Mall Crawlers Stand Up! - I'll be the lightening rod for the hate, but please, also some advice.

[Thew_Tang_Clan]

I will take all the heat you want to throw, but if you could wrap it around some constructive advice, that'd be great.

The Facts:
-I have a stock 2025 TRD Sport long bed.
-I am a 46 yr old Accountant in NJ and this is my daily driver/kid hauler/random home depot runner/friend mover/Football tailgate HQ.
-I will spend 95% of my "off-roading" experiences in muddy fire trails in the Pine Barrens and on dirt roads in the Adirondacks. I do have a place to go to in Flagstaff Arizona, but do not have any of the skills required to actually rock crawl - so at most the most basic of trails out there.

The Wants:
- I would like it to be moderately lifted, OBVIOUSLY - the look is paramount here. I don't want it to be massive and I don't want 5 inches of tire to extend beyond the sides. I am not trying to impress a bunch of people - I just want it to sit a little higher and look a little more aggressive.
- Going back to wife/kids/college....I can not substantiate spending $5k just so I can get to Whole Foods drama free in the snow.

The Asks:
- Spacer lift? - I have read enough to know that people absolutely hate them. I can take a hit on ride quality, its a truck not a Cadillac, but I am more concerned that I am going to destroy this truck with them at any point over the next 5+ years. Outside of your personal feelings about them and me, at this point. Are they safe, are there vendors I should be looking at?
- I have seen mentions of Bilstein 5100's - I can not figure out if this is in addition to or instead of spacers/coils..etc. Also, do they even have them for '25s?
- 33s vs 35s - I really like the stock TRD rims, I am confused at why people sh*t on them Is it just b/c they are stock? Do 35s even fit on them? Is the difference in 33s vs 35s even worth moving up? Are there good looking 33s that anybody really likes out there?

So, yes, your assumptions are correct. I want it to look dope as hell, but I am not going to effectively use it for true off roading purposes. You can start each reply off with "here you go Nancy" or "Feel free to pass this around to your other Dance Mom groups" - I tried to search this forum for the answers, but its difficult to nail the exact word string, so I am hoping some of you will take some grace on me and type out what I am sure has been relayed 100x in 50 different threads. So perhaps this can be an all encompassing post for the next guy who lurks for the same information summed up, but can't find it.

Thank you for reading this far.

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[max911]

Sounds like my Phase 1.
Just wanted the truck to look a little "tougher".
-Wescott spacer lift front and rear
-17 inch TRD wheels with Spidertrax 1 inch spacers
-Toyo AT3 285/70/17
-front spoiler delete

 

[bsquaredMTB]

I'm a little less of a mall crawler than you in that I like to get out on the dirt a bit more but I get where you are coming from. I want mostly the same stuff you mentioned. I did get 285/70/r17 Nitto Terra Grappler G3s. I was looking at a bunch of different options but ended up going with a tire that was sold in standard load (SL) vs moving up to C or E rating. For me, I'm not off-road enough to need the extra protection on the tires. Mileage went from 19ish to 18.25 (mathematically calculated between fill-ups) so it wasn't a big hit and they give me plenty of height to get around most things I need to when I'm on the dirt. They are not true 33s but I've found them to be plenty of a lift for most weekend trips.

 

[Sagebrush]

Mall crawling?

Don't take my response too seriously. Enjoy your truck.

 

[Thew_Tang_Clan]

Sounds like my Phase 1.
Just wanted the truck to look a little "tougher".
-Wescott spacer lift front and rear
-17 inch TRD wheels with Spidertrax 1 inch spacers
-Toyo AT3 285/70/17
-front spoiler delete

Yes, this is perfect. Thank you very much.

The lift spacers haven't damaged your truck at all? Everything was ok during the time you had them in?

 

[Yotota]

Alright, I am going to try really hard not to dive into a full technical rant......

Lift is either achieved by a stiffer spring, more preload on the spring, or lengthening the spring assembly (assuming that all other suspension parts remain unchanged).

A top spacer lengthens the spring/shock assembly.

A preload spacer adds preload to the spring.

A Bilstein 5100/6112 is a longer spring/shock assembly, AND adds preload to the spring with the adjustable perch.

None of those options are "bad" when done in moderation.


As for larger tire size, there are tradeoffs between the following:

Cool looks and offroad capabilities
VS
Tire weight, fuel economy, acceleration and braking performance, handling, wear on the truck, engine/transmission temps, fender/suspension clearance, and more

I would recommend going with the smallest option to get the desired outcome that you want. "33s" (AKA metric sized tires that have an OD close to 33") are pushing it in my opinion for the stock differential gear ratios in these trucks. Every model AT or MT tire on the market will have sizes around 33" tall.

