Bilstein Lift Options. Help me out here.

this applies for the 2nd lift i posted. that damage can happen to just some top plate spacers with coils?

 

this applies for the second lift i posted with the top plate spacers?

 

Considering your truck is an 06, if you are going to get a lift you might want to consider new shocks. Not just the coils.

IMHO (in my honest opinon) the best all around lift is to go with the 5100 bilsteins and an AAL in the rear. In your case it would be the 2 inch because you dont have the rear TSB (technical service bulletin that makes it a 4 leaf pack instead of 3)

I believe there is a greater risk of something breaking if you only replace your springs and use the stock shocks, or replace your shocks and use the stock springs.

 

Also the top plate spacer on the drivers side (AKA taco Lean spacer) is only 1 spacer that is used on the drivers side front coilover. Tacomas are notorious for having a slight lean to the left after a lift is installed and this corrects that lean.

 

The only thing you run a greater risk of breaking is the stock shock because aftermarket coils are generally much stronger than the stock ones. The precautions of lifting and wear items that are more prone to fail post lift remain the same whether using stock shocks or aftermarket.

OP, What are you trying to accomplish? Is this just a lift for looks? Do you want to off road? Are you just trying to better the ride? Lifting the truck makes certain items prone to wearing out quicker, doesn't matter which lift you choose. The height of the lift does play into this, the higher you go, the more apt you are to be replacing parts because the CVs will be operating at a steeper angle and the boots can tear.

 

you're saying i'll run a risk even just driving on main roads? you think i should get this?
and also the spacer on the drivers side?

 

i want a decent lift. very little off roading. so i'm thinking new shocks arent necessary

 

Yes but 'risk' is a very broad term. Your truck is designed to sit at a certain ride height. At that ride height, all the driveline angles are relatively straight or within a tolerance. When you start lifting (or lowering for that matter), these angles change and start producing vibrations or start wearing out certain components such as the CV's or the rubber boots that cover them. This has nothing to do with going off road, this is just from driving even if 100% on pavement. Even at stock height, these components eventually wear out, they just take a very long time to do so, lifting may expedite the process. It's not a gaurantee that lifting will cause any issues, lots of people have installed lifts and have 0 issues, others have developed vibrations, others have had to replace some parts because they wore out. If this is a big concern of yours, just stay stock height and go with some larger tires.

Your link is to 5100's all around. Set at 0 you'll be at stock height, no risk whatsoever or you can dial in as much lift as you like up to 2.5" of lift. You just need to weigh the options and decide how much lift you want and what you're willing to potentially deal with. Personally, I went with 5100's all around, Eibach coils up front and 1.5" AAL for the rear. Mild lift, 0 issues and I'm happy with the look and ride quality.

 

New shocks are needed to dampen the stiffer spring rate associated with the lift. So if you want the truck to ride better than a brick, you should get new shocks.


And the risk with the top plate spacers is ball joint damage, because they allow your suspension to droop further than it was designed to.

 

If this is all you're looking for, 5100's set at either .85 or 1.75 will do the trick for the front. A 1.5" AAL will do it for the rear. Rear 5100's aren't required but they will dampen the ride much better than stock shocks, especially with an AAL.

 

And snapping the shock! Tall top plate spacers mean the shock will bottom out before the LCA hits the bump stops. This means the shock takes all the force and could lead to the shock itself snapping (meaning you need to get towed). This is only with the tall top plate spacers, like 2" and over. The small 1/2 or 1/4" spacers are not a concern.

 

alright sounds good. ill probably get new 5100s all around along with the 2" AAL in the back and a 1/2" spacer for the drivers side lean. sound good?

 

Hmmm. Came across this and am about to purchase.. Good info, unless your all full of shit

 

Taco lean spacers are usually 1/4"
Check with your vendor (ToyTec?) for the correct one.

 

X2

 

yeah that's what i meant. but besides that, everything seem reasonable?

 

OP, These guys know what they are talking about. Their advice is solid. I have been looking in to this pretty intensely the past few weeks myself. ReAD this outtake from Tacoma HQ:

The Best Lift Kit Is…

In a perfect world, every 05+ Tacoma owner would choose new coilovers and a new rear leaf pack to gain about 1.5″ of lift because:

• 1.5″ is enough to install a solid tire upgrade – nothing massive mind you, but definitely capable (learn more about tire sizes for lifted Tacomas)
• Going with such a small amount of lift keeps most of the factory suspension geometry – your suspension will perform as it was designed to, yet your upgraded components will give you excellent performance
• The handling and ride will not degrade – in fact, both handing and ride may improve
• Mostly stock vehicles with only mild lifts, new coilovers, new rear leaf packs complete the Baja 1000 every year

However, a lot of people aren’t satisfied with 1.5″ of lift. While some of these people are looking for better off-road performance (improved clearance, bigger tires), a lot of these people just want to go BIG. Whatever you buy, the most important thing is to match your intended use with your lift kit. Buying a spacer lift and then jumping your truck off sand dunes is going to cost you a lot of money, but buying a set of coilovers for your strictly pavement truck is a waste of money too.
In truth, there are a lot of arguments about the ‘best’ option. Read what you can, ask lots of questions, and take your time before buying.

 

Yep, just make sure that when your coilovers are being set up that the spring seats are placed at the correct setting to match your rear AAL lift.
I think that is going to be 1.75 but I don't have Bilsteins, so verify that.

 

Do you need the lean spacer if you're still using stock coils?? I thought that was only for aftermarket coils?

 

Good question, I thought it was the stock driver's side spring seat that compensated for lean.
Maybe someone with stock take-off parts laying around could compare right-left dimensions ?