Advice please! What would you do differently first time purchasing a lift kit/suspension upgrade?

New member first post so don't destroy me please and apologies for the long post!

If i'm going to spend very hard earned money i want to make the most informed educated decision i can. i own a 2015 4X4 stock Tacoma Access Cab. I have spent 20+ hours researching on this forum before posting this. Trying not to waste anyone's time if my questions have already been answered and 99% of them have so thank you all. I believe i have narrowed down what i (think) would like to purchase and more importantly why and what i want to achieve from a lift.

Essentially i think i want to go with the below options but being new to this its hard to know what route to go. Its like buying a guitar. Your first one is cheap because you don't know if you want to invest money into a decent one. Then you like it and you buy a nicer one and wish you just spent a little more on the first one to have a really solid guitar not one crappy one and one decent one. I'm rambling but hoping you get the point. Asking for anyone's advice that was in my shoes and now you're more experienced and knowledgeable and wish you would have done something different.

I want a 2-3" lift and most likely 265/75/16 (maybe 285?) Falken Wildpeaks. I drive down crappy country roads often and camp whenever i can. I am limited at the roads i can take at times because of my truck being stock. I drive miles down the coast as well but i also drive on the highway a ton and once a month make a 1200 mile round trip and don't want to hate my life because i chose a cheap suspension upgrade with bigger tires. I have 300-500 lbs in the back often but empty 65% of the time. Spoke to Marie @HeadStrong Off-Road and that has been the best advice ever so thank you TW for recommending them. I believe i want to go with one of the options below. Option 3 may be overkill but guitar scenario again. Buying the 6112's with 5160's vs 5100's. I would like to upgrade UCA soonish but for now i know i need to stay below 2-2.5" of lift. And of course no bull shit just want it to also look cool.

Please Please ask me anything or tell me anything i haven't thought of. Recommend anything else or just say do you research and best of luck. Either way thank you!


1) $886.99- HS COIL/BILSTEIN 5100 KIT - 2.5 lift coil, HS 3 LEAF AAL
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/store/p452/HS_Coil/Bilstein_5100_kit.html

2) $1,370.99 - HS COIL/BILSTEIN 5100 KIT W/ DAKARS medium duty leaf pack (Do not believe Option 1 comes with extended travel 5100's for the rear)
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/s...n_5100_Kit_w/_Dakars_(HS05BK-1-Dakar-HS).html

3) $1,411.99. - PERFORMANCE BILSTEIN KIT - (SET TO NOTCH 3) - HS 3 LEAF AAL
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/store/p186/Performance_Bilstein_Kit_(HS05BK-2).html

 

For me I would have gotten my tuned 2.5's the 1st time instead of wasting $$$ on the lower tier stuff. But, form everything I've read you're in good hands with Mary, she'll put you on the right path.

 

I would have gone higher (at least 3 inches of lift, at 2 inches now). I got 5100s with OME 885 coils and the ride is pretty stiff on the road, probably wished I spent more on something that has reservoir tanks

 

Buy once cry once.

 

I personally haven’t upgraded my suspension yet. But with all the bad reviews, crap options and arising problems I decided once I go with a lift and suspension upgrade I will buy in big and long term. I really don’t want to have to take my shocks off for maintenance every 20,000 miles or so- so that really narrows down the options. I want extended travel and added weight handling improvements. Dobinsons or something else built to last that has the test of time is what will receive my money.

 

have you done any reading about the high end stuff? Fox needs rebuilds around 50k miles but they can go to 100k if not heavily abused. 20k is a bit excessive.

 

Ive read about lots of different suspension. Kings, fox, icon. Seems like most of them have to be maintained often. Maybe I’m wrong. But there is reason people are able to take the stock suspension past 100k miles.

 

I’ve heard the opposite.

 

Much appreciated everyone! Its so easy to go from $800 and then you look up and are easily at 2K ha. I just want to do it right the first time as much as possible anyways. Ive been in my buddies trucks and they look rad but drive like a 1930's tractor on a railroad track. Nothing about that excites me just to have it look cool. Thanks again yall!