Help I’m poor.

I need to put front and rear shocks on my 2000 reg cab tacoma 4x4 as well as leaf springs. What should I do? I have a budget of under 500.

should I do the front only and wait on the back? Or vise verse? Advice appreciated.

 

If you are going to do the work yourself, I would think 500 bucks would be more than enough. I bought four Bilstein 4600's for under $300.

 

Where you located?

I'll install all that for a redbull

 

those leaf springs i can imagine are going to be a bit much more

 

Why? IE more details needed. Mileage, behavior, etc etc. It will help with suggestions.

Depends on your answers above

Depends on your answers above. If you are unsafe and have no way to accumulate more funds, that's one set of answers.

If you are not unsafe, save more money. Get a job, get a better job, get a second job?

But, and this is important, what is the condition of your frame? You don't say where you live. But if you have a rust out that will fail soon, there is no sense in doing anything to the suspension. In fact you could accelerate failure as the leaf spring mounts are an early break point.

 

Florida.

I’m right at 101000. They are stock as far as I know. Owned the truck for about a year or so. When I hit little bumps on the road i feel everything. Big bumps it clunks and feels like it might be bottoming out, or at least close to it. At highway speed it hops up and down for about 3-5 seconds on the imperfects of the road. I-4 near me is a pain to drive on, I need 2 hands on the wheel to keep a semi straight line.

My frame is near mint. Florida truck it’s whole life. No surface rust I can see at all. I inspected the mounts and they are in pretty good shape. I’ll post come pictures in a few.

I don’t feel like it will snap or cause a wreck yet but I don’t really want to get to that point. We just has a baby and attempting to buy a home so I don’t have a large budget.

looking for advice on parts mostly. Everything I read is put on 5100s. Which is what I want to do but I can’t do the whole truck at once.
I can do the replacement myself so that is a blessing.
I just want to make a smart purchase financially and a smart purchase for preserving longevity of of my truck.

 

Mind me askin what you paid for your Truck when you bought it? Have a picture of it?

 

All good info.

In that situation, if you have to piece it together, I'd do front shocks (not springs), then rear shocks, then rear springs (if you still think they are needed after the shocks)

I'd also suggest calling Marie @HeadStrong Off-Road and seeing what she suggests as well as what kind of deal she can offer.

Also, there's no reason to go with 5100's in your case. There really isn't much special about those as shocks; folks like them because they have multiple spring perch choices in the front to get a cheap lift from spring preload. But lift isn't in your goals.........

A short term solution (or maybe long term), budget friendly and improving your ride might well be 4600's as @NM Lance pointed out.

 

No chance these would fit is there? I seem to recall someone saying 2and and 3rd gen shocks were interchangeable, I doubt it but maybe this goes for 1st gen as well.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/f-s-bilstein-4600-off-road-struts-shocks.650276/

 

6500. I got a great deal on it. Traded a tool box for the topper a week ago.

 

Here is how it currently looks underneath. *It was minimal rust. More than I remember but still in great shape.

Thanks for the advice. I’ll give her a call, and I’ll look into the 4600’s as well.

 

It does sound by your description that suspension will be needed. The quote above also sounds to me like you should look into the tack weld mod on the steering column. I thought that I needed all the components you listed, until I did the tack weld mod. It firmed up most of the sloppiness that I was feeling and made it feel like a brand new truck. Here is a video on how to diagnose and fix...

 

just looked into it, they said the mounting is different. And they would be a lot stiffer. I looked into gen 1 tundra shocks as well(found cheap ones on FB) but I think it would be more work than it’s worth. For my situation.

 

If the 3rd gen stock supension fits Ill send you mine. Shocks only, Im still using my springs.

 

They dont...

 

That is very generous of you! sadly they don’t fit...

 

first thing to test is whether or not it's the rear or front that has the most to gain from being replaced.

push down on the bumper at each corner and see how much it "bounces"

if it's the rear, then shocks will help your stability for the short term but those leafs do need replaced in the near future (can get them for <$300 people have used generalspringkc with good results: https://www.generalspringkc.com/Leaf_Springs_Toyota_Tacoma_1998_1999_2000_s/1931.htm))

also consider what you carry on a daily basis, heavier loads will require stronger leafs and more $$

if it's the front, take into account these are "coil-over" setups where you will need to have a garage remove/compress the coil springs and put on the new "shocks" so you can put them back on. (buying a ready-made setup would be out of your current budget)

 

Go on Vilmont Market on instagram, On wednesdays they post stock items for sale. Most guys are posting take off front struts and rear shocks for free or for under $100


https://www.instagram.com/p/B8MdZDvHnnv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8E-A_OHpYb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7o0ORJnHRs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7FAZCDgWr1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7ERKPRgO0u/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Replace the shocks on all four corners first. Then see what you need while you save some money for the next step. At 101k I'd say the shocks are done. The front coils are probably fine.
The rear leaf's look like they are in a "S" shape? Maybe the pic? the overload looks like it is curved down from the pic.
I would start with shocks. If you have some tools and a jack you can do them yourself. Look around at the AutoZone and Advance and see what their spring compressors are. There are good ones and then there are the ones that look a little suspect, (i.e. not comfortable using). Any local shop will usually change the coils for a fee.

 

Tacoma overloads are curved down

and yes the springs are "tired"