3rd Gen Suspension Questions

Hey guys, new to TW. I've got a 22 taco with stock suspension and 265/70R16s as well as, a 3 inch lift on the front and a 2 inch lift on the rear. I'm wanting to get that aggressive look on the truck as well as it having the capability in doing some light to moderate off roading. Thinking about putting 285/75R16s on. Will this work with the stock suspension or will I need to upgrade the UCA's and any other suspension part? For the most part this truck will be a daily driver.

 

you will need a 3/4" wheel spacer to clear the upper control arm and sway bar if keeping stock wheels. there will be nearly no modification or cutting to run that setup. you can go larger spacer but will run into rubbing issues and eventually get into a cab mount chop.

 

If you plan on keeping the spacer on the suspension you will also need to add a spacer to your bump stop so the suspension doesn't bottom out internally. Otherwise, ditch the spacer and stock shocks and go with an actual suspension lift. Bilsteins 6112 and 5160 are a popular option for front and rear. If the rear has a block, you can switch it out for a progressive add a leaf that gets added on to the stock leaf springs.

 

@LOLLY Thank you, it seems like I will need to do that. I am also trying to not break the bank on this.

 

@LOLLY what bump stop kit would you think is best?

 

just get rid of the crappy spacer lift if your spend money on bump stops. something like a 5100 as a bare minimum. besides the premature bottoming out of the shock spacer over extends front end components when suspension droops. much better investment then buying longer bump stops as a bandaid fix.

 

Is this a spacer that goes on top of the suspension top hat?

 

yes. the ones that go under the top hat are acceptable.

 

Ugh. Yeah that's bad. Raise static ride height and no other performance advantage. Droop travel is forced beyond the normal limit, bump travel shouldn't change.

I get how a 5100 works: raise the perch and the ride height goes up, because the shock body goes down (relative to the perch). Droop travel doesn't change but you lose some bump travel.

I don't understand how the spacer between the spring and top hat works to raise ride height, tho. It technically would if the spring had lost free length and was sagging by adding some noncompressible space in the suspension. No advantage there that I can tell except as a bandaid for worn out springs.

 

I 2nd that!!! It will only give you a 2" lift, but your ride will be 1000% better and your reliability of your front end parts will increase dramatically.

 

spacer under top hat is literally no different than moving clip up on 5100s.

 

I would love to be able to test that out to get my mind around it, but I wouldn't care to invest the time.

 

how about just think of it like the spacer is pushing the coil downward which is pushing the shock body down the same amount.

think your understanding of the 5100 is wrong. the extended length of the shock doesnt change. raising the perch up simply adds preload to the coil. you do infact lose downtravel when lifted.

 

There's nothing to test, compress spring increase pre load presto lift. Doesn't matter if it's via an adjustable perch or fancy coil over with a threaded body or a spacer crammed between the tophat and spring principal is all the same. The way the dampener handles it is a totally different story

To add to op's question, if it's a daily i do not recommend 285's. I would suggest removing the currently lift set up or swapping to a 5100 set up with a 1" front lift or stock and a 0 offset wheel with a 265/75r16 or 265/70r17. It's the best of bolth worlds and it will be far more capable than what 95% or people are willing to try.

 

I personally have the wheelers front bump stops and archive garage rear bump stops.

Bilsteins 6112's on the front and 12" fox in the rear with alcan leaf springs.

 

Also, if you plan on keeping the spacer lift, you will need to add/make a spacer for whichever bump stop you choose. It doesn't matter if it's OEM or aftermarket. OEM bump stops are harsh at impact compared to aftermarket.

 

I think I've got my mind around it. With the spring preloaded, it's riding nearer the top of the suspension travel. The weight of the vehicle doesn't compress the spring as much and ride height goes up. I guess the same as adjusting a perch. You lose some compression travel and gain ride height at the same time.

I think it's very easy to underestimate how capable stock Tacoma is off road.

 

Your about 95% of the way there you don't lose suspension travel unless you over pre load the spring causing spring bind. So there are limitations to how high you can get specific springs without increasing spring rate.

 

You will lose compression travel. Droop travel will be uneffected.

With a stock coilover assembled and with no load (full droop), the shock rod is at full length and you have whatever travel from full droop to full compression.

if the spring is partially compressed (pre load) and no load on the suspension (full droop) The shock is at full length, but the travel of the shock rod until the spring is fully compressed is now shorter, because you took up some of that distance with the spacer.

At full compression, the ride height is still higher with the spacer, but you've lost some compression stroke on the actual shock rod/piston assembly.

Whether this is a meaningful difference for performance is debatable, but compression (bump) travel of the shock rod is shortened.

A preload lift is going to have to sacrifice something for the added ride height, and it's compression travel. The shock rod will still fully extend, but it can not fully compress. The spring can fully compress, but the shock rod is now spaced out by whatever the dimension of the spacer is.

This is the way it makes sense to me.

 

That would be spring bind which is bad. That's why i stated you have limitations to pre load lift. If you do it correctly the coil will never fully compress before it hits the bump stop. If that happens you need to revise to spring used

https://accutuneoffroad.com/article...tpa2M5x1AHDAFgoc_ylC7XtllFfQbZoc2NI3z9SYzLRF0