Upgrade 5 lugger or trade for 4x4?

Moved to alabama, wanted to save money, bought an 09 5 lug access cab 4cyl manual.

Love everything about the truck except the ride height and lawnmower wheels. I figured i wouldn't need 4wd down south, and I don't, but the huge body and tiny wheels are starting to bother me more and more.

At first I thought I'd just lift it and put on 245/75R16's, but I don't want to do spacers, so if I were going to do it, I'd at least get the SAW 2.5" coilovers up front and 2.0 / add-a-pack in back, and maybe even get the total chaos 5 lug u.c.a's to go with them.

I'm realizing now that this is going to cost a ton of money, it looks like the coilovers are like $800, ucas are about $650, rear shocks are around $400, and leaf packs are $100-$200. 5 wheels + tires will probably be in the $1000 to $1500 range, so we're talking like $3000 to $3500 in parts, and probably another $500 for install!

I'm realizing maybe I should just scrap the whole thing and trade up to a 4x4, even though 4 cylinder 4x4 manual's are hard to find around here. I know I'll lose a bunch on the trade - I paid 20 for the truck new in January, no idea what I could get a pretty rare setup like that for, but then I'd be happy with the height and wheels/tires so would probably leave it alone.

What would y'all do: Just deal with it, lift and so forth on current truck, or screw it and trade up to a 4x4?

 

I think that you can fit 30's on there stock if I remember correctly. IMO id get a 2.5'' spacer lift and a AAL and get it up!

 

I'm trying to avoid spacers though, as pre-load spacers are supposed to ride like wagon wheels and I've seen pictures of what non-preload spacer use does to your ball joints.

 

thats what she said.......o wait thats not something to brag about...

 

get some X-Runner wheels, if you look around you can get a good deal on them, I know a few have got them pretty cheap, it makes a huge difference in the look of the truck. The biggest detail is that these wheel sit flush with the fender, stock 5-lug wheel sit inside the wheel well making them look more wimpy, so the stance of the truck changes. Im using 235/55/18 tires in mine and the truck sits a bit higher.

Mine:
Before
http://nitropr.net/misc/tacoma/IMG_2989.JPG

After
http://nitropr.net/misc/tacoma/IMG_3149%20%28Large%29.JPG

 

Definitely x-runner wheels look better, but I'm really not into the low-slung truck look. No idea what I was thinking 6 months ago.

 

Then I guess you should trade it for a 4x4 or a pre runner

 

A 2wd offroad beast? My understanding is the only way I can LT it is with the TC LT kit, which is $2800 for just the ucas, lcas, etc + coilovers + rear shocks + rear leaf springs which is gonna be uh hella expensive, right? I mean that would be sweet, but I'd most likely just go with regular suspension improvements and be done with it before that.

 

well, heres the thing, if you wheel it, which from it sounds like you dont, i would keep it as is and buy some more stout tires on it and a 3 inch lift so you could put bigger tires on it. take a look at EPa4wd's gallery. hes got lots of compiled pics of lifted 5 luggers.

 

Nope, the use it gets is mainly getting to hiking, biking, hunting, boating, etc sites, which can involve really crappy or non-existant roads, but no real wheeling. The extra suspension travel and tire size would be nice in that situation though, but its mainly for looks and I do not need the 4wd at all.

I'm just finding that lifting it properly - doing coilovers as opposed to spacers - is going to cost me an arm and a leg, apparently! But I'm leaning more towards this idea as i realize how reamed i'd get on a trade-in.

 

well, i hope you find what you need. i was always looking at the readylift kits, but guys tell me that they are very bad on ball joints. but my situation is much like yours. i wouldnt be lifting to wheel, just for looks. if you find a soultion that suits you, id be interested to know what it might be.

 

Yeah, If I lift, I'm going to spring for a lift that actually improves performance and handling. I've seen what a spacer does to a ball joint, and it ain't pretty, wish I could find the link now.

If I go all the way with the TC UCAs, coilovers, rear shocks and leaf springs, yeah it'd cost me a bundle but i should get a pretty awesome amount of travel out of it.

 

What i would do is take your truck and do a mid travel kit, it will give it a nice look and wont break the bank as much as a longtravel kit would (thats what im saving for) and that way you can use you 2 wheel drive as a prerunner

 

hey man i know how you feel with the stock set up. i wanted a 4x4 but my dad bought the base 2wd for me so i had to deal with it. I got some used A/T tires from my buddy that were 30/9.5-15 and they fit fine and gave me a little tougher look. but i decided to switch the look on the taco so now i have 255/55-18's now wich are about 30's and fit fine stock. i have a few pictures on my profile if you wana check them out and get an idea. hope whatever you do your happy with!

 

it will work out i dont think you will have any problems

 

Hah, well, I'm realizing I'd probably get $15-16k on a truck I paid $20k for, and then a 4 cyl 4x4 would probably be in the $23k-$25k vicinity, so I'm looking at essentially paying between $7k and $10k for a 4wd upgrade! Yikes.

Looking at it that way, getting some new UCA's, coilovers, rear shocks, leaf springs, and tires for probably 3-4 OTD doesn't seem so bad. Now I just need to find the relevant shocks to go with this: http://www.chaosfab.com/88500.html

Those SAW part numbers only seem to exist on the total chaos website, and nowhere else.

 

Did you have any luck finding info on the SAW's

 

I definately wouldn't trade it in. You would lose way too much money especially if you payed 20. I think you overpaid on a base model mine was 16 out the door. I was thinking about the readylift kit too. I've heard that spacer lifts can tear up ball joints but I have also heard that if you don't exceed 3 inches youre fine.