Help decide on lift options, '01 Tacoma

[Revco]

Should be getting my money back from the government soon, plan to spend some on the truck. Running 265/75/16's now, but they are highway treads, so I'm hunting for some cheap wheels and will be getting some 265/75/16's or 265/70/17's in a more aggressive tread to use offroad/trails. With that being said, the stock suspension needs to be replaced. Shocks are worn, springs are likely worn, and I'm sure all the bushings are worn as well, so I might as well upgrade while I'm in there.

I'm trying to wrap my head around all of the options. I see so many folks that say "OME" "ToyTec" "Bilsteins" "Eibachs" "Coilovers" "Blah Blah Blah". The majority of these conflicting opinions are focused on Access Cabs and Double Cabs, and there's not much advice directed at the regular cabs like mine.

Even though I'll have some cash to spend, I plan to spread it out as much as I can. I'm a cheap bastard, but I do demand quality parts on my vehicles, so I'm pretty picky as to where I spend my money. Obviously Coilovers are way out of range, so they are not even considered, plus I just don't do that type of driving, so they'd be pointless.

I don't want the suspension to ride any stiffer than the original stuff, so I'll likely do some lift shackles out back until I can scrounge up enough cash to do new rear spring packs. I'm afraid AAL's will make the ride too harsh on my little reg cab, this is a daily driver afterall. What do you guys think?

I think I've narrowed down my options to the Toytec front setup of Bilstein 5100's and Eibachs (they claim to be out of stock of the coils right now)

Or Bilsteins with OME 880's or 881's. Not sure which is best for the reg cab. I want a little more lift, but don't want to sacrifice the ride. I've rear conflicting stories about using 880's vs 881's and vice versa on reg cabs.

Rear shocks will be Bilsteins for sure.

All in all, I want to gain some ground clearance, have a decent ride, and be able to clear slightly larger tires in the future.

Also, do I need a diff drop spacer with any or all of these front setups?

Sorry for the long post, my brain is fried from reading so many threads on this subject, but the Reg Cab's just don't get the love.:smiley_drive:

 

[Stone_Blue]

I would suggest finding out what the spring rate of your stock coil springs are, then getting some lifted coils that match the rate. Also see if you can find out if the springs are progressive or not. Take into consideration if you ever plan on a custom front bumper or winch, and add that in also. Be aware that aftermarket struts may be valved differently than stock, which can give you a harsher ride. I think, but could be wrong, that Bilstein tries to valve their specific struts to match the application.
Lots of people will tell you the diff drop is a waste, but they are cheap ($25 at WheelersOffroad.com), and are a very simple 20 min install. They definately won't hurt anything, but may help the CV angles, so I dont see why lots of people are so dead set against them. I recommend Wheeler's, as they have EVERYTHING you would need to do your whole suspension, making it basically a one-stop-shop. The shipping is quick, they are knowledgable on the Toyotas, and their customer service is top notch. Prices are also VERY good.
Also, if you havent already, I would check out www.TTORA.com, THE best Tacoma off-road forum out there.

 

[AxleIke]

Even though I'll have some cash to spend, I plan to spread it out as much as I can. I'm a cheap bastard, but I do demand quality parts on my vehicles, so I'm pretty picky as to where I spend my money. Obviously Coilovers are way out of range, so they are not even considered, plus I just don't do that type of driving, so they'd be pointless.

You do know you have coilovers on there already, no? I'm not sure what you planned to put in instead, but anything but a coilover up front is not going to fit great into your 'cheap' scheme.

As far as the lift shackle goes, certainly a cheap way to do it. For a small amount of lift, it should be fine, but keep an eye on your driveline angle because the shackles will rotate the pinion up a tad the farther up you go with lift.

My dad likes the OME stuff on his 04, but it is an extra cab, and he has armor and a winch. But, it rides a lot softer than stock ever did.

 

[Toyotero]

Like someone else pointed out, the stock Tacoma front suspension is a coil-over design, so all the aftermarket sets will be labeled as such.

I'm still using the stock suspension in my 03 DC, planning to change in the next couple of years. I'll probably get OME, a complete kit is $1000 and they are easy to install yourself (shocks/springs best installed onto coil-over by a local shop in my experience)
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/inde...-2004-toyota-tacoma-suspension-lift-kits.html

Probably the lightest duty unit since this is my daily driver also.
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/inde...ocharger-rear-shocks-0-110lbs-ometac04lk.html


Everyone says to go ICON for the best results, but I expect that I'll be satisfied with OME for ~ $1000 less.
http://www.iconvehicledynamics.com/...6%2d-2004-Tacoma/Complete-Suspension-Systems/
http://www.demello-offroad.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27_25_30&products_id=67

BTW, Tacos are pretty common among the Toyota owners on this forum so if you do some searching you'll find a lot of discussion about these aftermarket kits and people's experience after install.

