Help figuring out what to do with my suspension please!

Please bear with me here, I'm new to my Taco and it's the first truck I've owned in 15 years. It's a 2005 4x4 SR5 Sport Double Cab. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

I found out I need to have my Donahoe Coilovers rebuilt. Both fronts are leaking and I have 1 broken spring. Keep in mind I'm not looking to do any off-roading so the DR's probably aren't really necessary.

I have a couple issues.

1. Price to rebuild them. I'm looking at a right around $500 to have either Icon or DSM rebuild them including shipping to and from PA. This is assuming they won't need anything additional which is gonna cost me more dough. They're in pretty rough shape so I wouldn't be surprised.

2. My truck will be out of commission for 2 weeks while I wait. It's 5 days out and back to CA Fed Ex. Not loving that at all.

3. (a)I'm thinking about going with the 5100's but I need new springs also. I'm assuming I can use any factory spec spring? Any suggestions on something economical?

(b)Since I have the DR coilovers already installed, I've been told that I'll need additional mounting hardware that is missing from my current set up. EXACTLY what else will I need?

4. I'm worried about knowing what height to set the fronts at to keep the truck level. I don't want to have to take them back off adjust them.

The rear has Donahoe Racing resi's on it now. I'm assuming I can just keep them because they aren't leaking. Do the rear shocks provide any lift that I need to account for? Here are some pics of the suspension. I don't know exactly what the TSB springs look like so maybe someone can tell me if I have it or not. I'm trying to figure out if I have any lift in the back at all.

Rear







Broken Spring



I noticed the new Icon's come with a sway bar relocation brackets. Do I have those on my truck and if so do I need to take them off if I go with the 5100's? Where do I look?



Is there any way to tell with these how much lift is on them now. Can I just measure from the top of the adjustment ring and find out?

 

The fronts look spent! It appears you have a broken coil. Don't reuse those. I would suggest complete coilovers like 5100/eibachs or OME preassemled. This would avoid downtime.

The rears appear to have an add-a-leaf installed. Those u-bolts are long! No need to address anything back there unless you think the springs or shocks are weak. Post your hub to fender measurement to see if you have any lift over stock.

 

Yeah, the fronts are banged up for sure.

Center of hub to bottom of fender: 21" front, 24" rear. What are the stock measurments?

 

Ushually around 20-20.5 in front, the rear varies, but probably 22 give or take depending on how worn the stock leaf springs are

 

Where can I buy 5100/eibachs preassembled? I know toytec has the eibachs on backorder.

Hell I'd like to know if I can get the 5100's preassembled with whatever spring would work for less than $500. Is that even possible? I know I can buy the 5100 from DSM for $189 shipped and I can get Raybestos coils here for $70 a pair, but do they suck to bad to use with the 5100's and what other hardware would I need to install them?

I just dropped $650 on tires, $200 dentmaster, $100 on a new fuel cover, tonneau, bed extender so I'm starting to get tapped out but I need the shocks and springs to pass inspection or I would just wait.

 

Toytec has the 5100/eibachs complete for 599. Cheapest I saw.

 

OK so that leaves me thinking if I go with the 5100's and regular springs I should set them at 1.75? So there's no way to measure what the DR's I have are set at I guess. I would like to know then I can just try and match that and keep it sitting about where it is.

The truck looks pretty level to me right now but I guess those measurements mean it's not?

I'll take a pic tomorrow when it's light and see what everyone else thinks.

 

I see it says they come pre-set at 3". Do you think I could just bolt them on and be OK or does that sound like too much with the 24" height in the rear?

 

You can have them set at different heights. 3" of lift is the bilsteins set to the first notch and preloads the coils .85". And also 1/4" top plate spacers. Bilstein 5100s with eibachs set at 0" with no top plate should be about 1.5-1.75" of lift over stock.

 

Last time I emailed them, the said they would assemble the 5100s at a lower setting if requested.

I ended up going with OME rather than these.

 

You can go with old man emu 884x's for about 2" of lift or 885x's for 2.5" even 883s if you want less than 2" of lift. Wheelers also pre assembles the coilovers

Cmon thats cheap

 

How much do you want for you shot donahoes when they come off?

 

So with the emu's I set the billies at 0 and get the lift from the springs right? My problem is I'm not sure which ones I need to get my truck level.

I hear ya $650 isn't too bad for tires but it's still $650. :banghead: Just did a wheel bearing too. :banghead::banghead:

Pm me an offer.

 

Correct, you should set the the billies at 0 with longer coils like OME. According to your measurments you said 24" hub to fender in back. You will have to lift the front alot to be close to level. 885s with a 1/4 top plate spacer should give you 3" of lift so hub to fender will be around 23.5" the thing is when you lift the front end that much you should get aftermarket upper control arms. Lifting a full 3" causes you to lose caster and it will be difficult to get the alignment in spec, the toe and camber may be in spec but the caster will be low and it might cause the truck to feel like it wanders at high speed. Most aftermarket UCAs add 2 degrees of caster, light racing UCAs have adjustable caster and camber. If you like how the truck sits now with same rake (rear end higher) then you should go with 884s. This will give you about 2-2.25" of lift putting your hub to fender around 22.5" there is less of a chance that you will need UCAs if you go with this option. About the DRs i cant make an offer now i just spent $1200 on tires lol, just something for you to keep in mind. Even though they are shot now DSM could probably work their magic and they would ride very nice, nicer than 5100s. So there may be someone out there that would buy them from you for a reasonable price even though they are rough right now.

 

If you are interested in going back to stock, I have TRD OR stock front and rear springs and shocks that would be easier on your wallet. I'm in NW PA.