1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Leveling Kit on SR5 4x4

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by davistld01, Dec 26, 2022.

  1. Dec 26, 2022 at 8:14 AM
    #1
    davistld01

    davistld01 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2022
    Member:
    #407342
    Messages:
    79
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Terry
    Vehicle:
    2019 White Tacoma SR5
    What would be the advantage of putting a leveling kit on a 3rd Gen Tacoma SR5 4x4, that hasn't been lifted, and has only mildly wider tires on stock 16" wheels? Looks? Any real handling/performance gains?
     
    Clunty likes this.
  2. Dec 26, 2022 at 8:57 AM
    #2
    9th

    9th Not a Civil Engineer

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2017
    Member:
    #214312
    Messages:
    2,732
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Smitty
    Tropic of Cancer
    Vehicle:
    2017 Unicorn Silver Sky
    lubricated fuel door hinge
    no advantage at all.
     
  3. Dec 26, 2022 at 8:59 AM
    #3
    Vlady

    Vlady Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2017
    Member:
    #238986
    Messages:
    4,661
    Gender:
    Male
    Issy, WA
    Vehicle:
    2017 White SR5 DCSB V6 4x4
    Leveling is a waste of time and money. The rear leafs are weak and do sag under a mild load. Look ar a bigger picture.
     
  4. Dec 26, 2022 at 9:02 AM
    #4
    Ronk44

    Ronk44 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2020
    Member:
    #315332
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    Rockerville, SD
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM Sport
    Leveled with Bilstein 5100 shocks, Falken Rubitrek AT 265/75 tires, Redline hood struts, R4T tailgate lock, Matt Gecko LED strips in bed and under hood, WeatherTech hood guard, OEM bed mat, Husky floor mats, Carhart seat covers, Grille replacement with Toyota letters, Sony AX6000 head unit, OTT lite/mild tune, and an occasional splash of fuel additive.
    Mine has been leveled with spacers and blocks, and 265/75 tires and I’ve had absolutely none of the issues some have reported with exception of a small MPG change. I wanted to keep the factory rear to front rake, so I have 1.5 inch block in back, and am still using my stock shocks all around. I like the looks and can’t tell any differences in ride. I drive mostly on pavement. If you consider making changes, be conservative and keep it simple. No need to overkill or overspend.
     
    hooliganrick and Junkhead like this.
  5. Dec 26, 2022 at 10:37 AM
    #5
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284671
    Messages:
    15,685
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge
    Prince George, BC
    Vehicle:
    Black 4x4 Sport MT 2018
    Some Serious Tires
    Yep. My truck rides better than stock with a 2” OME lift, stock needle bearing. No vibrations, squeaks, clunks etc.

    I did have to install a 4 degree shim for rear axle to correct driveshaft angle and get rid of minor vibes when decelerating 25-15 mph or so.

    Still able to get advertised MPGs running 33x10 E rated tires and about 650 pounds of extra weight.
     
    Ronk44 and auskip07 like this.
  6. Dec 26, 2022 at 10:40 AM
    #6
    auskip07

    auskip07 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2019
    Member:
    #277665
    Messages:
    4,383
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Skip
    Atlanta, Ga
    Vehicle:
    2019 TACOMA SR V6 SC , 4X4, AUTO, 4.88, 265/75 r16
    i dont see the point in a leveling kit. just raise the whole truck up. 1.5" and be done with it.
     
    Junkhead likes this.
  7. Dec 26, 2022 at 10:46 AM
    #7
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284671
    Messages:
    15,685
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge
    Prince George, BC
    Vehicle:
    Black 4x4 Sport MT 2018
    Some Serious Tires
    Agree.

    Also, leveling decreases departure angle which already is a weak point on a 3rd gen and the truck will squat with weight in the back.

    Never understood the point of “leveling” a pick up, trucks have a rake for a reason.
     
    crazysccrmd and auskip07[QUOTED] like this.
  8. Dec 26, 2022 at 10:52 AM
    #8
    Woofer2609

    Woofer2609 Getting better all the time.

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2018
    Member:
    #255643
    Messages:
    891
    First Name:
    Clancy
    Vancouver Canada
    Vehicle:
    2009 AC 4X4 2.7 5M
    2nd gen here, so take it fwiw. I used Bilstein 5100s up front and raised the front 1.5 or 1 3/4" . It was hard to see over the nose of the truck, and actually harder to hoist myself up into the cab. After a week i redid the job and put the spacer at .8". The truck now sits level, and looks much better, Imo. I do actually notice the slight height increase, but my mileage for such a mild lift is unaffected. I find it rides great. I run airbag suspension out back on 4 leaf springs, so am not concerned about the rear sagging. Do it if you want a level truck. If you're doing it yourself, it's not that expensive.
     
  9. Dec 26, 2022 at 10:55 AM
    #9
    zoo truck

    zoo truck Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2020
    Member:
    #325379
    Messages:
    8,948
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 quicksand sr5 tacoma
    None
    I don't understand why the sr5 would need a leveling kit if all stock. Mine sits perfectly level since it came that way. I haven't done anything.
     
