06' Tundra DC - Help With Lift/Wheels/Tires for Mild Offroad

[pnwrider]

I'm looking to lift my 06' Tundra DC 2.5" - 4.5" and upgrade the wheels/tires to run a larger tire (285 - 305). I've gone through the forums and have found tons of information, some conflicting, regarding the wide variety of options for "lifting" 1st gen Tundras. I have a pretty good idea of what I want and how I might get it, which I'll explain below.

It seems the best way to get feedback on a lift option is to provide vehicle-specific information and see what everyone has to say. Please keep in mind that I have no faith in the "local shop" so I'm also very interested in the details (backspacing, gearing, alignment, braking, etc.) I need to consider to make sure the lift is functional, attractive, and durable. So, here goes:

MAKE: TOYOTA
MODEL: TUNDRA
YEAR: 2006
COLOR: Phantom Gray Metallic

LIFT: Want to lift it 2.5" - 4.5" to level it out and accomodate a larger tire. Seeking a balance that can handle light offroading with no bottoming out, and be comfortable on the road.

WHEELS/TIRES: Want them flush with wheel wells, no rubbing. Going with Black wheels, 16"-17" (e.g. Moto Metal 951, A.R. Clash, A.R. Thug, etc.).

HOW I USE THE TRUCK: I use this vehicle for daily commuting, beach driving, camping, and light offroading on fire roads and good trails (nothing highly abusive).

After doing some research, I came up with this - Bilstein 5100 adjustable shocks front/rear with 1" Wheelers block in the rear, 285/75/16 TOYO M/T w/ 3 5/8" backspacing on 17" A.R. Thugs. Obviously, this would only get me leveled out and allow a 285. I have no clue on the 4.5" lift and what that would require.

BTW pics of lifted 06' DC's are a huge help, so post if you can. Thanks in advance for your help.

Andy

[DevinSixtySeven]

Hey Andy,

I saw a lot of views here and on your thread in HS&A, but not many replies...your truck and mine are similar so I'll give it a shot. You also might send Colorado4Wheeler a PM, he has a D-Cab which he does take offroad fairly frequently.

The Bilstein 5100s with the snap ring are an inexpensive solution which will net you an additional fraction of an inch of travel...considering we start with 6" (4" of downtravel), getting close to 7" is a big deal particularly when you've used up 2.5" of travel resetting the ride height.

The non-snap ring, "infinitely adjustable" 5100s are a step up...I don't know if the extended length is the same as the snap ring version, you'd have to ask Bilstein or a reseller, but they are rebuildable which is a plus down the road...you pay 800$ for a very good set of shocks, and you might pay 200$ a few years down the road (2-4, depending on use, abuse, driving conditions, etc) for a complete (including shafts) rebuild...easy to do yourself, too.

The Daystar poly spacer kit is another good option, inexpensive, with one poly spacer on top of the coilover assembly and one inside the assembly...you get the same extension length as the Bilstein snap-ring setup, but use your original shocks and springs. This kit rides very comfortably on the road, my old man runs this kit on his truck.

Either way, I think the 5100 option is a good one. If you're looking at the more expensive version, there are also Sway-A-Way (or Camburg, same product/different valving etc) coilovers, Donahoe, King, Fox...

If you really get the truck loaded for camping and playing, the best long term option is to skip blocks (which contribute to axle wrap) and Add-A-Leaf (which quickly sag and give an "average" performance for the original pack plus the now-fatigued AAL) and go directly to a complete aftermarket leaf pack from Alcan or Deaver. Alcans run about 450-550 for a pair of new leaf packs, the install is very easy and they will add an additional anti-wrap leaf if you ask. They'll build the pack with the lift and load rating you specify...for example, if you state you want the leaves to ride perfectly with 500# of camping gear over the rear axle, that's how they'll build your new pack.

You'll need a longer shock (8" or 10") but the stockers work well enough until you can afford a new set.

285/75/16 is a good tire size for running around in the dirt, and you shouldn't need to regear...good since I don't know if you can, yet, without using expensive Toyota gears...and that's only if they offer higher gear ratios for your differentials.

Stick with 16" rims, don't go to 17s if you play in the dirt. You really only need 4.5" to 4" of backspacing to run that tire, no need for 3-5/8", but they do give the truck a very good stance and will bring the outside of the tire about flush with the wheel well.

There's no need for more than a couple inches of lift, unless it's suspension lift...in other words, don't build a tall truck, it won't handle as well on- or offroad, stick with a small lift, wide stance, and as large a tire as will fit. Unless you trim the wheel wells, that's actually a 265/75/16. 285/75/16 will only fit in a straight line during compression. Articulation helps more than big tires, unless they're stupidly huge and aired down to the point they look like tank treads.

