Suspension Installation Questions

For a stiffer ride you could go with eibachs and billies. I paid $1017 after shipping for eibachs, billies, Dakar springs, bushings, exhaust bracket, BPV bracket, and shipping. If you call you'll be able to haggle on price, at least that's what I did with toytec. If you want the coils and shocks pre-assembled then it'll be about $100 more.

 

I have about a one inch rake, which was intentional. First because I have a shell, second because I'm always hauling something in the back. This is my work truck. If I were doing it again, I may have gone with the 5100s. I was being cheap when I set this one up. I have Rough County shock and struts, which actually ride very well.

 

Food for thought.

Replacing the leaf packs can be the single biggest component expense. For the price, Dakars are about the cheapest replacement pack. Dakars will run you about $350 but will lift you about 2.5". Given that and that you're a V6, OME 882's on OME struts or 881's set at or near the bottom will even you out.

Once you start piece mealing a complete suspension, the prices will be about the same. Unless you're dead set on stock height, let everyone else on this board make the expensive mistakes for you. Unless you want to mess around with different components to test, stick with a complete kit from places like wheelers or toytec.

No matter which way or where you go to buy your suspension, make sure that the kit has everything you need so there are no surprises.

 

I know there is probably no technical merit to support my stance but I'm not one to piece together parts of a suspension from different manufacturers. I know a lot of guys on here and elsewhere do so with much success but I'm in the camp that an OME suspension is ideal when completely OME. etc.

 

It all boils down to "quality" = "price"

If you go with stock replacements then your gonna end up paying the same as you would for aftermarket lift applications. The Wheelers stock replacements are quality products but you wont gain much lift. So, if you are wanting a 2.5" lift then get the aftermarket OME setup, seems to be the best quality for the price.

 

I've got OME 880s, Bilstein 5100s front/rear, Wheeler's 5 leaf pack, Daystar greaseable main eye bolts, urethane bushings and 7.5" ubolts. Wheeler's told me that is all I would need. Are the shackles, new break lines and proportion valve extension necessary? From reading other threads on this forum, it seemed like it was optional and not required.

I haven't installed my suspension yet so if I'm missing something it would be nice to know now. I believe all my suspension components cost around $1000 not including shipping.

 

The break line/proportioning extension are not necessary if maintaining stock height. However, I found the stock break line to be rather short, which limited how far I could move the rear axle on that side. You can always disconnect the line and have no limit. Just be careful if you later raise up the rear with the jack under the frame instead of the axle. Wheelers did not include the line in my setup either, but I ended up ordering it after I saw how tight everything was.

Even though my lift is small (1.5 or so), it was clear that the proportioning valve linkage was not at the correct angle. There is not much to this, and it was cheap enough, but you could make up an extension out of a short length of steel, some spacers and bolts. However, you should not need it with a stock lift.

The shackles-depends on how much rust you have on the old ones. As bad as mine were, I was able to take them off and reuse them on another Tacoma. I wanted greasable shackles on my truck, if only to avoid that job in the future. By far the worst part is removing the eye bolts. I used a sawsall on mine.

 

I got the full kit from toytec. OME 883 coils and AAL and nitros on all corners. It came with front diff drop and few other things. With our discount and me paying $100 for them to come assembled I paid somewhere in the $850 park.

 

Was looking at this: http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com/Old-Man-Emu-Tacoma-suspension_p_225.html Would this work on my truck?

 

If not, was looking at this: I assume this is the kit you guys were talking about?

 

That's what I just installed on my truck. With the 881 coils.

 

Did you have to put the coils on the shocks yourself? Or is it the same deal as the guy said previously where they do that before sending it to you?

 

I recommend looking at TRDparts4u that's where I got my setup from. The prices are less than Wheelers and Toytec plus they offer free shipping and being in Dallas they get to NOLA much quicker. Give them a call and they can give you some help on what you would need besides shocks, coils and leafs for a truck with your mileage on it.

 

Hmm, I'll definitely do that while I'm at work tomorrow. Thanks!

 

That's what I have with 883 coils because of my bumper/winch. For $100 they will come fully assembled with top plates and everything. Well worth the little extra

 

I had the place from which I bought them assemble it.

 

I had Wheelers assemble the struts. For the price, I at least know they were assembled correctly. With the struts preassembled, everything was a simple direct swap.

 

Quick question, with the OME setup, or any lift set up in general, will I have to get different cv joints because of the different angle? Or will it just be something that I will have to keep up with on maintenance?

 

You keep the same CVs (or you can get aftermarket, but they will be the same length) but depending on how high of a lift you go with, you'll have to make sure your CV angles aren't too extreme. You can get a diff drop kit to help with it.

 

I'll be going with the OME lift, which I believe is 2.75"?