97 Reg Cab 2.7l 4x4

Hey guys,
I was wondering who had a truck like mine i'm in the market for a lift kit. I've looked on some forums and checked out bilstiens, OME and other lift kits but most say my truck configuration doesn't work for the 2.7l reg cab. Just wondering what other people are running and opinions on lifts
thanks

 

you've already stated the correct answer, use the search function to find which one it is.

 

Mine is a 96 but should be exactly the same as yours (note I have the weight of a cap and spare in the bed at all times) and here is what I run at 2.5" of lift over my old stock suspension:

OME nitrochagers all around
OME 880 coils in front
wheelers 4 leaf springs in the back
toytech 1.5"+ shackles

I went with 880 because the front end of our truck is really light and if you go 881 it will be a harsh ride and more like 3-3.5" lift unless you have a steel plate bumper and winch on. I do not and don't plan on it for this truck.

I went 4 leaf springs in rear instead of 5 leaf for same reason. Truck doesn't have enough weight for 5 leaf and will be harsh ride. So I got the toytech adjustable shackles (+1, or +1.5, or +2) and ended up with them at 1.5" so my ride is exactly level front to back and is nice and smooth like factory.

I will note that I have also bought the softest AAL i could find from wheelers which is 1.5"+ and plan on trying it out with the factory shackles this summer to see if I can still be level and carry a little more weight. If I need to I can also use the toy tech shackles set at 1"+ to level it.

My truck rides amazing and looks level with nothing in it, but when I make home depot runs or have a dirt bike on the back it sinks really far since my setup is so soft.

If you have questions, let me know. I have replaced/removed/remounted every single nut, bolt, bushing, etc on my suspension at least once and my truck has 207,000 miles now.

 

I have a 95 regular cab 4x4. Not sure on the body lift it came with, but I threw in a 2.5" kit from Daystar. They offer two options, one has strut spacers and leaf springs (which I have) and the other has shackles I believe instead of leaf springs. Some do not like the polyurethane spacers, but I have been very pleased with the kit.

 

A fairly cheap option is toytec coilovers. They have a couple different spring rate options for a lighter weight truck/front end...there are lots of options out there, just gotta look around.

Btw, all of the configurations will work its just a matter of ride comfort.

 

Nice looking truck. What size tire and wheel? Did you consider the OME Dakar leaf springs?

 

thanks everyone for the info. I'm new to this site and trying to find out how to reply to each of you. thanks for all the info. I do want to put a tool box in the back to add some weight. my truck as I'm sure most of you know is like driving a paper airplane when windy lol

 

No need to reply to each of us privately if thats what you meant. Gotta keep the info in the open for future users to utilize. To specifically reply to each one of our posts you just hit the "quote" icon and that will post our message and then you just simply type your response below that. Just like i just did with your post.

 

I'm running the stock 15" wheels with DuraTrac's in 31x10.5's. From my understanding the OME leafs would lift my specific year/model with no real weight in the back almost 4" and I did not want that because lifting the front 4" (to level it out) means all kinds of problems/more money/parts I would have to throw at the truck and being really stiff/rough ride.

With my current setup I will be able to run 33x10.5r15 down the road with some steel wheels with a little more offset as well and that is all the bigger I would ever go. Most important for me was to try to stay with as close to a stock ride/feel as possible while completely replacing all suspension parts (not one factory bolt I've removed has ever gone back on).

 

Dakars are rated at 2.25" of lift.

Since you have shorter leaf packs than the 98/04's you would have to get springs listed for the "pickups" pre tacoma. If there were a way to squeez dakars on for later models tacos youd prolly get 4" of lift. I cant hardly imagine a guy could force them on, but if you did they would be tall, lol and friggin rigid as a solid piece of steel! But yeah, 4" for dakars? No way, not even with the AAL's would ya get that close... you got some bunk info on that one i believe, my good sir.....

Also you mentioned the front would be super stiff if you went 4" up front. Not really true there. You would have to get a drop bracket lift to accomplish that. And if there is one good thing about a DB lift its that it retains your stock ride quality due to the geometry of the front end being the same as stock.

 

So some Bilstein adjustable 5100 with OME 880 coils and Dakars out back would be a level 98 Reg cab that could run 32-33's? How about ride quality?

Or should a guy just got with the Wheeler's complete OME lift kit?

 

I didn't say "Dakars" because they don't sell them for a 96', I said OME leafs (which are the same as the pre-taco's), which will lift a 96 reg cab 2.7 with no weight in the back damn near 4" and ride rough.

I also I didn't mean that the front would be stiff. I meant if I got 4" in the back (explained above would be stiff) I would then have to go 4" in the front as well to level it and that would cost more money/more parts/more wear on everything/etc, which I didn't want to do (not that the front would necessarily be stiff).

Make sense? I am not giving false information... I am either not articulating my thoughts properly or you are not reading them correctly. Either way I think we are both just trying to share our knowledge/history/info with new people to the Taco world. Thank you!

 

Ahh, gotcha! Sorry fur the mix up!! You were articulating your words just fine. For some reason my brain wasnt interpreting very well, lol!!