To Lift or Not To Lift? A Newb Going Nuts!

It's help a newbie time - with a semi-short story first.

On the Hawaiian island I live on (Big Island) it seems like 10% of the vehicles are Tacomas. And of those, way more than half are lifted. So I figured - "no big deal."

I just got my first new truck (only 400 miles now) (DCLB TRD OR) and want to do the same - just cuz it looks so cool - and there are times when having the ability to go on a gnarly trail to a remote location would be awesome. I knew virtually nothing about modding a truck before reading everything here.

I didn't think it would be such a decision - tires rubbing - chopping cab mounts - needle bearing failures - drivetrain vibes - differential noises - sluggish performance - alignment/balancing problems - etc. - etc. - etc.

The big tire shop in town (that does the lifts for the one Toyota dealer) has never heard of the needle bearing issue. (Is that hard to believe?). The dealer has heard of it (and will replace it if lift is 3" or less). The dealer has heard rumors of the ECGS fix, but won't do it.

Now I am reading stories about problems with lug centric wheels and vibrations. But I can't get the SCS hub centric wheels I would like - and most everything else is lug centric. I just called Method, and even their $300 true beadlock race wheels aren't hub centric.

I'm really thinking about giving up on my dream truck, and just drive it like it is. It drives really sweet. Smooth as any car - handles nice, plenty of power for me, and the tranny seems to be getting used to me (or vice versa). Great mileage, and I can carry and tow fairly heavy loads without worrying about a changed suspension - and so on.

So - what exactly am I asking????? I guess I am asking if going the route of a moderate 2-3 in. lift with a little bigger wheel/tire combo is going to change my ride into a smooth trouble free experience to inevitable little troubles and issues - so that my dealer and tire shop will eventually get sick of me. I don't do this type of work myself, and I do want a dependable vehicle.

Is a lift just not for me? Or in other words, what are my chances that a good lift kit (I'm looking at the Toytec Boss kit) installed by a reputable shop with some 285/70/17s is not going to cause me endless little problems, and a less pleasant every day driving experience?

 

Just lift it.

 

I'm in the same boat as you. I don't like to deal with problems on my daily driver so I research the crap out of everything too. I'm thinking about going with a mild lift soon and will be doing the ecgs bearing at the same time. I'll just sub to this thread and see what you end up doing.

 

You'll be fine with a kit like that, but you will have to do the CMC likely to fit 285's. Also will see a slight drop in MPG and worse acceleration. Whether these things are even noticeable is down to the individual.

Edit: CMC is cab mount chop btw

You could fit 265/75/16 aka 265/70/17 if you have 17" wheels with no issues.

 

I'd recommend going to a local Tacoma meet. If there isn't one, set it up. Do your best to ride in a lifted truck first because the ride will be different.
Personally, I much prefer it but I don't know if you will.

If you do choose to lift your truck you may need to experiment with a little trial and error to get it just right but you'll be happy you did.

There's also no harm in starting out small. Some 5100s set low to level out your truck, a nice new set of wheels, and go one size up in tires (265/75-16 or 265/70-17).

As for the lug centric vs hub centric thing, there are lots of hub centric options out there. If it's over bored to 108, there's hub centering rings available to make them hub centric.


If you want to jump right in and get a 3" lift and some 33" tires you can get away with very minimal rubbing if any with proper wheel choice and 255 sized tires. As for the vibrations, some people get them and some don't. That's a little hit or miss, but there's ways to go about fixing them.

Hope this helps, or maybe it'll make it more confusing. Either way enjoy your truck!

 

Lift!

 

How zit Brah! Get the Boss 2.0,it's a sweet ride on KO2 275/70/17. I was in the same boat as you and pulled the trigger on the ToyTec lift. I would stay away from going 285's too be sure you don't have any issues. Make sure to get the Boos 2.0 Kit and install everything that it comes with it. Aloha

 

Thanks Mike,
I was born and spent 55 yrs. in San Diego before moving here. Hawaii is one of the only places that could compete.

