King Suspension 2nd Gen

Hey guys I'm looking at upgrading my suspension but want to make sure I have all my bases covered. I plan on mostly using it for dirt trails and minor crawling. The truck is still pretty stock so far.

Here is what my shopping list looks like so far:

1. King front coilovers
2. King rear shocks
3. Icon upper control arms

I wanted to know if I need new leaf springs or will my stock ones work?
Also I would love to get some advice on anything else I may need.

Thanks!

 

What kings are you looking at getting the extended travel front and rear?
Get the UCA bolts cheap insurance. They are a pita to do also put them in the way they came out and not reversed like some suggest. If the nut loosens and comes off then the bolt can fall out then you're screwed. Also an AAL for the rear at the min to gain some lift the shocks alone don't provide any lift.

I would suggest drop spacers for the sway bar if you want to retain it not necessicary though just puts it in a better position. A carrier bearing spacer also if you end up with some drive line vibrations after the lift this can sometimes help alleviate them or some angled shims for the axle.

 

I did almost the same you’re doing about 2 months ago. I got my king shocks from Thuren Fabrication who custom valves them for Tacoma’s, added the icon RXT rear leaf pack, icon tubular UCA’s with the delta joint, and wheelers superbump bump stops to replace the OEM bump stops. I put the leaf pack on the first setting as it has has 3 different configurations. The other two configurations give more load capacity and raise the back end even more. With the OEM king shocks you’ll only be able to use the lowest setting with that leaf pack as they don’t extend far enough to use the taller settings. I didn’t want anymore of a lift so it wasn’t an issue for me. The front is a little under 2.5 inches of lift and the back is level with the front. The truck rides fantastic! If you get the kings with the reservoir‘s in the front a drop bracket is built into the reservoir mount. I also did the drop carrier bracket and ECGS bushing mods.

 

I'm looking at the 2.5" Extended Travel Coilovers. I have seen a lot of people suggest the ICON spring kit. Still very new to all this. You think it would be better to just buy a kit?

 

Thanks! I'm not wanting some crazy lift I just want to know my truck could handle what I'm throwing at it. You have a thread showing everything you did?

 

King reservoir mounts have the drop spacers built in. Really nice.

I highly recommend the Icon RXT Pack as well. I have mine on the second load setting, but I did a rear shock relocation so it's no issue. You should be fine on the lightest setting.

Keep with King shocks. Icon makes decent springs for the rear, but King makes the best shocks in the biz.

 

If you get the extended travel then definitely an AAL or leafs to gain lift in the rear and level the truck. I have kept the same rake as stock and lifted the rear the same amount as the front. I like a little bit of rake for loads and such.

I am not impressed with the Icon rear leaf set up from what I've seen/heard. A good AAL, Dakars, Deavers, @Blackout14 springs would be my suggestions.

I would suggest getting the shocks and coilovers from a company that valves them for what you want to do like AccuTune Offroad. If you don't want them re-valved contact Marie @HeadStrong Off-Road on here and she'll get you all set up. They are free shippin within the L48 on everything. She can also help put together a package for what you want to accomplish. Also pick up some of their Jerky it is delish!!!!!

 

I don’t have a thread. I watch these forums religiously but have never posted anything. Well, until now.... I wanted my truck to be capable and the ride to be pretty good as well. It does see quite a few miles on and off road

 

I’ve had the Icon AAL before was a good riding setup but left more to be desired if you have any weight in the back. Now have HD dakars with king rears love the ride plenty of flex an when loaded up for a weekend almost no rear sag.

 

This statement is a little opinion based. There are a lot of really good shock manufacturers out there just as good or better than King.

 

I didn’t want a crazy lift either. I wanted something that would ride good on the road and good off the road. There’s a pretty fine line there and I don’t notice a huge difference on the road but when I get off road and it gets rough then I noticed a night and day difference. The truck is a lot more planted and controlled through the travel. I drove some of the exact same rough roads before and after the suspension and I am amazed at how much faster I’m able to go now than I did before and how much better the truck rides

 

What is the biggest difference in ICON AAL and the Dakars?

Also, someone said I would need to check out a sway bar for my bed because of flex? Is that something I should look into?

 

Well icon is a basically a bandaid to the stock springs they will eventually go flat or frown.

The dakar is a way beefier leafpack replacement an will have a longer use life than the stock leafs an perform immensely better loaded or unloaded. You get a little more height also. The aal gave me 1.5-2 the dakars was 4 intially an settled to 3.5.
Never heard of a bed “swaybar” but 2nd gen beds are known to flex or start to sag with repeated abuse overtime. You can buy a set of bed stiffners that attach just being the tailgate. It’s a great thing to do several companies make them I have total chaos an happy with them but At the Helm makes some sweet ones, he also makes some beautiful bumpers.
If your on a budget the aal may be the way to go if your not planning on a bedrack an tent but for just DD an wheeling it’s fine.

 

Well I dont want a bandaid! haha. I think they said bed stiffeners, that sounds more accurate. Would I have to drop my differential with that setup?

 

If your stock leafs still have a good arch you won’t have any issues. Drop your diff for a bed stiffner no here’s a video of it took me 30min. Just have to drill a couple holes in the bed.
https://youtu.be/lvQqtitYOHE

 

Did you get your suspension with or without the adjuster?

 

Get the adjusters if you can swing it, so nice to be able to dial the shocks in for the situation.

 

Are you talking about the compression adjusters? If so then no, I didn’t get those. My shocks are custom valved and I didn’t see the need for it. The shocks can be valved extremely well for your driving style and unless you’re racing and hitting stuff at high speed I don’t think you would notice much difference with them. But, that’s just my opinion and others might feel differently about them.

 

There is a reason that King is called King... Also all things with our trucks are subject to opinion. Same as you don't like the Icon Rear Leaf Pack, but I do.

However I know ADS makes as good if not better than King. Icon is not great in comparison, fox (although great shocks) rusts without exquisite care, Walker Evans is just not fully up to par on the truck game yet without some very custom ordered shocks. I've had a lot and know people with most else across a variety of vehicles. King is what I keep going back to. I'd be happy to throw ADS on a future build though.

 

Which tuning did you get?