Take it to a shop? Or do it myself?

Here's how it works:

- buy the manual
- buy the necessary tools
- do it yourself
- bleed from various parts of your body and your wallet

Then do it again on the next project... and bleed some more, but a little less from body and wallet every time forward.

Assets and wisdom are a good thing.

 

Having an air wrench makes a huge difference...I'm lucky that I have a local diy shop where I can rent tools, but otherwise I'd look into buying air tools. It saved me time and trouble installing my ome kit. Also, I know you're not putting an ome kit on, but I found bjmoose's ome install write-up very helpful. Many relevant tips for you as well:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bjmoose-installs-full-ome-kit-rear-brake-lines-with-pics.115775/

Good luck!

 

Air tools are nice but not necessary, you just need more time without them. It's also easier to over torque with air tools, especially if you aren't used to them.

 

Never needed an impact gun for anything I did, and doesn't look like you need (or could use for that matter) a gun for the UCA's. A solid breaker bar will do everything you need. The two upside down bolts connecting the LCA to the brake assembly/spindle/whatever are pretty tough at first. Make sure you torque everything back to factory specs...This book will definitely help for that and a ton of other stuff: http://www.autozone.com/1/products/252940-repair-manual-haynes-92077.html. Some instructions say to remove the steering rack ball joint, but I had a hell of a time trying to remove them. Grease started coming out a little and I didnt want to damage anything so I worked around it (barely). Push your LCA down as far as you can-itll be tough at first but give it force. I didn't mention this originally, but the knowledge alone that you gain is worth doing it yourself. Post pics and problems as you start and people will chime in.

 

Welp boys I got the rears on, but had to throw in the towel on the front. One of the three bolts holding the coilover in (the one nearest to the engine compartment) was completely round and over torqued. I couldn't get anything back there to grip it or mess with it. Even vice grips failed me. 5hrs of contorting, scraped knuckles, and rounding it even more I said "fuck it" and called the tow truck to take it to a shop.

I learned a bunch, and got to buy some tools in the deal, but I need the truck for work soon and couldn't mess with it anymore. Thanks guys.

 

At least you tried. They sell special wrenches for the strip bolt. I don't think it would cost anymore than $20.

 

Metrinch FTW.

Works on the sides, not the corners.

http://www.metrinch.tv

I've had two sets for approx. 20 years. VERY satisfied. Each wrench works on both SAE and Metric. Half the tools. Works on stripped nuts.

 

at least you did half your self! saved a little coin.

and i bet you learned some in the process

 

Oh yeah, I learned a bunch. Just wish I could've finished it out. Oh well, there's always next time

 

Hey guys, I just got it back from the shop. It rides great... at low speeds. When I jump on the highway it dives whichever way the road is leaning towards. Kinda makes for a frustrating ride. Can you guys take a look at the alignment specs and point out any possible causes? I'm thinking the caster could be higher, but since it's only a 2" lift I wasn't sure. And what's up with the SAI being different from one side to the other, and out of spec... is that OK?

 

Caster is still within spec but low for a lifted truck. It would have been better if they left it alone. I'm sure they can get that back to the 2.5 range with stock uca's. I know when I did mine, whenever caster is adjusted, it affected camber.

 

Oh I installed LR UCAs. They should have plenty of adjustment room.

 

With LR UCA's, they can get that caster to 3 and camber to 0. Some shops don't know how to adjust the LR uca's so I adjusted mine myself on the alignment rack.

 

They're set at +2 right now. I don't think the shop will mess with anything but the stock adjusters. Should I set them to +3 and bring them in like that?

Also, I'm getting rubbing in the back of the wheel well. I've never had that before with the spacer lift. It seems like the tires are set further back, is that typical of the SPCs?

 

You're getting rubbing on the back due to low caster. With the LR UCA's set to +2, they should be able to get your 2.5+ on caster adjustment. With stock UCA's I still had casters at 2.1 with zero camber on a 1.75" 5100 setting. When I switched to 885's and LR's, I was at the +2 (standard setting) and had 2.7 caster setting. Camber and toe was at zero.