Lift Height Feedback - 2.5" vs 4"

[KC Masterpiece]

Looking for some real world feedback from any Rising Sun members who have ran both a 2.5" and a 4" lift.

I currently have a OME setup. 851/860 Medium Duty. This was recommended to my by Christo when I first purchased the 80 2 years ago and wanted to get my 315's fitted. I was looking at purchasing their 4" setup but he indicated (correctly) that my truck was too light and performance would be subpar. The OME kit performed great until I started adding weight. It is now sagging significantly and the rear frequently bottoms out when carrying any kind of load on the trails.

My truck is currently unlocked. I was planning to get lockers installed before finalizing the suspension but so far the 80 has taken me everywhere my FJ Cruiser did with zero drama and no lockers. Nice to not hear the Atrac eating up brake pads anymore... I took the FJ up to Lake Como once and I think that is about the hardest trail I would want to run on a "camping" trip with the RTT up top. Thinking I may only lock the rear when I do a regear, but its hard to say no to the front when everything is torn down.... Back on topic....

Current Loadout
In the front I have a Trail Gear bumper with a 10k winch.
Rear has a 4x4 labs double swingout. Dobinsons drawer system. and a RTT. When camping we will load up the rear of the vehicle significantly with all sorts of goodies.
Currently I am sitting at around 21.75" front (hub center for flare) and 21.5" rear for daily driving. Rear drops to 21" or less when loaded, pretty close to stock height.

I have read through Slee's fantastic suspension guide as well as numerous threads on Mud. What I can't seem to find is a real world comparison of a 2.5" lift vs a 4". I am aware that getting into the 4" territory requires a good deal of additional work. SS brake lines are already on order to replace my current ones as PM since they have some rot in the rubber. Currently I am running with NO caster correction and it handles okay but I know I need to get on that. Planning to go with the delta arms regardless of lift height. Also aware that going beyond 3" puts me into possible DC front shaft territory. Living up in Silverthorne and using the 80 as a DD I have no desire to go to part time as I love the full time 4wd system.

I have settled on the Dobinsons tapered springs paired up with their shocks. They offer these in a 2.5" and 3.5" lift height, but it looks like real world results are closer to 3" and 4" respectively.

Now that my ramble is done.....

Does anyone here have feedback on a 2.5" vs 4" lift in real world handling scenarios? I have always been of the opinion that a suspension lift should be done with the following in mind.

1. Fitment of tire size with no rubbing.
2. Maximum articulation.
3. Keep center of gravity as low as possible.

To those of you running a true 3.5 to 4" lift. Do you find that off-roading performance is improved? With all of the off camber trails out here in CO and UT I worry about the truck starting to feel too tippy with that height increase. Is that a valid concern? In a perfect world I will be moving the RTT from the roof to a small trailer that we can ditch at a camp site if we are looking to do any serious wheeling. The tapered springs and delta arms should provide a significant increase in articulation, so maybe that will balance out the tippiness?

Some photos using my patented lift height simulator. (two jackstands centered under the frame to get the wheel)

Thanks for the feedback. I gotta say.... 4" does looks good!

 

[LARGEONE]

I ran OME heavy/med combo for quite a few years. I ended up right where you are...added more weight, and started to really sag and drag. I then added one inch spacers, but still not enough. I am running SLEE 4" now with 35s, and have done some fairly hardcore trails with it. It also has very good road manners. I truly think the 4"/35 tire combo with 4:88 or 5:29 gearing is the sweet spot for these trucks. I could also see 37s being good with 5:29s if you set it up correctly.

Now...the bad with going 4". I had to put a CV front shaft in addition to the adjustable panhards. I also had to lengthen my rear LCAs very slightly to get the rear DS to run better. It takes a little bit to get it set up, the castor correct, and get all the driveline vibes to go away, but in the end, I would argue that you will never want to change your truck again once you get it set up nicely on 4" and 35/37s.

My 0.02.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

Thanks for the feedback. Definitely looking to stick with the 35's. I did already order a set of adjustable LCA's for the rear since the bushings on those are shot and I have bent LCA's before.