 

[Stone_Blue]

When the OP mentioned coilovers as separate option, I believe he probably meant the adjustable Ikons, Kings, Fox, etc.... Yes, the Tacoma has a basic coilover design, but you aint gonna be getting no lift from going with aftermarket stock replacements.

 

[Revco]

Yes, when I said "Coilovers" I meant aftermarket adjustable coilovers, like Donahoes, Sway-A-Ways, Camburgs, Icons, etc. Not the factory stuff which is a shock/coil spring design similar to a McPherson strut. This isn't a "Cheap Scheme", this is simply the search for the best bang for the buck. I'm not a hardcore rock crawler or an extreme overlander and I'm not going to act like I am with all the bolt-on garbage that most people buy more for social status rather than out of necessity and never put those things to use. My truck is a tool, and it spends its days commuting to work, hauling hot rod parts, etc and will be a weekend warrior for offroad trails/camping, so I'm looking for the best setup for my application and useage that fits my budget.

As for added weight, I'm building a bed rack out of aluminum, and the added armor (Bumpers, Sliders) will consist of round tubing with a minimalistic approach, so there shouldn't be much, if any, increase in sprung weight. Although I really prefer the look of steel wheels, I'm starting to sway in the direction of OEM Aluminum wheels to reduce unsprung weight, which will reduce the workload of the suspension. I'll also be likely to go for Load Range C/D tires instead of E to also reduce that unsprung weight further, but by swapping the stock rear end for a heavier TRD E-Locker, I'll counter that weight reduction by a bit. Who knows I might just keep the steelies and forget about it, either way it's unsprung weight, so it doesn't really have an effect on the springs. The only other real weight increase will be from a Marlin TacoBox, beefier crossmember, and some custom built 1/4" Thick Aluminum skid plates which are about half as heavy as steel versions.

Stoneblue, yeah I'm on TTORA and have spent pretty much every night online reading/learning/absorbing info about these trucks. I've also been to Wheelers and a ton of other online parts vendors trying to get a feel for everything. Thanks!

 

[AxleIke]

Perhaps you mis-understood what I meant by "cheap scheme" I used the word to mean plan, or objective, or similar. It was not an attempt to insult. I simply meant that by going with something else, you would be spending more than for a set of coil-overs.

And there isn't anything wrong with spending money appropriately. You are absolutely correct that 90% of folks on this site have stuff on their vehicle that never gets used to its full potential, and that is cool too. But I'm with you. I spend coin where it helps the most, and leave the rest.

I'm not sure of your back ground, but pretty much everything here gets labeled "coilover" if its a coil over a shock. I would consider a Macpherson strut a coilover, because it is. That is, obviously, just semantics, but it may help you in searching out your options, just a thought.

Increasing your Sprung/Unsprung ratio will greatly help your ride quality, so any where you can reduce un-sprung weight, the happier you will be. Adding the extra sprung weight will also help (taco box, etc...) so it sounds like you are on the right track.

A buddy had a 00 single cab with old man emu stuff on it, with an ARB front bumper, and sliders, and a 2.7L, and it seemed to ride well. I didn't like the cab size, but I didn't notice the ride being particularly harsh. However, he also had their rear springs, which do ride quite nicely.

Another option you could consider is airbags. Adjustable so you can firm them up (if you are hauling stuff), but can also be used for some lift in the rear. Probably not what you are looking for, but a possible option as well. May give you the bang for your buck you are looking for (multiple use).

Cheers!

 

[Revco]

I didn't take it as an insult or anything, no worries. I'm really just trying to narrow down the ideal setup for my application.


I'm thinking of just using the OME 880 or 881 front coil springs with Bilstein 5100 shocks up front, since ToyTec's Eibach coil springs are on back order and they don't have different spring rates like the OME's. Rear will be Bilstein shocks with either the lift shackles or an AAL until I can get Deavers or Alcans or something similar. I figure that will level out my truck, keep the suspension firm, and keep the ride from getting too harsh during daily driving. Wheelers seems to have everything I need and I'll probably go through them, unless my uncle's Jeep parts company can get the same parts for less.

