Maximum Lift on IFS Vehicle?

[Humvee4us]

I've heard that for IFS vehicles a 4" lift is the limit because the upper control arm basically touches the coil and going further would begin to affect the drivability of the vehicle, is this true?
If so, it's unclear to me if at 4" I would still get full wheel travel or if even at 4" wheel travel begins to get sacrificed?
Also, if it's leveling the front of the vehicle does that still count as a lift?
Additionally, for example, the Chevy Colorado ZR2 is lifted 2". Are the CVs and everything corrected for this, which means that I can get another potentially 4" of lift, or is everything left the same as an LT Colorado, for example, and the 2" just lifted for the ZR2 so that they actually do count against lifting further?
Furthermore, if it's a solid axle vehicle is the sky the limit in terms of lifting the vehicle?
Also, I've heard that lift blocks for off-roading are a bad idea, is this true?

 

[plh]

Depends on the vehicle for the maximum amount, but basically on an IFS (unless a differential drop can be done) the "lift" just moves the ride height up within the allowed suspension travel. Compromises suspension travel direction. Lots of IFS vehicles can only be raised 1" or 2".

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

That is a lot of really controversial questions in one post and likely to receive a lot of passionate opinions....I'm sure that whatever I might have to say will be adamantly opposed by someone else

The question to start with is - what is the point of the "lift"? If you are building a dedicated rock crawler (i.e. a trailer queen) then "lift" is going to be critical so that you can articulate massive tires. If you are building an all-purpose "overlanding" rig then "lift" isn't really what you are looking for. My rig sits a couple inches higher than stock on aftermarket suspension but the point was not to get "lift", it was to get a more capable suspension. The "lift" just happens as a result of the heavier springs.

In general, around 2-2.5 inches is the most you can get out of IFS without getting into a differential drop, new UCAs, new steering arms, and lots of complication. Even 2.5 inches is pushing it and yes, any "lift" you add without replacing lots of other components is going to severely restrict down-travel since the "lift" is gained by pre-loading the spring.

Additionally, for example, the Chevy Colorado ZR2 is lifted 2". Are the CVs and everything corrected for this, which means that I can get another potentially 4" of lift, or is everything left the same as an LT Colorado, for example, and the 2" just lifted for the ZR2 so that they actually do count against lifting further?

I am not familiar with the ZR2 in particular but I think it's safe to assume that the 2" "lift" is the maximum it can be taken without significant modification.

For a solid-axle vehicle the limit is the driveshaft angles. You can only put so much angle on a driveshaft before you start breaking U-joints with shocking regularity.

Also, I've heard that lift blocks for off-roading are a bad idea, is this true?

Yes. This is true.

 

[gnel]

On my truck the max is 1.5 inches. More than that and you start destroying CVs.

 

[RLM975]

There is no generic answer to this. Each vehicle will have it's own "personality". My '06 Xterra has a 6" lift on IFS, a dropped front diff, and aftermarket upper control arms. As she sits, all the front suspension geometry is "stock", including my CV angles. She's built to go slow and ride nice with good articulation.

 

[Humvee4us]

Depends on the vehicle for the maximum amount, but basically on an IFS (unless a differential drop can be done) the "lift" just moves the ride height up within the allowed suspension travel. Compromises suspension travel direction. Lots of IFS vehicles can only be raised 1" or 2".

I'm looking at something like a Tacoma, Ranger, or Colorado. I was planning on installing a new suspension to accommodate the lift but was wondering if it's true that at 4" the upper control arms start hitting the coil spring even if you install a long upper control arm. I believe that differential drop kits are available for all three of these.

 

[Humvee4us]

On my truck the max is 1.5 inches. More than that and you start destroying CVs.

Did you install a diff drop and castor correctors?

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

You can do a 2" lift on a Tacoma with nothing but new springs and shocks. To do 4" you need all this (minus the skid plate, that's a bonus!):

 

[Herbie]

You've got some good answers here. Another "feature" if IFS "lifts" that are important to consider in context is that unless you're moving the suspension pickup points, you're trading away droop to gain static ride height. IOW, you're literally just pushing the wheels down as if they were drooping without a load. This means that while you gain static ride height, you're losing an equal amount of downward movement before the suspension hits the limit. (Usually the stroke-length of the shock, but can be other things too.)

