Tundra level kit

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RN89

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So I posted a while back about possibly getting rid of my Tundra and replace with a Charger..Well after driving a Charger (and not being overly impressed with interior quality) and listening to my financially savvy wife
smile.gif
I have decided to keep my truck. I don't have that much longer before it's paid for and at this point it only has 16k miles.

So, now I'm here at this point. What do you guys think about leveling kits? My Tundra, I believe, sits about 2.4 inches lower in the front. A buddy of mine just installed the block type leveling kit on his Tacoma and it looks pretty sweet. Wanting to do the same for my Tundra but have read about a few problems people have had with their trucks after installation. Namely, the extra 2.4 inches throwing off the "yaw" (?) sensors and causing problems with the VSC/trac control systems. On a Tundra forum, most of the posts regarding this problem were 07-10 Tundras, mine is a 2014.

Does anyone have any more info on this or can you recommend me any different way to level out my truck? To be honest, its just for looks. Not much off road use either. Thanks in advance.
 
2014 paid off.. Lucky.. You have two nice rides. My advice save your money.. Take a trip or invest more for retirement. I wouldnt mess with it.. It might lead to lots of wasted money..
 
Would a 2.5" body lift do it for you?
I like to leave the back end higher than the front so the truck is level loaded.
Also, true ground clearance is determined by the tire OD.
Suspension lifts, beyond a couple of inches, raises the CG, an undesirable side effect.
If you are stuck with 16 or 17 inch wheels, try 255/85/16 or 255/80/17 Cooper Maxx 3-ply, 10X33.
 
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Originally Posted By: userfriendly
I like to leave the back end higher than the front so the truck is level loaded.


+1
 
Keep it stock. Raising the front end will cause alignment issues that will cost money, tires, & changes in stability if done incorrectly. Put the money into a ROTH IRA.
 
Here is my two cents, feel free to use all of it, some of it or none of it...

To begin...congrats on paying off your truck in less then two years. I too take the same approach, all but one of my rigs is paid off.

I own a 2016 4Runner and the rake on this vehicle is similar to the Tundra, 2 inches lower in the front then the rear. To be honest, it looks bad but if you don't mind then who cares right. I couldn't handle it personally so I did a lot of research before I made any change to my suspension. I replaced the factory coil/shock with a replacement made by King Shocks out of Garden Grove, CA. The shocks shipped from King gave me 2" of leveling lift right out of the box. Were they costly - yes. Where they worth it - yes. I do a lot of fishing, shooting, dirt road driving, hill climbing and they were worth the investment for me. The recommendations above with Bilstein are a great recommendation, that combo is well reviewed on the 4Runner forums.

In respect to alignment, with a 2" lift I realized no difference in alignment, my cousin owns the tire shop and he printed out my alignment paperwork when it was complete and it was the same as factory. All in all, I would do it all over again. Good luck!
 
I put a 2" leveling kit on my Silverado. Took about 10 minutes per side, and looks great. I also added helper springs to the rear to keep it level when it is loaded. Be sure to get an alignment!

I don't know what the front suspension on your truck looks like, but for the Silverado, its as easy as placing a spacer block between the bottom of the strut and the lower control arm. Seriously two bolts, and it couldn't be simpler.
 
I've done a couple mild lifts myself and with friends and lift re-do's and whatnot over time. Every time you do a lift, something changes. The more the lift, the more the change. Some work out better than others.

IMO, a leveling lift on a truck looks good but I *hate* them when carrying a load or towing because driving dynamics stink when the nose is pointed at the sky. If you ever intend to tow or use the bed, don't level it all the way out.

I have bilstein 5100s on my 06. They allow 5 different levels from stock to 2" or so. I think I put mine on the 3rd position, which is the middle setting. The bed still stays higher unloaded and to me is a decent compromise, but even that compromises towing. Given the choice again, I would do less or none. That's just my opinion. It's about an inch, probably just under.

Every vehicle I've researched front lifts for that use R&P steering has cases of premature steering BJ failures. Unibody Jeeps, Trucks, now using R&P start seeing posts about steering issues or failures after 60-80k miles due to the extreme angles involved when the suspension droops in addition to the lift. It can also cause tire scrubbing in sharp turns (against the pavement, not the frame). I would strongly suggest NOT going a full 2"

In my case with less than 1" of lift in the front, there are no noticeable changes in driving on a daily basis. I only get annoyed with it when towing or carrying a heavy load. So at least in my case, going to 5100s and keeping it mild has been ok for street use.

Frankly, though, I wouldn't do it again. Too many "bro trucks" out there and I'd rather not be confused for one. If you've got something as new as a 2014, especially if you'd have to pay someone to do it, I wouldn't touch it. It's not worth it. Consider it at 100k (yota shocks last a long time easily) when the shocks are done. Put the extra money towards the payments to finish the debt and then save for something else, like higher fuel costs in 2 years. If I sound two-faced, it's because I've done it, but knowing what I do now, I would have been happier long term just leaving it alone. I'm glad I stayed mild, otherwise I would personally remove it.

