Results, 5100s in all four corners, AALs in back and 884s on front - the good, bad and ugly

Hello,

I posted a thread a long time ago about looking for REAL results on shock and spring combinations. Here are the results of doing the install, with a lot of hiccups along the way.

For a base line, I have a 2012 ACLB with a V6 and six speed manual. There have been no body modifications so the weight should be pretty stock.

As a base line, I took measurements of the front and back along the axle line to the bottom of the fender flare. The front measured 34 1/4 and rear at 36 3/4 = 2 1/2 rake.


That being recorded I started to pull the rear end apart. It was a pretty straight forward job so I will not bore you with the details about that. Here is the thread I followed if anyone is interested.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/aal-install-second-gen.54186/

Now the fun begins, the fronts. I was starting to get a wee bit frustrated and some things, having beer to try to settle me down. That might not have been the best combination.

Here is the tutorial I watched to get an idea what I was in for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkVLBOnAifc

Looking back on the video, it does not show a whole lot about the assembly of the front strut, hence a lot of doubt and worry started to enter my soul. For all the noobs out there (like me) I wish I would have had this diagram available when I started working.



It would have made things a lot easier as I started to doubt myself where bushings and washers went. Believe it or not, I did get it right, until someone made me questions my work and then I tore it all apart again, did it their way.....to find out I had it right the first time.

Another problem I ran into the first time around was not really paying attention to the spring perch on the stock shock. All I could think about was when Stan was trying to learn to ski on South Park. "If you french fry when you should have pizza'd, you are not going to have a good time". Well, I french fried big on this one.

French fry:


Pizza:



The spring finally let us raise the lower a-arm back onto the spindle when we pizza'd so missing accomplished....finally.

Most of you should know to mark your alignment points before taking out the front end, and I did do that!! PIZZA! After the second time of reassembly, I was really getting frustrated. I lined up my marks and whipped out my impact wrench as I just wanted to drive this dirty #$&$# back into place. Well, french fry. The cam part of the nut was on top of the tab that the cam pushes against to align the front end. I smashed the tab. Luckily, I was able to back off the nut (again), take a hammer and some other random tools and was able to bend the tab back up. I twisted the cam nut a few times and it help. Here is the final result




Not pretty, but it works.

Now, for the results of all my hardship....I got a LOT more lift then I wanted. The front end now measured 37 1/4 and rear at 39! for a 1 3/4 rake. Not exactly level, but I can live with it.



Now, for all the other Noobs out there, here is what I did not anticipate. Our ESC light is now on! I have left the batter unplugged overnight, with no result. I sent out a distress message and @OZ-T was nice enough to send me a link to this tread:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/lift-with-vsc-answer.41215/

I have tried to read through it, calling the Stealership and so on. The computer has no fault codes in to, confirmed by TWO OBD II scanners. I am about to put a piece of electrical tape over the light and call it done.

Anyway, the purpose of this tread was to give measurements based on what I have and what I purchased. Most of the parts were purchased right here from a lot of great people. @MGtaco2.7 for selling me the brand new rear 5100s and AALs. He said 1 to 1.5 inch life, Headstrong said 1.5 to 2 inch....and I got three! Oh well. Also, @mts for parting with the front 884 OME springs. They were like new!

I also started this thread a while back where @rngr provided a lot of help. @matt 157 and @MGtaco2.7 also chimed in as they were looking for similar information. @rngr really took the reins though, and I own them a beer!

I hope this information has been of assistance. I am not committed my life to get that TCS light to turn off!!!

 

You should measure from the center of the hub to the bottom of a fender. The tire is loaded differently each time you jack it up and put it back down so it'll throw off the measurements if you measure from the ground.

 

Good looking truck, 2wd i presume, or 4wd? I have same truck in 4wd, considering very similar lift

 

Four wheel. Sorry, I guess I should have included that!

 

Sweet ride Corey. I can't believe you got that much lift on the rear. Give it a couple months to "settle" and see where your at then. I like the rake though. Still haven't pulled the trigger on mine yet. Was gonna work on it during my July 4th vacation, but had family come in town and didn't want to rush myself. Anyways hope you figure that TCS light out. I was just reading that over the weekend too. Didn't know anything about that either til I read some more post. Again just might leave my stock...... NOT

 

Did you put the front billys at zero woth the 884s or up on the first notch .85? Looks like you got 3" up front, leads me to beleive you were up 1 notch. I think 884's get us ACs about 2" or so?

