Lift Kit Options and install?

I believe I did it right, posted them to your wall here with their details. personally, i say watch this then decide.

 

these videos were after I went past a 2" lift. https://youtube.com/shorts/uhGAzr6t3Qo

 

Nice, but why not just get a Unimog with Prius Prime guts (you can lower it a foot or so if you want to use it for more conventional needs)?

 

because i dont want all the work to park at starbucks.

 

Will you provide an update on which kit you got installed and experience? I want to lift my 21 Prime.

 

I just installed a 2 1/2 kit from e bay, one of the strut bolts broke on installation and I had to get one from the hardware store. Not a super easy install. The rear spacers made me nervous. Haven't finished the car yet. It's a 2019 AWD le. Excited to finish it up and get it in the road.

 

the 2"inch is the way to go!
https://priusoverlanding.com/gen-4-prius-lift-kits/

 

if you didnt know... stay away from the low cost lift kits... heck, there is one out there that costs the same as the properly designed kits and I'm shocked no one is talking about how they throw off your camber in a no so good way!

https://black.jmyntrn.com/2023/12/23/aluminum-and-plastic-prius-lift-kit/

 

It's not clear to me how you got your 12" lift. Is the 2" spacer kit from Prius Overlanding a part of the 12" lift that you currently have or did you replace the 2" lift kit with an entirely different 12" kit?

Can anyone else report on how the 2" kit from Prius Overlanding worked out for you? The FAQ on Prius Offroad goes into how their initial goal was a lift of 2.5" and why they won't sell a kit more than 1.5" has me concerned.

 

What did you end up ordering, and how did it go?

 

It's my belief they never even attempted a lift taller than 1.5" because at 1.5" your Axle rubs metal... yet those who support them swear it's okay and that it's nothing to worry about... personally, that wasn't good enough for me and after reading on 4x4 and Jeep forums, they do not take axle rub lightly as something that is okay. That said, I also don't believe they tested that far because it wasn't until the 2" lift was produced did the low cost third world country manufactured kits try to one up the 2" and ALL OF A SUDDEN I am seeing people now say 1.6" and other numbers of how tall their vehicle is lifted by said company. That means they adjusted their original design to exceed the height limitations they initially set themselves... makes you wonder how well it was even tested initially.

To this day you don't see videos like this of their products in the wild, you only see pictures of vehicles on the pavement...

https://black.jmyntrn.com/2024/01/06/how-can-i-eliminate-this-axle-rub-it-started-occurring-after-installing-a-prius-off-road-lift-kit-gen-3-prius-1-5-inch-lift/?utm_source=PriusChat&utm_medium=weblinkt&utm_campaign=commentlinkMay








regarding how... this link below should give you all the answers... so when they say not to install lift springs and a lift kit... again.. they were wrong...

Prius lift Kit using strut topper and heavy-duty lifting springs! - black_jmyntrn

 

Thanks, found the parts list. Unfortunately all the springs are sold out for Gen 4.I've signed up to be notified when either med or high are back in stock.

Quick question, are you the person behind PriusOverlanding? If so, any idea when either springs will be back in stock?

I'm aware you get about 12" with the high weight capacity springs, with tires etc.

About how much lift should I expect for the medium weight springs everything else being stock, 6"?

 

That I am, a notification will go out automatically once fulfillment processes the incoming bulk of products.

I always ask folks, what is it you are trying to do or accomplish? How much additional weight will you be adding? What percentage of the time in 30 days will the car be loaded with this weight? How many miles are on your car? Have you replaced any suspension components in the last 6months? There is more to it than just the height as, someone like me with 500lbs box on 24x7x365 the height would not be the same as someone with 1/4 of the total weight I've added, that's why I ask the questions above. Do you plan to do much BLM?

 

Odometer is a little shy of 98 K miles.

Never replaced any suspension parts. As far as I know everything is OEM asides from the 2" hitch I installed from eco-hitch. The only thing I've inserted into the hitch is a 2-bike rack from Yakima that has a nice swivel action for when the bikes are unloaded.

