Middle travel or long travel

If your just going MT you CAN install it yourself! It's surprisingly easy. I spent way more time googling and overthinking it. The install also provides you valuable knowledge invade something breaks on the trail. That said if you dont have the time for the install than finds a good shop.

In the interest of full disclosure I am paying a shop to install my LT front kit. I can't weld to save my life and I'd rather pay to have it done right.

 

Okay cool so with the stuff I already have installed do I just leave that and add some other thing? Or get a whole new MT?

 

Can me and my dad do it in a garage in one day?

 

On auto anything they have an icon lift kit stage two and stage three is that something I need or should do? It's pretty damn expensive

 

Check out post #3 on this thread
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/lift-options-on-my-budget.375820/#post-10303114
Cheapest I have been able to find all the ICON parts you need. Except the Upper Control Arms. You can find SPC upper control arms on headstrongoffroad.com for $375.

*edit to add: The link I provided with part numbers is for the standard travel coilovers. You will need to specify the extended length coilovers when you call/email. They are part number ICON 58635 (without reservoir) and ICON 58735 (with reservoir)

A lot of guys run ICON (including myself) on this site and are very happy with it.

 

Everything you have already installed will be replaced. You won't be keeping your leveling kit or the associated shocks.

 

PVT Pablo I checked out your post on that link so I need to email them and ask for parts
58635
58735
51100
198000

 

You will not be able to do a mid-travel set up for $1200. You're looking at closer to $2,500 for coil overs (front), upper control arms (front), a replacement leaf pack (rear), and shocks (rear). Might need extended brake lines depending on the set up you go with.

Long travel, tack on an extra zero ($12,000) and you're ball park on a front / rear set up. That's $6-7K in parts front and rear, plus $2-3K in install and fab, plus fiberglass and all that other good stuff.

If I could go back and talk to my younger self, who did exactly what you are about to do, I would leave the truck stock and start saving for a Polaris RZR. Or at the minimum, stop at mid-travel, which is what I intended to do. After bending a lower control arm and spindle, I went LT up front, which snow-balled to very capable, very cool, very fun money pit and pain in the ass that I have today.

 

ICON 58635 and ICON 58735 are both part numbers for the front coilovers. For the front suspension you can either get the ICON 58635's which are the Extended Travel Front Coilovers without Reservoirs, or the ICON 58735's which are the Extended Travel Front Coilovers with Reservoirs. Now you need to look at rear shocks. You can get the ICON 56503's without Reservoirs or the ICON 56503R's with Reservoirs. Then you need the rear leaf pack for lift. You can get the

$210 ICON 51100 ICON 1.5" Lift Add-A-Leaf Kit, Compatible with 1996-Up Toyota Tacoma/00-06 Tundra, 51100

ICON 51100 which is ICON's mini add-a-leaf pack. OR you can opt for a entire new leaf pack from Allpro, Deaver, Skyjacker, OME and a ton of other manufacturers. Read reviews on these to decide what you like. Some are stiffer and allow you to carry more weight. Some are more flexible for better offroading but sag when weight is added to the bed. Its all up to you. Then you need your ICON spanner wrench which is

$42 ICON 198000 Spanner Wrench for Coil-Over Shock

ICON 198000 so you can adjust the height of your Front Coilovers to your liking. The last thing you will need is Upper Control Arms. Your choices range from SPC Light Racing, Allpro, ICON tubular and billet, Total Chaos and a bunch of others as well. Read reviews on those brand's upper control arms to decide which is right for you.

I hope that helps, let me know if you have more questions. Also, don't forget about the other shock manufactures like King and Fox. I don't have any experience with those shocks personally so you'll have to get some info about those elsewhere.

 

Well shit Mxpatriot and PVT Pablo a lot of information and possible money work... Do you think I should just keep what I have but swap out the pro comp shocks I have for icons with reservoirs back and front?

 

Most new truck "builders" fail to look at the whole truck concept, I know I certainly did.

The icons up front will perform better offroad than the pro-comps. BUT - can the rest of the truck support that new level of capability? Ask yourself what you'd have to do to the rest of the truck to make it perform at the same level as the front end. A mid-travel rear end will not keep up with a mid-travel front end due to the lack of bump travel in the rear with everything in stock configuration. Swapping to spring under axle, or links, is necessary to drastically improve the handling of the rear end.

Then ask yourself if you're capable and willing to deal with the random things that will break when you start pushing the truck harder.

If you just want to cruise the trails taking it easy, with a little more performance than stock, than mid-travel is a good solution. If you want to go out there and haul ass, you're going to have to pony up ten grand. At that point, you have a choice - ten grand into the truck or ten grand on a UTV. Go with the UTV.

 

Damn man. My truck handles well but my ride is rough. Like driving around AZ some roads are shit and not level when turning into parking lots. I want to smooth that out and be able to not worry about going 10 mph on a trail to test it first and then go through it again at a higher but safer speed.

Right now I am rolling with a 4x4 Tacoma have not yet gone to 35s with the level lift and then put those pro comp shocks on thinking and hoping it improve my ride I feel like it did a little bit I am still not happy.

I am not looking to haul ass off road as much just crusie though it safely but have fun while I am out there with worrying if my rig will fall apart on me. I am content with the height and clearance I have, and when I get the bigger tires it will add a inch or two more. I just want a smoother ride

 

It's also my only vehicle my daily driver and weekend worrier when I can

 

1200 bux is not going to give you anything long travel or mid travel both of which your looking to spend at least 3000 bux on anything decent you have a budget of 1200 your lucky to get OME kit with aal

 

If you go with 35's might want to add in another $1500 to re gear. I'd recommend just going MT. My truck was very good with a mt setup when I used it as a expo rig. I had a full bed and shell with a baja rack on the shell. Use to be able to comfortably go exploring with the wife and 2 German shepards. Miss those days. It was nice not having a cut up bed that we could sleep in and keep the dogs in the cab. I'm considering cutting another hole in the bed to mount spares. Once you start with the cut wheel it's to easy to keep going.
The UTV idea is not a bad option!

 

Also keep a eye on the buy and sell forum here. MT kits show up for good deals. Not sure if I'd buy a set of expos used but the upper arms and coil overs can be found used and rebuilt if needed

 

Every one that has been giving me advice thank you. Tell me if this is a good idea or not please. Fox 2.5 coil over spring and shock for front, with upper control arm from fab tech, and a 2.0 fox shock in the back with reserve all for 2650 including install

 

*resivoirs

 

Doesnt sound like a bad deal. I hope you are either AALing the leafs or getting a new spring pack for the rear? As for upper control arm, don't go Fabtech. Do yourself a favor and go either Total Chaos, Dirt King or Camburg uniball UCA's.

10" travel rears properly valved with some hydro bumps of your choice will keep the rear end in good check short of going SUA and LT rear. 12/12 is usually pretty good valving to keep the rear end in check. Then again, it depends it depends what your goals are too. If you are fast running out there like I like to do with the ocasional airborne run then you want all the help you can get in the rear. I have basically all including the hydros, but SUA. My rear end takes all of it in some of the nastier conditions in fairly good stride without a whole lot of bucking.

 

Also keep in mind you can do just the total chaos upper arms now, then add the extended travel coil overs when the budget allows then do the rear. Obviously you won't be able to push the truck much harder till both front and back are done but it allows you to knock out a few things at a time as budget allows. I could be wrong but don't think you would have to get a alignment if you just start with the arms. If you change the ride height you will need to align it