Need some lift advice

[cleanwatt]

Hey all,

First time posting here, but have been lurking for a while. Any input on this matter will be greatly appreciated!

I picked up a 2004 Tacoma with the V6, Four wheel drive a couple months ago with lift kit already installed. I wasn't really keen on buying with the kit installed, but the price was good, and it seemed to be in great shape.

My query is this: The truck is fitted with a Procomp 4" lift kit seen here. I've been hearing and reading about the negative aspects of these simple spacer lifts, and was beginning to research putting in some Coil Overs in the front, then maybe a longer shackle with an extra leaf in the rear. Ideally looking for some more travel, smoother ride without the risks of damaging the rear axle because of the 4" blocks. My current tire size, which I'm happy with, are 265 75/16.

I've done a little digging but haven't found a coil over set-up that will accommodate the 4" lift. The longest travel ones I've found provide 0-3.5" of lift. Am I going to have to completely remove the lift equipment up front?

Thanks again for any direction folks!

 

[jgilbreath]

My understanding is that 3" is the Max to go, otherwise you put too much strain on ifs components. With your size tire a coilover at 2.5 to 3 with something like Wheelers three leaf add a leaf would be great.

 

[Wainiha]

Your lift is a drop bracket lift like Fabtech correct? If so the front diff. has been cut off it's OEM mounts. The reversal of this lift would require a lot lot of work to go back to stock. Not something most people can do. I'd call a good shock company and ask them if they have something that will fit the front.

The rear: 4" block? That really should go. New and properly sized leaf packs would be ideal. Lift shackles are somewhat of a band-aid fix...maybe not as bad as blocks but you wouldn't be able to get rid of the blocks entirely with a lift shackle. A shackle that is 2" longer than stock will only net 1" of lift. The angle will start getting out of the ideal range and it will wear your leafs quicker. Also the leafs won't function as designed.

Companies: Icon, King, Sway Away, Old Man Emu, Bilstein and Radflo are the ones I would consider.

Maybe a 3 pack add a leaf and a small lift shackle can get rid od those blocks.

 

[Arktikos]

Your lift is a drop bracket lift like Fabtech correct? If so the front diff. has been cut off it's OEM mounts. The reversal of this lift would require a lot lot of work to go back to stock. Not something most people can do./QUOTE]

Oh my. Well, guess that kills my idea of trashing the blocks, adding a small shackle lift in the rear combined with low OME coils in the front.

 

[deadbeat son]

Your lift is a drop bracket lift like Fabtech correct? If so the front diff. has been cut off it's OEM mounts. The reversal of this lift would require a lot lot of work to go back to stock. Not something most people can do. I'd call a good shock company and ask them if they have something that will fit the front...Companies: Icon, King, Sway Away, Old Man Emu, Bilstein and Radflo are the ones I would consider.

Oh my. Well, guess that kills my idea of trashing the blocks, adding a small shackle lift in the rear combined with low OME coils in the front.

I'm with Wainiha here. It's unfortunate the truck has a drop bracket lift. These are involve a lot of cutting etc to install, so removal isn't simply an unbolt and replace job (unless you want to replace a LOT of parts with salvage yard parts or you find someone who wants a drop-bracket lift and swap parts for their factory parts).

If you keep the drop bracket system in the front, but want to replace the factory coilover system and spacers for something longer travel, you may have to go custom. As mentioned, King, Fox, Icon, Radflo, or Sway Away may be your best bet for something like this.

Good luck.

 

[v_man]

I am running 3" blocks and about 6 leafs in my pack in the rear . I am in the process of switching to 1.5" blocks . That being said I have nothing really bad to say about the 3" blocks I am running . Many people will tell you that big blocks lead to axle wrap , but I havn't experienced that .

I wouldn't give up on the idea of blocks altogether , maybe just something smaller , like 2" or less . It's not like your running tons of power and torque through your rear diff .

How are your driveline angles looking ? Pretty steep?

 

[4Rescue]

Blocks are a bad idea. As the height of the block grows, exponentially, so does the "badness" of their nature. 1.5" blocks while not ideal aren't anywhere near as bad as a 3" block because of the nature of the mechanical advantage they give the axle over the leaves, and the leverage ratio changes the taller the blocks incur. It basically adds improper leverage/movement (read: fore/aft movement of the axle and rotational "twisting" leverage) to the suspension actuation and if you're trouncing on it the springs can bend/break in worst-case scenarios and just cause a ton of added wheel-hop. Yes, adding a set of ladder-type "link/traction" bars to the rear suspension would solve the issue somewhat, but the blocks can also shift and break/degrade and fail at the most inopportune times leaving you with a "collapsed" suspension. At that point you're adding extraneous suspension components to "fix" another... Add into all that the fact that this typically means STOCK springs (or low quality low leaf count after-market springs maybe) and you're just adding wear and load to a part that was never designed to handle it in the first place. They may not "explode" the day you put them in, but they will cause added wear and eventually lead to suspension failures and issues. IMO the stock suspensions are always too light-duty for bigger tires already so blocks on stock springs is just asking for premature wear/sag and failure. Also be sure that you don't have one of the vintage of Tacomas where they recalled the rear-springs (not sure what years/models that was) cause if you do and it wasn't done then you're rolling on blocks on already poor-quality springs.

