What else should I do while installing an OME lift?

Good day fellow 'coma patients! I'm going to install the OME lift kit with 886 coils and the heavy duty Dakar leaf pack next weekend. I wondered what else I should consider doing during the process. Let me give you a little background...

2011 DCLB TRD Sport, 14X,XXX miles.

Here's what gets hauled around every day:
ARB winch bumper;
Smittybilt X20 10k winch with synthetic rope;
Fiberglass Leer canopy that is on 99% of the time;
CargoSlide bedside;
100-200# of random shit;
My 300# big ass.

The next mods are steel rear bumper with tire carrier and dual battery kit, then a full set of skid plates and sliders.

I bought it with 65k on the clock. I put hawk brakes on it about 2.5 years ago. No other major mods or replacements.

Until now, it's been my daily driver. I live near Seattle now and am gonna buy an older Accord for town driving, so I hope the odometer slows down on this beast and I can get another 15 or 20 years out of it. So, my plans are to have it be more of an outdoors pursuit vehicle but want to maintain road driveability so I can take it to Yellowstone, Glacier, North Cascades, Yosemite, etc.

So, knowing all that, are there any other parts I should replace? I've not had any issues with the CV axles yet, but I would be more confident on longer trips if I put in new ones. That concern is fueled by previous vehicles with crap CV joints, and the assumption the lift will put a little more stress on them, so I'm open to suggestions.

What else should I do in the front end?

 

ECGS bushing mod

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html

 

Maybe UCA’s? Depends on your budget but it might be a good idea while you’re apart.

 

My budget is flexible up to 3k-ish. More worried about quality. I considered the BP-51 kit. Found it with free UCA's. I like the thought of the progressive damping and all. Anyone had experience with both kits and can offer a comparison?

 

Definitely ECGS bushing.
Maybe UCAs but if you're staying 2.5" and under you should be ok.
If your CVs aren't leaking or giving you issues I'd leave them, or if you do want to swap them definitely stay with OEM.

 

On the rear: u-bolt flip, poly bushings, upgrade the bump stop e.g., Timbren’s. Maybe extended brake lines.
I would also install angled shims under the new rear springs while you are doing it. Can be a pain to retrofit once the springs are in.


On the front: sway bar relocate although its simple to install if something rubs. So it can wait.

 

Do the shims come with the kit? If not, what do I order? I think I read somewhere that a 3 degree shim was a good choice, but that's just my memory.

 

Doubt shims will come with the leaf springs. I would order the shims from who ever sold you the springs. Rule is 1 degree of angle per inch of lift. So with Dakar’s heavy’s, 3 degree sound about right. The other measurement you need to be concerned with is the width of the shim. Easy enough to find out just measure the spring. I think mine were 2.5 inches wide but don’t take my word for it (it was a ~year ago), suggest you measure yours.

I also got steel shims. Stronger than aluminum or alloy but prone to rust. My leaf spring pin’s were long enough so I didn’t have to get new longer pins to add the shims.

 

Awesome. Thanks for the info.

 

Save up money for more tires. You'll find out your alignment cam sleeves are seized, you'll have to replace those. Then, the shop that does the alignment won't get it right. Then, you will get the driver side needle bearing vibration and have to swap it out for the ECGS bushing. Then, when you see excessive tire wear, you'll have it aligned again....... sorry, I should just stay out of this.
Don't get me wrong, I love the look of my truck with the lift, but it has been the gift that keeps on giving.
I sometimes wish I'd have left it stock.

 

Carrier bearing drop
Axle shims
Extended break lines

At least that’s what I would (should) have done when I had everything apart.

Also, for the love of God if after 5 minutes the leaf spring bolt doesn’t give just cut the damn thing out. Save yourself an hour or two of torching/swearing/bruising/bleeding/screaming/crying

For the front end I’ll eventually end up with 1/4” plates to level it out and probably new UCA’s. I was in spec with everything at 2.5” but hitting 3” I’d rather just throw the UCA’s in there while it apart again.

 

I would definitely do UCAs. Also consider these: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/polyurethane-radiator-support-mounts-cab-also.361346/

 

If your going to replace UCAs and you DONT want to bend up your inner fender to get the old one out that make sure to order new UCA bolts.

 

This, OP.

 

I wouldn't even mess with the carrier bearing or diff drop. If you get excessive drive line vibrations then just skip that shit show and buy a one piece drive shaft.

It takes like fifteen minutes to pull the front suspension completely apart once you've clearanced for the UCA bolts. My recommendation would be a shackle flip, extended brake lines, then check the UCA clearance when fully cycled. If it's too close or rubs then order some heim UCA's to clear the coils. You'll also need some bump stops for that leaf pack as the factory ones won't work. I just bought

$41 Energy Suspension 9.9143G 3-1/8" Bump Stop Set

these universals on Amazon and modified them.

EDIT: One thing I forgot... If you're tired of looking at those silly drum brakes you could also order a backing plate and some 4Runner calipers/rotors and throw those on while the rear is off the truck. It's easy to do, but you'll also have to purchase a new MC or a proportioning valve because the rears will lock up before the front. (I didn't have an ABS pump, but it should compensate for that when TC is on so you may not need to?) No huge gains in braking, but it sure looks a bit more modern & everyone asks about them. Plus you can upset the nerds on here and get a debate going on drums vs discs. That alone is worth it IMO.

 

I’d get new UCA if going 2.5”+
You could do ECGS as I won’t hurt. But I’d probably install the lift and see what happens.
Some people get vibes, while others don’t.
Maybe a sway bar relocate?

 

With a username like 2DaMtns he better not be running a sway bar...

 

The bp-51 reservoir mount doubles as a sway bar relocate. If your going to do extended brake lines and yours have never been removed save yourself the hassle and order new bleeders...I had to ruin my rear bleeders to get them off and now I'm ubering around town trying to track down 5 dollars in parts.

 

I agree. I’d definitely get new bleeders just in case.

 

Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

I'm going with the OME kit with 886 coils and Dakar leaf pack, Nitro Gear UCA's, and the ECGS bushing. I'm having a local shop do it. They're waiting on more UCAs to come in, and we're going to do Total Chaos if the others don't come in by the time of installation. The work comes with a 12mo/12k warranty. I have to have it done by the end of the month for a trip and I'm just buried with work and don't have the time to deal with the little things that can go wrong (and probably will since I'm so limited on time).