Tacoma 2.5" x 12-14" Shock Relocation 2005-2023 2nd 3rd gen Archive Garage

Luv that diff “skid” u made there! Very clean! Didn’t even notice it till I started zooming in and looking at your set up

 

You have stock shackles

 

That’s from trail gear, about $50 and all 1/4”. Welds on! Works great.

 

Hi guys,
I just installed extended brake lines in the rear and immediately noticed the ABS line is very tight. So I loosened the bracket and angled it down. What are other people doing with the ABS?
I have been doing quite a bit of electrical work on the truck so I feel confident I could solder in a small extension just don’t know where I would get and extended rubber cover for the wire.

 

I cut mine and added about 4” worth of wire. Just some soldering and heat shrink

 

Looks like we knew what we were doing. Took the truck out finally for some testing and measuring. Super happy where my bump landed but still missing a little bit of droop. Oh and no wheel rubbage!
Specs are 1.5" Spacer with -12 offset wheels nets ~3" BS Shocks set at ~5* lean inward towards the top mount at static ride height, chevy 63" leafs, King 14" 2.5 RR. The spring is completely flat here, spring hangeris at ~10* anlge off the frame, and there is 1" of shock shaft left. I need to add bumpstops now but I got my measurement of were it should be. Couln't of ended up in a better position.

 

I think I also rotated the bracket on the axle up

 

I would do this but I don’t know where to source the protective wire insulation between the two clamps.

This sounds easy. I’ll take a look tonight.
Really rotating the top bracket down seemed to reduce the strain on the wire. But I would prefer a little more slack.

 

I just have mine dangling took the bracket on the frame off and taped the connector up so I got some extra length.

 

Ok so I know there will be the naysayers because I don't think nor can find anyone who has done this yet. Because of this kit and some thorough testing and measuring on the trail and comparing some compressed and extended length measurements I truly believe there is a way to stuff 16" shocks without cutting holes in the bed!!! Thanks to @ARCHIVE for making a relocation and lower shock mounts that will make this possible. I will just need a new set of lower shock mounts
@WormSquirts You may find this information good for your project as well.

14" King 2.5 RR specs. Extended: 37.25 Compressed: 23.25
16" King 2.5 RR specs Extended: 42 Compressed: 26

Difference: Extended: 4.75 Compressed: 2.75

My thoughts are this; I will be able to set the lower mount up so that it will be level with the bottom of the axle tube or a little below and still have bump right where I want it with the leafs flat. I will still have ~5" of shock shaft showing may go to 5.5". For droop I will have more shock travel and be able to get that last little bit from the shackles and leafs for a couple more inches and the shock not being the limiting factor and put limit straps on so that then becomes my limiting factor.

How this all works for my set up and not for the "typical" or normal set up:
I am running a 1" body lift for future plans of 37s and being able to flat belly the undercarriage. This allowed me to move the towers up an inch or little over than the normal mounting location. Secondly I went with a chevy leaf pack that is for the newest trucks 1500 HD and 2500s that has 1" more arch and is a 5+1 spring I just removed the overload so now it's a 5 leaf pack. I feel after reading and seeing many many many swaps and issues with leafs "W" from going neg arch or not holding up to offroading or loading up because people are using the 4+1 or 3+1 leafs. Doesn't mean that people haven't gotten them to work or they have done well for people I just see a bunch of failures as well. This is not the budget friendly 63 leaf swap that's for sure. IMO this is the optimum chevy 63 swap out there.
Another note: I have an effective BS of 3" now and have plenty of room between the tire and shock with the shock at ~5* angle inwards towards the frame. I would like to kick it out just a smidge to get closer to a 10* lean inwards towards the frame. From my measurements and calculations I should be able to accomplish this.

Here are pics of where the shock mounts currently are and flexed out and at full bump. At full the chevy 63 leafs are flat. This pic where the 1/2" king shock bump stop is compressed some the leaf is a tad neg. flat it's about 3/4" from the shock completely bottomed out. Full droop the shock is the limiting factor and I still have a couple inches to droop down possibly. As you can see the lower shock mount the bolt is about 1" above the top of the axle tube. Don't hate too much right now I didn't do bumps or limit straps yet because like my shock mounting I wanted them to be optimum and not just wing it and see what happens. When we set mine up there was some math involved and a little dumb luck as well. (ignore the exhaust being cut off right at the muffler it was in the way for the tube for limit straps.)

Full droop PS

DS little over full bump spring starting to go neg.

PS full bump spring flat there is 3/4" of shock travel left

DS full droop

 

Any chance it would work with no body lift? Can you get the shocks inboard enough?

 

Not a matter of getting the shocks inboard its a matter of getting the top mounting location high enough. Also when these relocations go up the froward half of the horizontal part doesn't touch the frame anymore so that part will need to get braced back again for a strong tower. Why are you wondering about inboard?

 

Maybe inboard was the wrong word, I just meant tight enough to not rub on the tire.

 

Yes your wheel backspacing is what's going to determine if the tire will rub or not

 

I really need to just get the 63s on, then I can figure out exactly what the deal will be with the shocks. How has your setup been? Would you recommend playing the frame? I really want to but don't really have time to do even more work

 

My set up has been flawless very smooth and much more planted. I think plating the frame is definitely worth it. Makes the suspension do the work and not the frame flex. I still get some flex out of the frame and will be adding some more bracing and plating the rest of the frame under the cab.

 

I'm less worried about flex and more about strengthening the frame. Mine is already kinda bent in a few places at the back. I think the frames are designed to have a certain amount of flex aren't they?

 

Yes they are. But that is more for comfort. NVH is big when manufacturing a vehicle.

 

So has anyone ran this with 4.3” bs and a 1” spacer with 33s or 35s

And 2.5x12 shocks

 

Just going by the math your tires may come in contact with the shock some depending on where you set your bump and up travel. With 3" of BS and only 5" of up travel I have around 1/2" of clearance between the tire and shock. My shocks and lift are a little higher than going with something like a dakar pack and the HH as an example. Unless you get someone with the exact same set up as you'll be running it's hard to say since there are many variables. Safe bet would be just to go ahead and get 1.25" spacers at least.