Critique My Lift Idea for 3rd Gen TRD OR DCSB

I've got a 2016 TRD OR with factory suspension. Truck has 100k miles on it and I'm the original owner. I'm thinking about lifting it this fall. This is a daily driver that I use for hunting trips so I'm not wanting to go crazy but definitely want an upgrade over yellow Bilsteins. I'm thinking about the following.

I'm wanting to shoot for about 1.25" of lift and have a canopy on the truck. I'm planning on doing the ECGS replacement for the needle bearing. Do I also need to consider a diff drop kit? Once the current KO2's are worn out, I will be probably bumping to a 265/75/16 or 265/70/17's and putting new wheels on it.

Eibach Pro Truck Stage 2
https://eibach.com/product/E86-82-0...xjdpGqXWOfoanQaZnnOJtrtIFtiBfxLoCcP5CiMNfVcLB

Icon AAL 1.5" JBA STD UCA's
https://jbaoffroad.com/jba-std-high-caster-upper-a-arms-for-toyota-tacoma-05-plus.html

Let's hear it!

 

I have the Eibach stage 2s and the Icon 3 leaf Aal. It rides nice on road, performs great off road, and handles loads pretty well. Those front coilovers being the easiest adjustable height is the reason I picked Eibach. I have them set around an inch and a half. With winch, steel skids, 285 75 16, rock sliders, etc. When I put my camper shell on it doesn't change the ride height either. With that much lift and that size tire I would not waste my money on control arms. They are not needed to get a proper alignment. Oh and here is my truck with 265 75 16s as well. So you have a good comparison. That's the only change in the the photos.

 

Due to the canopy and its added weight you may want to consider this instead. Since it’s adjustable you have room to grow.

https://www.iconvehicledynamics.com...ulti-rate-rxt-leaf-spring-pack-w-add-in-leaf/

 

The only thing on your list I would get is the AAL
Bilstein 5100 front and back will be more than sufficient shocks - getting more expensive off road shocks for a daily driver that you take on hunting trips is a waste of $$$ for an off road capability you will never use. The ECGS replacement for the needle bearing I have no opinion . . . with a 100k miles maybe it's a good idea - dunno. The diff drop is definitely not needed. The OEM UCA are fine - keep them and save your $$$. Also keep in mind your truck can run 32s (265/75R16 or 265/70R17) with no modification whatsoever needed - I ran them (KO2 265/75R16) on my bone stock TRD OR for over a year before parting them out after my lift and running 33s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47aat1tc6zw

 

Would you keep the factory springs or change those with the 5100's? I'm also aware that I can run 32's without mods. I'm ultimately looking for more ground clearance and some better suspension when off roading. I should preface that the truck goes on some rather nasty roads and trails when hunting but nothing really technical.

 

If ground clearance is your thinking have you considered 255?

 

???

 

Just from the standpoint of going with a taller tire?

 

Yes you would have the ground clearance with the taller tire. There is a whole tread on the 255 pizza cutters on here I’d suggest reviewing.

 

I'm not opposed to that. For tires I'm wanting to go with Wildpeaks or KO3's next

 

You'll get some mixed reviews on Bilsteins vs full coilover replacements from Eibach, Icon, Fox. Personally I do value that "on vehicle" adjustment you get from coilovers, and you don't have to screw around with compressing springs, putting on tophats, etc. That alone makes it worth it for me. Running Eibach Stage 2 and Wheelers AAL, great setup and can't recommend it enough to anyone looking for a good value coilover setup. I run 275/70/17 and I wouldn't recommend going any larger than 265/70/17 or 255/80/17 if you're trying to keep it around 1.5in lift in the front, I've had to do a lot of trimming/cutting just because I don't want to raise my truck anymore.

 

This is pretty much the exact height and stance I'm looking for. A large reason I was looking at the eibach coilovers was the on vehicle adjustment. Did you change UCA's or leave the stock ones on?

 

Sorry forgot to mention UCAs, I ran OEMs for about 9 months and they were totally fine. I then got a deal on a set of Whiteline UCAs when they released them about 4 months ago. Link here. I will say having swapped to them now, the truck drives a hell of a lot better with some proper correction angles, but having not known any different, I didn't have any complaints with OEMs. So I would say worth the money, but definitely not necessary with a mild 1-1.5in lift. I'm at about 14k on the Eibachs and 4k on the UCAs with no issues on either.

