Being honest with myself about Mods: Lift/Suspension

Here ya go, tacomaworlds method of talking people out of spacer lifts, blown out shock pics

 

Well that settles THAT.

 

Ding ding ding. If you want a good set up that will work better than factory and give you the lift you want, this is perfect. The coil overs up front will give you better ride quality the just the average 5100 or ome lift

 

Another vote for Toytec, which is one of my top 2 at the moment. How is the ride "better" than OME though? From everything I've read, the only significant difference between the two is that the Toytec shocks are valved and the OME aren't. Is that right?

 

OME shocks are valved, I believe they are progressive. I can't tell you much about toytec coilovers. I can tell you that OME rides a little stiff. They are awesome offroad and they can take a beating. OME is definitely a firm ride and you will feel more small bumps on road compared to stock suspension, your truck will handle nice though. If your main concern regarding ride quality is highway and on road performance you can't beat icon coilovers. ill say it again, IMO high end coilovers are worth the extra money if you are less concerned about budget and more concerned about how the truck rides. but that's just my opinion, I went with OME then 6 months later upgraded to icon. now my OMEs are back on because I am rebuilding the icons and going with different springs. the ride quality is noticeably better, not to mention I gained extra downtravel by switching to icons.

 

Yes exactly I was talking about top plate spacers. I was not aware of that problem but it makes perfect sense that that would be the case. I still think that most people would be okay if they base their use on the equipment they have. But that is pretty discouraging for anyone who think they MIGHT ond up on some sketchy trails.

I will tell you that I will be ordering my new front kit this week. I'm keeping the 1" blocks in the back for now I can't decide btwn the bilstien and OME

 

Is it just me or does it seem that there is an overwhelming spread tat first genner's are running the bilstein eibach and the second genner's are running the OME. An I imagining this or is there a reason for it.

 

I had Trd shocks, then pro comp 3"(paid for and installed by dealer) and OME. OME by far the best but guarantee it is still a stiffer ride. Almost any lift will stiffen the ride. Telling you this because you said you liked the factory ride. OME better but still somewhat stiff.

 

@OP

What did you end up deciding on? I'm in the exact same situation as you described here and I'd like any input.

Thanks
Joshua

 

I have a 2.5in lift from daystar and never had any issues with it. The spacer lift shown above has a pretty significant spacer on it. I think that is way to bit for a spacer. if you are going over 2.5 or 3 in then do it right.

 

This thread's old I know, but I'd like to chime in because your situation almost perfectly describes me. Minus the riding around on stock because the PO put on a block and top plate spacer kit. I'm about 2.5-2.75" of lift right now.

I've searched and read through hundreds if not thousands of pages of reviews and instructions of the different kits. And reached basically the same conclusion you have. The OME kit is the best for our situation.

Specifically:
OME 885's with 1/4"-1/2" top spacer to bring it level
Shims to negate taco lean
Nitrocharger 90000 shocks for the front
Nitrocharger 60091 shocks for the rear
NO diff drop kit
NO Dakars
All-Pro Standard Leaf Pack
Light Racing UCAs

I thought about 886, and 884s. But since I wanted a level look and I have an access cab, I pretty much ruled out 884s immediately. Then I tossed and turned over 885 vs 886 for a good while. I hated to put more spacers on my truck after running them for so long, but then I realized that 886s were more for those 300lbs bumper guys with winches and they would probably be too stiff. So, 885s with a small spacer.

The reasons for the nitro shocks is because even though you can use the 5100s with the 885 coils, they're about an inch too short. So your maximum droop is held back by your shocks, which isn't good for them. Plus, I try to use products for what they're made for if I can help it.

I said skip the diff drop because:
1. It only changes the angle by about one degree.
2. It tilts the front of the housing downward which could cause rocks to "grab" it, instead of deflect.
3. Saves a bit of money and installation time.

From day one there was no way I was just going to AAL. WAAAYY too many people lamenting that decision just to save a few bucks. So I started looking for the full leaf packs. The Dakars are made for people who constantly have weight on their truck. People like you and me, who rarely haul/tow anything are just asking for a stiffer ride with those. Even if you take out a leaf. Which also isn't great for off-roading at anything other than a crawl since it will cause you to bounce around.

Which brings me to the All-Pro leaf pack. Reviewers from here pretty much unanimously agree that they ride much softer than the Dakars and still provide the lift and increase your hauling capacity over stock. Just not as much as the Expedition pack, or the Dakars. Plus they're budget friendly...er than some. And seem to last a long time.

LR UCAs. I was all for some Total Chaos UCAs and every other uni-ball design. That's what I wanted. They looked great, top of the line, and did everything I wanted. Then I re-evaluated and realized I didn't need the best. In fact, for what I was doing, I might be able to get away with stock. But my steering is a little floaty as it is, and I would love to tighten it up and get better numbers on my alignment. So I started looking for the best value aftermarket UCA, and it didn't hurt that so many people ran, and loved them.

I didn't go for the 5100 setup because I had heard that at the height we want (3") the shock would be fully extended, and that would affect performance. Plus you would have to buy another brand's coils to go with it or use your stocks, neither one of which seems like a good option for me. And besides, the OME kits seemed like a step up for slightly more.

So, this is the setup I plan on running on mine as soon as I get the money. Which hopefully is sooner rather than later!

 

I'll go against the grain here. Life's Short! We're on the path to death, so let's enjoy the ride! Go for the whole F'ing enchilada and build yourself a beast. Whether you drive it off road or not...TBD Let's say we have a "2012" scenario and the world goes to shit. I want to be able to take my ass off the beaten path and know I'm capable of doing so, while everyone else is stuck in traffic on a paved road...lol! But that' me...

I'm building a beast...