2018 DCLB auto. 4x4 lift

So I have read through the Toytec lift section and several other threads about lifts, but am still a bit confused. 70% will be pavement, 30% "County Maintained" dirt roads, which are 13 mi. long each direction. These dirt roads are 13 mi. of pure washboard 4 months out of the year. They used to beat the sh*t out of me in my JK Unlimited w/an OME kit.

I am leaning towards an Icon stage 3 kit, but am wondering if that's overkill and an Icon or Fox stage 2 would work. By no means will this ever be a rock crawler, but I do like to get out to different surf spots, up to the mountain to ski and different hunting and fishing spots, so I would like to run 32-33 in. tires and lift it at least 1.5 to 3 inches.

It will never be a major every day hauler, but I would eventually like to put a cap or RTT on it with supplies for some lite overloading/camping as well. I am just confused as to whether or not I need to add leaf springs or UCA's. The whole UCA thing is completely foreign to me. Reading through the OME thread and different springs rates threw me for a loop as well. I don't know what I'm looking at, as the DCLB is a different beast from the JK Unlimited. It seems as though from what I am wanting to do that 5100's all the way around are not enough. Money isn't really an issue, but why in the hell would I go with something I'm never going to need or use. I'm too old to want to think about impressing anybody, I just want functionality and durability.

Thanks for the help.

 

Not trying to impress anyone and you're looking at 33" tires and 3" lift? To drive on pavement and dirt roads? Hmmmm....

Graham on 4WDAction (youtube it) runs 31" tires on his Isuzu truck. Tackles some gnarly terrain.

I'd say stick with stock and upgrade as necessary. You may be surprised how far a stock truck will go. Just air down on those washboard sections.

 

To be fair, the DCLB is LONG. There's a lot of chance of high-centering. I have 31"s on my truck and sometimes feel like I should have gone bigger. You're definitely right though, a stock truck is very capable.

Do Dakar springs if you're adding 400-600lbs of gear. Get the added spring for 600+. It adds up quick.

UCAs give you more travel and more adjustability. If you're going with a Fox level 2 and ~2" of lift, you don't need them. The general consensus is past 2", you need UCAs to get in-spec with alignment. In either case, you will get more downtravel with aftermarket UCAs, which gives you better traction on bad terrain. I didn't see you mention which model you have, but even a 4x4 SR has traction control to prevent wheel slip, which is a huge boon offroads.


I'd start with the Fox 2, get tall/skinny tires for another inch or so of tire lift, and see if you feel like you need anything past that. Add Dakar leafs if you have a camper in the near future. I recommend this tire size: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/put-255-85-16s-on-stock-or-wheels-and-suspension.491079/ -- I ended up with a bit less tall than that, and should have just went for the 255/85s.

 

Have you ever high centered? Not a facetious question. DCLB may be longer than DCSB, but not as long as any full-size trucks. I've run my old F150 in Moab, which is longer and wider. Being high-centered was the least of the worries. I highly doubt the claim of "a lot of chance" of being high-centered, unless you're in some pretty gnarly terrain. Besides, this guy is just running dirt roads.

 

Pretty sure I said 32-33" and I said 1.5-3", but you decided to say I was going to 33's and a 3". I came asking for insight. Appreciate the input rockstar. You're a real help. I'm moving from something that's 116" wheelbase to something that's 141" and a hell of a lot lighter in the ass end.

I'm not going to air up and down every damn day for 13 mi. of a 28 mi. commute.

Wrong! I said I'm not rock crawling, but my property is covered in rock outcroppings, the spring melt turns long sections of the dirt roads into 8-12" of pure soup and six inch deep ruts abound for two in a half months each year, so for 6 mo. out of the year I have 26 mi. of sh*t road to drive every day. County maintenance is garbage. The only time they do a decent job is in the winter with plowing. It's not GA where your only worry is driving through thick humidity.

 

Biggest loads will be bails of hay on occasion that are taken out to cattle on the property. Out of curiosity, will these springs make for a stiffer ride without a load? I'm thinking of the ass end bouncing around the washboard. These aren't little nubs, they end up being about 2.5-3" high for miles. My buddies Dodge 1500's rear end bounces all over. I know more weight in the rear end would help with this, or would the UCA's help with this.

