Increasing clearance with larger tires and need for small lift - downsides or no worry?

[LCOceans]

Hello,
I am three weeks into ownership of a LC FE and have been learning all I can about lifts, tires, etc. I have the stock 265/70/R18 Nitto Grapplers, which are not bad at all, but I do hope to increase the ground clearance a bit for light off road use and for driving in water.

The tire spreadsheet on here has been helpful. But here is where this all gets murky to me and I cannot find a definitive answer. To effectively lift one inch (1") ,I believe I need to put nearly 35" tires on, or 285/75/18. Another option would be 285/70/18 which would give about 1/2" of additional clearance. But I prefer the 285/75/18 for the full inch of added clearance.

So the bigger question involves these lifts, leveling kits, and preload collars, because I think they are necessary when you get into the 34.5" or 35" diameters.
There is a video out there from a Toyota dealership titled "35's on a 250 Landcruiser". He describes using the Toytec leveling kit and this looks simple enough and the truck looks outstanding to me. But then I read where the leveling kit is not good. I am not sure why - the literature just says you will regret it and eventually want updated suspension, which I do not want to get into with a vehicle this nice. Not anytime soon at least.

Then I read the preload collar by Westcott is the best but then also see where you need to adjust gearing after doing something like that and this could also be damaging to the CV joints and transmission. And I worry about driving on the highway after doing any of this. How much will I notice a decline in handling on the road because right now its pretty much awesome.

Sorry this is so long. I am hoping some members with previous experience in modifying can offer some helpful information here to keep me and possibly others with limited knowledge like myself from going down the wrong path and making mistakes. Thank you in advance!

 

[trek805]

Glad you asked with long post, cuz I have same questions. Also, im noticing people report big drops in mileage with 285 series tires or bigger and i want to know if these people adjusted their computer for new tire size. Im thinking not, and thats why mileage in the console is reporting lower. Not sure. Just my thoughts

 

[b407driver]

Going to 285/70r18 (Toyos, for weight savings, both tire and wallet) from the stock 265s, my clearance went from 8.7" to 9.6" at front skid plate, the lowest point, about exactly what I'd expected. No rubbing so far, though haven't been off road (don't expect any from the abundant anecdotal reports, and I think the 45 offset wheels are perfect to ensure this). As I'd expected the 285 would not fit in the spare spot, so opted for 275.

As far as 'lifts' go, I'd leave that to the formerly WRX-driving 4Runner and Tacoma bros... it's really mostly for looks unless you sink some serious cash into changing up your entire suspension, including UCAs, etc. Anything you do is likely to limit articulation, so if you are serious about keeping the vehicle as capable as it can possibly be, stuffing the largest tire you can in there is the main thing to do. This gains ground clearance, which is the primary problem; lifts generally do not affect ground clearance, except in that the lift may accommodate a larger tire (again, likely compromising how well your suspension actually works).

Lastly, now that I've seen the 285s on my vehicle, I would not want anything larger, both in terms of weight and how large they are. Using a 'lift' to accommodate water crossings is 100% inconsequential, as the smallest of streams will be above the 8.7", and most offroad vehicles can ford an 18"-deep stream.

Trust me and others on this, don't lift this vehicle, it is incredibly capable as it sits. Throw on some "C"-rated 275 or 285s for rock protection, and call it a day.

And please, no raptor lights... lol

 

[LCOceans]

Going to 285/70r18 (Toyos, for weight savings, both tire and wallet) from the stock 265s, my clearance went from 8.7" to 9.6" at front skid plate, the lowest point, about exactly what I'd expected. No rubbing so far, though haven't been off road (don't expect any from the abundant anecdotal reports, and I think the 45 offset wheels are perfect to ensure this). As I'd expected the 285 would not fit in the spare spot, so opted for 275.

As far as 'lifts' go, I'd leave that to the formerly WRX-driving 4Runner and Tacoma bros... it's really mostly for looks unless you sink some serious cash into changing up your entire suspension, including UCAs, etc. Anything you do is likely to limit articulation, so if you are serious about keeping the vehicle as capable as it can possibly be, stuffing the largest tire you can in there is the main thing to do. This gains ground clearance, which is the primary problem; lifts generally do not affect ground clearance, except in that the lift may accommodate a larger tire (again, likely compromising how well your suspension actually works).

Lastly, now that I've seen the 285s on my vehicle, I would not want anything larger, both in terms of weight and how large they are. Using a 'lift' to accommodate water crossings is 100% inconsequential, as the smallest of streams will be above the 8.7", and most offroad vehicles can ford an 18"-deep stream.

Trust me and others on this, don't lift this vehicle, it is incredibly capable as it sits. Throw on some "C"-rated 275 or 285s for rock protection, and call it a day.

And please, no raptor lights... l

Thank you for this information. Super helpful.
It's funny, I found this guy named Ronny Dahl who has a YouTube channel and he seems extremely knowledgeable in all things off-roading. The video is called - "The cost of choosing bigger 4x4 tires" and is exactly in line with what you are saying here. He says 33" is probably the best size and rest is for show for most part.
Really appreciate your thoughts and input here!!