1st Gen suspension advice needed

My boss whom I guide hunters for has a first gen (crew cab short bed) that needs all new suspension, I know 3rd gens well but am a noob on 1st gens.

Truck will be run 30% of life off road (gravel, shit dirt roads, etc) both front and rear squeak like bugger now so ending that is important as well.

Thoughts on a good full replacement?

 

What’s the budget?

 

Under 2500 if possible for parts.

 

The OME kit is a great place to start at about $1200 for all new shocks, springs, and about 2.5" lift. You can customize the coils for an aftermarket bumper/winch setup.

What year is it? the (rear) suspension changed in 98.

Something like this perhaps... I'd still suggest all new front bushings, possibly poly bushings. Ball joints, too.

If you're on a slightly tighter budget, get a set of 5100 shocks (all four) for around $350, then you'll likely want to replace all the bushings and a longer shackle or an add-a-leaf for the rear.

 

either bilstein or OME would work for ya id say.
would highly reccomend replacing the ball joints with new OEM ones, the ball joints are known to fail

 

2002

 

i hear the L ball joints are known to 'wear' and is very 'rare' to fail

and by fail i mean to just blow apart with Absolutely no warnings whatsoever
... just a concerned and confused long time tacoma driver with too many questions lol

 

The OEM ball joints fail at the end of their life, can happen above 100k miles and beyond. The issue is that most people completely forget about them and they don’t show wear signs until it’s too late. Then they catastrophically fail and cause way more damage, not to mention potentially bodily damage to you and others on the road. This is related to the design of them and the fact that people ignore them as a maintenance item.

 

Bilstein 5100 shocks all around and replace all bushings with polyurethane ones

 

Didn't you read my balljoint soapbox on my build thread?

They are absolutely known to fail, and when(if) they fail, it is generally catastrophic because of the way the BJs are designed (the coil spring puts tension on the ball/cup socket, so it has a tendency to pull apart.

You are more or less correct though; that it seems the failures are usually from neglected maintenance and ignoring warning signs.

 

If you beat on your truck, then the BJs won't last as long. But as far as just a "lift" is concerned, IMO the BJs don't really see any more forces than "normal", with maybe a little added stress from larger tires (assuming that's why you have a lift).

Leaking is ONE sign of a worn out, or soon to wear out BJ. But this just means that dirt and grit CAN get in there and wear it out quicker. If you see a leaking/torn boot, just go ahead and replace.

But that's not the only sign.

The MAIN sign is that the BJ becomes loose/sloppy. This is where I think most people fail to see the warning signs. The problem is that the amount of "slop" according to the factory manual is so small, that if you can feel the slop using the "pry-bar test", it's WAY out of spec and should be replaced immediately.

Under "normal" wear and tear, an OEM BJ "should" last 100k(ish) miles, if not more. You'll hear people talk about how their BJs have lasted 200k+ miles. But that doesn't mean you can ignore your Balljoints until you hit 100k miles. Off-roading puts a LOT more wear/tear/abuse on them, so they won't last as long.

As I said in my soapbox, I plan to replace my 555 balljoints FAR sooner than that, probably every 5-10k miles. That's probably overkill, but lower BJs are super easy to replace, and they aren't that expensive. Even OEM BJs aren't all that expensive, considering the alternative (a 'sploded front suspension).

 

Poly bushings will have a more precise steering feel, but will tend to be a little harsher because rubber bushings have a little give to them.

 

To add to this, if using Poly Bushings, I suggest a high quality grease (better than the stuff manufacturers include).

 

@OP: I would recommend the OME complete suspension kit with the 883 front coils/Dakar leaf springs/D43XL add a leaf/extra hardware plus installation for your boss' truck. You'll be hauling yourself, your clients & their hunting gear in some adverse conditions and you'll probably be heavily loaded.

 

Yes good point!

 

Hmmm! My 02, 400k on the original lcas and lower ball joints before I got my 2015. Oh wait the uppers were original too.

 

Uppers are never really a issue. Lower control arms won’t really go bad. Typically have issues aligning because the cam bolts seize into the bushings. Lowers on mine at 275k had no play but were very sloppy.
Stock suspension they last a long time.

 

Yeah that’s a really nice kit and well worth the money. 883 coils are too much for me but perfect for a loaded down taco