Help!! Spindle lift question

2009 prerunner (2 wheel drive)
Installed add a leaf in rear. Mechanic installed 2 inch spacers on front today to level. Problem is he says b/c of the A arm he can NOT align tires now (removed the spacers) and Suggested a spindle lift.’
Questions:
1. What spindles do you recommend to get 2inches in the front
2. I have bill stein shocks - if the spindle is labeled 4 inches, can i reduce the lift with the adjustments on the bilsteins? (To get level or slight rake w/front just a bit lower than back)??

If there are other options, please suggest. Right now my front is way lower than back.

Thanks in advance.
Mg

 

4” spindles will give you 4” of lift in the front. There is no way to reduce that. They increase track width also so that needs to be taken into consideration too. With just 2” of lift in the front your mechanic should have been able to get the alignment done correctly. Usually 2”’doesn’t cause that much issue( not to say that it couldn’t) but many have gone 2” with no issues. Which bilsteins are you running in the front?

 

Bilstein 5100

they were maxed out to get it level with stock rear. Not sure what’s going on.

 

Pro tip.

Call Marie @HeadStrong Off-Road and go from there.

 

So you had maxed out 5100 and a spacer on top of that?

 

This ^.

 

i bought the truck and assume it had stock shocks on front. it had a noticeable rake so as part of the purchase i had the shop put bilsteins on it to level. it was level (or very close) with the bilsteins in the highest setting. I had the add a leaf on rear and intended to add the spacers to front - that's when things didn't work out. Can spacers NOT go on top of bilsteins???
also the people at Head strong offroad are out til aug 17!! i'm looking for options !!!! thanks for your replies.
matt

 

mechanic said the A arm (??) wouldn't allow proper alignment. Am wondering if different shocks would overcome this but i'm doubting it. i don't want 4 inches higher in front. Totally lost on what to do.

 

IMHO 5100 notches above 0 are a substitute for using the right spring to meet your objective.

On your prerunner a spindle lift is the clean method, and you can still use the 5100s.

But the burning Q is do you need lift at all?

Seems removing the AAL and taking the 5100s down to 0 notch would have you bsck to stock. Then you can learn how to proceed after deciding if you really need lift.

 

"NEED" - for sure i don't. this is for aesthetics 100%. Yes - if i remove the add a leaf, i'm back to level. Just always wanted to do a lift and this was planned to be it. I've pulled up a couple of webistes (rough country et) and think i'm going to see if i can call and get some advice. I like the spindle idea but don't really want 4 full inches.

 

just got off the phone with a tech- Tells me a new set of upper control arms is the fix. gonna check a couple more places but am hopeful this is the case.

 

How much total lift are you wanting?

 

two more inches in the front. Back went up about 3" with the extra spring. i need 2" in the front to get back reasonable. ideas???

 

If your wanting it level. And I see it’s a Prerunner. Set the front bilsteins to 2” and remove the aal and put a 1” block in the rear and call it day. Trying to get 4” in the front w/o using a spindle is a bad idea.

 

Before adding a leaf, with front bilstiens at the highest setting, the truck was level. if i take the leaf out, it goes back level without a block and the back is stock (front is lifted a bit with bilsteins). I don't want 4inches lift in the front - 3" at Most. i just talked with toytec technician. He suggested a set of upper control arms, add the spacers, drop the bilsteins a notch. The new arms will then allow proper alignment. he's the second tech from different company today to suggest this approach. Does that sound reasonable?

 

Do you want the truck level when it all said and done? Most of theses trucks done have more than an 1”’of rake. So if you do 2”‘in front and nothing in the rear you should be level and and really good alignment guy should have no issues getting the front into specs. Or if you want 3” in front I’d get toytec 3” coilovers preassembled and 2” block in the rear that’s what I have. But with 3” you will need the ucas in front.

 

Anything over 2", maybe 2.5" needs adjustable UCAs to align properly.

If not going spindle, I'd still select a front spring that created the lift wanted and put the 5100's on 0

I also suspect you'll find the AAL to create a harsher ride than an appropriate sized block in the rear would, especially with an unladen bed.