Advice for lifting my TRD Sport

Hello TW,
I fully plan on lifting my truck soon and just had a few questions I thought some people could help me out with. I’m doing a 3/2 spacer lift/leveling kit and plan on doing it by hand either by myself or with some friends who have both lifted their trucks by hand, a tacoma and a frontier. I’m sure a lot of people are gonna dislike this, but it’s purely for show. Suspension lift will happen one day. I just like the lifted look, she’s a true pavement princess. I drive a 2010 TRD Sport PreRunner, stock suspension and all. I have done a lot of research but still have a few questions.
1. Do I need new rear suspension? I’ve seen just as many people say I should get longer shocks as I see people say it should be fine. I still have the stock bilsteins in, should I be fine? I’m really trying to work on a budget. Like I said, I’ll just be doing 90% of my driving on pavement, do I need a longer rear shock?
2. What’s the easiest approach to make this happen without me f**king it up? Again, in my research, I’ve seen many different ways people have taken the truck apart to install spacers.
3. What’s the most reliable set of spacers I can get?
4. How big of a wheel and tire can I fit? I plan on running my current stock-size wheels and tires for now but plan on upsizing at some point. The lift comes first though.

also just looking for any other advice I can get. The closest (and most reliable in town) shop says they can do it for $250 plus the alignment for $150, which I know I have to do. Should I save the $250 and do it with my buddies or should I just have the shop do it? I’m still a bit of a beginner when it comes to working on vehicles. Lifting it by hand sounds like a lot of fun, but I do want it done correctly.

thanks for any advice and/or suggestions!

 

Maybe reach out to this guy...
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/selling-rough-country-3”-lift-400.806150/

 

If there is any way you can come up with enough to get 5100s in the front, that would be my advice.
And 3” is cutting it close. You are getting into UCA territory there.
Not to mention front differential vibrations.

 

It would only be 3 inches if you crank down the collar on the coilover. Not saying the 5100's are bad (I have a set in the garage) for when the icons need rebuilt.

 

OP is doing 3” spacers.
You can’t crank them up or down.

I guess it’s safe to say, I’m not a fan of them.
But they do give lift. And are cheap.
I can see why some many people run them.

 

Never mind, I know what you mean now.
I never clicked the link in your first response.

Sorry about that.
I can’t read bro…….

 

Ahhh, I thought you were commenting on my post. I also have a spacer lift in my garage. Never used them, they just came as a package deal when buying other parts. I don't like them either, but also see why they are used. If op says it's only a temporary lift to begin with. Might as well maybe spend a little more now for something correct. May not be super quality being rough country and all, but a start in the right direction.

 

If the ones in your link would have been adjustable, I would have considered buying them.
My stocks have 170k on them. And I don’t want/need anything more than 1”.
Stock works fine, but I think my front end sits a bit low compared to other stock trucks?

 

Crappy pictures, but here you go. I lifted my truck with a spacer lift using the stock hello bilstein shocks.

it did ride rough. But that is to be expected. I had this set for about 3 months, then found a deal on some 6112/5160.

I did not need uca. I got perfect, factory alignment. I ran a 265/70-17 later on, and it fit great. With no rubbing.

and when you buy a uca. Buy only the spc one. the other ones just move your wheel towards the firewall and you will rub your wheels after. Uca are not really needed. Only if to allow more Down travel if your stock ball joint is maxed out….or if the uca is hitting your spring on down travel.



(pictures are from when I bought the truck and just put the spacer lift on)

 

You got a perfect factory spec alignment with a 3” lift on OEM UCAs?

 

I have 2" spacers in the front and 1" in the rear and I am satisfied with the result (notice I said satisfied, not thrilled). It accomplished for me what I needed...to alleviate some rubbing issues after I went up 1 tire size and installed new wheels which had a -10 offset (which is what contributed to the rubbing) My truck is new and I didn't want to replace the shocks just yet. If I were you, having a 13 yr old truck, which probably is due for shocks unless you've already replaced them, I'd go with the Bilsteins. I had them on my 06 Tundra and they were great! I've read a lot on here about spacers and the consensus is to stay away from them. I wouldn't even consider going with 3" spacers. 2" is as far as I will go. These are just my opinions so, Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

3" is getting into having to start changing even more stuff, territory. I went 2.5" spacers in part for that reason. I needed the sway bar spacer and used the driveshaft spacer. That was it.
Another reason for spacer is my front shocks are still good. I'm a 1st time lifter and wanted to go a cheaper route to see if I liked the lift and if I liked the height it provided.
When the front shocks go bad I'll do better.
I used arb ome rear shocks for 2" lift (with 1.5" rear spacer). OME medium shocks are stiffer than stock. To me the light weight in the back bounces around over bumps so I wanted a stiffer rear shock and it helped.
I also don't offroad much so it works for me.
For now.

 

Yes. I may have the print out in my truck. Wife is driving it today. I’ll check once she comes home.

I also ran my 6112/5160 with a 650lbs spring on the top setting for about 2 years….got perfect alignment. I took it into an alignment shop once a year due to all the off roading we did. Alignment gets messed up bouncing around.

I got some jba uca because they were dirt cheap on Craigslist next to me.
The same shop pushed my wheel as much forward as they can, and it still rubs on the cab mount with a 265-70-17. Where it did not before.

https://youtu.be/LAYGdcKSA3o

You can go to about 5:15 in this video. He explains it pretty good

 

You have a prerunner, do a spindle lift and skip the spacers.