As for the Drop-bracket lift: yeah you're kinda stuck unless you're handy with the Fab. skills cause as has been said several times, those drop-bracket lifts do more irreversible damage to the front suspension then they add benefit (they simply allow you to add larger tires, I look at them as a REALLY involved body-lift). They're really not reversible for the average user. On the other hand, maybe it just means you're that much closer to an SAS or a custom LT set-up...

Others have led you in the right direction suggesting you look for some kind of "work around" in the form of a custom coil-over that can fill the new, non-stock front shock needs but you're still going to have the drop-bracket lift on there.

Best of luck going forward.

Dave

 

[cleanwatt]

Fair enough, thought I had all that coming. I appreciate the input folks.

Sounds like I need to put a call into those aftermarket suspension suppliers and see if we can figure out a way to keep that front end up with that 4" bracket already in there. If I can figure out something for the front, then I'll roll with it and figure out something for the rear (new leaf package w/ drop bracket?!). Need to find a solid fabrication/4x4 shop to have a crawl under there and tell be what needs doing to drop it, and maybe sell that mess.

This is why I wasn't keen on picking up a rig with a lift installed, because I didn't know enough about it all. BIG lesson learned I suppose. In the mean time, I won't be wheeling anywhere too rough until I can figure something out.

Thanks again all, if you have any suggestions or more advice throw it my way and I'll gladly take it!

 

[4Rescue]

Fair enough, thought I had all that coming. I appreciate the input folks.

Sounds like I need to put a call into those aftermarket suspension suppliers and see if we can figure out a way to keep that front end up with that 4" bracket already in there. If I can figure out something for the front, then I'll roll with it and figure out something for the rear (new leaf package w/ drop bracket?!). Need to find a solid fabrication/4x4 shop to have a crawl under there and tell be what needs doing to drop it, and maybe sell that mess.

This is why I wasn't keen on picking up a rig with a lift installed, because I didn't know enough about it all. BIG lesson learned I suppose. In the mean time, I won't be wheeling anywhere too rough until I can figure something out.

Thanks again all, if you have any suggestions or more advice throw it my way and I'll gladly take it!

Don't let it get down man... It's still a Toyota :smiley_drive: and as bad as anything that's been said may all make it sound w/the technical talk, The bracket lift up-front, if done right and welded well, should be strong enough for an intelligent driver. Don't be scarred of your truck all of a sudden. The back end you just really need to watch moments off-road where you're loosing grip and "bouncing" or putting heavy loads on the rear axle like towing or hauling big loads. There are plenty of people with the same type of lift out there driving around every day w/o any drama (hell there are a ton of pavement queen monster trucks out there running huge, I mean HUGE blocks) and there will be tomorrow so don't start thinking you're out of options or that you can't drive your rig. It may cost you a few bucks and/or require some thinking/searching, but there's a fix for everything and sometimes it just takes finding the right parts. With a new set of rear-leaves and shocks out back to match the front lift (a slightly longer shackle is perfectly fine to fine tune ride height, just don't go with like a 6" longer shackle...), it will in theory be nearly the same as a stock truck up front with a longer travel/higher-capacity rear suspension and frankly as long as you're not going for massive "ramp index" flex numbers at the front axle, then it'll get you a lot of places and you may drive it for 30 years without trouble. Just don't get carried away with tire size (you've still got a mostly stock where it counts front end lift or no) and it'll still be a reliable truck. Possibly even better if you can work out a set of front shocks. I'm sure you could even find a way to get more travel out of it if you're the tinkering type.

Cheers

Dave

 

[RememberTheFallen]

I ran into the same problem on a truck I bought with a lift several years ago. Didn't realize that they had cut the subframe until I had already bought a new lift. Found a wrecked tacoma at a salvage yard and cut out the piece needed. My dad welded it in for me. Was a pain in the *** but definitely doable by the average guy with some welding skills.

 

[deadbeat son]

Fair enough, thought I had all that coming...I appreciate the input folks. Thanks again all, if you have any suggestions or more advice throw it my way and I'll gladly take it!

I re-read my previous post and would like to clarify.

I meant "good luck" with all sincerety, no smartaleck tone intended. Keep us updated however you proceed!

 

[4Rescue]

I re-read my previous post and would like to clarify.

I meant "good luck" with all sincerety, no smartaleck tone intended. Keep us updated however you proceed!

Ditto... I really wasn't trying to be flippant.

It's hard to convey sentiment over the internet, but I meant anything/everything i said as helpful information for you going forward, not to talk down to you or insult you/your truck in any way. Welcome to the Expo Portal BTW. :smiley_drive:

Cheers

Dave

 

[Wainiha]

Have someone drive your truck. Look at the pinion and axle when they go from stopped to foward motion.

Does the the pinion angle/ axle rotate up? If not you're good for now. It will become worse over time.

Like 4rescue said it is not the end of the world. If you don't hit top speed offroad or do serious rockcrawling you'll be OK. Just plan to replace those blocks when money allows it or when the leafs are dead. Both Deaver and Alcan can make you custom springs.

As far as the front shocks...someone has them I'm sure. They could always make you some too. For $$$ of course.