Lifted truck handling

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Hi everyone, I didn't know where to post this so I will try here.

I bought this truck over a year ago with 237k Miles on her. It is a 4x4 toyota t100 that is NOT stock, I got her rust free for 3800$. I have done quite a bit of maintenance on her so that the engine, transmission 4x4, cooling system are all running perfectly. Now that is done I want to address the handling.

Apparently this has a lift kit installed professionally (a supreme suspension brand) I believe 3" in front 2 in rear. Also a steering stabilizer as well installed with all new shocks and everything else that is supposed to be installed with a lift.

When I bought it, it had 33"s on and I changed them out to slightly less wide 32's. I don't recall the handling being good at all before I changed it out, if anything it might have gotten a bit better. But it is still scary driving this thing fast at all on the freeway. I like to go 55 in it and that seems fine to me but any faster and it seems dangerous. I see trucks lifted well beyond mine passing me at 80mph all the time and it makes me wonder what I can do so that my truck can handle at least the speed limit. Also the truck has spacers for a wider stance, bought the truck that way but I do happen to like it.

So, what can I look at to fix this? I am willing to invest maybe up to 1k$ so that is can be safe and I am willing to lower it slightly but I would prefer to have a mild lift. Please give me suggestions!

I am not the guy in the first image.


 
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Start with a professional alignment by a competent off road shop. You'd be amazed how awful alignment in these things usually is due to ignorance of proper methods.

They will also tell you if any of your joints are loose or worn out; another major culprit.

It being a big name lift means nothing. The big names make as much, if not more garbage than the little guys. Many times either the "budget version" does not have the proper capabilities or does not include enough to function properly.

When I did a 3" lift on my Jeep GC, I found that 99% of the ways to lift this truck were just wrong, and ultimately built a system a la carte that works fantastically. I have 32's, and 100-110 is nothing for my truck.
 
Thank you for the replies. There is a lot of steering slop and body roll around corners. Other than that it could just be phycological and I am just scared to drive too fast :p

I will look into a off-road shop and see what they can do for me. I am just scared of a big repair bill.
 
You are going to get more body roll with a lifted vehicle obviously because you are raising it's center of gravity. That's just how it is with all lifts. There are remedies like thicker anti-sway bars etc. But then they limit your suspension travel unless you disconnect the links. I don't know if if T100s have an anti-sway bar in the rear though.

+1 on taking it to an off-road shop for alignment. Steering slop doesn't sound safe. You'll definitely want them to have a look at that. Maybe your steering box (rack n pinion don't know what you have) needs to be replaced.

Couldn't agree more with DoubleWasp. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say they fixed a death wobble issue by adding a dual steering stabilizer kit to their vehicle. I immediately decline ever riding in their vehicles.

What lift do you have? There are many cheap ways to lift a truck. Wondering if you have 2" leaf shackles all around and 1" lifted torsion keys in the front.

Edit: Pay attention to your wheel assembly. With spacers or equivalent offset wheels they put more stress.
 
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I have no idea what kind of lift there is in it and I am not very familiar with suspensions. I do all my own work on engines though.

It has a independent front suspension. So no steering box.
 
Besides terrible handling produced by lift kits on high lift trucks and SUVs please pay attention to the severe under-powered brake system that results from replacing normal OEM wheels and tires with huge heavy wheels and tires (massively higher inertial mass) that go with the big lift "look". A yea in case anyone has any doubts, most folks think the giant truck guys are seriously over compensating : )
 
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Originally Posted By: TheKracken
I have no idea what kind of lift there is in it and I am not very familiar with suspensions. I do all my own work on engines though.

It has a independent front suspension. So no steering box.



I'm not familiar with the T100 but the "truck" from the late 80s up until Tacoma started had IFS and a steering box. It was a torsion bar setup pretty similar , steering wise, to what GM,Ford had been using on trucks for a while.

If is has rack and pinion steering you may need some sort of high angle or beefed up tierod ends.

When I put 31s on my Cherokee with a minor lift, I was killing the factory tierod almost every offroad trip.
 
I know for sure that it doesn't have a steering box, when looking it up at first that is what I thought and went to tighten it up and then after more research it doesn't even have one. It has rack and pinion steering.

Does anyone have any idea on the cost for a beefed up tie rods or high angle. Do you think my budget of 1k to fix some things up is reasonable?
 
How much offroading do you do? Do you need lots of flex to get back rough trails or is on road driving more important? Have you had it to a trusted indie mechanic to check out your suspension/steering for wear? Could be as simple as something worn, with 240k it happens. Your lift/tires aren't that extreme that it would just drive like [censored]. Maybe it's missing the front anti-sway bar? Find out if anything's worn out before you start throwing parts at it.
 
I was doing a bit off roading. But now that we have a baby due any day now we just don't go anymore and Id rather use the truck as a truck than a expensive off road fun machine.
 
Originally Posted By: TheKracken
I know for sure that it doesn't have a steering box, when looking it up at first that is what I thought and went to tighten it up and then after more research it doesn't even have one. It has rack and pinion steering.

Does anyone have any idea on the cost for a beefed up tie rods or high angle. Do you think my budget of 1k to fix some things up is reasonable?



Post some pictures of your steering and suspension.

A 4wd T-100 should have a steering gear box, and associated parts.

A competent shop should be able to identify any worn parts, and check/adjust the alignment.
 
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How much air in the tires? It looks like you've got 20" wheels and low aspect tires. They should handle fine onroad, a bit harsh maybe.

Nice looking truck BTW. Always thought it interesting how much bed is behind the rear wheels on T100s, like they tried to keep the wheelbase short but wanted the bed length too.
 
Get under it with a pry bar and check the suspension&steering for play. Replace worn parts.

Alignment will help, but also pull the spacers out they make a difference too
 
Suggest checking the legality of the tires sticking out beyond the fenders. The tires will put up big rooster tails in the rain if outside the fenders and may toss debris at following motorists. In Pennsylvania, a fix citation may be issued.
 
Your tire choices are just like mine!
laugh.gif


Duratracs on the Jeep and KO2's on the truck. Both are excellent.

(Although it looks like you had the KO's.. no sidewall tread.)
 
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Originally Posted By: TheKracken
I have no idea what kind of lift there is in it and I am not very familiar with suspensions. I do all my own work on engines though.

It has a independent front suspension. So no steering box.



Can you take some photos of your setup for us? Particularly where the leafts meet the back of the frame and whatever else is going on up front?
 
Originally Posted By: 02SE
That confirms you don't have rack & pinion steering.


Haha, okay so what do I have then? I really don't know much about suspension and such. I just do lots of general engine and transmission maintenance. First time owning a truck
 
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