What should I do to my suspetion.

Recently got a nicely broke in 02 SR5 4wd. While it is technically my daily driver work truck- it daily drives about 1/2 off-road on cow paths, hog wallows and oilfield ruts, generally carrying a couple hundred lbs of feed and tools. So far I have put KM3’s on it, and it will be getting a flatbed later this month (partially because I want it to look different than all the other Gen 1’s in town, partially because a flatbed is very convenient, and partially to drop my homemade ute topper on it for trips. So far loving it - it does what I want it to.

But I also recognize the shocks and springs are probably so far past worn out it is embarrassing. The leafs are about 1” past flat (and right now all I have is a high lift and 50lbs of wire in the bed), the shocks are who knows what - but I am pretty sure they are original spray painted black.

So I started reading, and reading, and reading some more. Want new springs and shocks. But I have gotten lost in the terms. Stock travel, versus mid travel, versus long travel (long travel seems like a whole new world of hurt - tired of trying to keep my stepsonslifted Z71 driving). Is mid travel easy enough to do with 4wd (I assume it is just that much more difficult with long travel. What needs to be done to mid travel the rear.

If money was not an object, it seems that something like kings with TC unibals in the front might be a start (do you need to change the springs as well, or do the coil overs replace those). Iirc kings are very pricy in the rear - is there a better mix and match for the rear.

Anyway, feel free to flame me for not researching enough. I will research more as the days go by.
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I think I am a fairly gentile driver. Growing up my father was a bit hard on the ranch trucks - he bent frames, broke frames and destroyed more shocks than I can recall. I can only guess as my truck can do more, I will push it harder as well.

 

Kings=goodbye money .

 

OE replacement Kings are a mid travel coilover setup, meaning they replace the stock shocks and springs for a complete midtravel shock/spring setup. They're also rebuildable every 15-50k miles or so depending on how you use them. Stock shocks are not rebuildable but much cheaper.

For the rear you're looking at new leaf springs...if you want to carry more weight, which it sounds like you do, you want heavier duty leaf springs for sure. And new rear shocks. If the leaf springs you get provide lift, you'll need to get rear shocks that will accommodate that lift. Stock length rear shocks won't work with a lifted rear.

You're right as far as long travel is concerned...that is a whole new ball game from stock suspension and mid travel suspension...I wouldn't go down that route unless you're planning on really abusing and enjoying (recreationally) the hell out out of your truck. Long travel is a world of it's own.

Might want to look at an Old Man Emu or Toytec setup... they're both budget friendly and quality lift suspension upgrades available in different packages depending on your needs and budget.

 

I've not heard alot of good about old man emu holding up ,lots of sag.

 

Right now I try to keep about 200lbs in the bed, occasionally push it up to 700-but that is quick loads. I may put a feeder on the flatbed that will increase my average load to 400kbs with short trips tagging the max load for the truck. My rebuilt shell should stay under 200lbs, so probably under 500lb with gear.

the flatbed is aluminum and listed at 200lbs, so should be a wash
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I guess the hard part for me is when the mods cost more than the truck. I know I have passed that on the Z71. But it was my fathers and it got passed down to the only grandson he got to know before he died. But that z71 seems to want to be a boat-busy out another thousand.

Many times I have told my stepson I don’t want to lift this Tacoma-but honestly what’s 2”.... lol.

 

On 1st gens you have to add leafs to the Dakars to make them carry heavier loads, no heavy duty leaf spring options for us like 2nd/3rd gens have.

Or do an Old Man Emu setup up front and do something else for the rear - Deavers, Alcans, Expos, etc.

 

Ok, here is the current question I am googling. It is my understanding that you NEED (as opposed to something you can get around to later to increase lift, or get better tire angles) to replace the upper control arms if you go to mid length front shocks (presumably coil overs, but I guess you could change springs and use Bilsteins other than 5100). For the rear, are there options that do not require changing the shock mount locations?
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Building up this truck can get depressing at times. I probably overpaid for the SR5, but such is life. Now I get to start adding up the nickels and dimes. I have about 1k in tires so far (still stock rims). The flatbed is about $1600, but after installation and paint, I can probably just round it up to $2500 (not counting sideboards and gate). Bumper and winch will be another 2k-ish. I doubt I can do springs, leafs and shocks for 2k - but honestly if I upgrade the shocks a bit and add on UCA to go mid length, $4.5k is probably realistic. It is kind of stupid investing 20k in a 18 year old truck - but it is not really possible to duplicate with a modern truck either.