I'm a paragliding pilot, I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. At the moment my main goal is to be able to navigate rough roads. As-is it is very stressful trying to climb some roads to paragliding launch sites with stock Prius clearance. Without AWD some roads will probably still be too steep for my Prius, at least it'd be nice to not bottom out and tear up the underside of my car as easily and expand the places I can go in my 2017 Prius Prime. I have thought about getting an adventure trailer, or a dirt bike or fat-tire electric bike to ride on the sandy beach and dunes where I like to kite my paraglider. I'm not loading my car with a ton of weight since I don't live in it, but that might change later once I have more clearance and gear to glamp comfortably. I don't know how much weight I add to my car when I load it with stuff, at the moment it's not even close to 500 Lbs though. That could change someday but for right now I'm just getting started.

 

My situation:

I have KYB struts for the front driver and passenger side, and have just a couple days left in the return window. Not seeing a spring available I can buy, I'm wondering if I should return them and eat the return shipping costs. Or should I keep them in the off-chance springs become available. Are there other springs I could use instead?

I had planned on getting the 2" lift kit from prius overlander with medium or high rear lift springs (I have been monitoring stock status) but they've been out of stock for more than a month now. Also, I don't have a clear idea of what parts I need vs what I don't due to conflicts between the parts list and what I'm reading as I do my research, on prius overlander prius offroad, the black.jmyntrn.com website and on this forum.

I have more questions than answers. If I go with 2" lift kit from prius overlander, would I need to buy springs or a subframe spacer kit or anything else? For that matter, would I need those same things if I bought the 2.5" kit from Motortane? Would I need the camber thing if I went for the 1.5" lift from Prius Offroad to avoid axle rub, or has that been fixed? Assumption here is I would not need subframe spacer or to purchase any other additional parts for the 1.5" lift.

At the moment I'm looking at the 1.5" lift kit from Prius Offroad, 2" lift kit from Prius Overlander, or the 2.5" lift kit from Motortane. The 1.5" lift kit is the one with the least amount of question marks but it's also the most unappealing option for my goal of being able to climb gnarly roads to launch sites for paragliding in the PNW.

I'm feeling lost and uncertain. As much as I'm doing my research, I am inexperienced. I have consulted with a local off-road mod shop and they didn't have much advice to give me as they've never done a Prius before. Would much appreciate guidance on what you would do if you were in my shoes.

 

@Adam Logan @black_jmyntrn got banned a few days ago. I've read in another thread. I hope it's only a temp ban @black_jmyntrn
Follow the youtube instagram web page, etc and or connect using one of the other groups @black_jmyntrn posts to until if and or when the ban gets lifted.

 

I'll say this, when I first started going off the pavement, with the small lift and my gear I was no where near the almost 1000lbs of additional weight that I am now...
this video is lift only and I barely had 150k miles so the suspension wasn't used and since PHEV it had the better rear springs from the factory. Which Eco-hitch tho? They recently modified their product to mimic the 2"inch hitch from PriusOverlanding.com to have an elevated receiver opening... I bring this up because it was after this video that I had the new design elevated hitch just to counter act how the rack would still scrape off the pavement. It wasn't until I got fed up still bottoming out everywhere did I make the metal engine splash shield with oil change access opening and the 2"inch lift kit. Think tho, this is all still before the low profile roof rack and custom springs I r&d'd.

but this video... look at the rear end and the strength of the rear suspension and the height of the box... this was before the lifting springs in the front, only my custom designed rear springs.

@blackjmyntrn

Toyota Prius handles pavement to sand transition like a champ!

damn, did you return or no? I would... I have some new developments on the lifting front which doesn't include using Prius KYB parts and a larger area of wheel clearance for larger tires.

PriusOverlanding.com will be in big stock before the end of next month on all parts other than springs. Still waiting on a confirmation for spring products, we will also have no backlogged of back ordered products for orders where no chargeback was performed. What I am most excited about is same day shipping on orders placed before 11am PST and if you arent going to install, tell me who will and I can get them setup to purchase wholesale as I have a separate funnel now for shipping of B2B and B2C customers. On your response of the above ill response laying this out for you. I mentioned somewhere else a while ago about a question GUI Ive been developing where you answer questions about your setup and a recommendation is provided... heh, seems as if someone has been following my comments on the internet and tossed one of his own up. hahahaha I see you big guy... the best part is I know I got your eyes and attention just like everyone else's... you haven't seen anything yet!

guess who is back tho!

 

This place is not the same without you man, welcome back.

 

@Adam Logan
Well... its Friday and really wish I could've responded hours after your post on Tuesday... did you return or keep things?