I know the truck is very new, but give some thought to either running a 265/75/16 with that lift to maximize engine and offroad performance, or modifying the pinch weld (hammer is enough) to accommodate a 285/75/16 at stock height, use a minimal lift to gain some ground clearance, and pick up the other inch of clearance from the new tires.

Also, a 255/85/16 will be easier to fit than a 285/75/16, it can be run on a stock rim, and is taller than the 285/75/16. Check out the white paper on Expeditions West. If you were to say "what should I run", I'd say leave the rear alone, run 255/85/16 on stock rims, get an extended length Camburg SAW coilover and Camburg uniball upper control arms, install and go play in the woods . Just a thought...the money you save not needing new rims can be put toward the coilover and uniball upper arm package. Run it an inch or so above stock, leave the rear a little high, or run it 3" up in front with a 1" block in the rear til you can afford new leaf packs, and go have a good time . Good suspension will get you farther than new rims.

-Sean

[desert_tundra]

+1 on everything DevinSixtySeven says!

I currently have a 06 DC and it handles great on and off road!

Suspension: I put Donahoe 2.5 Coilovers set @ 2.0" in the front, and Bilstein 5100 in the rear with stock leafs (but I'm planning on having custom Deavers leafs made). Also, I installed the Total Chaos UCA and Total Chaos 1 Differential Drop to preserve my CV joints (haven't had any issues yet 44,000mi).

Wheels/Tires: 18” Pro Comp Xtreme Alloy 1079 (18X9 4.75" BS) w/Beadrings, and 285/65R18 BFG A/T KO (36,000mi with a lot of tread left).





Warning don't buy anything ProComp, their engineers have no attention to detail.

Goodluck,

-Brad

[Busa01]

Originally Posted by DevinSixtySeven

I know the truck is very new, but give some thought to either running a 265/75/16 with that lift to maximize engine and offroad performance, or modifying the pinch weld (hammer is enough) to accommodate a 285/75/16 at stock height, use a minimal lift to gain some ground clearance, and pick up the other inch of clearance from the new tires.
-Sean

I'm curious, a 33" tire is about as tall as a 265 but much wider. Would that fit better then a 285/75? I have 265/75s on mine and they appear awfully thin and look a little goofy. A 33" is about the same diameter as a 265/75 but is quite a bit wider. How about this option?

[DevinSixtySeven]

Originally Posted by Busa01

I'm curious, a 33" tire is about as tall as a 265 but much wider. Would that fit better then a 285/75? I have 265/75s on mine and they appear awfully thin and look a little goofy. A 33" is about the same diameter as a 265/75 but is quite a bit wider. How about this option?

Ya gotta post the width of that 33" tire, or there's no direct comparison to the metric sizes except height. The metric designations contain height, width and section height as well as rim diameter. Check out the tires & gears link in my sig line, there are a few equations there that'll help.

255/85/16 is a narrow 33" tire, 285/75/16 is a standard 33", 305/70/16" is a wide 33". The 255/85/16 is also the tallest of the three, since it's tall and narrow it'll be the easiest fit and a great performer offroad, but it's not as common as the 285/75/16 size.

Offroad, you want height and stability. Section heights no greater than 80-85% seem to work well, and probably no less than about 65-70%, but that's just a guess since nobody really talks much about short, wide tires offroad, or low prof tires. Stability at low pressure vs section height and width is why you see 37x12.5-17, 38.5x14.5-16, 33x10R16, 33x12.5R16 etc. offroad but you don't see many 285/100-anythings since they tend to fold at low pressure, same with low profile tires since they won't conform to the terrain with their smaller sidewall the same as a 37x12/5R17.

Running a wider tire rather than taller will only create fitment headaches, follow seams and ruts on pavement more, put more feedback through the steering wheel, and a lot of other things.

If you go offroad and you can fit a 33x12.5 tire, you can probably also fit a 34x10.5 or 35x10.5, and you'll find it outperforms the 33x12.5 on the pavement and at low pressure in the dirt.

-Sean

[Busa01]

Mud Terrain 2 Ply

I know that all tires are differently sized, but the pro comps that I want say that the 305/70 is "equivelant" to the 33". 285 is a LITTLE BIT taller and about an full inch thinner.

I guess, in this case, you probably couldn't tell the difference between the two. The differences are so marginal.

[DevinSixtySeven]

Originally Posted by Busa01

Mud Terrain 2 Ply

I know that all tires are differently sized, but the pro comps that I want say that the 305/70 is "equivelant" to the 33". 285 is a LITTLE BIT taller and about an full inch thinner.

I guess, in this case, you probably couldn't tell the difference between the two. The differences are so marginal.

Yup, it's just a wide 33. I know guys have run it with spacer or coilover lifts alone, but you'll find it rubs a little more on compression turns just from the additional width.