Don't know anything about lifts!

Hey guys? We'll were to start, I'm a new Tacoma owner, have a 2014 prerunner. I would like to put a lil lift on the truck but don't know what kind is best for the truck and myself? I don't know want a 6" because to me I think is useless for a 2wd. But would like to put 285/65/16 tire, maybe a toyo open country 2 or Bridgestone AT duller revo 2. What I'm trying to get out of this a Beefy looking truck.

 

the biggest question here is, how much are you willing to spend? "Good" lifts range from ~800-2,500

 

Daily driver? Off-raoding on the weekends? Hauling? Towing?

Any info will help us help you

 

2.5in to 3in coil overs, and 1.5in to 2in add a leaf. if you want to put an aftermarket bumper or winch get the coils to match the extra weight. for a new person especially if you do not have access to a shop, buy the coil overs with the spring already mounted on the shock assembly. they call them like quick install's or something, if you can turn a wrench at all and do the work yourself you can do it in a weekend easy, if your experienced 2-3 hours flat and for under $1000 easily.

about any other usable front lift, you will have to have access to a spring compressor or pay someone to do it and average shop charges $175 to $250 in labor, and then you still end up with a sub-par spacer or 5100 lift

i first did spacers, then 5100's, then just bit the bullet and did it right and got coil overs, did all the work myself and shopped ALOT and ended up getting my coil overs for about $600

ride is 1000x better with coil overs, and wheel travel is better. blocks in the back caused me bad body roll, add a leaf smoothed out the ride and no more body roll, and gave me better towing and canhold more weight in the bed vs blocks

just my 2 pennies worth

 

Weekend driver, not really off roading just don't like bottoming out on trails for camping and weekend hunting, will haul sometimes but nothing major, towing quads. Like to invest in good things. I like the level look on the truck.

 

@jboudreaux1965 thanks for the info. I have access to tools and what not. I like to do things my self because I like to now what I'm talking about when it comes to it. What brands do u recommend would like to get the good things so the last.

 

i ended up with iron man springs and shocks in the front, they are rated for more weight in the front, i only have a brush guard and lights, but i went a little over on weight capacity because i like a little stiffer ride,not like stiff when you hit a bump it hurts, i mean like when i hit a bump, it absorbs the shock then doesn't bounce. and on curves the body doesn't roll to much. and when you put some flex on the suspension the coils do not compress and touch like they did with the spacers and the 5100's

it was all from toytec, the add a leaf i forget the brand name.

but very happy with the results

 

for what you described, 100% no blocks, and if you do any off-roading with flexing then for sure i would go with coil-overs instead of spacers or 5100's.

i doubt you were really wanting spacers so lets do the math on 5100's

a good deal you get the front pair for $200-$250

then if you use the oem springs and need a shop to put them in, your looking at probably $250, if you remove the assemblies yourself and bring to a shop to have the 5100's mounted, your still looking at $70 to $100. if you buy aftermarket springs add even more to that.

in the end, coil overs will cost more, but not too much more, and the couple hundred or so extra you spend on the coil overs will pay for itself on the first drive you take and for sure on the first off-road trip you take


again just my 2 pennies worth, but i tried to go the cheapest route in the beginning by starting with spacers, then 5100's etc and in the end spent 2x or 3x what i would have if i would have just bit the bullet and got coil overs to start with.

 

i looked at old receipts, the AAL were made by Deaver

 

I didn't read your post's (My eyes are acting up) but this link should have a lot of good info.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/11282-tacoma-lift-faq-guide-read.html

 

My vote is OME. Either the full kit with Dakars or wheeler's HD progressive leaf pack in the rear. I wasted my time and money on an AAL just to get the leaf pack after a lot of sagging in the rear and a harsh ride. If you can financially swing coil overs now, go that route.

 

All this is good ideas guy thanks for the help. Time to start shopping

 

if i understand right, after you did AAL you started experiencing sagging, how long did that take? i tried blocks first because they were cheap, put up with it for years, had body roll and all the other crap, then bought AAL, (i never realized how bad the blocks where until i changed to AAL) so far been ok, just wondering if i am in for a future surprise?

this is the only truck i ever used blocks or AAL on, i do use this one off-road a good bit, but i would consider it still close to a "daily driver". the toys i can leave on blocks and wait until i can find parts or get hand-me-downs or find a wrecked one, etc, i always did full and true suspension lifts.

did i waste more time and $$$ on AAL? and end up having to get leafs i a few years?

 

Yes. I installed the full kit with the AAL option for the rear around 55xx miles. I installed the CS047R pack with

$82 d29xl leaf spring

d29xl at around 85xx miles. This was done after getting the bro lean (sagging) BAD. I do keep my tonneau (150-200 lbs) on with an empty bed 24/7, and this could have been the result of the AAL sagging I only towed once with the AAL installed and that was the day after I had the kit installed. No sagging when towing.

It depends on your daily bed weight/towing/hauling. If you haul 200-400/500 lbs daily, AAL is not for you. Since you mentioned you are off road a good bit, I would look into a new leaf pack. You can, however, look into Wheeler's HD progressive leaf pack IF your stock leaf pack is not sagging already. Little cheaper option than a full pack and people that run them on here seem to like them.

 

I vote for OEM full kit as the min $ to spend with the leafs. the stock leafs are junk...
I have the 884s and dakars, after 4 years I wish I would have done this day 1....

 

thanks for the info,much appreciated bro!