what my heads looked like after 50-60k miles of the previous owner doing the same.

 

Block lifts were for front and rear


I will install

Never lifted

You are correct.
Front is 21.5”. The rear is 23”
So def like it even




It’s a 4wd. I actually cannot move the shifter. Thought I was doing something wrong. It’s 4x4 shifter on floor…

 

Really nice and clean 06 btw. I wish I had those bumpers…I’m trying to figure out if I can remove just the chrome part of my bumpers and put painted black on.

 

Look at this stance change on an access cab V6 (but 2WD) from one of our just-at-driving-age members. Does this look about like the stance before/after you're hunting?

https://www.tundras.com/threads/a-kids-tundra.89748/#post-2414422

 

Just do 3M vinyl wrap. I can point you to instructions on how to apply it.

 

Oh, here's a pic of that same truck but with proper wheels and tires, after the suspension finally settled in:

https://tnstatic.net/attachments/tundra-pic-jpg.783538/

 

hey @Mhagha I have a v6 2WD. I started with the 2885 and it raised me up front way more than I expected and the ride was harsh. I dropped to 2884 springs and the ride is much better and I lifted the front about 2.5 inches over stock. If I had kept the stock rear suspension 2883 springs would be the way to go. I also lifted the rear an inch over stock so I have about .5 inch rake. You have 4WD so your truck is a couple hundred pounds more but maybe I helped you out a little. @shifty` posted the pictures from the build thread above.

 

Shifty.
Thanks please Send me link for the vinyl wrap

2006 Tundra AC.
Nice truck saw the pics done I appreciate all the info here really.

I keep going back and fourth And Im going to do about. 3” lift. Now from what ur telling me is to just get springs (the 2883 ). I need to do struts. My shocks are shot as well.

So what I’m looking for is for someone to possibly tell me. Get the billstein 5100 for front. That will give me about what I’m looking for and a good ride. And in the rear… what to do? Besides replacing shocks in rear. What do I need??

 

What you do out back depends on what you do up front.

If you're replacing your struts up front, 5100 will offer have OEM-quality longevity, Toyota used Bilsteins as a "Premium" upgrade, I guess you could say?

Say you paired that with ARB's OME 2885 spring. On your V6/4WD AC, you should get a solid 3" lift (maybe a little more) if Andrew is any example. But it may ride like shit, not because 5100, not because ARB 2885, but because of how high you're going without replacing other stuff. You will need to get new upper control arms to get in alignment, SPC is recommended. Out back, you could do the cheap/shit option and use blocks to get 2" lift. Better option is add-a-leaf (AAL). Best option would be going with a replacement/custom leaf spring like his Alcans to get the rear up, but picking the right one isn't always a no-brainer. You will need to get extended links, you should probably replace your CV boots with high-angle. If anything else suspension-wise is worn, you really should replace because it'll probably fail from the extra articulation (if doing lower ball joints, only use OEM, purchased from a legitimate source, not scAmazon). If you find driveline vibration, you may want to look into a diff drop kit.

Say you paired that with ARB's OME 2884 spring. You should get a solid 2.5" of lift (maybe a little more). Again, you'll probably want SPC uppers just to make it easier to get into alignment. You have the same shit/better/best options out back, but only need to go with something that'll give you 1"-1.5" lift. You should probably get extended links, just for good measure. If you have excess driveline vibration, you may want to look into a diff drop kit, but it hasn't been super common.

Based on what you're saying you want, I wouldn't go with an OME 2883 unless you had no intent to lift the rear, and only wanted 1.75" - 2" (ish) lift up front to tuck a little more tire meat.

All options using 5100 with lifted springs, you'll need to use the lowest notch on the 5100s. Anything above that 1st notch is not recommended and may cause damage.

Or, you could just ignore all this shit and go off on your own, buy those blocks, the ultra-cheapo-shit like Rough Country offers, or sub-part stuff with shit bushings like Rancho offers.

You could potentially save a couple hundred bucks if you re-used your stock springs, but you'll need to run the 5100s at a higher notch, and your ride gets progressively shittier as you go up in notches. Most guys here with OEM springs running 3rd notch are complaining about ride. On 4th notch, rattling teeth out. Really, it's better to run the lowest notch on the 5100s and use the springs for lift, practically. The extra few bucks for lifted springs is worth it.

Lotta text there.

Good vendor to buy from, like Andrew and others have used, is 1st Gen Offroad. You may also want to reach out to @memario1214 on a solution also. But generally speaking, if you assemble the struts yourself, you should be able to eek out your lift under $2k for everything you need.

Just know, this isn't about just "throwing some blocks on" and you've got a 3" lift. Body lift, maybe, but actual lift, naw.

