09 5 lug lift kit

I just bought an 09 tacoma 5 lug and I am new to the tacoma world. My daily for the last few years has been an 05 z71 6in lift on 35s averaging 13 mpg. I bought my taco for better mpg and keep the miles off my silverado since I have a daily 80 mile round trip. Want my taco to ride higher but dont want mpg to suffer much. Has anyone used the fatbobs lift and 31 in Tires? If so what kind of mpg are you getting and are there any relatively cheap upgrades to the engine for better mpg?

 

ive heard of some awesome pre runner mid travel kits for 5 lugs i believe you should look into that !!! would look awesome and do some crazy stuff , on the road im getting 24mpg running 32"s on a 2.5 inch lift with the 4 banger, even with two bikes in the back i get 22mpg, what your used to and the mpg your going to get even when your taco is built on 33's isnt even going to be comparable.... but neither is the power

 

What brand lift did you go with?

 

we have different trucks cause you have a 5 lug i got a 6 lug i when't with billsteins 5100's on stock coils set at 2.5 it sits nice for now wanting to go mid travel here soon but also wanting to supercharge it

 

Im wondering if 31s would hurt my mileage significantly more than it did yours considering your gear ratio is lower

 

quite possibly could in your case

my truck was geared for 30's or 31's im not sure

but still if you have a stick im sure you can go run 30"s with no power loss or MPG loss that you notice

 

mine is an automatic

 

ouch so is mine its a dog on the hills

 

All-around tool for comparing tire size, and working out re-gearing issues related to our 5-lug Tacomas.

If you significantly upsize the tire-sets on your Tacoma, from OEM sizing of 26.9", this will affect gearing significantly - auto, or manual transmission.

To prevent re-gearing from becoming an issue (depending on your regional terrain/driving characteristics) keep your overall tire diameter to sub-30" in diameter.

I would strongly advise spending some time reading various threads in this sub-forum, in order to get more familiar with the options, and challenges related to upgrading the 5-lug's suspension, ride-height, and tire sizes. There are various solutions ranging from mild to wild...it all depends on how much of a budget you have, as well as your commitment to the truck to make it work for you - as well as you, for it...

 

My fuel average over the last few months is around 18.5mpg. Winter is coming and im feeling it on the pump with 16.5mpg but that is mostly from almost zero highway driving zero. Power lose is my biggest pain in the ass, I would be fine with lower mpgs and slight power loss, but if you plan on putting 31s it will be dogging it up any forum of hill. I reccomend 30s with alloy rims and you will most likely not need any regear to regain power to stock level driveablitiy or have a small power loss. I am using steel and heavy 31 tires, the height is basically a inch and a half lower then the 6 lugs. I love the height and the ground cleancer is a huge benefit when off roading or light trailing you could say. The looks are a huge benefit from the african starving stock tires. I personally don't reccomend the 31s with steel rims on the stock gears in southern califorina with the huge hills we have, but if you live somewhere flat you could easily manage the powerloss. I can not stand the power loss and will be regearing. Hope that helped

 

If you are using the truck as a commuter, forget the lift and jumbo rubber, and enjoy it for what it is. A moderately economical to operate truck.

The largest tire you can fit with no issues is a 235 75 15, which will work on the stock 6" wheels. Either style, as they have the same dimensions.

Even that will cause a touch of noticeable power loss, and create some speedo/odo error that you'll have to account for in any fuel calculations.

Low 20s, AC on in town, mid 20s on the road should be doable.

Get all crazy with it and you'll be down in the 16-17 range, meaning you wasted your $ trying to gain MPG over your Chebie.

 

Whats a Chebie. If he has another truck thats beasted out wth 35s why mess great mpgs stock.



If you plan on just driving it why lift it and put huge tires on unless you plan on off roading which we are really limited to... really limited

 

just looking to get a little more ride height and better look because right now it rides a little too low for my liking

 

honestly bad idea to buy a 5 lug if you didnt like how low it was...

 

At the risk of being boring, I'll repeat.

"If you are using the truck as a commuter, forget the lift and jumbo rubber, and enjoy it for what it is. A moderately economical to operate truck.

The largest tire you can fit with no issues is a 235 75 15, which will work on the stock 6" wheels. "

And I'll add, the 235 is a full 1" larger radius than the OE 215, so you get a free 1" lift. It actually is visually noticeable, and you can tell getting in an out of the truck. And if you black out the pinch weld below the rocker, you'll also get a 'visual lift', ie not look as low.

Yea, you can do more. But you'll lose the value of what you bought it for. As @3rYODA mentioned, it's one of those choices that should have been on the front side.

Personally, since you have a big boy truck and are looking for a low TCO commuter, I'd be looking at an econobox in spiffy shape. Prius, Elantra, Sonata, Civic, Accord, Camry, Corolla, etc. All push over 30mpg on the road, easy to find parts, easy to fix. The Hyundai even has 100k warranty, so even an older one could still have a fair bit of that left.

 

has anyone just put a leveling kit on theirs?

 

There may be one (leveling kit) but I don't know what it is. Only because I have no interest in one. I spent too many years messing with track car suspensions to care about 'leveling'.

The rake is engineered into all the trucks (and most other vehicles) for several good reasons.

Removing the rake with a 'leveling kit' makes nothing mechanically better.

Only your perception of looks.

Not trying to be rude. Lots of folks level. Just stating facts.

 

Seriously, Clearwater Bill is coming from the logical, economical angle, 100% correct. This truck was marketed/intended for fleet use/light commercial delivery use, primarily. Built to a $, for a singular purpose to be economical.

Anything done to the 5-lug beyond OEM, has a cost - either in fuel efficiency, maintenance or wear costs, or in replacement parts outlay.

Going up to a certain point, as Bill has suggested, is economical. Anything beyond that point, a whole bunch of other factors start to go into play - budget, how long you are going to have the truck, what are you using the truck for etc etc. At what point do the costs balance, is the question.

At a point somewhere beyond that, you have to decide whether you bought the right vehicle, or whether you are willing to invest more money into something that isn't economically logical, if your goal was that in the first place.

Not trying to discourage you. However, i'm one of them that's taken their 5-lug beyond the stock norm.. no regrets in doing so, i've now got the long-term truck that i wanted, which is up to the tasks i need it to do. There was, and is an ongoing increased cost to it. That includes fuel economy, a lift kit, and larger tire sizes. At this point i've spent what i'm comfortable with spending on this truck. To go to the next step on my personal 5-lug, any resemblance to economy is entirely thrown out the window in a re-gear, and an increased drive-train and running gear component replacement schedule. That's not to say there isn't an emotional, ego-based desire to go 31" to 33" .. but so far emotion is trumped by financial logic.

JMHO

 

But it makes it look less like a car and more like a truck at a price regear,worse gasmilage,better shocks gotta pay to play.

 

thank you 5lugturtle finally someone that understands