What goes into a "complete" lift kit?

Ok I tried to do my HW on here but I'm struggling. I'm very mechanically dumb and am struggling to put all the pieces together. What I want to know is if I want to do a modest lift (2"-2.5") what are all of the components that I need? I hear a lot about 5100s but is that all I need for the front or will I need UCAs or anything else? For the back do I just AAL or are there other parts as well? I'm just trying to gather everything I need so I don't go out and attempt this and find out my investment needs to be double what I'm expecting. Thanks!

 

I forgot to mention that I've just got the PreRunner, so no 4x4.

 

UCA's were very important after my lift, I tried to get away with not getting them and the truck was SUPER unstable. ended paying for two alignments.

 

The 5100's are adjustable so if you re-use your stock coils that is all you'd need to lift the front of the truck. You can choose between 0 (stock height), .85", 1.75" or 2.5" of preload. At 2.5", you are close to where you'd need new UCAs to keep alignment within spec. Hit or miss, some people are at 2.5 with no issues, others are marginal with alignment, others have needed the UCA.

As for the rear, an AAL is all you would need to lift it. Again, some people get vibrations after lifting and end up buying shims or CB drop kits. I've got an AAL for a rear lift and none of the other stuff, so far so good.

 

Very helpful guys thanks.

 

what if you have the rear tsb and want to use the 5100s? do you need another rear aal?

 

The 5100 shocks will fit in the rear regardless of whether you've had the leaf spring TSB completed or not. I believe some AAL's are different for the TSB pack vs. non-TSB packs (I know Toy-tec has 2, one for TSB, one non-TSB). I bought the Icon 3-leaf progressive AAL and I'm don't think it matters if you have the TSB or not with that one in particular.

 

Ok now I'm further confused. What is a TSB? And I thought 5100s just went in the front and the rear used leaf springs. Am I wrong or were you guys talking about 4x4 Tacos?

 

This is discussed all over the forum, but I'll help you out.
TSB = Technical Service Bulletin. Basically a documented fix that dealerships use for common problems.
There is a TSB for customers complaining of sagging rear ends when loaded, so they add an additional leaf, and depending on the model, upgrade rear shocks as well.

 

im kinda interested here too.. im a little more mechanically inclined than average.. but there are just too many options here to really understand what im getting myself into. so.. you can get 5100s all the way around.. aal in the back and ucas up front and youll be all set?

ok.. ill be the noob that i am... so.. i can go back to toyota.. tell them theres too much sag in the rear end with just say.. my bike in the back.. and theyll do the aal and possibly upgraded shocks due to this tsb..?

 

This should help with the TSB explanation. You can also search "TSB". There are several out for our trucks, one of which replaces the stock leaf pack with a stiffer one with more leafs. 5100's are shocks, they go front and back. The front is a strut and requires a coil spring to support the truck, the back is a leaf spring but you still have a shock back there to dampen the spring. The rear 5100 shock is nice because it dampens the stiffer spring once put on the AAL.

Yes, and you may not need the UCA's depending on the amount of lift you want.

If you're completely lost, please start here:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/11282-tacoma-lift-faq-guide-read.html

 

Yeah sorry about that. The context made me think it was a different TSB. With all of the abbreviations with suspension alone I thought it was specific to a lift.

Ok, a few posts up a guy said all I'd really need are 5100s in the front and an AAL in the back. But then another guys mentioned 5100s in the front and back. Do the 2wd PrRunners have shocks in the back AND leaf springs?

 

Yes, all trucks have shocks front and back. The leaf spring provides the lift, the shock dampens the ride.

 

Ok that brings another question to mind. Does it matter whether you lift the back with 5100s or AALs? Do you need to do both? If either one will do is one or the other better or cheaper?

 

The rear 5100's will not lift the truck, they dampen the ride only. You need an AAL or a block to lift the rear. You can put in an AAL and keep the stock shocks if you'd like and it will save some money, but when you stiffen the spring by adding more leafs, some people prefer to have a shock that does a better job dampening so it rides better. Rear blocks are just a metal block that goes between the leaf pack and the axle. Not a great lift, can cause axle wrap but is the cheapest rear lift option.

Take a look at the link I posted a couple posts up, there's a lot of good info on our truck's suspension and the options for a lift. Also, visit the vendor's section to shop around and find what best suits your needs and budget.

 

i called my dealer about the tsb for the leaf springs.. and he said he had no idea what i was talking about?

 

You have to understand what the TSB is for, it's not something the dealership owes you. The TSB's are to diagnose and correct a common people are having with their vehicles. If there is no problem, they have nothing to fix. The rear suspension TSB replaces a weak 3-leaf pack with a stronger, 4-leaf pack for people who are bottoming out when loaded up. If you're not having any issues with your suspension, you can't expect the dealership to fix it.

 

oh for sure, i just called to ask what it was about.. and he said he hadnt heard of such a bulletin... though.. ill see for sure how my leaf pack performs here in a few weeks. im towing a trailer of an apartments worth of stuff from va beach to atlanta.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/7107-tsb-list-2005-toyota-tacoma.html

Here's a list of all the TSB's out for our trucks. See how your truck handles loaded down. If you end up bottoming out, call the dealer back and explain that your truck is bottoming out when loaded. I wouldn't mention the TSB, that's their job to diagnose the problem and fix it, the TSB just tells them how to go about it.

 

thanks!