 

Welcome brah. From Kona too. First ask what is your goal. Is it to look sick and stay on pavement or is it to have a good, functional off road capable truck? I have a 2 inch front lift with 5100s and OME 2887 coils. In the back i got 5160's and 1.5 inch blocks. it sits level and I never had any trouble doing anything with it. I'm talking Maks, many crazy places down south, R1, Skyline. ECT... If you want some help or wanna talk sometime and see my set up let me know. I live in Hilo now but always go to Kona to visit my fam. Most of the huge lifted trucks you see stay on road. for me, that wasn't what I was looking for

 

These trucks weren't cheap and after being on this forum since last Oct. it does not make sense to put more money into these trucks. If Toyota is such a good brand, it wouldn't have all these quality control issues and someone would have said no to this transmission. I don't think these turd gens will hold there value as they have in the past, of coarse, I bought one, happens every time.

 

DCLB you have to lift it! There's no way around it. It looks so much better when lifted. I have a DCSB and everyone that knows me said that "it looks like a real truck now" once it's lifted.

A lot of the tires that run smaller (you know who you are, KO2's) won't rub with a 2-3" lift and the right wheels. Look for other setups and find what does and doesn't rub. Get wheels with the right offset. SCS has a lot of popular options that fit Toyota perfectly and makes a high quality wheel.

I have 285/70R17 STT Pros and didn't have to CMC, and I have no rubbing. I didn't even have to trim anything. Completely reversible if I change my mind. The UCA's helped me add clearance to the cab mount. Pay up if you don't want to cut your truck up!

If you want trouble-free and on a budget, I'd message Marie over at Headstrong Off Road and get her advice. I'd tell you to go with one of the full Bilstein or OME kits, with OME Dakar springs (not add-a-leaf or blocks). Her kits include everything you need (spacers for the driveshaft, brake lines if applicable, etc.) and it really is a pain free experience (if you can tackle the install or have someone do it for you). Sure, there's better or more capable stuff out there, but as you get more extreme, it is going to take more maintenance and knowledge of a setup. Not something for a beginner.

I lost less than 0.5MPG over 10 tanks or more when I lifted and changed tires. I think it is so good because now at highway speed, your RPM is lower.

I would add is the ECGS bushing when I did the lift. It's very cheap insurance while you basically have everything pulled apart. If you do all the VERY cheap things to avoid vibration, you won't have any when you are said and done.

The only thing above and beyond I would add is UCAs from LR (or equivalent), because the adjustability gives you more clearance for your tires and a better ride because you can set the caster correctly to factory spec.

I daily drive my truck, close to 22,000 miles a year at this pace. Research your lift and do it right the first time. Pay once, cry once, as they say.

Honestly, a lot of the people come here just to complain, think about it...how often are people compelled to leave a good review? Not often. How often do people leave scathing reviews when they have a bad experience? Every time. You're seeing a compilation of the world's bitching about 3rd gen Tacoma's by looking at the forums. I wouldn't let that scare you off. Especially if you have a 17. A lot of the issues pertain to 16's only.

If you want more advice, just ask! Feel free to PM.

 

No lift. All of us spend 99% of our driving on pavement, why mod a truck mostly for looks? A lifted truck will never be as stable as a non-lifted truck in emergency maneuvers on the street. Most truck owners who lift never drive in an area where they couldn't have gotten thru w/o the lift. Lifted trucks look 1970's redneck style to me, very outdated. A more modern off-road look to me are trucks like the Stewart Raceworks Raptor Pre-runners, yes, I know way out of our price range but those trucks make a typical lifted truck look ridiculous. Just change the tires to some decent all terrains, maybe some skid plates, maybe some additional lights, and you're done. Flame on!

 

*chants*
Do it and you're cool! do it and you're cool! do it and you're cool!

 

Because nothing says 70's redneck like a modern V6 Japanese mini truck.....

 

lol hahah. Hi grandpa! I didn't know you had a computer...

 

I vote to lift it, but only if you do it the right way and don't shove blocks and spacers on it. If you lift it with a new leaf pack or AAL, and then replace the springs up front to some that provide you with the lift you want, the ride quality will be much much better (than spacers and blocks, most likely will be firmer than stock suspension). Good luck, and welcome aboard!

 

It depends what your threshold for acceptable is. If the bold stuff above bothers you to the point you would no longer be happy then do not lift. It is the price you pay to go up. Big picture it'll still be fine. It should be just as reliable and get you from point A to point B nearly identically but there will be small differences and it will not be as smooth/well suited for daily driving as it was from the factory. The lifted guys just live with it.

 

What @ahkouchi said.

Be practical for actual use, blended with a nice look. Function first, form second.

Your call.

 

I thought every tacoma in HI already came with lifts pre-installed