Lifting techniques that won't cost an arm/leg

I'm in the market for a relatively inexpensive lift kit for my 17 OR DCSB. \

While I do have some background in car mods, this is my first truck and therefore the first vehicle I will lift. I am looking for a way to increase ground clearance by around 3". Definitely looking to purchase a set of 32-33" KO2's but to my understanding, the truck will definitely need to be lifted first.

I found a couple of "spacer lift" kits on Amazon for relatively cheap. This one in particular looks to be the most useful:

$305 ReadyLift 69-5212 3"F / 2"R SST Lift Kit - Toyota Tacoma TRD / SR5 / Rock Warrior

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IOYRF6G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Will I be able to keep the factory bilsteins? To my understanding, this will increase ground clearance everywhere except for the rear diff. Will I need a wheel/steering alignment after the lift? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

You'd be better off spending a little extra on front coils, add-a-leaf in the rear, and some inexpensive shocks! Spacers and lift blocks aren't good if you want to actually to wheel, I'm sure some people disagree but You could do a quality 2-3" lift for about $650, if that's in the budget!

 

Contact @HeadStrong Off-Road they have very reasonable prices and have a great TW presence!

 

Welcome, if you didnt know TW has a search option. Lift kits, tire sizes, clearance issues, etc have been covered quite a bit. You should be able to find what you are looking for. Enjoy your new truck..

 

^great idea as well

 

I'm in South Florida, so most of my wheeling is through sandy, sometimes bumpy trails. No rocks or anything crazy down here. 99% of the time I don't even need 4x4. $650 isn't all too bad, though since I am looking to purchase everything at once.. adding around $800 for tires, and $700 for wheels puts me in the neighborhood of around $2,200

 

Never understood why someone would go out and spend in the above $30,000.00 price range for a truck and throw such a pile of shit lift on it. Research research research, and Buy Once and Cry Once.

 

Any time you mess with anything relating to your suspension you will need an alignment. Also keep in mind that the only true way to lift your truck is to add bigger tires. If you go with 33's you are adding 1" of ground clearance as compared to stock.

 

Go get a lifetime alignment plan from a reputable chain. I got one for $70...

 

I highly doubt ANYONE on here would disagree to the statement I bolded for you.

 

The bro truck 2WD gang would beg to disagree

 

Well they're wrong.

 

Just put these in the front.

 

And these in the back.

 

Use your legs, not your back


...oh wait.

 

The key is to stack blocks!

 

I will. Depending on what you want, for the rear small lift blocks are sometimes a good option. For the front, forget it. Then again, forget 1/2 the expensive crap I've seen put of the front of these trucks on this forum IMO.
Problem you have with overly arched springs is, for the same travel the axle will actually move backwards a greater distance than with a less arched spring. That makes the compression part of the travel soft and the rebound part of the travel really hard. Not really an issue for slow rock crawling, but sucks on the road and anything fast offroad. Also make shock valving a real pain to get right. The other problem you get is because the axle is moving back as well as up, it gives you less tire clearance against the fender.
Again this all depends on what stock springs are like and how high a lift you want to go, there are loads of factors to consider, I personally wouldn't just "assume" lift blocks are crap in every situation.

 

PM Sent

Hope you guys are having a good weekend

 

Gotta help out our Vendor of The Year whenever we can