Seriously Considering LT

alright guys well for the past few weeks i have been seriously considering LT, i have been lookin at prices, lurking on the LT sub forum , and well lookin at alot of pictures. I just need some help trying to figure out exactly what to do this is a brand new thing to me but i have learned some interesting things over th past few weeks.

so this is what iv got. i have an 08 2wd base model taco, and this is where i need your expert advice. so from the "Long Travel Information sticky" ill answer some of the main points so i have the best chance of you guys helping me out.

-i know that certain set ups are better for different types of terrain and/or regions. I live in the south west in New Mexico not exactly sure what kinda terrain you would call it.

-well the use of the truck will mostly be a DD but id like to take it out when i want to have some fun and run it hard from time to time. in the next few years i plan on buyin a new taco so i can make my current taco my "toy" so id love to make it unstoppable eventually haha.

-as far as my budget goes im a college student that says it all (ill have a few grand some time soon somwhere around 3-4k), i would love to buy everything i need all at once but its gonna be a slow build. and like i said id like it to end up as a toy so over the next few years im sure ill throw alot of money into it which is fine so i guess "money is no object" if you look at it over the long run.

-my personal relationship with vendors is very minimal i have never talked to any company that makes an LT kit, the local off road shops here are 4wheel parts (but they are seriously idots) and another one is Desert Rat (whom i trust much more)

-As far as working on cars goes i have experience with alot of different stuff, as far as suspension goes im sure that LT is a totally different ball game. Which is part of the reason i want LT i want to learn more about it and i want to do as much work on it myself as i possibly can.

alright so lastly what i have been lookin at, please let me know if im being stupid and dont need something or i can get stuff done a stronger cheaper (figuratively speaking haha) way.

-front suspension- the TC 05+ 2wd LT kit. http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Total-Chaos-05-Toyota-Tacoma-2WD-5-Lug-Long-Travel-p-18975.html i was thinkin of this set up with the fox shocks.

-front fenders- glassworks front fenders
http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/05-09-Toyota-Tacoma-Front-Fenders-p-1638.html which i will obviously need

-tires & wheels- i plan on running 33x12.5-15 not sure what tire and what rim

---------later on---------------

-rear suspension- the TC 05+ 2wd complete kit
http://www.polyperformance.com/shop...Dual-2.0-Rear-Suspension-Package-p-18981.html as i understand this is not something i need right away, i just need to be alot more careful while off road correct? also would i have a crazy rake with just the front set up and no rear set up?

-bedside fenders- glassworks http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/05-09-Toyota-Tacoma-Bedsides-Longbed-p-16798.html

-deaver leaf springs- i have been looking but i dont know which ones i would need?? the ones for the prerunner??

-wheel spacers- so for the rear id need wheel spacers but i cant find any for the 5 lug taco, or m i completely retarded??

im sure i am missing someone but this is all i can think of at the moment. sorry for the post being so damn long but just thought more info would help. also thanks alot in advance for any help i really appreciate it.

 

Sounds good to me. Why do you want wheel spacers? Stay away from spacers. Your list looks good, get ready to drop some coin.

 

heres some i found somewhere idk if it was on here on not but oh well haha.

http://www.protuninglab.com/ic-v2525-0071.html

now idk how good they are but they seem alright

 

Sounds good to me! Ya if you are planning on going with new rims why get spacers? Just get proper backspaced and offset rims instead of running it a cheap "unsafe" way!

Kinda thread jack....would those shock hoops work for a 6 lug and if not where is a good place to buy shock hoops for a 6 lug?

