Those that have bilsteins and toytec coils, on 1st. gen.

Here's my story. I installed the above mentioned lift on my 99 Tacoma. Plus LR UCA's. I had zeros issues with vibrations before the lift. I installed the coils on the top setting, giving me a 3 1/4" inch lift. After install there is a vibration starting around 50 mph. After alignment and replacing various parts, we lowered the coils to the bottom setting. Which gives me 2" of lift. The vibration isn't as bad, but still very noticeable.
So I hear I shouldn't have preloaded the springs? And it could be the driver's side needle bearing needs to be replaced.
Now I have been in contact with toytec and they now tell me that for my 99 Tacoma my measurement shouldn't be anymore that 23" from center of hub to bottom of fender flare or I will have problems with steering etc. Mines at 24".
What is everyone elses experiences with this type of set up. I really want to set it back to the top setting, it looks awesome, but as of now, leaving it where it is until I can get this figured. Any and all help is appreciated. thanks.

 

Don't go over 2.5". Tie rods, ball joints, cv boots, none of these things will survive over 10,000 miles with that much lift. That said, if you're ok replacing said items at said interval then have at it.

Things than can help are high angle cv boots, diff drop kits, uniball UCA's and I'm not sure if such a thing exists but look for some type of steering rack drop kit.

The 4" "drop bracket" lifts are another option. They aren't nearly as bad as most people say, it's essentially a 4" diff drop.

 

You mean the 620lb Eibach coils? Those should only ever be installed on the bottom setting and they'll still give you 3" of lift.

 

set on the bottom setting giving me a 2" lift over stock.

 

a proper co lift shouldnt do that much more harm to the ball joints and tie rods. its the bigger tires that get put on after that do that.

a 4" db is alot more than just a diff drop, Literally dropping all the front end components except ucas down. your left with stock suspension and because of the bracket design you actually end up with less front ground clearance than stock.

 

what was your reference to get that 2". the eibachs are so stiff your pretty much guaranteed to get a full 3" if you dont have alot of extra weight.

 

they were on the bottom setting when I got them. I had them taken apart and moved to the top setting to get more lift. After trying to figure out the vibration, I had them lowered to the bottom setting to see if that would help with the vibration. I have no extra weight. stock bumper.

 

Using preload to keep your stock suspension "lifted" puts wear on all of the components. There is no "proper" lift short of a long travel kit that doesn't increase wear on the entire system. All other lift kits raise your otherwise stock suspension, using various forms of preload, into it's upper range of motion if not past.

Geometrically speaking, tire size has no impact on any of these components. You could make the argument based on mass.

I didn't say a drop bracket was literally diff drop. They're based on the same principal of "dropping" things down to alleviate stress concentrations. OP's concerns have literally nothing to do with ground clearance, did you read his post? He said he wanted more than 3" of lift, I suggested a drop bracket. Do you have another suggestion?

 

I got 3" w/ my 3" Eibach coils with the 5100's on the bottom setting. It's a little stiff of a ride but what do you expect. 620lb coils with just a TG bumper up front. Doesn't weigh much. I have Camburg UCA's also. You let the coil do all of the lift for you so you don't have to preload the springs at all. But I was just like you when I first got this set up and put the 5100's on the 2nd setting since the place I bought them from said it was ok since I have a double cab. I didn't like the ride at all on the 2nd setting. Too bouncy and just a bad ride all around. It didn't make sense to me either. So I asked around and everyone was running this set up on the bottom setting. That's where they're at and will remain on my truck from now on. I couldn't even imagine putting them in the top setting! That would be disastrous.

 

any vibration issues?

 

Not any more. I did have vibrations but it wasn't because of the settings. It was the tires I bought. I bought Big O A/T's and Big O could not balance them right. This went on for 6 months until finally they gave me 2 new tires and the vibration went away until they rotated the fronts to the back and the vibration came back. So I was tired of dealing with their crap and traded in those crappy Big O A/T's for BFG KO2's and no more vibration at all. I'm so happy now! The tire guy that had no clue what was going on said a lot of people had been bringing back the Big O tires for balancing issues all the time but only every once in awhile did someone bring back the BFG's. I also replaced my rack n pinion, front wheel bearings, CV axles and took off my 1.25" Spidertrax wheel spacers but the vibration was still there with those Big O A/T's. Luckily I just had a tire issue since I didn't max out my suspension by preloading the springs to the max. I think since I had my Camburg UCA's when I put the 5100's on the 2nd setting that helped not screw anything up. Kinda like running extended travel CO's with the UCA's I have. But what do I know. I just switched tires and no more vibrations!

 

I meant proper as in stays within the factory suspension limits. As long as theres no binding the balljoints still function as normal and shouldnt see any more wear because of it.

Bigger tires will have more leverage.

 

Because being lifted and operating within factory specifications aren't mutually exclusive.