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What shocks are you guys wearing?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by 06midnight, Mar 28, 2014.

  1. Mar 28, 2014 at 7:34 PM
    #1
    06midnight

    06midnight [OP] WORK HARD - PLAY HARD

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    Montgomeryville, PA
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    '06 Taco PreRunner TRD
    3" Spacer/Block Lift, Billet Grill with Painted Surround, Clear Headlights, LED Tails, Double Din Nav Radio, LED Interior Lights
    Fellas,

    I've been reading alot on TW about shocks and many recommend the 5100s. I know everyone has their opinions about spacer and block lifts and thats ok but I just wanted a little extra hight for bigger shoes. I dont go off roading or rock climbing at all - maybe an occasional dirt road! I have a 3" lift on the front and 2" on the rear. Questions are, is it necessary to go with 5100s for my lift or can I stay with the OEM Billys? And if I do need the 5100s, which ones are necessary for the hight I have? Toytec has different ones available. Is anyone using anything else besides the 5100s? Thanks for all your help.
     
  2. Mar 29, 2014 at 3:52 AM
    #2
    scottw1

    scottw1 Well-Known Member

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    Scott
    Norfolk, VA
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    2010 SR5 Tacoma 4x4
    Lighted 4wd dial, Sirus XM radio
    While I don't have a lift yet, many threads in the suspension forum on different lift/shock packages. Many here use 5100s but there are a lot of different alternatives.
     
  3. Mar 29, 2014 at 7:06 AM
    #3
    Drinknmolson

    Drinknmolson Well-Known Member

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    Wheat Ridge, CO
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    10 DCSB sport
    Old Man Emu lift & shocks!

    You should be using a shock thats made to work with your lift, stock would be for stock suspension a lift should have a shock built to ride and travel at the height of your suspension lift
     
  4. Mar 29, 2014 at 9:14 AM
    #4
    06midnight

    06midnight [OP] WORK HARD - PLAY HARD

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    Montgomeryville, PA
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    '06 Taco PreRunner TRD
    3" Spacer/Block Lift, Billet Grill with Painted Surround, Clear Headlights, LED Tails, Double Din Nav Radio, LED Interior Lights
    Understandably but the 5100s only adjust to 2.5 right - so is that what works with a 3" lift in the front? Or do I need something different?
     
  5. Mar 29, 2014 at 9:28 AM
    #5
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

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    Chris(Topher)
    Lago Vista, TX
    Vehicle:
    10 Taco 4x4
    A bunch a cool stickers, a bada ass MetalMiller Tx Longhorns grill emblem painted Hemi Orange, JBA long tube headers with o2 sims, Diff breather mod, Red LED interior lights, Fancy head unit that plays ipod n movies, Also DIY install factory stuff like, factory cruise control, factory intermittent wipers, OME nitro struts with 886x springs and toy tec top plate, JBA high caster UCA's for better alignmnet and dey beefier too, Old Man Emu Dakar leaf springs in da rear with the gear, U bolt flipper, Ivan Stewart TRD rims with 33" K Bro 2's, some bad ass weather tech floor liners so I don't muck up my interior, an ATO shackle flipper for mo travel in da rear wit the gear, also super shiny Fox 2.0 shocks back there too, all sorts of steal armor for bouncing off of the rocks like demello sliders, AP front skid, trans skid, n transfer skid, demello gas tank skid, and a tough as nails ARB bumper with warn 8k winch, I'm sure there's more
    Let me try and understand what you have now. You have Blstn 5100's in front, with a spacer? And a block in the rear with stock shocks? Looked at your list of stuff , and that's what I came up with. For the rear, get an Add a Leaf(AAL) before your leafs go to crud. I've seen where blocks will either make your leafs from smiley faces, to frowny faces, or worse yet, crack a leaf. With you being in law enforcement, I don't think you wanna mess with crack. You can keep your stock shocks in the rear, they have enough travel to handle what you are going for, but you may want to eventually replace them with a standard lift shock like Blstn's 0-2" lift shocks. The 3-4" rcd Blstn shocks would be too much, and you may bottom out on the shock too much, thus destroying it. For the front, I need a little clarification on what you have, but if you have the Blstn 5100 lift struts, you don't need a big block, just adjust the spring perch to the highest setting for stock springs, and if that's not enough, then go for the toytec 1/4" spacer to get that little bit of extra lift. I live pretty close to you, and if you need any help, hit me up.
     
