Mid travel = confusion

Ill keep this short and simple. I would like to upgrade to a mid travel set up. I don't do any serious off roading, just mild trails. I was looking into this kit.
http://www.ishock.com/i-17931391-fo...cks-readylift-boxed-ucas-and-lift-blocks.html
Mostly because of the price. To be sure it is a mid travel set up, I sent an e mail to the company. This is the reply

Thanks for your interest in this kit.

Fox is not offering the 2.0¹s in an extended length right now so travel is
stock. To get into true ³mid travel² you would need to bump up to the
2.5¹s. Keep in mind, the extended length or travel shocks from Fox, King,
Icon, etc only increase the shaft travel by .40 inches which equals less
than an inch at the wheels. Not as exciting as it seems when they
advertise ³mid-travel² is it? Anyway, Going with 2.5¹s adds about $450 to
the cost and if you wanted to add reservoirs to that as well your looking
at another $300. It all starts to add up. Right now everything has a
build time, Camburg is 3 weeks out, 2.5¹s from Fox are 3 to 4 weeks out
and even the 2.0¹s are back ordered right now and looking at 2 weeks. The
resent boom in sales on these Tacoma kits has kinda caught these guys with
their pants down!

You may want to look at this kit which is by far our best seller, the
³boxed² arms are killing it right now mostly because they look more ³race²
but also because they have a billet cap that seals in the uniball and
really extend the life and keep them quiet. Uniballs can be REAL
expensive to replace and a pain to maintain. These arms are usually more
expensive than the Camburg but we have the kit on sale for the same price
right now!
http://www.ishock.com/i-17924423-fox-shox-4-pack-toyota-tacoma-0-to-3-lift-
coil-overs-w-matching-rear-shocks-readylift-boxed-ucas-lift-blocks-and-diff
-drop.html

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.]
I was thinking a mid travel suspension would give more than one inch of travel.Even with the more expensive shocks named above. I'm I missing something? I would just like to lift my truck 3 inches in the front and have a smooth suspension when going over rough terrain.

 

Wow that rep really likes to talk trash on everyone else. Professional.

The additional droop is extremely important to ride quality as you raise the front end. Just ask the guys with OME shocks and tall coils.

As important is the valving. Ask again the guys with OME or bilsteins shocks which both top out easily and harshly due to poor valving. I've run 5100s on ifs trucks and they are great on the road. But even at 2" they top out all the time and they're loud and harsh when they do it. No complaints with them on my Jeep with more travel but I didn't like them on an ifs setup.

The higher you preload the coils, the rougher the ride and the less down travel you'll have, easier you'll top the shocks out. Run some quality extended travel coil overs with upper arms at 2-2.5" and you should have a pretty good ride. Use light racing or camburg arms with ball joints if noise and maintenance is a concern. Fyi stainless uni balls are what, $55 each? I bet a basic extended travel icon coil over (non res) with upper arms would work really well for you and probably in stock many places. I would also strongly suggest a multi stage add a leaf for the rear rather than blocks. Blocks will only make axle wrap and driveline vibration worse.

Maybe a few guys near you will let you ride in their trucks and see how they ride. Really no need to spend a ton of money if you're just cruising down fire roads occasionally.

I'll also ask why do you have to have 3" up front? Is it more important to look cool and get an extra inch of height or would you rather have better ride and performance. Everything is a trade off. Honestly I would rather have a 4.5" drop bracket lift and have droop from ride height than run standard length coilovers or OME/5100s at 3". Just me....

 

i would walk as far away from that company as you can. That REP is full of crap and is just trying to steer you into that kit. Probably cause their markup on the kit is the best or something.

Their boxed uca's are "killing it" because they look race? WTF does that have to do with anything.

Im not sure on all brands but to go to an extended front C/O for Icon it is just removing a simple spacer from inside the shock itself. So is the 1" of travel worth it for just having a spacer removed....IMO yes it is.

The rear on that kit is also a block lift. Blocks give less than desirable ride quality. You'd be better off picking up a new leaf pack set or at least a AAL over a block.



Honestly if I was you'd I would call other vendors. Many from here (Down South Motorsports, Wheelers Offroad, headstrong Offroad, ect) can get you a good setup and many offer Tacoma world discounts too!

 

That kit is not worth your money. Im mainly saying that since the sale rep just badmouths other products. He is trying to sell you that kit since its marked up a lot. The coils and shocks are about 1000-1200. Then you have blocks in the back which are horrible and cause axle wrap and bad ride quality.

A much better setup for your needs might be this one.

http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/OME-Tacoma-Suspension-lift-kit_p_231.html

Your getting essentially the same setup for 1000 less minus the UCAs. But it comes with a leaf pack. Id recommend getting the Dakar leaf pack for 439. Id also get the top hat spacer for a little extra lift at 60$ but thats your choice. Which brings you up to 1283$ be a good idea to have them assemble the coil overs for 100$ so thats a total of 1383$ Id also stay away from the diff drop. Bad things can happen wheeling a guys dropped part got stuck and ripped his trucks guts wide open.
But thats a total of 1383$

Then go and get some UCAs.

These Light racing ones would do you great.
http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/Light-Racing-Upper-Control-Arms-05-UP-Tacoma_p_195.html

grand total of that is like 50$ more than that garbage setup from ishock

If you decide not to go with the DAKARs then you'd end up being 400$ less than that setup and thats with a leaf pack and everything of better quality. A lot of guys run OME and I've never seen any complaints..

Im running icons and love them but at that price range your looking at the above setup i linked is gonna be better than that one from iShock.

 

Thanks for the info. I dont need a 3 inch lift. Just thought it would be nice to have. I have the 5100, and have had no complaints. Just feel there are shocks for a little bit more $ I will enjoy more.

 

How exactly does a rear block give "bad ride quality" other than increased wrap potential? I thought they didn't change ride quality at all... Add a leafs make your ride harsher.

 

one thing I've learned is to not cheap out on suspension. On my previous tacoma i had OME 885 springs paired with bilstein 5100 shocks in the front, an add a leaf (single) paired with bilstein 5100 shocks in the rear, and also downsouth motorsports ucas TERRIBLE ride quality. I was constantly jarred, and the guy above saying about the shocks topping out, all too true, and like he said, it is loud and harsh.

Now, on my FJ i went with radflo extended travel coilovers in the front and their rear shocks with toytec super flex springs in the rear, but that doesn't apply to tacomas. and also my downsouth motorsports ucas. Anyways, the ride is awesome. Little bumpy due to higher spring rate, but no topping out, and once i get going at about 25+ the ride is awesome.