Bilstein lift kit specifics???

OK so Im brandy new to the whole 4x4 scene. I have a 2010 SR5, 5sp, 4cyl that I want to lift a bit.... then get some bigger tires and different wheels. Im doing this mainly for aesthetics.

1) Ive read great reviews regarding Bilstein. What Im wondering is, if I purchase this the 3" adjustable kit, with the aal and the dif drop.... will I need anythign else? Will 3" require different break lines? etc?
http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/Bilstein-Adjustable-lift-kit-with-5100-shocks_p_132.html

2) I have my eyes on XD Hoss wheels. Ive been trying to figure out if these wheels will work with the lift and what size tires I can put on them.... but Im so confused!
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=XD79568068300B&wheelMake=KMC+XD+Series&wheelModel=Hoss&wheelFinish=Black+Painted&showRear=no&autoMake=Toyota&autoModel=Tacoma+Access+Cab&autoYear=2010&autoModClar=4wd&filterFinish=All&filterSize=16&filterBrand=KMC+XD+Series&filterSpecial=false&filterNew=All&filterWeight=All&sort=Brand

Can someone point me in the right direction please?

 

Hey whats going on? Well its nice to see you chose toytec stuff, they make a good product, for starters, they say that you do not need extended brake lines for this kit, second, if you are wanting a 3 inch lift, you will need to add in top plate spacers for another $60. Third, I would get in touch with toytec and see what degree axle shim you would need in order to achieve correct rear pinion angle, forth, id look and see what leaf pack you have in the rear of your truck, if you have 3 leafs, then you need a 2 inch AAL, if you have 4 leafs, then you need a 1.5 inch AAL. and remember, you cannot go above the second (.85 inch setting) on those bilstein shocks or else damage may occur. Next, if you have some extra coin to spare I would look into the Toytec ultimate 3 inch lift that comes with your 3 inch front coilovers already assembled with spacers etc. , it also comes with the rear axle degree shims as well. Next and lastly, IMO I never was a fan of KMC wheels, I think their quality is very poor, you could get an awesome set of TRD wheels off of ebay for about $650-$700 shipped. And if you get the 16 inch TRD wheels don't exceed tire size 265/75/R16 to avoid trimming and terrible performance since you only have the 2.7l , slightly down on power already and bigger tires will just add to that.

 

You don't need the diff drop as they really don't do anything on 2nd gens.

Also, if your bank account can swing a new leaf pack, get that. If not, get the Wheeler's 3-leaf pack. AAL are just a band aid for the stock leafs packs. I ran a AAL for 6 months, started to sag and ride rough. Just put in the dakar leaf packs about a month ago. Should've ordered them with the kit initially.

 

Also, if you really wanna do this the right way, you could invest in some new upper control arms (about $500) to get your caster/camber in specification because usually after lifting these trucks develop excessive caster lol

 

The diff drop is actually ok to run... it will save your front axle CV joints... they aren't a bad idea IMO but thats always up for debate on here depending on who you talk to. The dif drop may also save you an front annoying driveline vibe in the future... just saying.. plus, since OP said this is mainly for aesthetics, having a diff drop doesn't matter in there case, because guys on here will tell you that it exposes the front diff alittle more when wheeling which slightly affects clearance... but it wont hurt you in your situation

 

OMG Im lost!!! hahaha.

OK first what is an axle shim? is that something additional I will need to buy? I assume this is why you recommended the Ultimate Lift.
Is http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/3-lift-kit-with-Bilstein-5100-Height-Adj-Coilovers_p_364.html what your talking about?

Second... can you explain the .85 inch setting?

Third.... are the upper control arms somethign I could do after the fact?

 

Good set up 5100 & XD HOSS

 

The diff drop is considered a bad idea because it doesn't really drop the diff, it rotates it front down instead. By doing this, the rear bearing is now higher, and more 'out of the oil'. This doesn't do anything to save your CVs as they will still be operating at, or damn near the same angle they would be without the diff drop.


OP, that kit comes with Eibach coils which are significantly stiffer than stock coils. To get to 3" of lift, you need to preload the coils by setting the 5100's to .85. Because you have a 4 banger, you likely will not need the top plates. The top plates are required to get 3" of lift on a V6 but since your front end is lighter, you might get there without them. I had those same coils on my 4x4 DCSB V6 on Bilsteins set at 0 (no preload) and they rode very firm, comfortable but firm. They could end up being a little harsh when you add more preload to them to get the lift you're looking for, especially since you have a 4 banger (lighter engine meaning not much weight to compress those springs).