 

[Thew_Tang_Clan]

Alright, I am going to try really hard not to dive into a full technical rant......

Lift is either achieved by a stiffer spring, more preload on the spring, or lengthening the spring assembly (assuming that all other suspension parts remain unchanged).

A top spacer lengthens the spring/shock assembly.

A preload spacer adds preload to the spring.

A Bilstein 5100/6112 is a longer spring/shock assembly, AND adds preload to the spring with the adjustable perch.

None of those options are "bad" when done in moderation.


As for larger tire size, there are tradeoffs between the following:

Cool looks and offroad capabilities
VS
Tire weight, fuel economy, acceleration and braking performance, handling, wear on the truck, engine/transmission temps, fender/suspension clearance, and more

I would recommend going with the smallest option to get the desired outcome that you want. "33s" (AKA metric sized tires that have an OD close to 33") are pushing it in my opinion for the stock differential gear ratios in these trucks. Every model AT or MT tire on the market will have sizes around 33" tall.

Thank you for the breakdown. I can see where the limitations are and how the other components would be affected (control arm, bump stop etc).

Not wanting to be cheap about it and I have a low risk tolerance for really harming the truck. Is an adjustable strut (Rough Country M1 ) able to be a standalone option or is that just a necessary component of a larger group of things I would need. I see those for 600-800 and thats within my appetite, assuming I need new shocks for the back and new 33s for the tires.

Again, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

 

[max911]

Sorry, I might have the terminology wrong. The Wescott is a preload collar lift.
No issues so far. It is a little stiffer on expansion cracks, etc.
Not adding heavy wheels and tires helps, I'm sure.
As for longevity, you would want to hear from someone who puts their trucks through more of a workout than i do.
I am waiting and watching as new suspension options come about. Including the Toyota TRD lift.
But for my purposes, the Westcott lift is doing fine for now.
I installed them knowing it would probably be somewhat short term.

I went with my particular 17 inch Toyo AT3s for a few reasons. One is that they are only 47 lbs (per Tire Rack specs). They are 32.8 inches diameter. Which is only a little more than the 18" Wildpeaks that came on my OR Hybrid. The extra torque from the electric motor off of the line makes a few extra pounds transparent.

Good luck!

 

[bigd9247]

I mostly use my truck to commute and the occasional forest service road. I saw another member use the term "softroading" and I think that perfectly describes my use case.

With that said, I did no lift and installed 285/70R17 tires (33" tires) on Icon wheels. Everything clears without issue and saved the costs of a lift kit and any potential negatives that come with some of the lifts.

 

[Yotota]

Thank you for the breakdown. I can see where the limitations are and how the other components would be affected (control arm, bump stop etc).

Not wanting to be cheap about it and I have a low risk tolerance for really harming the truck. Is an adjustable strut (Rough Country M1 ) able to be a standalone option or is that just a necessary component of a larger group of things I would need. I see those for 600-800 and thats within my appetite, assuming I need new shocks for the back and new 33s for the tires.

Again, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

No worries, you're asking the right questions and going into this with a good mindset.

Do you like the way the suspension feels now? If so, keep the stock shocks. They are actually pretty good and comparable to basic aftermarket shocks. Then either add a preload spacer (will make the front springs feel stiffer) or a top spacer (suspension will feel exactly the same as stock).

If you want better shocks, get better shocks. The sky's the limit. I have no experience with RC shocks, but these days they seem to be on par with other equivalent priced shocks. You get what you pay for.

With either spacer, or lift shocks, keep the total front lift to 1.5" or less to reduce the operating angles of the stock suspension components and CV axles. If you go much more than that I would start to recommend Upper Control Arms (UCAs) and other parts.

 

[Pappy]

Mall crawling?

Don't take my response too seriously. Enjoy your truck.

Ditto. This is my mall.

 

[Sagebrush]

This is my mall.

Xactly.

 

[Pappy]

Xactly.

Love my Cook Partner/Partner Steel stove! I have a one burner that fits my life perfectly. I also have a 2 burner, but I never pack/use it.

 

[Duck Amuck]

I know very little about the mechanics of lift kits, but I do know a little bit about tires. For the purposes of looking tough, stick to something in the ~33" range. They can be added without any modification to your truck needed, will give you the look you want, and will add a fair bit of capability at the same time.

35" tires will likely require some minor modifications, are more expensive, and will likely be significantly heavier meaning worse gas mileage and more wear and tear on your truck. I've seen some owners on 35"s say they can't even drive normally without the transmission heating up. IMO not worth the tradeoffs unless you're really going to use the capability they provide.

 

[Sagebrush]

Love my Cook Partner/Partner Steel stove!

For damn sure.

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