  6. Mar 29, 2014 at 9:57 AM
    #6
    06midnight

    06midnight [OP] WORK HARD - PLAY HARD

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    Montgomeryville, PA
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    '06 Taco PreRunner TRD
    3" Spacer/Block Lift, Billet Grill with Painted Surround, Clear Headlights, LED Tails, Double Din Nav Radio, LED Interior Lights
    Thanks Chris. Currently lifted with 3" top spacers in front and 2" blocks in back with stock shocks. I was wondering if its a must to go with 5100s or can I stay with stock shocks. Im definately not hard on the truck and it feels just like factory now.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2014
  7. Mar 29, 2014 at 10:10 AM
    #7
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

    Joined:
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    Chris(Topher)
    Lago Vista, TX
    Vehicle:
    10 Taco 4x4
    A bunch a cool stickers, a bada ass MetalMiller Tx Longhorns grill emblem painted Hemi Orange, JBA long tube headers with o2 sims, Diff breather mod, Red LED interior lights, Fancy head unit that plays ipod n movies, Also DIY install factory stuff like, factory cruise control, factory intermittent wipers, OME nitro struts with 886x springs and toy tec top plate, JBA high caster UCA's for better alignmnet and dey beefier too, Old Man Emu Dakar leaf springs in da rear with the gear, U bolt flipper, Ivan Stewart TRD rims with 33" K Bro 2's, some bad ass weather tech floor liners so I don't muck up my interior, an ATO shackle flipper for mo travel in da rear wit the gear, also super shiny Fox 2.0 shocks back there too, all sorts of steal armor for bouncing off of the rocks like demello sliders, AP front skid, trans skid, n transfer skid, demello gas tank skid, and a tough as nails ARB bumper with warn 8k winch, I'm sure there's more
    Oh, ok. So you wanna switch to the 5100 fronts, but not sure if you will get the full 3". Truthfully, unless you feel that the ride is rough with the spacers up front, I don't think you need to get the new struts, but would consider some different options to replace the rear blocks. The 5100 front struts can be paired with other aftermarket springs to get better lift and smoother ride. I understand folks being on a budget, and the spacers and blocks are a cheap way to go, but if you want to actually upgrade your suspension, save up and dish out some extra cash. The 5100"s by them selves with an AAL in the rear is probably the most affordable option for an upgrade. The most budget friendly complete suspension upgrade in my opinion is the Old Man Emu(OME) lift. There are others that are close, like the ToyTec ultimate lift, but this is all about how far you wanna take your upgrade.
     
  8. Mar 29, 2014 at 10:12 AM
    #8
    Texoma

    Texoma IG: Triple C Chop Shop

    Joined:
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    Member:
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    Messages:
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    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris(Topher)
    Lago Vista, TX
    Vehicle:
    10 Taco 4x4
    A bunch a cool stickers, a bada ass MetalMiller Tx Longhorns grill emblem painted Hemi Orange, JBA long tube headers with o2 sims, Diff breather mod, Red LED interior lights, Fancy head unit that plays ipod n movies, Also DIY install factory stuff like, factory cruise control, factory intermittent wipers, OME nitro struts with 886x springs and toy tec top plate, JBA high caster UCA's for better alignmnet and dey beefier too, Old Man Emu Dakar leaf springs in da rear with the gear, U bolt flipper, Ivan Stewart TRD rims with 33" K Bro 2's, some bad ass weather tech floor liners so I don't muck up my interior, an ATO shackle flipper for mo travel in da rear wit the gear, also super shiny Fox 2.0 shocks back there too, all sorts of steal armor for bouncing off of the rocks like demello sliders, AP front skid, trans skid, n transfer skid, demello gas tank skid, and a tough as nails ARB bumper with warn 8k winch, I'm sure there's more
    Yeah, you don't need 5100's with the front or the rear with your lift, it was designed to be budget friendly so you can retain your factory shocks.
     
  9. Mar 29, 2014 at 10:15 AM
    #9
    Agent Smith

    Agent Smith Always outnumbered, never outgunned

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    Having been in your shoes before, with a spacer lift and stock shocks/springs, let me just say this. Don't try to just get by. Springs is what holds your truck up (lift) the shocks just absorb the bumps.

    After putting up with the stiff ride for 8 years, I finally got around to replacing the stock shocks with Old Man Emu. I also got the OME 884 springs up front, went up 2 inches to level it out with my TSB rear springs. Truck rides much better and I'm not getting jarred around hitting washboard road or these shitty potholes this year.

    I recommend saving up for shocks/springs and ditch the spacer, even if you don't offroad much. I wish I had done this 8 years ago.
     
  10. Mar 29, 2014 at 10:16 AM
    #10
    06midnight

    06midnight [OP] WORK HARD - PLAY HARD

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    Montgomeryville, PA
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    '06 Taco PreRunner TRD
    3" Spacer/Block Lift, Billet Grill with Painted Surround, Clear Headlights, LED Tails, Double Din Nav Radio, LED Interior Lights
    Ok, thanks. Yeah this is a daily driver to and from work with an occasional camping trip in a campground enviroment. I just wanted a simple lift with a better looking tire. You answered my question exactly, thanks!
     
  11. Mar 29, 2014 at 10:22 AM
    #11
    06midnight

    06midnight [OP] WORK HARD - PLAY HARD

    Joined:
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    Messages:
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    Male
    Montgomeryville, PA
    Vehicle:
    '06 Taco PreRunner TRD
    3" Spacer/Block Lift, Billet Grill with Painted Surround, Clear Headlights, LED Tails, Double Din Nav Radio, LED Interior Lights
    Yeah, I will get around to doing it right, but with a tight wallet, I can only do so much at a time. I apprecite the warnings and the advice though and until I do need more from her, I'll stay with what I can.
     

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