Suspension lift, I don't get it.

[SnowGuide Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close SnowGuide]

Being new to the 4x4 scene, I'm having trouble understanding the popularity if getting a "lift".

From what I understand, the 2" lift, which is the most popular, provides less than 40mm of extra ground clearance. That in my view is not worth the money and hastle, so can only summise that there is more to it.

Anyone care to evangelise the suspension lift?

[DaveZ Member Find all posts View Profile Close DaveZ]

2" lift will give you 2" extra clearance, it may also allow you to run larger tires, which will give you more clearance again. It's also about as much as you can lift an independent suspension car before you have to start doing major work like dropping diff mounts, gearbox mounts and the like. It's the best bang for buck suspension lift you can do basically.

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

The vehicle rides and controls better on the road. The ride can also be classed as firmer but softer, meaning, that the ride is firmer, but because you dont hit the bump stops, you get a softer ride, as you dont get the sudden stop and jarring effect from hitting the bump stops.
Off road you get the extra clearence as well as in most cases, better flex, so the wheels are on the ground longer, giving better traction.
The extra clearence allows you to straddle over rocks ond other obsticles that would stop a std height vehicle.

[spitfireslw Member Find all posts View Profile Close spitfireslw]

see if you can organise a drive of a "lifted" prado to a standard prado. i found that when i braked with standard suspension the prado shifted all the weight to the front wheels in a terrible way (like it was going to do a endo) after the lift it was so smooth and stayed nice and even when braking even under serve loads.

[Disco4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Disco4]

What a lot of people forget is the vast improvement in ride & handling.
A quality & matched "lift kit"will include better quality springs & shockers than supplied by the vehicle manufacturer.
Handling will be improved on bitumen roads, on gravel roads & off road.
Handling will be improved when loaded.
Suspension travel will increase allowing for greater articulation allowing you to go further off road.
The body roll & pitch of the vehicle will be greatly reduced.
The nosedive under heavy braking will be greatly reduced.
This then allows the balance of the vehicle to be better.
Suspension lift will also improve the vehicles capability to fit bull bars, winches, dual batteries & other 4x4 equipment.


Recently the NSW Government tried to ban the 50mm lift, demonstration by the major manufacturers proved that vehicles with a quality & matched 50mm lift outhandles standard suspension equipped vehicles.
This was proven through demonstration on a race track under government supervision.

I recently sold my Discovery 3 and am buying a 150 Prado.
The first modification will be suspension & in fact if I could not modify the suspension I would not buy it.

Hope this ëvangelises the lift kit for you.

Regards

Disco4

[DaveZ Member Find all posts View Profile Close DaveZ]

Just don't forget that most of the improvements you guys are talking about are due to better quality springs and shocks being fitted, not because of the lift itself. I think the OP is questioning the preference of the 2" lift over other heights, not the benefits of a better quality suspension package. Yes, I know one comes with the other, but lift height is a separate decision.

[williade Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close williade]

.... provides less than 40mm of extra ground clearance. That in my view is not worth the money and hastle...

I suppose it comes down to what you feel is worth the money and hassle. A lot of people will need to uprate their suspension for heavy loads or fitting a steel bullbar + winch. For these people their is no difference in cost between uprated standard height suspension and uprated lifted suspension. For others who do a sufficient about of hard core off road work, even without the need for increased load carrying capacity, that 40mm of extra clearance quickly pays for itself.

If you don't take the Prado offroad, never carry heavy loads and are perfectly happy with comfort level of the stock suspension, then I guess it isn't worth the money and hassle.

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

If you need to ask this question, you probably don't need it!!

A basic lift and larger tyres will provide around 55mm extra clearance. It may sound small but it actually makes a big difference when offroading. It's often the difference between hitting a rock, bending side steps on large water bars, or getting stuck in a mud hole - all of which will damage your vehicle. When it comes to offroading through obstacles, every mm counts.

Other people, like williade said, may need the extra height to make up for the loss in carrying heavy loads, steel bull bars, winches or caravans.

[SnowGuide Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close SnowGuide]

Thanks for the responses. Lots of points where i hadn't put 2 and 2 together.:beer:

Seems there are lots of benifits beyond the increased ground clearance.

Based on the responses, it may help with two concerns I had for next year, when I plan on adding a steel bar, and lots of corregated gravel roads, where the suspension can compress, not rebounding in time.

Improved handling was a surprise. Coming from a subaru, which is great, I thought the Prado was very good too, so upgraded suspension must be awesome.

What are people paying for a good 2" lift?

[Dreamer Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dreamer]

Haven't got my Prado yet, but it's booked in for $$$ worth of ARB equipment. The OME suspension lift is $1580.

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

What are people paying for a good 2" lift?

Depends on the model of Prado, 90 series is the cheapest, due to it being the oldest - unless you have a late model one with the airbag system, then you looking at around the same price as the 120 series, and then the same thing happens with it if you have the airbag system, as you will be paying around the same as the 150. Then you need to add in the manufacturer of the suspension system, the cheap ones, you can bet your left nut, that they have not done much research and development into them, so they would not be the best ones to get. When the 90 series first came out, you could only get Bilstiens, but a few years after the release date, other manufacturers started bringing their gear on to the market, I know for a fact that EFS and OME have put many $$$ and hours into developing and improving their brands, and have left Bilstiens way behind, as they have just left it as is for all these years, there is no hi tech stuff in them, unlike EFS, which has adaptive valving technology, so the shocky reacts to the way you drive or to the way someone else drives.

[mickmac_42 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mickmac_42]

Reason for getting lift is the same as for every other mod... I need it because everyone else has it, and I can't win pradopoint unless I get all the mods. Now to get back to the rig build-ups to see what else I need to buy.

Mike

[tassie tiger Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close tassie tiger]

The lift actually makes the vehicle perform poorer on road because the centre of gravity is raised. The firmer damping and springs makes it handle better. Obviously off road capability is increased, unless of course you are driving where there are steep side slopes Sorry to be pedantic.

Getting the right suspension mix of dampers and coils is very important. If you are going on corrugations the last thing you want is a suspension that is too hard as this will shake the hell out of it. Too soft and it will bounce all over the place.

Have fun.

[tassie tiger Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close tassie tiger]

I know for a fact that EFS and OME have put many $$$ and hours into developing and improving their brands, and have left Bilstiens way behind, as they have just left it as is for all these years, there is no hi tech stuff in them, unlike EFS, which has adaptive valving technology, so the shocky reacts to the way you drive or to the way someone else drives.

I thought bilstein patented their valve technology and adaptive valving etc was to try and match it in an around about way.

nb - the last I really read up was a few years ago when off road racing so maybe I have been left behind as well