2016 - Present Old Man Emu Kits

Thanks for the advice

 

Yea, like @Hellapeno says, each truck is different. Some guys don't do anything, and some, add shims, carrier bearing, UCAs, and even the ECGS Bearing. I feel like it might be best to only do it once so I will likely have it all on hand when my time comes.

 

What about sway bar extension things?
And how do you measure your angles before lift to know what shims youd need.
probably tons of links here

 

Haven't heard too much about sway bar extensions. Some guys remove them though.

There are instructions how to measure the angles between the yokes and shafts to help determine the correct amount of shim angle.

I'm definitely not the right person to answer all the technical questions but I'm learning like you what questions to ask.

Again, it really seems to be all over the place and again each truck is different. Which literally confuses the hell outta me.

 

Kit ordered from @Low Range Off-Road this week. 888 coils and 095 leaf packs. Will post some before and after pics. Thanks for the comments and info in this thread.

 

Plan on going the same route. Whose shocks are you going to use and why? Do you have any added weight to your Tacoma; ie winch, armor, etc?

 

I went with the full OME Medium Kit, nitrocharger OME shocks and struts. I ran an OME kit on my 2nd gen and it was sweet. I spent a fair amount of time debating, but at the end of the day I didn’t want to deal with piecing it all together myself. Plus low range assembles the struts and delivers a package that is pretty much plug and play.

As of now I only have an ARE camper shell, but would love to get ome of the SOS low profile winch bumpers down the road.

Edit: I also ordered SPC UCA’s

 

Thanks for the reply. We are really thinking a like, I also want a one time buy & install. Presuming the 90021 soft ride strut? We have the same truck, but mine is short bed. I have Apex sliders, SSO slim line bumper with a Smitybilt winch. Do not have a hard topper, but use a softopper during chukar, duck, deer, and elk season. I have dealt with Low Range in the past, for my 85 Toyota, they're easy to deal with. This time thinking of going with Headstrong due to all the input from this site. Looking forward to seeing some photos of your truck.

 

what does this group recommend for me?

I have a 2017 TRD OR DCSB 4x4 with a Leer 100XR, Prinsu TopRac, CVT Awning, and full custom drawers. Total weight in the bed is around 350lbs. I also have sliders on the way. I would also like to keep as close 1" rake as possible.

I am thinking 888 coils, 90021 struts, and HD dakars.

Thanks!

EDIT: how is the powdercoating holding up on everyones struts? i have heard some of these are turning to rust buckets pretty quick?

 

Hi all!

I'm looking for your opinions since I'm new to suspension mods. I really appreciate any help!

I have a 17 TRD Sport 4x4 with:

• Front
  • Southern Style OffRoad slimline hybrid bumper (steel)
  • Smittybilt X20 9.5k winch (synthetic)
  • RCI Metalworks front skid (steel)
• Rear
  • SOS Concepts sliders (steel)
  • ARE V-series topper (may replace with Go Fast or Vagabond Outdoors camper down the road)
  • Bed drawers (aluminum) with 3/4" plywood platform filled out with various camping gear
• Wheels/tires
  • Wheels: 17" diameter, 7" wide, +4mm offset, 4.16" backspacing (Toyota OEM 17 4Runner TRD Pro)
  • Tires: LT265/70R17 (BFG All-Terrain T/A KO2 load range C)

I'm currently considering:

• OME OMETAC16HKSB lift kit
  • OME2886 coils and OME90021 soft ride struts pre-assembled (with OME95PF5 front trim spacer for drivers side lean)
  • OME60091 nitrocharger sport rear shocks
  • Dakar EL096R heavy duty leaf pack (with OMESB108 bushings and OMEU53A extended length u-bolts)
  • OMEFK29 carrier bearing drop kit
  • SPC Light Racing 25470 upper control arms

Questions:

• Do you agree that the 886 coils and heavy duty Dakar leaf pack are the best choices for the additional weight on my truck?
• I've been leaning towards the 90021 soft ride struts versus the more rigid 90000 to try to maintain some on-road performance while maintaining capability off-road. Does anyone have any experience with the pairing of 886/90021 or am I better off with the 886/90000?
• I've gone back and forth on doing the UCAs. I'd prefer to do it all at once but am hesitant on the extra cost. Are they a no-brainer or am I okay without them?
• I'd like to maintain a small amount of rake while being close to level with the added weight I have. Would any small spacers be needed on top of the coils in addition to the trim spacer for the drivers side?
• I'm considering upgrading to LT285/70R17 KO2 load range C tires down the road. I'm assuming I'd need a CMC. Do you think I'd have any other issues with the 4Runner Pro wheels based off their offset/backspacing? I may keep the tire size I have but I don't want it to look too silly once I lift it.

