Suspension Question

Hi, I'm David and have been on here for a while. I traded in my 2011 Ford Escape for a 2006 Toyota Tacoma SR5. I dont understand lifts and different shocks and all since I never had to deal with that with the Ford. I believe the previous owner put in a 3 inch lift via larger coil overs. I found out my front shocks are about to blow out and my rears are just old, I'm looking at a whole complete set but need information on how to read specs and what I need to keep my lift. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to TW

 

Pics of what you have?

 

Here is the truck, dont have photos of the shocks but I know they are Rancho front and back. I just had my leaf springs replaced due to recall and now my rear end sits almost 3 inches lower than my front. I have blocks on the way for now but want a whole set front and rear.

 

Hard to say without seeing the set up but you probably had an add a leaf in the old leaf pack that gave you the lift in the rear that was not switched over. As for the shocks there are a lot the will give the 2.5 to 3 inch lift in the front. There is a lot of info in the suspension section of the form. Do feel obligated to stick with the same shocks when switching out.

 

I think just about everyone on this forum will tell you the same thing... bilstein 5100's are probably your best bet as far as replacement shocks go. They were designed to be adjustable shocks (front only), providing anywhere from 0"-2.5" of lift, they reduce swaying when turning, reduce nose dive when braking, they maintain the on-road ride quality that is given by the factory shocks, and enhance the ride quality offroad. You can find a set of rear shocks for around $120 and a set of front shocks for around $200.

However, since you have the rancho struts, I don't think you'll be able to take the springs off and put them onto a new set of shocks. So you'd likely have to purchase coil springs for the front shocks. There are several options to choose from. The most common is OME (Old Man Emu) which are made by ARB. Most people go with either the 2884 (~2" lift) or the 2885 (~2.5" lift) and some go with the 2887 (~3" lift). However, if you exceed 2.5" of lift, you'll likely have to purchase new upper control arms because of misalignment and your springs may be contacting the stock UCA. That being said, I would just play it safe and go for the 2884 or 2885 coil springs. Other companies also provide coil springs, like Eibach and Toytec. The eibach's come in ~2.5" lift springs, and the toytec's are a ~3" lift spring. Another option is to purchase a set of OEM springs and raise the spring perch on the 5100's to your desired height.

These numbers are based off of the 5100 spring perch being set at the lowest setting. This will provide the best ride quality and will prevent you from preloading the springs too much.

Overall, you can get a full kit of the above mentioned for around $500, which isn't bad at all. You will already have blocks for the rear, and the shocks will cost around $320 and the springs will cost around $170 or $180. It's also recommended that you replace the top hats on both side of the front end, which is about $50.

There is definitely a lot to learn about suspension, and I'm no expert by any means, but I was once in the same place you are in. However, TW is an outstanding resource and there are plenty of members that are willing to help you. That being said, if you have any other questions or want to know more, shoot me a PM and I'd be glad to help.


5100 Front: https://www.suspensionconnection.com/f4-be5-c477-t0-bilstein-tacoma.html

5100 Rear:

$91 Bilstein (24-186728) 5100 Series Shock Absorber

https://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-24186728-Shock-Absorber-Tacoma/dp/B00BYNJ93Q

OME Springs: 2884: 2885: Eibach Springs: Toytec Springs: Top Hats: You'll also need one of to accommodate for the driver side lean that Tacomas are known for.



Edit: Another great resource is Marie from Headstrong Offroad. If you get in contact with her, she can answer all of your questions. She knows her stuff