tundra

Is a 3” Lift Kit needed for 35s on the New Tundra & Sequoia?

Posted by Sean Law-Bowman on February 09, 2026

Introduction

For years, the common wisdom has been simple: "You need at least three inches of lift to run 35-inch tires on the new Tundra and Sequoia." But the Tundra in our shop is sitting on 35s with only 2.2 inches of lift — and nothing rubs. So what gives?

Lift Height Isn't the Full Story

Most people treat tire clearance like a simple formula: X inches of lift = room for Y size tire. But that's not how suspension actually works.

What lift really does

A suspension lift mainly extends the suspension at ride height, giving you more room before the tire contacts bodywork when the suspension compresses.

However, tire clearance is dictated by upward travel (bump travel) — how far the suspension can compress before the tire hits something.

What actually determines clearance is:

How much up-travel you allow
Where the tire sits within the fender at full compression
Where the tire steers during that travel

If you limit upward travel by ~2 inches, and then add a ~2-inch suspension lift, you effectively return the system to stock bump travel, meaning the bigger tire fits without losing travel. That's what matters.

Wheel Offset: The Hidden X-Factor

Wheel size is simple enough — diameter and width. Offset is where things get complicated, and on the new Toyota platforms, offset is critical.

Why Toyota's New Hub Design Changes Everything

The new Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner all use massive, one-ton-style wheel bearings. This pushes the factory hub surface outward, meaning:

Factory wheels have much higher offset
Running traditional aftermarket truck sizes (0, –12, –38) is too aggressive
Low-offset wheels cause rubbing, poor geometry, and body damage

What low offset does

When offset gets overly low:

The wheel sticks out past the fender
Scrub radius increases dramatically
At full lock, the tire swings in a wider arc
Tire hits the bumper, fender, or body mount more easily
Suspension geometry and steering feel degrade

On these Toyotas, keeping the tire tucked is crucial because they have plenty of bump travel and the tire will push deep into the fender under load.

If your tire is hanging outside the fender, it will blow out the liner or contact metal at full compression.

Our recommended wheel spec (verified)

The sweet spot:

17x8.5 +25 offset (+20 to +30 works for most setups)

This keeps the tire tucked under the fender, preserves geometry, and drastically improves clearance at bump and steer.

The Real Test: Cycling the Suspension at Full Bump & Full Lock

To see where 35s truly hit, we removed the front coil springs and cycled:

Full compression
Full droop
Full left and right steering
Multiple shock lengths
Spacer configurations

This is the only correct way to test tire clearance.

We tested two main strut options:

1. Bilstein 6112 (shorter body length)

Shorter compressed and extended lengths
Represents the minimum shock length you should run
Great baseline for clearance
Surprisingly good bump stop engagement

2. Icon 2.5 EXP (longer travel)

Longer droop and more available up-travel
Great option if you want maximum articulation
Slightly more trimming needed for aggressive tires

We also added a ½-inch spacer to the 6112 setup — something we'll be offering as a package (6112 + spacer + Icon UCAs + diff drop + replacement axles).

What We Found

1. 35s fit on these trucks with no rubbing — without 3" of lift

With the correct +25-offset wheel, we were able to cycle the suspension fully without tire-to-body contact using:

2.2" lift
Bilstein 6112 OR Icon 2.5 EXP

Up-travel is the real limiter, and wheel offset keeps the tire where the fender actually has room.

2. The rear is basically a non-issue

Unless your offset is way off (too low), 35s slide into the rear without major trimming. A liner trim may be needed, but no major surgery.

3. Shock body size matters more than lift height

35s add a ton of unsprung weight. 2.0-body shocks struggle to control it.

We saw:

Frequent top-out
Harsh rebound
Unstable compression events

The Eibach 2.0s topped out constantly. The Bilstein 6112s (even with similar lengths) topped out far less due to better damping and larger 60mm body.

Minimum recommended: ✔️ 2.5" body strut or coilover to properly control the weight of 35s.

4. 6112 + ½" spacer = more usable travel

Surprisingly, Bilstein leaves a lot of room before coil bind or full shock compression, so adding a spacer actually:

Engaged the bump stop earlier
Added roughly ½ inch of usable wheel travel
Still stayed shorter than the Icon extended length

Good news: Spacers don't hurt this setup when installed correctly at lower circlip settings.

5. Icon 2.5 EXP = maximum travel

The Icons delivered:

A true 10 inches of front wheel travel
More droop than the Bilstein
Room to make 37s possible (with trimming)

What 37s would require

For 37-inch tires:

Limit up-travel by ~1 inch
Inner fender trimming
Body mount chop
Possibly trimming bumper edges

This is not impossible but would be a more involved project.

So… Do You Need Lift to Run 35s?

Short answer: No. Not if you run the correct wheels.

A 17x8.5 +25 (±5mm) keeps the tire inside the fender where Toyota intended, and lets the suspension use its full bump travel without contacting anything.

The only reason to lift is to maintain your up-travel

If you limit 1-2 inches of bump travel for clearance, a 1 to 2-inch lift simply restores what you lost.

Why You Should Upgrade Your Suspension

Even if 35s physically fit, 2.0-body shocks don't have the damping force to control the heavier wheel and tire combo.

With stock or 2.0 shocks, you'll feel:

Harsh top-out
Loss of traction in choppy terrain
Poor body control
Harsh rebound events
Less stability at speed

A 2.5-inch body coilover (Bilstein, Icon, Dobinsons IMS, King OEM Performance, Fox 2.5, etc.) keeps the tire planted, restores composure, and prevents topping-out.

This is the real upgrade.