Likewise, there are real, tangible consequences when you start getting over that 2.5" mark. Others like us with Access Cab trucks have seen it. This guy is a great example, another AC owner, who believed he was getting a 3" lift from ARB, and quickly found it may be 3" if he had a V8/4WD double cab, but not so much with an AC, he probably got 3.5" or more and was banging through every little bump.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/ome-3-1-kit-goes-full-extension-with-a-bang-too-fast-why.109151/

The last thing you want is to be that guy - you just spent $1k on a lift, and it either screws your shit up, and/or you're turning around and buying all new suspension. Do this wrong the first time, cheaply, you'll probably end up paying for it and not in a way you want.

Take it or leave it... that's about all I got. Others may want to chime in. Take this advice at your own risk, this is internet advice after all.

 

Oh, and here's the 3M vinyl wrap info/links: https://www.tundras.com/threads/1st-gen-lunch-table-general-discussion.60450/page-1278#post-2928199

 

Shifty,

Thanks man…. And yes a lot of info. Im taking my time going over everything and looking up anything I don’t understand. I am definitely more educated on the Tundra.

When I get this all figured out and done. I will be back on here to post update.


My Last question on the 4x4.(pic attached) My bro in law bought it certified in 05 then I took it off him.

I don’t think he ever used the 4x4. I thought I could just be tuff with the stick,But it will not budge!!!

(Seat covers are on because I refuse to get seats dirty. They are in like new condition)

 

Good Q. I'd recommend you post a new thread on it for visibility, people tend to judge a thread by the title. Make sure it's clear you have a V6 MT 4WD. 99% of the 4WD questions on here are for automatic trucks, and typically involve the truck's inability to automatically kick into gear, bad actuator, or similar. Not many have MT 4WD.

Toyota recommends putting, like, a dozen miles per month in 4WD just to keep things moving freely and lubed. If your bro never used it, something is probably just frozen up. First thing I'd check is the linkage, but ... pop in a new thread and see what comes out.

 

I will. But this is an Automatic

4x4 on floor. No buttons to engage.

 

Have you tried moving it in neutral as well? Does the stick move back just a little bit but no further or nothing at all?
Edit: Just saw the other thread I'll jump over to that one.

 

Do I just replace the upper control arms or do I have to buy high angle ones or extended.

 

If you got the money, or you're replacing OEM b/c it's worn out, or you're going 2"+ on your lift, may want upgraded units. If you're going 2.5" - 3" or more, you'll likely need them.

SPC makes great uppers. Beefy as hell, and they'll give you the extra room you need to get into alignment after your lift. Their ball joint is low-service, similar to OEM, and you can to clock it at different angles during install depending on how high you're going, offering maximum adjustment possibility.

There are a lot of uppers on the market. Just look carefully at the (A) the overall construction and (B) the type of ball joint it's using. If the joint isn't using a rubber boot for protections, or it's uniball, you're adding to your routine maintenance. If it it's using round tubing only, it should be pretty sturdy, but I'd be skeptical of anything that uses a mix of plate steel and round tubing, personally. (I'm paranoid).

 

What do u think about the freedom UCA?

 

They're similar in overall design to Camburg and Total Chaos, i.e. all-tube constructed, but ball joint is slightly diff't (I don't think FO has a uniball version for 1st Gen Tundras). I don't personally like the bushing design. I'm not a fan of the tubular arms in general, mostly because I'd prefer to see a triagular gusset bonding the balljoint sleeve to the tubular arms. I've seen two different people using KSP brand have the balljoint sleeve shear from the arm complete (KSP is truly a low-budget shit-quality brand to avoid), this would never happen with an extra $5 to weld a simple gusset bridging both tubular arms to the balljoint tube.

With Freedom specifically, there's complaints about their company on here, this thread was really fun too. Personally? I'd recommend and feel more confident with JBA arms than Freedom. I'd rather spend a little extra on something more beefy for peace of mind. Our community is split 50/50, as you'll see here.

Really, after digging into the nitty gritty on this while working on my setup, I'd break UCA for the 1st Gens out in a few categories:

1- Like-OEM UCA (i.e. not for lifting/no added geometry change)

• Almost any brand you'll find at auto parts stores

2- Tube-and-plate constructed UCA with sealed upper balljoint

• JBA

3- All-tube constructed UCA with uniball joint (extra joint maintenance req'd)

• Total Chaos
• Camburg
• KSP (avoid, premature failure issues)

NOTE: ICON sells a zerked Delta joint conversion kit for 1" balljoints that can be used with some of these arms, which negates added maintenance of a uniball - more info a couple replies below.

​

4- All-tube constructed UCA with sealed upper balljoint

• Freedom

5- Tube-and-cast constructed UCA

• SPC (Eibach sells SPC arms under Eibach branding, one of Mevotech's four offerings is an SPC rebrand too)

NOTE: There are probably other name brands out there today, and I'm happy to update this list if anyone passes over. The above is just what I looked into while working on my setup.

