So really, what is the deal with lift kits?

I want to go ahead and apologize for my lack of knowledge, specifically when it comes to "Technical Terms." With that being said, I recently bought a '07 Tacoma and I have done some minor upgrades to it and I am looking to get a lift kit on it. I am being advised from people to not get anything done (lift wise) so I do not change any angles that were intended by Toyota. All I am wanting is like 3" block lift in the front and a 1 & 1/2 block spacer in the back with new rear shocks(are new rear shocks necessary?). This is my first vehicle and I paid for most of it my self and as we all know on here TACOMAS ARE NOT CHEAP. I say this because I do not want to screw up this truck and I also do not have the money to fix it. So any advice? Different type of lift? No lift at all? Any horror stories about lift caused wear?

Thanks in advance!

 

Blocks really ride like shit on all aspects. I have a spacer in the front, add a leaf in the rear. Rides like crap, does the job though for clearance. Do it right and get some lift coils and AAL, or go the bilstein route.

As for increased wear, get a diff drop and shim your carrier bearing and you should be fine. I've got over 40k on my lift now, CV's are fine. Did have a U-joint go, but thats probably unrelated to the lift, just me being hard on the truck.

 

I think you answered your own questions.....

If you don't have the money to fix it, then chances are...you should save your money.

What do you want/need a lift for?

After you put a lift on, then you're gonna be spending $$$$ on bigger tires. Because.... a lift without bigger tires is kinda pointless and can sometimes look funny.

Lifts are OK as long as they're setup & installed properly. If you do your research....and be prepared for the unknowns (driveline vibes, etc) -then you have to 'accept' those unknowns

 

^^^This. read and memorize.

 

save your money and do it right the first time (i.e. no blocks or spacers), or just don't do it at all. it's that simple. if you are thinking about getting blocks and aluminum spacers, just imagine how nice of a ride you will be getting when your truck's suspension is literally riding on blocks and spacers. i know it seems like the cheapest/easiest way out to gain height, it will get the job done, you can deal with the slightly rougher ride, etc. not really, it will drive you crazy in a few months. you will be dreading every tiny crack and cringing at potholes in the road. yes, it's cheap, and you get what you pay for. so if you still decide to do it and do it right, look into new coils, shocks, leaf packs or add a leafs (AAL), and coilovers (coils and springs already put together) to attain lift. that will keep and possibly even increase the ride quality, depending on brand. it will also be more money, but it's worth it compared to blocks and spacers. keep in mind that when you lift it, or probably the main reason you want to lift it, is the new larger tires and correct wheels. more money. then you will have to realize that there will be vibrations, shudders, and whatnot. some have them more than other's, it's just kind of the luck of the draw. toyota didn't design this truck to be any higher or have tires any larger than when it came off the lot. so your truck's geometry will be slightly off depending on how much you lift. that sounds like a lot, but it's the truth and i wish somebody had told me all of that when i first got my truck. i would have done some things different. but the good news is that you are in the right place to figure these things out and do them. thousands of people are on here and willing to help and answer these questions. i suggest going to toyteclifts.com to look at some stuff as long as you stay away from the spacers and blocks, then looking up tires and wheels to pick stuff out and get an overall idea of prices. it's easily $1500-$2000 to do the lift right, get nice tires, and wheels. also, look around on here, there's a ton of knowledge. people know these trucks inside and out. so welcome to TW and good luck.

 

you will be spending your money twice and doing twice the work. do it right the first time and do coil-overs and AAL with bilstein 5100's

 

Say it isnt so!!!

(but its the truth)

 

Thanks for all of the feedback, I do believe I am going to go the suspension lift way, though I do have to do a lot more research! and yes, I do plan to put over sized tires on it, when I was talking about not having the money, I was referring to not having money to fix an axle or something like that just because I was stupid.

Thanks again!

 

Oversized tires will change the performance and reduce overall power (depedning on the tire size).

So, you can either 'live with it' or you'll hate it and consider changing gears (inside the axle) and that isn't cheap.

You have Prerunner. Do you plan on doing any offroading? If yes, you'll be on the gas more and can ultimately put more wear & tear on the axles/drivetrain.

Not stupid - just educate/research and you'll know what you're up againest.