As an alternative, have you considered an Old Man Emu kit with 885 coils instead? Those have a lower spring rate (still stiffer than stock) but do not require preloading to get the 3" of lift.

Also, I would recommend getting, or planning on getting new upper control arms if you want to run with 3" of lift. There is very little available adjustment to get a proper alignment at that amount of lift and an adjustable UCA helps you dial in more caster so your truck rides well on the highway. New UCA's can be had under $400 if you're patient. Check out Light Racing UCA's from Fat Bob's Garage or Headstrong Offroad.

Also, be aware, when you read threads on here, pay attention the amount of lift gained from a certain lift and which engine they have. The 4 cylinder models will gain a little more lift from the same setup and you don't want to go over 3" as that can lead to issues down the road.

Oh, and start here:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/11282-tacoma-lift-faq-guide-read.html

 

Thanks fro the info Pugga!

So I guess the diff drop is a debate. Althought i see your point.
I did a quick search on the EMU kit. Looks like it can cost anywhere from $700 - $1400 Im guessing that with my trucks needs, it would be on the lower end of that scale???
Ill def look into the controls arms. Do those need to be done at the time of the lift? or could I do them... say... a month or two later?

Thank you all for the help

 

Some people get them right away, others wait til they get an alignment and then decide. I grabbed them and installed them all at once while I was under the truck. I have OME and it's a medium-ish lift. Next step up from OME would be coilovers and reservoir shocks.

 

Lol! Hey its all good, lifts with these trucks can be fairly daunting and complicated. And yes, that link is the correct lift, yes. And what the rear axle shims are, they actually go under your rear leaf springs and pitch your rear axle up again slightly in hopes that it will achieve proper, factory pinion angle so that you do not develop a driveline vibration in the rear of the vehicle from the increased ride height of the truck after your suspension lift is installed.

The .85 setting on the shock is the second adjustment notch on the bilstein 5100 shock. It is one adjustment over the shocks bottom (base) adjustment. Now, if you were going to get that first setup, you would never achieve a 3 inch lift without spacers because when using a Toytec coil spring, the max height setting you can use with that specific spring and bilstein 5100 shock is the .85 setting. And the toytec spring offers a lift of 1.6 inches all by itself. So .85 + 1.6 = 2.45 inches of lift with just the spring and maxing the 5100's to the .85 setting with that particular spring (the toytec spring is a heavy spring , meaning it has a high spring rate.... if you exceed the .85 inch setting, that extra preload with that heavy spring could actually break the shock lol, so that's no good lol) but getting back to this, you will only net a 2.45 inch lift without the top plate spacers which will makeup the extra .55 inches you need to achieve 3 inches. Thats why I suggested the ultimate lift because that lift takes all the guess work out of figuring out shock settings etc. Plus you get the shims as well lol

As far as upper control arms go, id get them now because you'll only have to take everything apart again pretty much so they can be installed, as well as, you are risking ruining your new tires because your alignment specs will be off lol

 

The kit costs can very due to the addition of axle shims, top plates and, the big one, Add A Leaf vs. the replacement Dakar leaf pack. For looks only, if you're not planning on carrying anything overly heavy, an AAL would work just fine but if you have an older, tired leaf pack then a replacement might not be a terrible idea.

You can add the control arms down the road but remember, that means you're paying for an alignment again down the road. With 3" of lift, you should be able to get toe and camber in spec with the stock arms. You can sometimes get caster 'in spec' but at the absolute bottom end. Toe and camber being out can cause uneven tire wear, caster being out just causes the truck to handle like crap at speed (can cause wandering). The good thing is caster does not affect tire wear (for all intents and purposes).

Poke around the NE BS Thread, people in there are running, or have run several different lifts. You might be able to see them in person and possibly even ride in different trucks to see which one you prefer.

 

My 2011 2.7L 5spd 4x4. I'm running 5100's front/rear, Eibachs, and toytec .75" spacers. I got roughly 2.5" of lift. No UCA's were needed and the ride/handling is 100% better than stock. As stated diff drop is not needed.

 

This sounds and looks pretty good.

 

Mine next to a stock 2012 for reference. Sorry for the crappy cellphone pics. I'm partial to the billies/Eibachs, but you can't go wrong with OME either. On a side note I wouldn't waist your money on the toytec ultimate kit if your going to spend that much $$ get a coil over you can rebuild.

 

OP have you decided on a lift yet?