 

alright awesome man good to hear. and the cash i know hahaha its gonna be a money pit but worth it.

anyway about the wheel spacers idk for the rear suspension it said this at the bottom

"Notes:**1.5" wheel spacers required for installation of the shock hoops"

so i just assumed that id need em

 

i was thinking rims would work with a correct off set, but like i posted above it said id need em but if the rims will correct the problem then id much rather do that haha

 

maybe they mention that to cover their ass for people running stock wheels. shoot them an email and ask if just running wheels with ~4 bs will work....i think i did the math right? stock = 5.5 bs -1.5" spacer = 4"

 

i think i had seen that they had some on the TC website under the suspension accesories. idk if it was just the 5 lug or if they had another for the six lug

Taco505- that is true about the backspacing. i didnt even think about that haha

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-n4fAJfI4I

 

ya ill deff shoot them an email and what you said about the stock rims and coverin there ass sounds about right haha.

but that math sounds right to me haha but idk

 

Thats one thing that I can easily forget. Someone will tell me how to do the calculations and whatnot for BS and then 5 minutes later I will forget haha

 

I already forgot lol.

 

Quick Equations
Here are some crib notes for figuring out backspace, centerline, and offset.* Step 1: Measure the room in your wheel wells relative to the wheel hub.
* Step 2: Backspace = The distance from back of the wheel to the wheel's mounting space, in inches.
* Step 3: Centerline = The wheel width divided by 2, in inches.
* Step 4: Offset = Backspace - Centerline, which will be positive or negative, in inches.
* Step 5: Offset in Millimeters = Offset x 25.4.]

fro this site ----> http://www.truckinweb.com/tech/suspension/0706tr_wheel_backspace_and_offset/quick_equations.html

still confuses me haha

 

^^too many words not enough pictures.

 

They are unsafe if you install them wrong. Which in turn means you shouldn't work on a truck ever. lol THe ones that were on my truck had been on there for a long time, and the truck was ran hard.

No those hoops will not work. A guy tried to do it and then DMZ ripped all of the crap out and replaced it.

You will have to have some custom made most likely. I think solo motorsports had some but they weren't cheap.

 

OP You list looks really good.

For rear springs a standard LT leaf pack is 62" springs. You normally have to make new spring hangers. Since a 5-lug is already sua i'm not sure if you still need to. Call TC and ask them is the best bet. They are open Mon - Thur they are good people an always willing to help answer your questions. When you go to buy your stuff I'd order it through Kartek. Sometimes they are cheaper then TC. Also you will start getting a discount for future stuff when you do bigger orders.

 

Sounds like the setup I want...except no hoops since they wont work with a 6 lug (says TC).

From what I have been reading up on, the rear end has the most ability to screw you up. Idk if anyone else will agree but I do think that the rear can make or break the truck. So I was told to go with a mid travel set-up in the meantime and cage the rear then upgrade the front and sell the mid travel.lol.

As glass goes Kartek is coming out with some polyurethane fenders that will not crack like fiberglass. Ive seen these in videos get bent and stomped on and they just pop back into normal form whereas a glass fender would have shattered into pieces....and I heard that they're only $50 bucks more

Check em out
http://www.kartek.com/product/Fiberglass/Polyerethane.html

 

^^^ ok awesome ill deff give em a call and figure out the springs/hangers see what the best thing to do is.

but just wana know about the rear, when i get the front done ill have the rear end stock and im assuming ill have a rake haha. is there anyway to level off the rear for the time being untill i get the $$ for the rear set up? or should i just leave it be?

 

Well even when you LT the rear you will most likely have a rake so I'd leave it. Pretty much all of the LT trucks have a rake to them because Lt springs are soft and bed cages, tires and the stuff are heavy. People have had luck lifting the rear a bit with the 50t pack engage and All-pro sell because they are stiffer but i think those are going to be too stiff for your reg cab unless you have a ton of weight in the back. Doing a shackle flip would lift it up some but it just depends on how the rear is setup.

 

well i totally understand the rake thats cool, but i didnt know if the supposed 4" of lift ill get from the TC kit up front will either make my truck ride/look retarded with stock set up in the rear.

but sounds like itll be fine sooo ill just leave it be till i can do the rear , now i just gotta wait for the cash anyone wana buy and 89 runner?! haha