3" lift. Help/advice needed

I'd like to throw a 3" lift on my 07tacoma. I've browsed several forums in hopes to attain more knowledge about the topic but it seems the more I read, the less I understand.

I know zero about working on cars/trucks. I don't even change my own oil! My question is, which set up should I go with? I'm not going off roading and the Tacoma is used for errands and to bring me and my dog to work. This is a purely aesthetic mod for me.

I'd like a recommendation for a complete kit that I can buy, have installed, and not worry about buying additional parts to ensure the kit works properly. I am going to be purchasing slightly bigger tires and wheels at the same time. I've also budgeted about 2k to do all this to the truck including install. Is this realistic?

 

You're going to get 4 different types of lifts, but really the answer is completely dependent on you. Everything at the 3" lift height would benefit from a new UCA (upper control arm). At that height if you don't replace the UCAs your alignment is going to be impossible to get into spec, your steering is going to be very "floaty", and you're going to limit the downtravel of your front suspension. If you're going for a 3" lift, just get them. LR (Light Racing), Total Chaos, Icon are the only brands I know of, and are from $375-900. All in all the only way you're going to get a 3" lift under 2k is with either the spacers or 5100s, and it depends on your shop. Only the spacer lift (maybe) if the 2k includes tires/wheels.

Spacer lift - Ride rough, cheap, hard on the stock parts, easy to install.
Bilstein 5100s + AAL (add a leaf) - uses 4 new shocks, and a leaf added to the rear leaf pack to give you a lifted look and better than stock suspension
OME lift + OME Coils + OME Dakars - All new suspension parts that will give you lift, and designed to work together, much better ride that either 5100's or spacers or stock. Dakars are stiff though, made to be used with weight in the bed.
Camburg/Icon/ToyTec/Kings - Most expensive option. Best ride, looks the best, performs the best.


These are the 4 most common lifts on here, and there are "grades" of even those 4 type. Like the Icon lift kit, it has a Stage 1,2,3,4 etc kit. If you're just going for the look, and don't give a shit how it rides or how it might affect your other suspension parts, the spacer lift is the way to go. If you want the best value lift, go for the 5100s. If you want the most durable lift for a smaller price, go with the OME lift.

Also, I didn't come by this info by a big spreadsheet. I had to trawl through these and other forums just like everyone else. I don't mind answering questions, like most people on here, but it gets tiring answering the same "What lift should I get?" question every week. The info is here, you just have to put in a little work and find it. The search function sucks, we know. But search for good keywords in the title only will give you more specific results. Or go to Google and type (without the quotation marks), "site:www.tacomaworld.com enteryoursearchtermhere" This will use Google to search Tacoma World specifically for whatever term you ask it.

 

In general here are your options: body lift, suspension spacer lift, or replace your spings/shocks. Any combination of the above is also okay. In the rear you can also "Add a leaf" (AAL) to your leaf springs or replace them altogether with a leafpack that will give you some lift.
Body lift: you're basically placing blocks on your frame separating the body from the frame. Most people on here would probably tell you this isn't a great way to go, especially if you're going to be off-road. There have been cases where this lift type has cause catastrophic failures.
Spacer lift kit: In this type of lift, you're placing non-compressible(for our purposes) spacers on your front springs in order to add a couple inches. This tends to be a decent way to go if you're on a budget and don't really need the lift for the increased performance of an aftermarket suspension.
A third option for the front is to replace your springs and shocks altogether. You may see the word "coilovers" used here. Think of those as your shock/spring assembly. These are relatively easy to install and are kind of plug and play. Pull the old assembly out and slap the new assembly in. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am you've got lift and aftermarket suspension with increased performance. Many people on here will suggest a toytec or old man emu kit that often times comes with coils (springs) and shocks along with the rest of the components needed but we will KISS. These kits can even come preassembled so that you don't have to mess with trying to compress the springs (not an easy task). If you look around on here most people are probably going to tell you to save up for this kind of a lift kit. Rough ballpark estimate: $1200 for just the kit This lift also comes with rear lift.
Some recommend that you also replace your Upper control arms if you are lifting over about 2-2.5 inches.
Options for the rear:
Extended shackles: a longer bracket that your leaf springs attach to. can give a little more lift.
AAL: add a member to your leaf spring pack to provide some lift.
Leafpack replacement: an aftermarket assembly that slaps in where your old leafpack was.
Body lift is also an option here.
Depending on the tires you go with, a new set of 4 good tires with aggressive tread will likely run you over $1000 + mounting. Wheels are also not cheap. Throw on a lift kit with install, alignment, ect and you are well over your budget. However you may be able to recoup a little bit by selling your stock suspension. Also, tire shops will oftentimes offer to pay you for your used tires and wheels depending on thier condition but dont expect much here.

*I am not an expert. My truck is not lifted. I merely have done a lot of research on the matter because i plan to do my own lift soon. I am sure that somebody a lot smarter than me will chime in here any minute. This is just to try to get you to understand some of the different options out there at a very basic level. I hope it helps! But there is a TONN of information on this forum if you just search for it. This same question has probably been asked 100 times before.

 

^This

 

I've been a member of a few forums and understand how frustrating it can he to answer the same ol question from the new guy who's too lazy to research the topic themselves. In my defense, I've found the search function here a mess, to say the least. I'm also clueless about truck parts in general. All the abbreviations and lingo used in some forums are a bit tedious to keep up with. I found it difficult to research certain topics when I didn't know exactly what thing, part, brand etc to search FOR!

Thank you all for answering when, I'm sure, you didn't want to/have to. Thanks for understanding.

