My 2" 1st Gen Lift Writeup- The Long Version

Late 2013, I completed my first major suspension upgrade and wanted to share my writeup with those who have either installed or are just beginning to research a mild lift on their 1st generation Tacoma. Before continuing on, I have to give a shout out to the kind folks I’ve PM’ed with questions, Wheeler’s Offroad and Toytec for patiently addressing my incessant newbie-related questions.

Over time, the suspension seemed to be getting softer- especially noted when the front would pitch forward during sudden braking. Under load, the leaf springs would go into a negative arch, causing the bumpstops to hit the frame while going over any significant dips or bumps. Measuring from the ground to fender yielded 35” from the ground at all four wheels. Unloaded, the truck sat level. With a load, the rear would sag noticeably.

The original Bilstein shocks (part of the TRD option) had been replaced (after one of the front shocks started leaking) with new Bilstein HD’s around 40K miles ago. The HD shocks were holding up well with no leaks, however, they were due for replacement fairly soon.

At 60K, the passenger rated 265/75/16 Toyo Open Country A/T tires were past the wear marks. These were new when I bought the truck at 50K and the original plan was to replace them. I discovered that they performed very well on just about every terrain- from rock, mud, and snow covered forest roads here in Oregon to the Mojave Road in California. Never experienced a failure and they helped to yield a consistent 20 MPG.

Here's how she sits pre-lift:





More to come!

 

Research:
I considered what I use my truck for. It was previously a daily commuter, but is now used primarily for my outdoor activities. In the summer, I load it up with camp gear and bikes, sometimes carrying extra fuel and water when heading out to the backcountry. In the winter, it’s off to the slopes for skiing. It always amazed me how much clearance I would lose offroad when carrying all my gear. I use the term Overlanding very, very lightly, although most of the modifications I’ve made have been in the spirit of Overland use.

My goals with this upgrade were as follows:
1. Enhance carrying capabilities not to exceed maximum GVWR.
2. Several inches of lift to make up for loss of ground clearance under load.
3. Eliminate the cushy, vague feel of the suspension and steering.
4. Keep it as simple as possible.
5. Avoid compromising both reliability and longevity.

 

Part 1- Front Suspension:
I like the idea of being able to adjust and trim the height in the front, so I researched different adjustable options from Sway Away, ICON, Donahoes, and Toytec BOSS. Also considered a non-adjustable system like the Old Man EMU which offers coil springs with different load ratings coupled with Nitrocharger shocks.

I chose the Toytec coilover kit with Bilstein 5100 Shocks and 600 Lb Eibach Coil Springs Part# TCK-D4. The 5100’s were attractive because these shocks are very easy to find, popular amongst the Tacoma crowd, and nearly half the price of the proprietary Bilsteins used with the TT-AFCS coilover. This isn’t what I would consider to be top-shelf as far as coilovers go, but they matched my needs well.

Lined up from top to bottom is the Toytec coil kit and 5100 shock minus the top plate (note the longer Eibach spring at approx. 14”); yellow Bilstein HD shock with factory spring; Bilstein 5100 shock with no coil:





Toytec Coilover Assembled:





Installed! It took quite a bit of effort to pry the lower control arm down while aligning the lower eye of the shock in order to slide the bolt through:





A couple Install Notes:
-The adjusting collar sits on the lowest c-clip setting of the shock.
-I used the OEM top plate with no spacers. The driver’s side lean was eliminated by adjusting the collar and preloading the spring.

Toytec Impressions:
I need to get out and try these but work and life has kept me busy. These are much more stiff on road, and there’s a sense of improved handling and stability despite raising my center of gravity by two inches! Bumps are more noticeable, but flex is still there when it’s needed.

 

Part 2- Rear Suspension:
This was a bit of a challenge, and I may still make some changes even now that it’s done. There is always weight in the bed of my truck. That includes a canopy, Yellow top battery, roof rack, solar panel and emergency gear making up an extra 225 Lbs. of constant load on the rear leafs. Add 250 Lbs of camp gear, a 60 Lb hitch-mounted bike rack with two 30 Lb mountain bikes and you’re looking at a grand total 600 Lbs for a weekend getaway. That doesn’t even include passengers!

I read so many different reviews on Deaver, Alcan, and Dakar leaf springs. It seemed that their quality was inconsistent, or they were used for the wrong application. I was initially drawn to the Wheeler’s 5-leaf pack offered by Wheeler’s Offroad. My understanding is that this is an Alcan spring ordered in bulk to Wheeler’s custom specifications. Alcan will make a custom spring based on the vehicle specs you provide, but at $600 for a leaf pack, it was out of my budget. The 5-leaf pack looked like a good option, however, it received mixed reviews when handling additional weight for extended periods of time.

I chose to go with OME/Dakar springs. These are a 7-leaf pack with two overload leafs, and are much more robust than the stock 4-leaf pack.

Ome/Dakar Leaf Springs:





Installation was a challenge and I have to admit that I had a shop take care of this due to my limited time to get this done. Typically, the front bolts become rusted to the eye bushing of the spring. Mine were no exception, and the bolts had to be cut out. The same went for the u-bolts as well. Note that these leafs have a right and left designation to make up for the added weight of the fuel tank on the driver’s side.

OME/Dakar Impressions:
I was a little disappointed in the fit and finish here. The location of the center pin on these springs actually moved the axle forward a noticeable amount. When “stuffing” the rear tire into the fender, there was only about an inch between the front of the tire and fender flare. The space behind the rear of the tire was much more noticeable at 2.5”. With factory springs, the axle was perfectly aligned in the center of the fender when the springs were compressed. It seems that the Dakars have alignment issues on single cab and extra cab Tacomas, while less so on double cab models.