 

Do you have the Eibach 2.0 clunk that some people have?

 

Not personally no, from what I've understood it's just the shock topping out on big down travel moments, likely a spring/preload issue if I had to guess. Mine are probably barely over 1in of lift

 

Thanks! Looking at about a 1” lift max.

 

There are a couple of things going on here. To address the first: with 100K miles and not having any idea how hard and how much weight you put on the truck it's impossible to know what kind of shape the front coils are in. For how you describe the way you use your truck it doesn't sound like

Second: I am seeing some advice here from folks who are overlanders with heavy front bumpers RTT etc. suggesting you do what they have done. But from your original post I got the impression you have a stock truck you use as a daily driver that you take on some rough roads and trails to go hunting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKc6t28L-5M

It depends on what kind of shape the stock coils are in. But for a truck that is not weighted down (steel bumper with winch, sliders skidplates) OEM coils would be fine, but sure if they are worn out then yeah replace them.

Just a few nuggets here:
On this forum opinions are like certain parts of the anatomy - everybody has one when it comes to suspension parts, tires etc. So take what you read here with a healthy block of salt.

Do you really need to invest in something that someone else has done, no matter how great they think it is, if their truck is used differently than yours.
Now understand if cost is not a problem for you - that's great, I wish I was you, then yeah spend the extra $$$. But I am not suggesting you spend the $8K I have spent on my truck to spend all day going on some tough off road trails because that is not what you said you do. Spending for what an overlanding rig with a heavy front bumper maybe armored up with sliders and steel skid plates a roof top tent etc. is over kill. Not saying it won't get the job done and the quality of the components are bad - it's just not necessary and a waste of $$.

Again - honestly for a stock Taco that is a daily driver that you are going to take down some rough roads and trails for hunting Bilsteins 5100 or 5125 and the AAL are plenty. and you can get the lift you want.

Here is another great video about lift and clearance and how down travel is impacted that most folks have no idea. SPOILER: at the very end it is the Tacoma that is the star.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKc6t28L-5M

 

Yeah I’m not planning on armor. I do have an RTT on top of the canopy for a few months of the year and then just with gear it’s pretty full depending on the trip

 

OK so . . . this is a little more than a stock truck that is just a daily driver that you take on some rough roads and trails for hunting trips. It's sounds like you do want to set it up for overlanding. I don't know squat about overlanding - that's not my thing so I have no idea how much weight you are putting on the back of your truck. I'm way out of my depth here but guessing a least a couple of hundred pounds maybe a little more ?????

So where are we?
a.) daily driver
b.) take it on some rough roads and trails nothing technical
c.) carry a RTT for a few months out of the year

1.) You want better shocks
2.) You want a small lift ~ 1.5"
3.) Maybe need new front coils
4.) beef up the leaf springs in the rear and get some lift

There are plenty of choices and plenty of YouTube videos explaining the different capabilities based on how you use your truck and brands of shocks. There are plenty of good choices ICON Bilstein Eibach OME Fox are all popular and good choices and you can get coilover replacements for all of them.
Again, on this forum folks tend to espouse that what they have is the best thing you can get.
CONCLUSION: Bilstein 5100 with OME 2887 (for stock weight) coilover replacement
Pick the brands you want or like but this would get you some nice shocks with new coils (assuming the old ones are shot) and actually give you a 2" lift
The coil overs are optional based on the true condition of the stock coils but if you don't get the new coil overs then you would get your lift from the settings on the 5100s.

Since you are adding a few hundred pounds on the back I would opt for a new leaf pack like an ICON RXT set at option 1 (~2" lift) but not to sound like a broken record, there are other choices Deaver or whatever. The thing being Tacoma stock leaf springs are, well, OK for stock and the AAL is fine too but when you are talking about adding weight then yeah I would spend just a tad more for a little stronger.

Again you don't need UCAs and I never heard/read that UCAs enhance ride and/or handling. They accommodate tire clearance for larger tires and help in making better alignment possible for configurations of much bigger wider tires than what you are considering.