 

Thanks MG. We are ridiculously happy with the truck. We have gotten so many parts here, but the lift was the big ticket.

@JimboAnz yes, the fronts are set at zero. I contemplated setting them at the first setting, but and very glad I did not. I am not all that tall and am finding it difficult to prop the hood as is. We just need to get that light taken care of.

Mu wife just texted me that she might have found a solution. Yes, my tiny wife helped with some of the wrenching this weekend.

Stay tuned.

 

Looking good dude! I'm all about that rake...about that rake.....no level See what I did there? Seriously tho, you'll be glad you have it when you have some weight in the bed and your ass isn't sagging. Nobody likes a saggy ass. Your truck will settle just a little after a few good flex sessions. Hope you enjoy!

 

Which aal did you go with? I like the amount of rake you got goin

 

These came from Headstrong. They said they source different AALs, but here is the one that I got.

 

How do you like the ride with the single deaver aal?

 

I like the rake

 

If I have that song going through my head, there will be no place for you to hide!

I am very happy with the result. The rake is so small, but still there. The rear springs might settle a little bit, we just have to wait and see.

Still doing a lot of research on that "Slip Indicator light". It is starting to REALLY annoy me that I can not reset the pitch or yaw sensor on my own.

 

If you only knew how many times I've sang that since I posted it.....as for the light, I've got nothing. Good luck!

 

Sorry Dorma, I have not been ignoring you. I have only driven the truck a few miles to and from work so far. Ride quality has not noticeably changed from stock! It is still very comfortable and pleasant to drive.

Suspension might settle over the next few months, and we are taking a trip soon, so that will be the big test.

 

Thanks for the feedback and keep me updated on the rear end ride quality

 

Stock UCA? How did you alignment numbers end up? Get much caster? Reason I ask is that I have the exact setup in the front on a DC 4wd. I went to get an alignment and got 1.3 and 1.4 caster. Truck darts around on the highway a little in the ruts. My alignment cams are seized so I'm replacing them soon and will be going for another alignment. I think I ended up with 2" in the front.

 

@DormaTaco & @Rosscopeeko

Wife took the truck to work thos morning. She actually has a freeway commute and I do not. She said the truck is much smoother at freeway speeds with the new suspension! Sorry, I did not get the alignment numbers as I was so fed up this weekend.

My wife is taking the truck to the Toyota tech after work so everyone keep your fingers crossed about the stoopid light!

 

RESULTS: Seems the OBD II reader from Toyota is the ONLY reader that can read this code. It was the position sensor on the steering column that was slightly off andhad to be reset.

 

UPDATE!

Sorry it has been a while but I wanted to report back to a few people here with how the suspension has been since the install.

The ride quality has been OUTSTANDING. We have put about 3000 miles on the truck since, including a 1200 round tip excursion from Los Angeles to Sacramento and back. It was a pleasure to drive on the highway.

As far as offroad goes, I have taken a trip with a buddy who has a Jeep. His Jeep has ARB blah blah blah and Locker blah blah blah. He is VERY into his ride. Everything about my Tacoma is basically stock. Well, there was a section of trail that I never tried before as his Jeep was not able to get over it the first time he tried, so I had to give it a go this time. The Toyota CRUISED over this obstacle NO PROBLEM! Offroad driving manners were outstanding.

Update on the numbers. The rears have not settled at all and still stand at 39 inches as noted in the photos above. The fronts have gone down to 36 1/2 inches so I lost 3/4 of an inch. Down the road I might consider taking the strut to the .85 setting on the spring, but I do not know if I will need new UCAs to keep the front end geometry correct when I do that. I might just completely wait until I get a new front bumber and step up to 885s and new UCAs all at once. Oh, the possibilities.

@MGtaco2.7 Did you ever pull the trigger on your lift?
@Rosscopeeko I went to an alignment shop with a laser alignment system and it worked fine. Be cautions of the dumb effin light though!
@At The Helm Did you ever get your light problem resolved?

@ Everyone else, thanks for all the posts here and I hope my experience with this has educated other people considering the same lift system (level system....whatever!). Hope to see you all on the trails.