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Been (again) looking into "lifting" options: full suspension or spacers, as sold through Colorado Mountain.
Now, on the Colorado Mountain site it lists this in the FAQ about "lifting" (via spacers) and its premature wear'n tear effect on the RAV4.
Question. Is this wear'n tear also expected if one goes for the full suspension swap out lift route as well? Or are these effects simply the way it is - spacers or otherwise - when meddling with the CUV unibody of a RAV4?
Now, on the Colorado Mountain site it lists this in the FAQ about "lifting" (via spacers) and its premature wear'n tear effect on the RAV4.
Installing a lift kit will create positive camber on the wheels. In the case of the front axle, which is usually the primary drive, the positive camber can cause premature wear in the CV joints on the front CV drive shafts. Premature wear can be visibly detected by inspecting the front axle every 500 miles for CV joint grease that was spat out from the CV joint. If all the grease is ejected the CV drive shaft will need to be replaced (usually around $60 per drive shaft at national auto parts stores). This rate of this process varies but wear will accelerate if the vehicle is frequently driven over 55 MPH or if larger tire diameters are installed. This process can be reversed by adjusting the camber to maximum negative. In some cases, there is no existing adjustment or the existing adjustment is not enough. In these cases an aftermarket camber correction kit will need to be installed to return the camber to a OE acceptable range of +1 to -1. Camber adjustments will be most effective if made with a professional alignment rack found at vehicle service shops. While this will protect the drive shafts, other issues such as control arm clearance, bumping, or rattling may result but are usually not as mechanically concerning as the drive shafts. Bear in mind a CUV is not an SUV and to some degree issues and premature wear should be seen as an inevitable and inherent nature of lifting this class of vehicle.
Question. Is this wear'n tear also expected if one goes for the full suspension swap out lift route as well? Or are these effects simply the way it is - spacers or otherwise - when meddling with the CUV unibody of a RAV4?