Do you ever feel your 80 is more prone to rolling on the off camber trails with the 4" lift or does the improved flex negate that? Glad to hear from someone who went down the same path I am heading. I really want to do one more round of suspension modifications and be done with it for good.

Got any photos of how your truck is sitting currently?

 

[Hulk]

I started with the OME 2.5" lift with 33" tires. I've been running the Slee 4" lift with 35" tires and 4.88 gears since 2008. Still working great. Is it more tippy than stock? Probably, but I don't have a RTT up top, so it's not a big deal. For me, the articulation made the jump to 4" worth the effort and price.

By the way, your photos are not displaying.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

Take two on the photos.

As it currently sits. (no gear in back)

Jacked up to 24" hub to flare on each corner.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

Thanks for all the feedback on the higher lift options. I have had a few long conversations with a rep over at Dobinsons and it looks like the 2.5" tapered coils are going to be better for my intended use of the rig. Still expecting around 3" of lift with them. Going to save a good deal of money on the additional components for the 4" route and will be able to put those funds towards a regear and lockers.

 

[Lefty]

I'm in the process of moving from a 2.5 OME lift to a dobinson's setup, specifically their 3" variable heavies. Doing so has required front and rear sway bar extensions, bump stops in the front and rear. I also ordered their 4-5" shocks to take advantage of the long travel. I'm taking it into slee to have them install the front springs and anything else it might need to accommodate the additional height. I'm happy to share a breakdown of the costs if you DM me.

 

[jps8460]

As with most things we do, it comes down to the end goal. Having witnessed 80’s on 33’s and 2.5” lift do 90% of the trails out there that one would dare take a RTT; I would ask what you hope to gain from going to a 4” lift. In my eyes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze (or I’d have done it by now).

Everything about a 4” kit (and 35’s) puts more stress on structural components, steering components and drivetrain components. It reduces overall visibility around the vehicle, and raises the center of gravity.

For me (having driven both setups a bit) there’s nothing but negatives unless you absolutely need it to accomplish what you want.

I say chuck some 864’s in the back, put a rear locker and blow the rest of the budget on a sweet ass trip!

Anyhow, whatever you decide, post pics!!

 

[KC Masterpiece]

I'm in the process of moving from a 2.5 OME lift to a dobinson's setup, specifically their 3" variable heavies. Doing so has required front and rear sway bar extensions, bump stops in the front and rear. I also ordered their 4-5" shocks to take advantage of the long travel. I'm taking it into slee to have them install the front springs and anything else it might need to accommodate the additional height. I'm happy to share a breakdown of the costs if you DM me.

Thats actually the exact same setup I am going with after some extensive chats with Dobinsons this past week.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

As with most things we do, it comes down to the end goal. Having witnessed 80’s on 33’s and 2.5” lift do 90% of the trails out there that one would dare take a RTT; I would ask what you hope to gain from going to a 4” lift. In my eyes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze (or I’d have done it by now).

Everything about a 4” kit (and 35’s) puts more stress on structural components, steering components and drivetrain components. It reduces overall visibility around the vehicle, and raises the center of gravity.

For me (having driven both setups a bit) there’s nothing but negatives unless you absolutely need it to accomplish what you want.

I say chuck some 864’s in the back, put a rear locker and blow the rest of the budget on a sweet ass trip!

Anyhow, whatever you decide, post pics!!

I appreciate the feedback. I really wanted this to be the last time I work on the suspension.

The 2.5 variable springs I went with should still give plenty of flex and around a 3" lift height with my current setup. I can always ditch the RTT for tougher trails and eventually will want to upgrade to a clamshell type, but for now the current one suits our needs fine and feels like a hotel compared to my old ground tend.

I think the 4" would have been the right choice for a weekend wheeler, but my 80 has become more of a do anything build and is also my daily for the time being. My fiance is also rather short and I also worried a 4" would make access difficult for her. One of the other goals was to get the ride a bit smoother than the OME setup. My last rig was a FJ Cruiser on Icons, so I was used to a pretty plush ride with the fancy shocks and IFS.

