Suspension on the 2WD Toyo

Hi Guys,

Been reading on this forum for the last month and decided to post up a few questions I have been left with in doing some TLC planing on my truck. Most of what I am finding is for 4WD applications, or large lifts on the trucks, nothing really for the daily driver that hauls motorcycles occasionally.
Aside from the 1st Gen DIY guide, the lift guides, and some random searches on other 2wd suspension Q's: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/new-rear-suspension-not-lifted-need-help.368251/#post-10048763

I am starting to look for some guidance and experience from others that have possibly been thinking the same.

I am working on a stock 1999 single cab, 2wd, 2.4L Tacoma, with 15" rims, currently at 135K ODO. She has been a daily driver and motorcycle hauler for the last 5 years, bought her with 75K ODO, and now the suspension is showing it's age. For this I am looking at doing some preventative maintenance as well as replacing the worn parts.

Overall for this project I am looking to keep the height at stock, or possibly accepting a 1" lift depending on the parts used. I am thinking that replacing the worn parts will improve my ride height, since the rear leafs are sagging and the front is worn...

So far my ideas are:
-Replace the ball joints, inner and outer tie-rods [with what is available at the autoparts store]
-New bushings on the steering rack and sway bar [with Energy Suspension poly bushings]
-New shocks [Bilstein 5100's or Bilstein's 4600] Torn between the 5100's and 4600 since this truck is used 95% on the street and 5% on logging roads.
-New Front Coils, No clue since staying with OEM doesn't sound like the best option with the 5100's, but Eibach springs are for the 6 lug models. But want to replace the Coils when I replace the Shocks.
-New Leafs [Old man EMU] Like the idea of a new leaf pack, but not sure if the options out there are going to lift the rear, or if OEM is going to be best.

I am budgeting around $1000.00 for this project, but of course staying under budget is also great. I am still working on a price out for most of the options that I have considered, but what it comes down to is that I don't really off road my truck and don't need the lift, just looking for a good on road ride with or without the motorcycle in the back.

So the big questions that I have are:
- Should I go with the Bilstein 5100's, even though I am looking to keep the ride height stock [or close to] And I am aware that the 5100's do have a stock height, with the option of .86" [or more] lift
- What leaf kits do you guy's know about that are mostly to keep stock height, but could help on ride quality with a motorcycle in the back.
- Any recommendations on the front coils? Should I go with OEM and use the Bilstein 4600's or order new OEM and use the 5100's at the stock height?
- Any other bits of wisdom on suspension for the 2WD 5 lug?
- Or should I just go with just replacing my suspension components with A/M or OEM options to keep the truck stock?

Thanks in advance!
-Al

 

the 5100s and 4600s only fit the 6 lug trucks. The 5 and 6 lugs have entirely different suspension.

There is a 5 lug specific forum here, I suggest asking around in there. It’s been too long since I had my 97 5 lug to offer any specific advice, tho.

 

Thanks for the reply! from what I was looking into there was no real mention that the Suspension parts I was looking at was only for the 6 lug trucks.
Ill go post it up on the 5-Lug section.

 

Good luck!

 

That's not true. The 4600s fit the 2wd and the 5100s fit 4x4 to lift.

 

How deep did you dive to revive a 6 year old thread on your first day?

"4600s" and "5100s" are general "series" terms- there are specific models that fit different applications (5 lug vs 6 lug Tacomas, vs all other vehicles). There might be 4600 series front and rear shocks that fit both a 5 and 6 lug tacoma, but a 5 lug 4600 front shock is different from a 6 lug 4600 front shock. In the case of the Tacoma, the 5 and 6 lug suspension system is totally different, and the parts are NOT interchangeable.

Without going into some finer details (valving) between 4600 and 5100 series shocks, the big picture (at least in the 6 lug world) is that the 4600 series have a fixed spring perches, while the 5100s have a variable perch system which in turn allows for different levels of coil preload, or lift. To be honest, I do not know if the same options exist for 5 lug trucks.

The original recommendation to seek model specific advice is still completely valid. 5 and 6 lug Tacomas are same, same in a few ways, but different in a lot critical ways, and advice needs to be tailored to that. Similar to advice for a 2.4 to 2.7l Tacoma does line up with a 3.4l Tacoma, and vise versa.

 

So because I'm new to the site and generalized a statement, you feel the need to act like I'm stupid? I didn't "dive deep". I searched for "1st gen 5 lug suspension lift struts" trying not to start a new thread, because then I'd be treated like I'm stupid for doing that too.

Seeing responses like that is why I've never actually had an account, and I have been using this site for over 15 years. I just looked and found what I needed because the 4x4 1st gen community has a plethora of knowlegable people, but the 5 lug community seems to be lacking. So many people spread bad info or treat everyone as if they're stupid, in both forums. So I stayed neutral, as I didn't ever really need any info on the 2wd until now which i was just curious really.

With the lack of info on these 5 lugs, I was hoping to dig deeper and help clear some of the misinformation passed around or get answers because no one follows up on the threads. Reading these forums today gave me a headache. There's a lot of people who act like they know and spread wrong information as fact. I was looking for info to run Bilsteins (not fab-tech or rough country or any other brand for that matter)and I have a 1.5" lift spacer i got for free to level it and wanted to see if anyone had the 4600s with a lift hard to find because no one actually has info they just have opinions. They don't make 5100s for 5 lugs, you're correct. I have both a 5 and a 6 lug Toyota right now that I've literally redone every joint, and all new suspension on (among all the others over the years). None of the parts are interchangeable and it's actually pretty annoying to buy parts for these little trucks. A lot are being discontinued, unless you know that a later year will fit. (Ie. Bilstein's actual site doesnt list a 96 Tacoma as something they make suspension for, at all. Autozone doesn't even carry plug wire kits specific to the 2rz)

Obviously you didn't take the time to read what I was responding to he said neither 5100s or 4600s fit a 2wd 5 lug. He's spreading wrong information on a subject that doesn't exactly have a ton of info or room for it in the first place. (they make 4600s for 5 lug part number

$84 24-184991 36mm Monotube Shock Absorber

24-184991) Thanks for the warm welcome. Next time don't jump to conclusions because someone is "new".