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I will pikely be installing it myself next weekend. I have never seen a lift itself make an appreciable difference in MPG--the difference in tire exposure isn't that huge, and at 9" of ground clearance, it wasn't like it was hugging the road anyways. Usually, roof baskets and bigger / more aggressive tires make the most difference, followed by baja-style front bumpers.
Thanks for being our test case guinea pig. Please publish pics when done!
 
Yeah, I got a surprising quote as well. Ive read through the install guide a couple times, and having already pulled one of the rear coils, it really just doesnt seem that hard. Even Readylift estimates only 3 hours to install, which should easily be doable in a professional shop. Thus, the price should be about $300+ the alignment (usually $70-100), so maybe 400-450 seems a lot more reasonable. I was quoted something like 540 which, perhaps if they go with the 3.5-hour time (Readylift does say "3 +/- .5 hours"), and maybe charge more like $120/hr for their shop time, it gets closer. But geez!

For reference, the lift pucks in my wife's 5th gen 4Runner were done for $200 + $70 to align the front. It was too good a deal to pass up, heh.
 
Yeah, I got a surprising quote as well. Ive read through the install guide a couple times, and having already pulled one of the rear coils, it really just doesnt seem that hard. Even Readylift estimates only 3 hours to install, which should easily be doable in a professional shop. Thus, the price should be about $300+ the alignment (usually $70-100), so maybe 400-450 seems a lot more reasonable. I was quoted something like 540 which, perhaps if they go with the 3.5-hour time (Readylift does say "3 +/- .5 hours"), and maybe charge more like $120/hr for their shop time, it gets closer. But geez!

For reference, the lift pucks in my wife's 5th gen 4Runner were done for $200 + $70 to align the front. It was too good a deal to pass up, heh.


The $640 quote was from 4wheelparts, so I'm sure it's cheaper at other non-chain/franchise places. However, I've had bad experiences in the past trusting no name places with modding my previous vehicle... And reading some Yelp reviews from local places makes me want to stay away from such places even more. I wish I had the tools, time, and know-how to do this myself..
 
The $640 quote was from 4wheelparts, so I'm sure it's cheaper at other non-chain/franchise places. However, I've had bad experiences in the past trusting no name places with modding my previous vehicle... And reading some Yelp reviews from local places makes me want to stay away from such places even more. I wish I had the tools, time, and know-how to do this myself..
Hah, my quote was also from 4WP. It does makes sense that labor would cost more in LA than in Oklahoma City, though.

In any case, yeah I honestly would probably prefer not to do it myself--crawling around on concrete is getting old (again), lol. Part of the reason I am doing it myself, however, is because I dont think most shops would install the full readylift kit PLUS additional lift spacers on the rear coils. Also, if they don't fit, I want to be able to take specific measurements of the offending areas and maybe massage them to fit, if I can. So, if nothing else I might do the rear only and then take it somewhere for the front.

In any case, new wheels and tires are going on today, and the lift hopefully before the end of the weekend!
 
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I posted this in response to the question on the big "Mods" thread, but remembered ghis thread and wanted to duplicate in case somebody found it searching and wanted the ingo.

I spent 6 hours doing it by myself, on the ground, using the factory jack for everything. At least an hour of that was painting the wheels and spacers (these narrow wheels only came in silver, or Id have ordered black), and at least an hour or more of that was messing with the additional fourth-gen coil spacers I added on to the rear coils. I call complete BS that any professional offroad shop would take more than 2 hours to install it. Hell, I genuinely think I could do it in 2 hours right now, and with a competent friend and a couple more jack stands it could be less than that (helping remove wheels, etc).

My only minor complaint is 1.5" in the rear compared to 2" in front further emphasizes the leaned-back look some have noticed, and it only gets worse with weight. as mentioned, addition to the complete ReadyLift kit, I also installed 25mm lower-coil spacers in the rear to add an additional ~1.7" of lift, for about 3.2" total in the rear. Still, between my hitch (+35lb), bike rack (+17), roof-mounted jack (+15), full-sized spare (+30lb), recovery bag (+25), and tool bag (+30), it only sits about 2.1" above stock. By my measurements and calculations, every 200lb over the rear axle lowers the rear by right around 1" or more. So, while I wouldnt necessarily recommend quite this much lift for an empty vehicle, I personally wish Id have gone with the 35mm spacers instead, which would have given me another ~.65" of height in the rear.

Full disclosure: while I don't think there will be any reliability concerns with the slight increase in CV angles by adding a bit of extra lift over the advertized 1.5", I recognize that adding additional spacers voids any guarantee that factory alignment will be maintained. 4Runners and Tacos all over the country are daily driven was much more severe CV angles (including my wife's 4Runner lifted 3" up front) with no issues. Moreover, especially since this lift drops the whole rear driveline, with respect to driveline angles I have only "lifted" it about 0.6". I would be comfortable with perhaps as high as another inch.
 
