Can’t find a solid answer.

I will add that lift accommodates the use of larger tires and provides static lift. You should bank on tire diameter for consistent clearance number when off-road.

33" tires and 2.5" lift are the fairly common target for 2nd gen trucks and there are numerous ways to get there.

 

Sub’d for when I have time to offer input. I was in a similar situation a few months back. I should be able to write up a detailed response tomorrow.

 

Lifting your truck is a pretty big deal. Not because the task itself is difficult, but because you're altering major components in a finely-tuned vehicle system. Changing one thing leads to second- and third-order effects in other systems. I advise doing it once and doing it right so you never have to go through the research process again. This thread will key you in to the major areas of concern:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/stuff-that-breaks-after-installing-a-lift.667252/

My truck fills the same role as yours, mostly out of necessity since it's the only vehicle I own. People who advocate buying another vehicle for daily driver use must have a lot more time or money than I do. You probably bought a Toyota for reliability, so why shy away from driving it?

A lift will improve ground clearance for your frame-mounted components, but the only way to gain true overall ground clearance is via bigger tires. Tires larger than 33" will likely require re-gearing, which is a huge additional expense.

A lift will not increase your truck's payload capacity. Sure, up-rated springs will handle the weight better, but that doesn't help the frame support the weight or the drivetrain haul the weight.

Armor is a touchy subject for a lot of folks. If this truck is going to be your daily driver, I would place a premium on passenger safety. ARB is the only company that tests their bumpers for airbag compliance, which means you don't trade off passenger protection for vehicle protection. I'm sure plenty of people will disagree with me and cite some circumstantial evidence that some other company is "just as good." I dunno about you, but I don't want to spend the last millisecond before a crash wondering if the hunk-o-steel strapped to the front of my vehicle is going to result in greater injury than could be expected otherwise.

What are you pushing with your front bumper? If it's another vehicle, I recommend having some sort of rubber pad integrated into the bumper face so you don't thrash your powder coat. ARB bumpers have urethane (rubber) buffers bolted to their front.

These trucks don't have a rear crumple zone other than the frame itself. You can get away with pretty much anything here. I like high clearance rear bumpers that have multiple points of contact to the frame, like Mobtown's offering.

Like you, I'm not planning on using the underbelly of my truck as a contact surface. Skids are really just an insurance policy against stuff tearing up vital systems. Aluminum will do just fine, despite what the "sTeEl Is ReAl" crowd crows about. If your desired end state calls for steel front and rear bumpers, minimize other added weight wherever you can.

Also, sliders are important because rocker panel damage is expensive. All-Pro Apex bolt-on sliders are a relatively lightweight choice, as are Avid Offroad bolt-on sliders, both at 140 lbs for a pair. All-Pro is DOM and Avid is HREW, so there's definitely a strength difference.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/all-pro-apex-bolt-on-sliders.450494/

Your armor budget is probably a little low. A quality front bumper, decent rear bumper, and set of sliders will be around 3000. Skids (especially aluminum) will set you back at least another 700 for the front/IFS and transmission skids, plus 175 if you want a lightweight plastic gas tank skid (from TrailToys). You might be able to find used armor pieces for a great deal, so keep your eyes peeled.

Your lift budget is about right. All you really need is a floor jack, a couple of jack stands, and a helper, plus your usual assortment of tools. You will need to get a proper alignment done before your truck resumes daily driver duties.

I like the idea of "skinny" tires, and plan on installing some myself in the very near future.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-skinny-on-skinny-tires.529656/
255-width tires seem to be more forgiving when it comes to cab mount rubbing, which will help you with your goal of avoiding frame adjustments. Skinny tires are also generally lighter than their wider counterparts, which is important for reasons explained here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...eel-tire-combo-trd-rock-warriors-ko2s.381030/

Shocks bottoming- or topping-out is generally due to either excessive lift (leaving little available down-travel) or poor shock valving (shocks are insufficient to dampen the spring). Prior planning can prevent these issues from occurring. Note that Old Man Emu (OME) shocks have become a bit notorious for topping-out when going over speed bumps or other pronounced road imperfections.

If you plan on lifting your front end over 2.5", it is generally accepted that you'll need to replace your upper control arms (UCAs) with aftermarket arms specifically made for lifted trucks. JBA UCAs are the preferred non-adjustable option here, which are a great choice for a straightforward install. SPC UCAs are a highly-adjustable option, which is great if you want to dial in your caster so you can retain your mud flaps even with bigger tires; be advised that dialing SPCs in will probably need to be done at a specialty alignment shop (definitely not Firestone).

Sway bars can interfere with some coilovers, depending on their diameter. A sway bar relocate kit is inexpensive enough to buy and install, even if you don't actually need it.

So, with all that said... my recommendation is this:
- First, figure out how much lift you want.
- Next, figure out what armor you want to run and how much it weighs.
- Then, figure out what type of suspension you want. Maintenance-free (monotube, dual tube) or rebuildable (coilover).
- Finally, spec out your new suspension with some professional assistance. @HeadStrong Off-Road and @Crikeymike are great resources.
- After you've got that all sorted out, get everything installed and wait for it to break in. Once it settles, get a final alignment and mount your new tires.

If you want to see what options I went with, I have a link to my build thread in my signature.

 

Awesome write up man. Thank you much.

 

Glad I could help. If you're planning on driving the truck a lot, I'd give serious thought to dual tube shocks instead of rebuildable coilovers. Dual tube (or "nitrocharger") shocks are cheaper, maintenance-free, and last longer than most any other shock out there. Once they're worn out, pitch and replace. They'll never ride as smooth as coilovers, but I'm personally willing to sacrifice ride quality in favor of component longevity.

Both OME and Dobinsons make full suspension kits with dual tube shocks. OME is a very popular choice, while Dobinsons is a relative newcomer. I recommend researching both before deciding.

 

Show me the math on that, because I'm betting you're wrong

 

If youre worried about your bumper mounts, these are a great option. I wanna say most of the breaks come from pulling not pushing though.

https://bayareametalfab.3dcartstore...ont-bumper-reinforcement-brackets-_p_142.html

They also come free with any of BAMF's bumpers, which I highly recommend.