Picking up a set of '12 Tacoma 5-spoke Steelies tomorrow, then some fresh rubber soon after. I've got a line on a complete TRD E-Locker rear from a totalled truck, so hopefully things will work out and I can get everything buttoned up quickly and get this little thing out on the trails.

 

[Toyotero]

Revco, if you don't mind, make note of the change in chassis height with the new suspension and old rims/tires, then clearance of the new tires (I assume you'll go larger :-D )

 

[Revco]

I don't think I'll be going larger with the tires, just something with a more aggressive tread. The current 265/75/16's look great in diameter, but they already rub the frame rails at full lock. Since it hasn't really been offroad (besides a quick scouting trip for some possible trails near Austin, which turned out to be crap) I haven't flexed the suspension, so I'm sure there will be some tire clearance issues when wheeling, which is some of the reason for the lift. I've already taken care of the pinch welds and I've got some 1/4" spacers and longer wheels studs that might help with the frame rub issue. I will get several before & after measurements no matter what direction I go.

 

[trump]

Although I really prefer the look of steel wheels, I'm starting to sway in the direction of OEM Aluminum wheels to reduce unsprung weight, which will reduce the workload of the suspension. I'll also be likely to go for Load Range C/D tires instead of E to also reduce that unsprung weight further, but by swapping the stock rear end for a heavier TRD E-Locker, I'll counter that weight reduction by a bit. Who knows I might just keep the steelies and forget about it, either way it's unsprung weight, so it doesn't really have an effect on the springs. The only other real weight increase will be from a Marlin TacoBox, beefier crossmember, and some custom built 1/4" Thick Aluminum skid plates which are about half as heavy as steel versions.

Be careful, don't assume anything before pulling the trigger with your hard earned dollars. I had the same line of thinking when I started out and now regret a couple of the decisions I made. Aluminum wheels might not save you as much weight as you think, especially if moving to a wider wheel (16x8 in my case). The aftermarket aluminum wheel I was using only saved 2 lbs per wheel over the Toyota steel wheels. To further the confusion, the BFG A/T's in 285/75r16 D-load range are heavier than the E-load range in the same size, so double check weights on their website. If you're talking about swapping the "8.4" rear end for the 8" w/ the e-locker, you might very well be dropping weight as the non-TRD axle is built more robust than its TRD cousin. Pull it apart and compare and you'll see the difference. If you want a locker you might be better off adding one to your current axle. You mention that you're not a "hardcore rock crawler or an extreme overlander" so why the TacoBox? Are you converting from 2wd? If not, although cool, it's completely unnecessary... refer to your mention of buying for social status. Just my observations... hopefully this helps, and good luck with the build.

 

[AxleIke]

I don't think I'll be going larger with the tires, just something with a more aggressive tread. The current 265/75/16's look great in diameter, but they already rub the frame rails at full lock. Since it hasn't really been offroad (besides a quick scouting trip for some possible trails near Austin, which turned out to be crap) I haven't flexed the suspension, so I'm sure there will be some tire clearance issues when wheeling, which is some of the reason for the lift. I've already taken care of the pinch welds and I've got some 1/4" spacers and longer wheels studs that might help with the frame rub issue. I will get several before & after measurements no matter what direction I go.

What are you using for the longer studs? I'm looking for some. Rickashay thought some from an 02 matrix could be used, but wasn't sure. Thanks!

 

[Stone_Blue]

I've heard rear studs from LC 200's work, also.

 

[Revco]

I've looked into the different lockers and it's down to a stock TRD locker rear, or an ARB Air Locker, but I've got a line on a complete and cheap TRD Rear from a totalled truck, so I'll probably end up going that way. The Tacobox might come, might not, depends how I progress in my wheeling adventures, either way it's not something I'll be adding anytime soon.

The longer wheel studs were from www.WheelAdapter.com and were under $60 for the whole set, which is pretty close to the same price as the Matrix wheel studs through the Toyota dealer. I have one broken front wheel stud and one stretched/crossthreaded front stud due to ignorant Discount Tire guys who were probably flipping burgers before swapping tires. Anyway, those stud issues prompted the studs search and I figure the more thread the better, like on my drag cars. I bought the studs and have a set of new open ended lug nuts since I prefer them over the stock capped nuts. I'm picking up the stock '12 Tacoma steelies tomorrow. Once I get some tires mounted on them, I'll swap out the wheel studs and installed the new tire/wheel combo.

Should be finishing up my bumper next week once I finish the yard work and moving some antique cars around in the backyard for more room. Back to work!

 

[Stone_Blue]

Did you get the wheels?

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