To clear things up a bit, I have mno real qualms spending around 1k for a "plug and play" set up. I fully understand that quality doesn't come cheap but didn't want to pay for added features or specs I have no plans on using. If a $1200 kit is what I need to attain a nice levelled out 3" lift and not have to worry about extending break lines, aals, and replacing (insert cool acronym here), then that's what I'll buy.

To be clear, I don't want a rough ride and don't necessarily want to do this the easy way because it's the cheapest option. I'd rather spend the few bucks and get it right the first time.

With that said, I saw an OME kit on toytec going for around 7-8 and a toytec for 12. These are the two options I think are best but don't know why one is more expensive than the other. Is the ome going to have everything I need to get my lift without sacrificing too much ride quality? Is buying a new control arm an absolute must? Needing to replace my control arm is new knowledge to me and I didn't think I had to do that. It sounds like an expensive part to but and install. Makes me second guess whether or not I wanna throw away 4k for a lift, wheel, and tire install.

 

When lifting over aforementioned amounts, it can put you at risk to have an out of spec alignment. By this, i mean that the shop cannot get your alignment in spec. As to the details of WHY exactly this is i have not looked into too much but i'm sure its not too hard to figure out. May have to do with the new angles. IIRC it is typically the camber that cannot be brought back within spec. This would kind of suck to figure out after the fact because if you are going to pay for install on your lift and then an alignement, only to find out that you cant get your alignment within spec, then you get to go buy UCA's and pay for another install and another alignment But on the other hand, they are expensive and not everybody ends up needing them. As a rule of thumb, i don't think i've heard of anybody needing UCA's with lifts under 2". Some guys say that's the cutoff, some say 2.5. And others are like to hell with it! alignment?? whats that!? Haha

 

Looks like I'm adding UCAS to my grocery list.

 

One kit has AAL...One kit has Full Daker leaf pack

 

So you should do at least a little bit of your own research and decide for yourself if you really need them before blindly taking my word for it. As you can see by my post #'s, I'm no master tech haha. I am merely regurgitating what i have suckled from the infinite knowledge on here.

 

Full kit $ 1140

 

My memory failed me, looks like its usually the caster, not camber that's out of spec.

 

Looks like for a lift (done the "right" way, including ucas), some decent wheels, and street friendly tires installed will set me back about 3k. Not too bad. Not great, but not bad.

 

In my opinion you want what I had in my first tacoma. Go to toyteclifts.com, get the budget spacer lift with the AAL for the rear (don't get the blocks). $249-300. That will do you just fine. The ride is just fine for what you do, it does not ride rough, does not mess with the stock steering geometry, and you shouldn't need new uca's....I did not when I had this set up and I ran 285's.
This is the least confusing and easiest set up. Also, not much for any shop to install.

 

^^^^ not doubting you bud, but can anyone vouche for this. If this will give me the lift I want and level the truck off, I'm doing this this weekend.

 

"spacer lifts" do not ride well. One thing to be mindful of is the price. If it's really cheap, it's not going to ride well. Are you wanting to "level out your truck" or put a 3" lift on it? I initially want the full 3", but after thinking about it after a while, 3" lifts can screw with cv joint geometry, etc. I decided on a Icon coilover system that I will set to 2.5" and will ride nice and I won't have to worry about issues that come with a 3" lift. Remember you don't have to get a super expensive setup unless you want to, but be wary of lifts that are really cheap. If you are going to do the spacer route, for the rear make sure you get a progressive add a leaf, not a reg add a leaf.

 

$200 spacers on 20,000 truck is NOT the way to go they will causes damage Do it RIGHT the fist time do some Research I paid 1800 for this research well worth it

 

I'd like to both lift the truck about 3" (2.5 could work) AND level the truck out. The reason I was opting for a full kit is the convenience of plug and play and not having to worry about buying other parts after the fact. It would seem that a UCA set is also recommended for this and I plan on picking up a set.

I'm sensing that getting a full complete kit will not level the truck out? I'm assuming this is an added expense? Is such a kit available? One that will both lift and level out the Tacoma?

All I want is an "end all be all" kit that will give me the lift and level out the ride in one nifty package. I'd like to avoid buying necessary parts separately. What I want to avoid is buying a "complete" kit only to find out later that I need this and that or the truck won't ride right.

 

Ideally, I'd like to get EVERYTHING I need (including wheels and tires). Take the nifty package over to a shop, have them slap it on, put on my new wheels and tires, balance everything, and in a few hours...I drive off with a nice lift, a levelled truck, and brand new shiny wheels and crisp black tires and not have to come back on a later date to add any other parts.

P.s. I'm aware that a lift package and wheel/tire package are separate purchases ☺

 

There is no doubt buying all the expensive stuff is the way to really go.....that's the route I went this time because I intend on using my truck to do some wheeling. However, for what you intend on doing that toytec spacer lift will do you just fine.
Honestly, do what you want bro. I'm just trying to help. If they were so bad those lifts wouldn't be their best selling lift option. I've had this on a previous 09 tacoma....IT DOES NOT MAKE YOUR TRUCK RIDE ROUGH!!! I would advise on it if it did. It does not mess with your geometry either. Again I've had this lift. It'll work just fine for what you are looking for. Again do what you want after you do research. If you do intend on off-roading then I would advise on not getting a spacer lift. The research I've read about ucas is that with bigger wheels it's harder to get the right number with an alignment with stock ucas.
Again with 285's and the toytec spacer lift, I did not change the ucas. I kept them stock and I was fine.....call toytec, they will tell you the same thing. Good luck bro.

 

I just installed the 3" ome lift with the 885 coils and 2" add a leaf yesterday. Just got home from allighnment shop, no problems getting everything into spec, drives perfect. Just guess its hit or miss on needing uca's.