  10. Dec 26, 2022 at 10:56 AM
    #10
    Woofer2609

    Woofer2609 Getting better all the time.

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2018
    Member:
    #255643
    Messages:
    891
    First Name:
    Clancy
    Vancouver Canada
    Vehicle:
    2009 AC 4X4 2.7 5M
    If you have airbag suspension, you can have a level truck regardless of load in the bed, or pump it up and get an extra 1.5" of clearance out back. Some people don't like the rake, and some it doesn't bother.
     
    Junkhead[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Dec 26, 2022 at 11:04 AM
    #11
    zoo truck

    zoo truck Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2020
    Member:
    #325379
    Messages:
    8,948
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 quicksand sr5 tacoma
    None
    There is no rake on a stock tacoma so why would it bother someone? My tundra was higher in the rear vs the front...that truck had rake.
     
  12. Dec 26, 2022 at 11:08 AM
    #12
    Woofer2609

    Woofer2609 Getting better all the time.

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2018
    Member:
    #255643
    Messages:
    891
    First Name:
    Clancy
    Vancouver Canada
    Vehicle:
    2009 AC 4X4 2.7 5M
    When they recalled 711,000 of the 2nd gen trucks and installed 4 leaf springs in them, mine most definitely had a rake after that. Some trucks have rake, some lean to one side, in my experience. Depends on the truck. In addition, when i have a full load in the bed and vehicle is at or near gvwr, the truck sags in the rear. The result is people think I'm highbeaming them, and flash their lights. That and the steering gets light, and the truck wanders. If you often carry weight in the bed, airbags make sense. As you can tell, i fall in the "level" camp.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2022
  13. Dec 26, 2022 at 11:14 AM
    #13
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284671
    Messages:
    15,685
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge
    Prince George, BC
    Vehicle:
    Black 4x4 Sport MT 2018
    Some Serious Tires
    This was my truck when it was pretty much stock, definitely had a rake.

    Now lifted 2”, still got a rake.

    64730F20-2B30-40DA-A02B-CA16649B2A9B.jpg
    6235C3B6-3A35-4BDB-9EE4-2C77381DED34.jpg
    D2C17762-73AF-44D1-A1F9-8051CF3397CF.jpg

    D677F37D-5E71-4A43-B032-19E981EB8FAA.jpg
     
    auskip07, Ronk44 and Woofer2609 like this.
  14. Dec 26, 2022 at 1:38 PM
    #14
    Tocamo

    Tocamo .

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2018
    Member:
    #241451
    Messages:
    5,627
    Ottawa
    Vehicle:
    Bug-out vehicle
    Just putting the bigger Bilstein 5100s up front set at 1" would improve the ride immensely. Bigger, better shock!
     
  15. Dec 26, 2022 at 1:57 PM
    #15
    Woofer2609

    Woofer2609 Getting better all the time.

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2018
    Member:
    #255643
    Messages:
    891
    First Name:
    Clancy
    Vancouver Canada
    Vehicle:
    2009 AC 4X4 2.7 5M
    Good point. The stock shocks are certainly smaller diameter. Fwiw, i contacted Bilstein to ask if the 4600's were different valving than 5100s, the reply i got was that while he wasn't able to say the shocks were the same, he also truthfully couldn't tell me they were different apart from colour and the ability to adjust ride height up front (read between the lines). I subsequently have 4600s out back, 5100s in the front.
     
    Tocamo[QUOTED] likes this.
  16. Dec 26, 2022 at 2:00 PM
    #16
    crazysccrmd

    crazysccrmd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2016
    Member:
    #181592
    Messages:
    9,255
    Gender:
    Male
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    Aprilia Tuareg 660
    If you added to the front and back and kept the rake it’s not a level anymore, it’s a lift.
     
  17. Dec 26, 2022 at 2:10 PM
    #17
    Ronk44

    Ronk44 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2020
    Member:
    #315332
    Messages:
    639
    Gender:
    Male
    Rockerville, SD
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM Sport
    Leveled with Bilstein 5100 shocks, Falken Rubitrek AT 265/75 tires, Redline hood struts, R4T tailgate lock, Matt Gecko LED strips in bed and under hood, WeatherTech hood guard, OEM bed mat, Husky floor mats, Carhart seat covers, Grille replacement with Toyota letters, Sony AX6000 head unit, OTT lite/mild tune, and an occasional splash of fuel additive.
    True, but I like it this way. It’s got spacers and blocks. I don’t really like the nose high look. All good.
     
    crazysccrmd[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Dec 27, 2022 at 4:34 AM
    #18
    zoo truck

    zoo truck Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2020
    Member:
    #325379
    Messages:
    8,948
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 quicksand sr5 tacoma
    None
    Every tacoma 3rd gen i've seen here sit level. Idk about the lean. My 2020 sr5 hasn't any. When parked next to some other 3rd gen tacomas that are sr, and sr5's with similar tires, it tends to sit a big higher than most. Again, these trucks do not seem all exactly the same.
    As far as high beaming others, i get that all the time if driving at night.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top