DO NOT let the CV slide out. I pulled the front strut today trying to get the anti-sway bar out (which I still ended up having to cut out anyways), and accidentally let the hub fall and pull the CV out. I tried for an hour trying to get the boot back on, before I ended up having to simply cut off the factory boot clamp, repack it with grease, and put it back together with a new hose clamp. It wont cause any permanent issues, but it was messy and a waste of time.
 
Yup. They were Duratracs, but were way too loud for this vehicle. I have driven 10s of thousands of miles on various MTs over 3 different vehicles, and none of them were as loud as these Duratracs. Plus, my wife's TRD Pro 4Runner is running on MTs, so that was another reason I didn't keep them. The more basic AT tires I am running now are actually a hair taller, but are much rounder and less aggressive (cool) looking.
 
I am probably going thru the SAME research that you had gone thru, considering every possible 18" "all-terrain" tire choices, looking at their rating, and weight... and sizes...

I think your conclusion of Yoko Geo GO15 is a VERY logical choice, quiet, light(er) @34lb, snow-traction (3PMSF).

Now the choice is 235/60-R18 (29.1" dia / 9.3" threadwidth) or 255/55-R18 (29" dia / 10" threadwidth). I think both of these will fit even without a lift. With a lift, I probably can go 235/65-R18 (30" dia / 9.3" threadwidth).

Why did you pick 255/55 rather than 235/60?

I am totally considering a spacer lift too, just don't know if i will do it right the way. I probably will have to do more research. I am leaning towards Rough Country's leveling kit lift.
 
I am probably going thru the SAME research that you had gone thru, considering every possible 18" "all-terrain" tire choices, looking at their rating, and weight... and sizes...

I think your conclusion of Yoko Geo GO15 is a VERY logical choice, quiet, light(er) @34lb, snow-traction (3PMSF).

Now the choice is 235/60-R18 (29.1" dia / 9.3" threadwidth) or 255/55-R18 (29" dia / 10" threadwidth). I think both of these will fit even without a lift. With a lift, I probably can go 235/65-R18 (30" dia / 9.3" threadwidth).

Why did you pick 255/55 rather than 235/60?

I am totally considering a spacer lift too, just don't know if i will do it right the way. I probably will have to do more research. I am leaning towards Rough Country's leveling kit lift.
The 255/55 is more like 29.5" tall mounted on the 7" wheel. I went with the 255 to better fill out the wheel wells. I like the wider stance. I think both look great though. I still need to add the 1" spacer in the rear (lower spring spacer).
 
I am probably going thru the SAME research that you had gone thru, considering every possible 18" "all-terrain" tire choices, looking at their rating, and weight... and sizes...

I think your conclusion of Yoko Geo GO15 is a VERY logical choice, quiet, light(er) @34lb, snow-traction (3PMSF).

Now the choice is 235/60-R18 (29.1" dia / 9.3" threadwidth) or 255/55-R18 (29" dia / 10" threadwidth). I think both of these will fit even without a lift. With a lift, I probably can go 235/65-R18 (30" dia / 9.3" threadwidth).

Why did you pick 255/55 rather than 235/60?

I am totally considering a spacer lift too, just don't know if i will do it right the way. I probably will have to do more research. I am leaning towards Rough Country's leveling kit lift.
To be clear, lifting doesnt help with tire rub on these vehicles. In fact, in otherwise stock form, lifting your Rav actually brings you closer to rubbing the lower valence at the front of the frotn wheel wells.

That said, I have fully articulated 30" tires, on flush-fitting rims, without rubbing and with no trimming. With light trimming of the aforementioned front lower valence behind the bumper, I have now been running 30.5" tires on flush-fitting wheels with no rubbing, including at full lock amd full articulation.

Bottom line, up to 30" tires you should generally be GTG, and with only minor trimming you would be able to fit 30.5" tires. Don't expect lifting itself to simplify tire fitment, but the above tire diameters will work regardless of lift height.

Botton line, with
 
Lidenwood thanks!!

So you are saying I can run 235/65-R18 just out of my stock suspension, no lift and stock rim? That would be wonderful.

That itself would raise my clearance by .75".

I still have to research more on the 3 different lift options - SST, Rough Country and the expensive LP.

I waited a few years before I did my 4R lift "properly".

I think I probably will do the same and not rush into it.
 
Lidenwood thanks!!

So you are saying I can run 235/65-R18 just out of my stock suspension, no lift and stock rim? That would be wonderful.

That itself would raise my clearance by .75".

I still have to research more on the 3 different lift options - SST, Rough Country and the expensive LP.

I waited a few years before I did my 4R lift "properly".

I think I probably will do the same and not rush into it.
That is what I would do!

Compared to the Readylift kit, the RC lift is cheaper and basically gives you an extra half inch, at the expense of needing an alignment afterward. If you are willing to spend more, I'd wait for a real kit with aftermarket shocks and coils before I paid $900 for the LP spacer lift.
 
I much prefers a strut&coil lift than a spacer lift.

Is there much diff between RC or SST? If not, I will go RC instead. If I cant wait. Or if I actually like the XSE Sport Tuned Suspension.

Bottomline, will 235/65-R18 works out of the box without lift? Is there a picture anywhere?
 
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