My opinion has changed substantially on this topic after a couple of years of 1st Gen experience, in a few ways.

One, I initially had reservations about JBA's design, I questioned how well the steel plate/tubular option JBA chose would actually stand up. It appears to my simple mind like a structural fail point at the farthest reach of the arm, where you want things to be extra beefy. My reality today is, I would 100% recommend the JBA UCA over any other brand for beefiness, offroad readiness, and low-maintenance, trouble-free design.

Two, I was initially unaware of the maintenance required for uniball joint options, and the annoyances some people report with regard to incessant squeaking if not maintained, and it's worse in dusty/salty areas which is probably why I hadn't heard about it. This added maintenance and sound may be more than some people bargained for, so I'd

Three, while I personally prefer (and use) the SPC arms, because I love the peace of mind having that beefy af cast section holding the balljoint, and I like the clock-ability of the greasable ball joint similar to OEM, which offers added dial-in, I can tell you, frustratedly, there's a huge practicality issue with all the added adjustability it offers. That issue is, simply, even in my big ass city, and the area surrounding it, with all the offroad shops I have at my disposal, I've only been able to find one shop who actually understands how to utilize the slotted/clockable balljoint slot. There are also very high torque specs on the UBJ's top nut, and if not torqued enough, while on the ground, there are big risks, so if a shop does touch yours, make sure you double-check the UBJ is sitting properly in the slot AND the top nut is torqued to 150ftlb after every alignment.

Nutshell: If you're NOT (A) planning to go with some crazy wheel/tire combos, mid-travel, long-travel, or other high-end AND/OR (B) you don't have the ability to align yourself, AND/OR (C) understand or care to learn how to use the clocking/slot functionality the SPC upper arm offers, there is NO PRACTICAL REASON to spend the extra money on the SPC/Eibach UCA, just buy the JBA option. While the SPC is killer, and it feels like OEM+ in your hands, and offers a wide variety of adjustability, it's totally overkill for 95%+ of 1st Gen owners I've talked to. Given the part price has nearly doubled since initial launch, even knowing you can get them in an Eibach box for 30%-50% less $$ than buying them in an SPC box, I would generally avoid them unless you have a really good reason, JBA is the better bulletproof, no-nonsense, fire-and-forget option. If you do choose to go with SPC, during install, I'd probably advise you to clock the UBJ to "C" instead of "D" (they recommend "D" for OEM spec), and be sure the UBJ is sitting in thecenter of the slot when you tighten it all down. It'll give you a little more upper caster, and when you have your vehicle aligned to Assassin's recommended alignment numbers from the megathread sticky, you should be in a great spot with the wheel sitting forward enough to not grab the pinch weld or mud flap, but also not too far far forward you'd grab the bumper. (This is all dependent on your wheel backspacing and tire choice, of course!)

Also probably important to mention, the Total Chaos arms are not compatible with Tuff Country lift kits, per their own disclosure. There aren't a ton of other incompatibility things to warn you about. There are plenty of "known good" paths to take with suspension on your 1st gen. If you need help vetting your preferred config, don't hesitate to start a new thread, including your year+cab type in the subject.

 

I’ve got the total chaos arms on my tundra and my wife’s sequoia both. Have zero complaints with them. @shifty` is right about the added maintenance they tend to get noisey when there dirty. They’re not bad to maintain though: wash with warm soapy water, and spray with dry ptfe lube. Eventually mine will be converted to icon’s delta joint, but that’s a whole another deal we won’t get into.

that being said, I think the SPC’s are great option for our trucks. They were on my short list. They adjustability they give is unmatched. Especially if your gonna be running aftermarket wheels and bigger tire sizes

 

Thank you

 

RE: Delta joint, if this is the first anyone is hearing of it, more info here.

I got the distinct impression Icon fixed their leaky-body issues, I haven't seen complaints hitting the internet in the last year (or two?), but I don't have eyes everywhere. Other guys on here like @FirstGenVol are running the Icon kit (w/o any probs)

 

Shifty- what kind of fender flares are those on the gold truck? Do you know if they cover the holes from the factory flares?

 

They look like unpainted OEM or possibly plastidip'd OEM. You'd need to ask @2006 Tundra AC, it's his truck.

If you just need to fill the holes after pulling your flares, if the flares aren't glued (see note below), you can plug them with plastic trim fasteners like pictured below, the heads can be sanded, prepped, and painted to match.

Note: If you buy a double cab as you were looking for, their fender flares are different than access cab/regular cab trucks. They're taller and flatter. Some DC use glue-on flares, especially regional packaged trucks like the (definitely) X-SP and (potentially) one-off editions like the Waltrip and Yamaha trucks.