This is why it gets down to what your real goals are. The real benefit of "lift" comes from increasing the radius of the tire - the distance from the hub-center to the ground. This is especially true in any setup with a solid axle (F, R, or both) - any lift you do with a solid axle just changes the relationship of the vehicle body relative to the hubs and does not actually increase overall ground clearance (though it may increase breakover, approach, and/or departure angles)

If I could put 33's on my van without a lift, I'd do it. Hell, if I could have put 31's on my van without a lift, I'd have done it. I'm simultaneously envious of, and amused by, vehicles that can accept relatively huge-ass tires within the stock bodywork still feeling like they need "lift" just to measure up when maybe all they needed was the proper application of a BFH.

 

[Humvee4us]

You've got some good answers here. Another "feature" if IFS "lifts" that are important to consider in context is that unless you're moving the suspension pickup points, you're trading away droop to gain static ride height. IOW, you're literally just pushing the wheels down as if they were drooping without a load. This means that while you gain static ride height, you're losing an equal amount of downward movement before the suspension hits the limit. (Usually the stroke-length of the shock, but can be other things too.)

This is why it gets down to what your real goals are. The real benefit of "lift" comes from increasing the radius of the tire - the distance from the hub-center to the ground. This is especially true in any setup with a solid axle (F, R, or both) - any lift you do with a solid axle just changes the relationship of the vehicle body relative to the hubs and does not actually increase overall ground clearance (though it may increase breakover, approach, and/or departure angles)

If I could put 33's on my van without a lift, I'd do it. Hell, if I could have put 31's on my van without a lift, I'd have done it. I'm simultaneously envious of, and amused by, vehicles that can accept relatively huge-ass tires within the stock bodywork still feeling like they need "lift" just to measure up when maybe all they needed was the proper application of a BFH.

I thought you only pushed down if it was a coil-over spacer, which a lot of lift kits in fact are. However, I believe that this one is not (hopefully):

6" Coil-Over Lift Kit | 2016-2020 Toyota Tacoma 4WD | 823F | BDS Suspension

BDS Suspension 6" Coil-Over Suspension Lift Kit for the 2016-2020 Toyota Tacoma 4WD Pickup. Lifetime Warranty.

bds-suspension.com

.

 

[gnel]

Did you install a diff drop and castor correctors?

Nope. With that lift and 33s I´m happy.

 

[tacollie]

I thought you only pushed down if it was a coil-over spacer, which a lot of lift kits in fact are. However, I believe that this one is not (hopefully):

6" Coil-Over Lift Kit | 2016-2020 Toyota Tacoma 4WD | 823F | BDS Suspension

BDS Suspension 6" Coil-Over Suspension Lift Kit for the 2016-2020 Toyota Tacoma 4WD Pickup. Lifetime Warranty.

bds-suspension.com

.

That acutely pushed the shock down. A lift changes where everything sets in the range of travel. Stock has more down travel and less up travel. A taller/stiffer spring isn't compressing as much to increase the ride height so you end up with more up travel and less down travel. I've had 4 Tacomas and a 4Runner from stock to 4" of lift. The 4" had zero down travel and was not good. 2" seems to be the sweet spot for Toyota ifs in my opinion. You get a little height while maintaining a good ride and handling.

 

[Herbie]

I thought you only pushed down if it was a coil-over spacer, which a lot of lift kits in fact are.

Really it's any time you "lift" without changing the points about which the suspension arms pivot. So spacers just shift the existing spring down. Taller and/or stiffer springs == pushing down. Torsion-bar pre-loading (adjust or replace keys) also == pushing down. It's easier to visualize it once you can see that the control arms just pivot through a (limited) arc and all you're really doing is adjusting where in the arc they sit when the vehicle is static.

 

[Old Tanker]

Also, changing the neutral point doesn't do much to allow a larger tire. At max up travel, the hub is in the same place it would have been without the lift, so if a larger tire would rub before the lift, it will rub after the lift. You can carve away the rub points (body mounts, fender, etc), or you can limit the up travel with a bump stop. This places you in the position of having limited down travel due to the lift, and limited up travel as well.

 

[Lovetheworld]

I have Toyota IFS at the front with torsion bars. Almost 2" is the max because you will be close to the max of the suspension, any further makes it unsafe.
It varies per car but I think 1 to 2" is max, for more you need these complete kits.
I would just do a small lift of 1 or 2 inch and try to get bigger tyres. That way I lifted our van almost 4" which made a lot of difference, any more would help but not much.