This is a pretty good representation of the type of terrain I'm driving around on. As you can see the rock cropping are all over when I'm out on the property. So then will the UCA's allow for more articulation? Thanks for your help

 

The chance of high centering a DCLB is totally overblown by people that bought short beds and have bed envy. . Now....turning radius? Yeah...my turning radius sucks compared to shortbeds or access cabs.

 

Yeah, but nothing like my F150. aka Cargoship.

I've wheeled Short (4Runner and LC), long (Tacoma), super long (F150). No issues with high-centering, but I wasn't doing any crazy rock crawling, either. Some decent trails in Moab and Southern Utah. Plenty of high speed desert backcountry roads, which I did prefer the longer wheelbase trucks.

 

Yes. On a turnaround on the side of a forest service road. I ended up stacking rocks after jacking up the back corner. High centered on my slider right before the back wheel.

Bouncier with no load, but better with a small load -- 300lbs or so. Just keep tools and crap or sandbags back there if you're not hauling anything heavy; the stock springs are not nearly as high quality as the Dakars. Either way with ruts like that, getting rear shocks with a reservoir will make a big difference in performance, fading, and longevity. I'd certainly consider replacing those in the back too.

UCAs will give you more articulation up front. That won't do anything at all for the rear end. UCAs on a setup like yours are most important usually for low speed crawling up very uneven terrain, which doesn't look probable from your picture. UCAs are also helpful for more travel on crazy baja trucks that have ridiculous amounts of travel and haul ass over bumps, but again, that's not your use case scenario.


Either way, you're going to be bouncing some unless you fork out a LOT of money on suspension upgrades. Even then, high end suspension like that costs a lot to maintain and has shorter maintenance intervals. You'll have to find a balance between cost and bounciness that works for you. I think the Fox kit's definitely a good start, they're pretty easy to rebuild, which you probably should do at least yearly with how much rutted driving you're talking about doing.

 

Get some king coilovers and some new upper control arms for sure.. Icons suck and are super stiff. The rear normal load Dakar’s are awesome, the heavy duty ones sound like they’d be too stiff for every day on a washed out road.

 

Most people ignore that guy sometimes it’s just easier to click the button than respond.

Sounds like you definitely need an upgrade and something that can withstand shock fade and something progressive like fox and king which are softer and stiffen as they progress where Icon are digressive and are stiffer then get softer.

I think any 2.0 or 2.5 shock with a remote reservoir will be just what you need.

You don’t necessarily need UCA and they don’t provide more travel unless you get extended travel shocks but they do make it easier to get your alignment back into spec. I recommend SPC Light racing UCA but aren’t terribly needed.

EDIT: something to consider as well is changing the driver side needle bearing with the ECGS bushing. The needle bearing has a tendency to break in daily use on lifted trucks.

 

I'm assuming a DCSB would've done the same (?). People worry about going from a Jeep or 4Runner to a Tacoma, but unless running 6+, seems to be a non-issue. YMMV, though.

Yeah, most people, for sure. Still bitter, sweetheart?

 

Does anyone know if anyone on this forum running the Falcon Shocks? Some guys in the Jeep forums are raving about the Falcon. If anyone has any info. I would be greatly appreciated. If I went with the Falcons would I need UCA's, different coils and AAL as well? I'm only looking at 265/75/70's or 270/75/17. Do you see anything wrong wit this set-up? The more I read in the forums, the more consumed I get. I don't want have start changing the angle of the driveshaft or thing like that. I guess you could say want a simple plug and play system. Thnx for the help in advance

https://www.falconshocks.com/toyota-tacoma

 

I have the 5100s and spcs, I'll be dumping the 5100s soon as they're too stiff and going to 8100s.

Love my Dakar standard springs and 5160s in the rear so far

 

Falcon are made by TeraFlex. TeraFlex is an ok company but they arent exactly a shock company, not that these shocks wont be great but I doubt many people have them, partly because of the lack of information on them.

If I'm going to spend $1400 on shocks Ill go with something reputable.

That said, this will only get you started. Shocks dont provide lift, if you want lift you will need coils and leafs, or go the bad route and use blocks.

Call Marie @ headstrong off-road she can help you out and answer your questions.