Lowered B.S. Thread

Thanks a bunch for your feedback here @Rola2010!

Gonna be interesting to see where I end up...

 

The truck and the next mod all finished up.

 

I was looking for tire gauge and didn’t want the cheap auto zone version, came across this oem gauge, very nice quality. There is a couple on eBay but I got this one on cityracerhttps://www.cityracerllc.com/

 

Dang, that’s a slick looking gauge. A bit spendy, but looks solid.

 

For any of y’all with lowered 2WD SR5 3rd gens using the SOS Performance kit, could you still use the stock tire size without rubbing?

I’m at 44k miles, it’s almost time to get some new tires. I think I’ll be going with Michelins when I buy.

 

No rubbing with mine, if you have stock mudflaps you may have rubbing while turning up front. Currently running 265/60R18, previous summer tires were 265/65R17, winter tires are 245/70R17.

 

Yota Jim’s in Denver

 

Trudy is 2" lower now.. for a total 4/5" drop

 

Popped some 3mm wheel spacers on for just a dash of extra width..



actually feels more stable!

 

Check your lug nuts regularly, the stock studs are super short.

 

Has anyone ever tried Chevy Tahoe leafs on a 2nd/3rd gen? They're very similar to Tacoma leafs, 5/8" shorter on each end with a 6.5" arch instead of 6". Belltech makes 3.5" lowering leafs. I'm thinking about trying it out to go back SOA and get rid of the SOS shackles in the rear. Spring load capacity is 1650lbs so they'll be a little firmer too, I couldn't find definitive info for the Tacoma but it looks like the spring capacity is somewhere between 1250-1450lbs, some HD leafs I found are 1650lbs.

Any input is appreciated.

 

That would be pretty cool if it works, I want a level drop on my 2nd gen 6 lug. The sos kit would be too low to just do the rear. Are the belltech 3.5" leafs for a 6 lug? I tried looking for them and can only find 5 lug stuff from belltech. It's too bad the design doesn't allow for a simple 2" shackle drop like most trucks have the option of.

 

I have no idea if it will work, I was just scraping through models on Rock Auto trying to find an alternative spring that was flatter and I stumbled upon this. I'm considering it.


Belltech 5960 for 2 door Tahoe https://www.belltech.com/belltech-3-5-quot-drop-rear-leaf-spring-each-5960.html

Standard Tahoe leaf


Standard Tacoma leaf

 

Ohh I gotcha, I thought you meant you found belltech leafs for a tacoma 6 lug. But yeah that seems like a pretty close match. Please report back if you try it!

 

Sounds like it’d be a pretty close match, the load capacity seems pretty close to some of the lift springs out there for the Tacoma. I’ll see if I can find the numbers for my Ironman4x4 pack.
Depending on the makeup of that Tahoe pack you could always pull a leaf if you needed.

Did Belltech have numbers listed for their lowering springs?

 

Like most aftermarket springs, no they did not. They only state: Direct replacement and
OEM spring rates. The only in use image/video I could find was this guy's video where he was removing them to do an SUA flip and C notch.

 

IDK but I think the most difficult part about the spring swap is going to be the width of the domestic spring versus the import spring width. Hope you can wedge domestic springs in the front bracket on the Tacoma.
Good luck!

 

Was that guy’s video on a Tacoma?

That’s a good point I hadn’t thought about. That may require modification to fit the wider eyelet.

 

If I remember correctly the stock bushings are around 2.75" wide, I'll have to measure.

The video is a Tahoe

 

If you can borrow a porter power / hydraulic ram this tool should work. Dear old dad used this tool all the time being a BodyMan.

https://www.amazon.com/9TRADING-Spreader-Hydraulic-Porter-Coupler/dp/B07L7LDY89?pd_rd_i=B07L7LDY89