Toyota Service Manager rude about me lifting my truck

Are common here

Billies
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/store/p402/Coil/Bilstein_5100_Kit_w/_Dakars_(HS16BK-1-Dakar).html

And

Ome
https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/s...with_HS_3-Leaf_Add-a-leaf_-_2016__Tacoma.html

 

$1300 to install blocks!?!?

Oh hell no! No, no, no, no fukin way I would ever, in a million years, pay some dipshit mechanic to install a lift on my truck. Never ever ever... and DEFINATELY NOT blocks.

(and yes, mechanics at stealerships are just as much dipshits as any where else)

 

Most dealerships don't install or sell level or lift kits. The ones that do charge twice as much for the "kit" and twice as much to install it. Out of the options you listed, I would purchase the $300 "kit", install it yourself and get an alignment.

Your current warranty will still be valid, minus anything that the "kit" affected. You'll have a difficult time getting any dealership to cover steering components/tie rods, upper control arm bushings/balljoints, and CV joints under warranty if your truck is leveled or lifted at all. Frame, drivetrain, electronics, etc. will all still be covered 100%.

Keep in mind, most warranties don't cover wear-and-tear items (like balljoints) anyway. Balljoints, tie rod ends and CV axles aren't expensive though. Save the $900 that the dealer is trying to rip you off on and use that for preventative maintenance or use the $900 difference to upgrade to an actual coilover and upper-arm kit like the Camburg entry level kit.

 

And btw.... if that guy would have had that attitude with me, in my truck, while on a test drive... (Quote "I'd have told you to get the hell outta here")

I would have pulled to the curb and told him he can walk his happy ass back to the dealership.

 

Do you need the lift right away? I'm more in the camp of driving it a few years until the warranty is done and the shocks are worn out .. THEN do the lift properly. You can save up for 3 years and get a really nice KING coilover setup.

 

Blocks change the way the truck rides cause you are not only changing the space in the shock tower you are changing the geometry of the shock. Which leads to rough rides and if you offroad it somewhat hard it could break things.

Adjustable coilovers like king, fox, icon, ads, and I'm sure there's others would be best.

Next step down would be new shocks with better/ heavier springs like eibach or ome

Farthest I would go would be adjustable shocks like bilstein 5100 with the stock coils

 

That lift sucks. and you would be insane to pay that. A dealer doesn't decide what voids your warranty. Toyota corporate decides and the only things that should be voided by a lift are things affected by the lift. Lift and larger tire put extra strain on axle, driveshaft's, wheel bearing, steering components, transmission, tcase.......

 

This is basically what I am doing. The rear springs are pretty clapped out, and so it is time to get regal...

 

I can simplify lift arguments for you.

1. If you are 2wd and don't offroad (you can still do light offroading carefully): The spacers and blocks are just fine.
2. If you are 4wd and go offroad: Suspension lift (new shocks, coils, leafs and possibly upper control arms and bushing)

If you don't fit into those two categories, you bought the wrong truck.

I would talk to your dealer and see if you can bring your own kit and have them install. Most will and they will warranty the labor, not the parts. The kit from low range is much better quality so you won't have to worry about parts: http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/toyo...a-tacoma-by-low-range-off-road-lr-lrtaco.html

 

don't lift the truck you will just open Pandoras box for more expensive repairs that wont be covered by your warranty

 

X2
It's all about customer service

 

[/QUOTE]

Thanks alot!

 

All good points, so you end up adjusting or changing parts relative to those symptoms?

 

Something just hit me...

Why in the HELL would you ever pay a >>Toyota mechanic<< 1300 bucks to lift your truck... if he has to even ask if your truck is lifted?

 

Yes true, I've always been friendly, and I don't think he meant to be extremely rude, more probably untactful but came across rude. I have some more research and consideration to do, I've read every response thanks to anyones opinion. Most seem to agree and this has changed my mind and saved me the hassle of finding out a bad lift after I pay to have it installed.

 

Yeah I think I'm going to go this route, take my time, do research in the meanwhile and some other mods I want to do, I already upgraded my tires to wrangler duratracs, and a few other small mods, so far found the truck capable for the light-intermediate offroad I need it for. I think saving up for the better kit is going to do me better in the long run considering this truck is going to be with me as long as possible.

 

Yes. Known issues and known remedies documented in the “Suspension” Forum.

 

two things...
1. if readylift is blocks, nix that, do it right.
2. tell the service manager to look up Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637)

 

So you think I'm good to offroad light-moderate with stock setup?

 

Yes, for sure.