New Tacoma Owner looking for lift/tire/rim advice

Been patiently waiting on some Rays!

 

Welcome, I'm a relatively new member, and have found tons of info. about our trucks by researching on TW. I would suggest looking in the 2nd gen market place for lifts, wheels, etc. One big thing I didn't do when looking into my lift was researching all the issues one may have with lifting; alignment, needle bearing replacement (ECGS bushing, seal, new diff fluid), ride quality etc. If you have the time, you can learn a lot about your truck by installing the lift yourself. Good luck!!!

 

I'd do this for your budget:

Bilstein 6112 for the front
Bilstein 5160 for the rear
Headstrong 3 leaf add-a-leaf
Meaty tires of your choice
Wheels of your choice

If you keep the lift about 2" you won't NEED UCAs. You can run 265/70/17 (one size up from stock) tires with extremely little to no rubbing. You could also sub 5100 for the rear instead of 5160 and save money if you aren't interested in reservoirs. That could free up the cash for a proper leaf pack replacement.