Thanks!

Photos for reference:

 

Excellent freaking post Bro!!!!!!! I wish they were all like this!

I know a guy that might be able to answer your questions, hey @EatSleepTacos see post above. Thought you might be able to help.

 

Great questions! I’ll be at work here in a few hours and I’ll type out an in depth response to answer all your questions.

 

BOOM! You da man Randy!!!!!!!!

 

I bought the medium kit. Have 3 degree shims with the leaf pack. I have a vibe at 36-40 mph with or without CB spacer. It is parabolic in nature. All breaks and wheels are good. ECGS bushing in driver CV. Driveline professionally inspected and balanced. How do I fix this vibe?

 

• Do you agree that the 886 coils and heavy duty Dakar leaf pack are the best choices for the additional weight on my truck?
  • I agree that the 886 are a great choice for the front. For the rear, the HD may be overkill. The HD are rated at 660lbs and will still provide 3" of lift. The standard duty are rated for 330lbs and 3" of lift. This may be better suited for your needs. If you find that the standard duty are not enough, you can add an AAL that will bring the rating up to 660 lbs effectively making them HD dakars.

• I've been leaning towards the 90021 soft ride struts versus the more rigid 90000 to try to maintain some on-road performance while maintaining capability off-road. Does anyone have any experience with the pairing of 886/90021 or am I better off with the 886/90000?
  • I've been wondering this as well. I have 886 with 90000 on my second gen with approximately 200 lbs of winch/bumper and 65 lbs IFS skid and the ride is firm. I would lean towards pairing them with the 90021 but it wouldn't hurt to get someone with first hand experience.
• I've gone back and forth on doing the UCAs. I'd prefer to do it all at once but am hesitant on the extra cost. Are they a no-brainer or am I okay without them?
  • You will be just fine with stock UCAs. You won't get quite as much caster but it's not the end of the world. Myself and many friends have driven lifted trucks with stock UCAs and think it drives just fine. With that said, it wouldn't hurt to have.
• I'd like to maintain a small amount of rake while being close to level with the added weight I have. Would any small spacers be needed on top of the coils in addition to the trim spacer for the drivers side?
  • You shouldn't need any. If you get everything installed and find you want the front end a little higher, adding a top plate spacer is easy. 1/4" can be added with no issues, but 1/2" will require extended length studs on top of the coilover.
• I'm considering upgrading to LT285/70R17 KO2 load range C tires down the road. I'm assuming I'd need a CMC. Do you think I'd have any other issues with the 4Runner Pro wheels based off their offset/backspacing? I may keep the tire size I have but I don't want it to look too silly once I lift it.
  • Based on your wheel specs, you should clear your suspension components with ease. A CMC is most likely necessary as well as other plastic trimming, but nothing major.

One other thing you should research is the ECGS bushing. It replaces the drivers side needle bearing that is notoriously weak. It's a problem in a lot of our trucks and gets exacerbated when lifted. It's nice to get it done while the front end is already torn apart, however it's not a time critical thing. If you install the lift and wait to see if you get vibes, you could install the bushing at a later date with no harm to the truck. Just an annoying vibration. The harm would only come if you continued to drive on it for a very long time, like a year or more.

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html

 

have you tried removing shims?

 

@pwalnut i went from a snugtop rebel to a habitat, 285 spare, fridge, recovery gear, food, water, and drinks. My truck is at 6060 right now w/ me, and it sags terribly in the back. Practically running on bump stops the past year. I'm in the middle of ordering a custom Deaver pack for 1400 lbs of constant load.

I have All-Pro Expedition Leaf Packs currently and they're not enough. The expected constant weight was around 500lbs. If you don't have any plans on getting a a rear plate bumper, the Dakar EL096R should be fine. If you're never going offroad, you could probably manage this with a block lift and an add a leaf.

 

You might want to hit up @Blackout14 over here

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...2-sizes-now-available-made-in-the-usa.539958/

 

Keep in mind comparing All Pro leafs to OME leafs isn't apples to apples. There are many documented issues with their expo leaves whether breaking leafs or being completely inverted after only months of use. There's a lot of unhappy people with them.

 

I'll also be running 7200 when I'm fully loaded. so..