Oh - this is something you will notice. I lost 1 mpg for my front mild lift. I lifted my jeep GC 2" when I had that and lost 2 mpg, before adding tires. I was VERY happy I hadn't gone any higher with the tundra when gas prices were high. I 'wheeled the jeep and the lift was left fashion and more active hobby at that time. I had no regrets there.

Sorry if I sound negative. I totally get wrenching and "making it your own." I guess I've sort of grown past the truck-fashion movement personally and seen where form was hurt by fashion.

Whatever you choose, I will strongly suggest staying mild.

-m
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: RN89
...
Does anyone have any more info on this or can you recommend me any different way to level out my truck? To be honest, its just for looks. Not much off road use either. Thanks in advance.


If you don't go off road much, but want the truck level I would lower the back and install air bags for towing and hauling. Done correctly the day-to-day handling will be better (less tail happy), the fuel economy won't take a hit and the front suspension works as designed except for a small change in roll-couple which you're not likely to notice.
 
Originally Posted By: meep
I've done a couple mild lifts myself and with friends and lift re-do's and whatnot over time. Every time you do a lift, something changes. The more the lift, the more the change. Some work out better than others.

IMO, a leveling lift on a truck looks good but I *hate* them when carrying a load or towing because driving dynamics stink when the nose is pointed at the sky. If you ever intend to tow or use the bed, don't level it all the way out.

I have bilstein 5100s on my 06. They allow 5 different levels from stock to 2" or so. I think I put mine on the 3rd position, which is the middle setting. The bed still stays higher unloaded and to me is a decent compromise, but even that compromises towing. Given the choice again, I would do less or none. That's just my opinion. It's about an inch, probably just under.

Every vehicle I've researched front lifts for that use R&P steering has cases of premature steering BJ failures. Unibody Jeeps, Trucks, now using R&P start seeing posts about steering issues or failures after 60-80k miles due to the extreme angles involved when the suspension droops in addition to the lift. It can also cause tire scrubbing in sharp turns (against the pavement, not the frame). I would strongly suggest NOT going a full 2"

In my case with less than 1" of lift in the front, there are no noticeable changes in driving on a daily basis. I only get annoyed with it when towing or carrying a heavy load. So at least in my case, going to 5100s and keeping it mild has been ok for street use.

Frankly, though, I wouldn't do it again. Too many "bro trucks" out there and I'd rather not be confused for one. If you've got something as new as a 2014, especially if you'd have to pay someone to do it, I wouldn't touch it. It's not worth it. Consider it at 100k (yota shocks last a long time easily) when the shocks are done. Put the extra money towards the payments to finish the debt and then save for something else, like higher fuel costs in 2 years. If I sound two-faced, it's because I've done it, but knowing what I do now, I would have been happier long term just leaving it alone. I'm glad I stayed mild, otherwise I would personally remove it.

Oh - this is something you will notice. I lost 1 mpg for my front mild lift. I lifted my jeep GC 2" when I had that and lost 2 mpg, before adding tires. I was VERY happy I hadn't gone any higher with the tundra when gas prices were high. I 'wheeled the jeep and the lift was left fashion and more active hobby at that time. I had no regrets there.

Sorry if I sound negative. I totally get wrenching and "making it your own." I guess I've sort of grown past the truck-fashion movement personally and seen where form was hurt by fashion.

Whatever you choose, I will strongly suggest staying mild.

-m


Thanks for all the responses and recommendations. This post here has validated the issues that I was concerned with. I've read on Tundra forums of all the problems or potential problems that people are having, and as Meep said, it may not be worth it. Id hate to mess something up on my truck. It's pretty nice as is, so maybe I should just leave well enough alone. Plus, my wife will be happier lol I plan to keep this truck for a while. Thanks again. Always great resources here!
 
Yup the downside of leveling the front end is the massive rear sag when carrying a heavy load. My 01 Tundra as an aggressive rake to combat that until I installed Bilstein 5100 leveling struts on the 3rd position so it looks level when unloaded.

When loaded with 1/2yd of sand/gravel mix. The front lifts up slightly as the rear rests on the bumpstops. Cali lean yo!

2tAW9fV.jpg
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Would a 2.5" body lift do it for you?
I like to leave the back end higher than the front so the truck is level loaded.
Also, true ground clearance is determined by the tire OD.
Suspension lifts, beyond a couple of inches, raises the CG, an undesirable side effect.
If you are stuck with 16 or 17 inch wheels, try 255/85/16 or 255/80/17 Cooper Maxx 3-ply, 10X33.
This. Plus Toyotas are really nice.
 
I'm not sure how the Toyota front suspension is set up, but I've found the best way to raise or lower the front end is with a spindle kit. It's a little more work than spacers, but your spring travel is the same as well as your steering geometry. The only thing that changes is the height if the spindle itself.

Edit: I'm assuming you're 2WD.
 
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I tried a leveling kit on a tundra and didn't like the look - it looked like the bed had 1,000 pounds in it all the time, and when towing it looked and handled funny. I ended up getting a lift kit for the front and an add-a-leaf for the rear. Then I put 12.5x33's on it and called it a day.
 
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