And I gotta have those 35s! I actually purchased the 80 and then sold my FJC the next week. Gave me time to swap the 35s over to the 80. In my experience the 315/75/16 is just a perfect size for everything I have encountered in CO. I think the duratracs are closer to a 34" when mounted.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

So final update here I ended up spending more than I had planned but I think I am going to be very pleased with the results.

Going with the Dobinsons 2.5" tapered (variable rate) long travel kit. Dobinsons claims this should net me around 3" with my current setup. I decided to take the plunge and upgrade to their IMS shocks. Delta arms will be coming next month to take care of the caster correction. They are currently running a 15% off sale for the month of November.

 

[Lefty]

So final update here I ended up spending more than I had planned but I think I am going to be very pleased with the results.

Going with the Dobinsons 2.5" tapered (variable rate) long travel kit. Dobinsons claims this should net me around 3" with my current setup. I decided to take the plunge and upgrade to their IMS shocks. Delta arms will be coming next month to take care of the caster correction. They are currently running a 15% off sale for the month of November.

Nice! I also took the plunge on the IMS shocks. Looking forward to what you think of the setup once you have it all buttoned up.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

Nice! I also took the plunge on the IMS shocks. Looking forward to what you think of the setup once you have it all buttoned up.

Did you go with the 3.5 or 2.5 springs?

 

[Lefty]

Did you go with the 3.5 or 2.5 springs?

The C97-144 and 145VTs. They say they’re 3” but the rears seem a lot longer right now, but I expect them to compress a bit more once I get the swingout bumper installed.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

The C97-144 and 145VTs. They say they’re 3” but the rears seem a lot longer right now, but I expect them to compress a bit more once I get the swingout bumper installed.

It will be interesting to compare final lift height. From the reading I did on MUD most of the 80 owners are seeing 4" of lift from those springs on fully loaded rigs. Got me nervous so I bumped down to the shorter ones.

Did you have them installed already?

 

[Lefty]

My buddy has them on his and they definitely seems closer to a 4” lift. He really likes the setup and the only thing he had to do was caster correction, extended brake lines, and the delta panhard rod extension bracket.

I have the rears installed. The rake was pretty pronounced until I threw spacers up front. I won’t have the front done until early December. Slee is booked solid!

 

[Lefty]

So final update here I ended up spending more than I had planned but I think I am going to be very pleased with the results.

Going with the Dobinsons 2.5" tapered (variable rate) long travel kit. Dobinsons claims this should net me around 3" with my current setup. I decided to take the plunge and upgrade to their IMS shocks. Delta arms will be coming next month to take care of the caster correction. They are currently running a 15% off sale for the month of November.

Which delta arms did you go with?

 

[KC Masterpiece]

Which delta arms did you go with?

I have not ordered them yet. My 80 is my daily but I don't ever get over 30mph on my short trip to work. Plan was to get the lift installed and then get an alignment readout to see how much adjustment it needs.

Was going to throw the springs and shocks on today but its right around freezing and pretty windy.

 

[Lefty]

I have not ordered them yet. My 80 is my daily but I don't ever get over 30mph on my short trip to work. Plan was to get the lift installed and then get an alignment readout to see how much adjustment it needs.

Was going to throw the springs and shocks on today but its right around freezing and pretty windy.

Just wrapped up the front install. It was pretty straight forward with the exception of snapping the driver’s side swaybar mounting bracket. So I guess I’m rolling without a front swaybar.

I’m on 35s, measurements from center hub to fender are 24” in the front and 24.5” in the back. I have the 2.5” OME castor correction bushings and will need to bump that up. Other than that, the truck looks good! I’m looking forward to seeing how it does offroad.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

Just wrapped up the front install. It was pretty straight forward with the exception of snapping the driver’s side swaybar mounting bracket. So I guess I’m rolling without a front swaybar.

I’m on 35s, measurements from center hub to fender are 24” in the front and 24.5” in the back. I have the 2.5” OME castor correction bushings and will need to bump that up. Other than that, the truck looks good! I’m looking forward to seeing how it does offroad.

Awesome! You gotta throw up some photos.

What kind of weight do you have until the rear? If I'm exactly an inch shorter that will be exactly where I want it.

Did you need spring compressor to get the fronts on?