JLee's suspension planning thread

Hey fellas.

I bought another Tacoma last year, 4-5 years after my last one went back to Toyota for a really fat check. I had a Tundra for 3 years, then no truck, and then picked my '99 up for a decent price so I get to (mostly) start over.

I loved my last truck:



Cornfed 2.5" spacers up front, and Alcan leaf packs / OME shocks in the back.

My current truck has Toytec coilovers up front, and the stock TRD rear suspension. I am/was debating several options, and here's what I've decided:

1) 3/4 link rear - too expensive, not building a LT truck, lose tow/haul ability and bed space
2) 63" Chevy springs - an option, but I'm mostly seeing it on pre-Tacos used for crawling. I spend a little time offroad, but not a whole lot - mostly interested higher speed desert stuff, but the occasional medium-ish trail would be fun. I'm also not sure if these would give me too much travel (yeah yeah, no such thing) -- but I could extend the brake lines, so I guess that's not that big of a deal anyway.
3) AAL on current spring pack. I might do this now because it's 80 bucks.
4) New leaf packs. I *really* liked my Alcans.

I plan on leaving the front end alone (maybe crank the coilovers up a bit). The back is what I have to decide on now.

If I go with new leaf packs, I will wait until my armor is built so I can order springs for that weight. If I go with an AAL, I could do it now because whatever, $77.50 @ Wheeler's. If I see a few people successfully running Chevy springs on faster desert trucks vs crawlers, I'd definitely consider that as well (~$100 springs plus a few bucks in steel and some welding to relocate the spring mounts and make shackles).

My goal is to have a truck I can take at moderate/high speeds through the desert without rattling and bouncing and flying all over the place.

Relocating the shock mounts to the top of the frame is a serious consideration. I could build a crossmember under the bed and go /\ on shocks, but I'm thinking that stock-ish with top-mount on frame would be better.

I'm looking at the resi Icons at Wheeler's, but I'm unsure if that's overkill for the occasional weekend fire road run...there's a regular set of Icons that are a little over half the price. Or I could go with the traditional 5100x shocks, but I think I will get a better fast-on-bumps truck with a different shock. are on the list as well. I'm running 31x10.50's now but will likely go to a 285/75-16 and swap to front Tundra brakes at some point (no rush on that, since I have less than 10k on these tires). I may go to some extended travel remote reservoir Icon coilovers eventually, but I will get as much use out of my Toytecs as I can first.

So, end result-

~33's on 2" lift, rear lift to be determined. Not afraid to cut/clearance as necessary for full-stuff fitment (not going to build a truck that I can't run hard). Ability to run at high speeds offroad without falling apart or rattling teeth out.

That's about all I've got. Any thoughts?

 

I seen the title and was I'm not planning anything.

 

I grabbed thinking you bought a second truck.

 

i lol'ed at this.

 

x2

OP, i'd look into refurbishing you're old leafs with OMD's advice.

 

LOL. Every other forum where jlee was taken, I never actually ran into the guy.

I was looking at that thread a few minutes ago...I've only been to one junkyard here and it was a bad experience (charge to get in, and for what they wanted I could've bought stuff new - and did), but maybe I can find one that doesn't suck.

 

http://icon-vehicle-dynamics.com/suspension/ivd-toyota-tacoma-icon-vehicle-dynamics-suspension.htm

Looks like the Icons are good for 0-3" lift..I might end up with that first, then figure out if I'm going AAL or leaf pack. Any reason not to?

 

If you get the icons you'll have to strap the axle if you get all-pro expo leafs, but with a regular pack they'd work fine.

 

For any leafs with over 3" of lift, or is there something different about the Expo packs?

 

For anything above 3"
Another member (TimmyB) got expos and the icons, and he ended up selling the icons to get longer shocks (billstein 7100s).
The expos sit at ~4" unloaded (I think)

 

Yeah, that's correct. I don't plan on going over 3" of lift (looking at 2-3").