What amount of lift do I have (if any)

Hello~

I've owned my 99 Taco now for about a month. I didn't get much in the way of a history from the last owner, so I'm just checking everything and making my to-do list.

I noticed this weird problem where the brakes seem to shudder right at the moment I stop.

So, last week I had the brakes looked at. The shop replaced the front rotors and pads, and told me the rears are in good condition and shoes at 80%.

This has had no effect on the braking/stopping shaking issue... I'm thinking it's the BPV not doing it's job, possibly due to the lift (?), so I just ordered a BAMF BPV lift bracket.

What lift do I have?

I see that the front has a 1.5" spacer above the coil spring. I've read that this will result a 2" lift at the tires?

Also, my rear leafs look to be pretty flat with a thicker overload type leaf at the bottom. My rear axle measures 12.5" from center to bottom of the frame.

My tires are Cooper Discoverer RTX 285 / 75/16 . There are no spacers and they seem to fit ok with just a little frame rubbing at full crank.

I'm getting ready to address the rear leaf/shocks and don't really want to go any higher.

Can anybody tell me what lift I have so I can buy new suspension parts with confidence?

I plan on only really doing light duty offroading, trail driving, camping, etc.

Any help appreciated.

99er

 

Really hard to tell from that, it *looks* like a factory leaf pack, but is that a shim between the overload and the axle? Can you take a picture of the shackles at the rear of the leaf spring, maybe you've got a lift shackle in there.

Also, I assume you know this, but looks like your ebrake is disconnected

 

There is something there, but it looks no thicker than 1/16. I think it's some kind of stock alignment washer.

Here's a pic of the shackle. It's 3.5" between bolt centers.

And ya, that E-brake cable is toast. Part of the last owners failed story. That and the excellent working AC (there's not even a pump).



I'm guessing I have 2" lift front and back. Still reason enough to get the BPV lift bracket to fix my shaking issue when stopping.

But I'm also trying to plan on a new set of rear leafs/shackles/shocks...so, that's why I'm trying to figure out what lift I'm starting out with.

 

3.5" (actually about 3 3/8" is the factory shackle height, so no lift there, and 12.5" center of axle to bottom of frame is almost exactly factory height (I just went out and measured). I think you've got the factory height in the rear and it likely just sits higher due to the bigger tires.

Sorry that doesn't help identify the shudder at stop issue

 

Thanks for your effort to go out and measure @nmiller08 . I guess I'm in the dark with the BPV, unless maybe the issue is that it's not working at all.
I will treat my search for new suspension as if I'm at stock setup.

 

No problem at all. I should clarify those measurements are off an '02 access cab 3.4l but I don't think there should be any suspension or height difference...

 

Could be feeling Axel Wrap.

 

Axle wrap was my first guess (seeing the saggy rear leafs and wanting to replace them... which is why I want to find out if there is any lift present), but my buddy and I ruled out axle wrap yesterday driving and stopping in a parking lot. It even shakes from a stop if I let up the brake just a bit and stop again. I'm not ruling out tranny mount or even the tranny not wanting to clutch-up (lack of right term. I'm not AT savvy so I just don't know)

Also, it only seems to do this and progressively get worse after it's been driving a while (warmed up). AT fluid is at right level, but I still want to go through and replace all the fluids.

 

you most likely have a "level kit" which is just a spacer for the front to eliminate the natural rake of the rear higher than the front.

as @nmiller08 mentioned those are more than likely factory type leafs and adding the bracket will only cause rear wheel lock up if you slam on the pedal due to the increased amount of fluid being distributed to the rear cylinders.

try to use the brakes while in a set gear. !st, 2nd, 3rd and then come to a stop. might help rule out tranny or will let you know if it is.

could also be the brake booster letting air bypass the diaphragm.

 

@frizzman : I did test it out in different gears, even rolling and going into neutral. It seems to do it less in neutral, but no change in any forward gear.
Eventually, I will update my suspension, so the BPV bracket can wait until then. I will have to look into your brake booster suggestion.