Axle Alignment:
You can either drill a new center pin hole on the spring perch, or install alignment plates. The alignment plates allow you to relocate the axle ¾” or 1”. These are a 3/8” plate which is installed between the spring and spring perch, thus, resulting in 3/8” of additional lift. Not a big deal for most folks.

I didn’t want additional lift, so I had a new hole drilled into the spring perch. Because the pins are 5/8” in diameter, you only have the option of 1” spacing since the holes would come close to overlapping at ¾” spacing. On a piece of paper, try to space two 5/8” diameter circles ¾” apart from center and you’ll see what I mean ☺ This plan kind of backfired on me, and now the axle is a little too far back with the tire being about ¾” from the rear fender flare when “stuffed”. I am sticking with 265/75/16 tires, so rubbing isn’t an issue. The axle does look much more centered when sitting on level ground. So, if looks are important, I recommend drilling the spring perch.

Rear Shocks:
For the rear, I kept it consistent and installed Bilstein 5100 shocks. I considered going with OME’s Nitrocharger shocks, but the Bilsteins were a little less expensive, and received good reviews. Note: the shocks are mounted with the canister up and boot down. This makes sense since the body of the shock isn’t mounted low, lessening unsuspended load, and keeping it up out of the way of hazards.

The Bilstein 5100’s and HD’s side-by side. They’re about 1.5” to 2” longer than the HD’s designed for factory height. Also note differing lengths between sides:

 

Part 3- Tires:
I did consider downsizing back to the stock 265/70/16 size, or going with a narrower 235/85/16 “pizza cutter” size. A narrower tire has its advantages in the snow, which makes up much of my 4 wheel drive travel. In the end, I stayed with 265/75/16 dimensions. At 31.6” in diameter with the stock 4.10 gears, these are the tallest I’m willing to go, while providing good on and offroad performance.

BFG A/T Impressions:
Having good experiences with them in the past, I had decided on the BFG All-Terrains some time ago. These are a great all around tire geared more toward offroad use than the old Toyos were. The downside to them is that they weigh almost 10 Lbs more than the Toyos and it is noticeable. Getting 65K out of them shouldn’t be a problem. My only concern is fuel economy, and I expect to see at least a 1 MPG drop. They do hum/vibrate at speeds between 30 and 45 MPH, but I can live with it. If you live in an area where you receive snow, I highly recommend the ones that include the mountain and snowflake on the sidewall, designating them as severe weather rated.
I had a chance to try these out during a recent snow. They did ok at 35 PSI, but lowering them down to about 25 PSI made a noticeable difference. In five inches of snow, I was able to start and stop with minimal wheel slip.

 

Part 4- The Finished Product:
What you’ve been waiting for! Photos from before, after, with measurements. The before photos were with stock suspension and old tires. The after photos were with new suspension and tires. I admit it’s a very subtle lift, but that’s what I was looking for, and the resulting 2” is still noticeable. Enjoy!

Before:





After:





Before:





After:





Before:





After:





Before:





After:





Lift Measurements:
Measurements taken with ½ tank of fuel, aux battery, canopy, normal boxes in truck bed, tires at 31 PSI.
All measurements have been taken with similar conditions.

Pre-Lift:
Floor to bottom of fender flare:
Driver Front: 35-1/4”
Passenger Front: 35-1/4”
Driver Rear: 35-1/4”
Passenger Rear: 35-3/8”

Center of hub to bottom of fender flare:
Driver Front: 20-3/4”
Passenger Front: 20-7/8”
Driver Rear: 20-3/4”
Passenger Rear: 20-3/4”


Post-Lift:
Difference shown in ( )
Floor to bottom of fender flare:
Driver Front: 37-1/2” (2-1/4”)
Passenger Front: 37-1/2” (2-1/4”)
Driver Rear: 38” (2-3/4”)
Passenger Rear: 38” (2-5/8”)

Center of hub to bottom of fender flare:
Driver Front: 22-7/8” (2-1/8”)
Passenger Front: 22-7/8” (2”)
Driver Rear: 23” (2-1/4”)
Passenger Rear: 23” (2-1/4”)

 

Part 5- Helpful Install Notes:
1. Extended Brake Lines- will you need them?

I purchased stainless steel braided lines from Toytec. Here are some of my impressions on them.

Rear Line:
From my observations, an extended rear brake line is a MUST if you are installing ANY lift on these trucks. I found that the factory brake line was completely stretched out when the frame was lifted with jack stands, with the stock leaf springs to droop at full extension. An extended line offers that extra several inches of length needed to compensate for added lift height and axle articulation. A longer braded steel line from Toytec solved this issue.

Here’s a view of the rear brake line. I wrapped some bicycle tubing around it for added protection, as it just barely clears the parking brake cable:





Installation was another story as I ended up stripping out the hardline flare nut, so I did need to replace the hardline between the braded line and the brake proportioning valve. Luckily this part is less than $10, and easily replaceable. No special tools other than a flare wrench are needed- it just takes time and patience to reach the flare nut behind the flex hose mount.

Front Line:
The original lines were starting to get soft, so it was a good excuse to try longer stainless lines, which I also ordered from Toytec. It turns out that these extended lines were maybe ½” longer than the factory hoses. The hoses included new copper washers and a c-clip for mounting, however, they did NOT include backup washers needed to mount the brake hose to the factory attachment. A run to Ace hardware solved this issue, and they had the large machine washers available.

Washers and c-clips:





It would have been nice if Toytec had included these washers. The c-clips were also thicker than the factory ones, so I ended up re-using the factory clips.
Reflecting on this, I’ll likely go back to the factory brake lines for the front should the need to replace them arises. Overall, I notice no difference in brake performance, or pedal stiffness.


2. Brake Proportioning Valve Bracket
The rear OME leaf springs gave me about 2” of lift. Installing a brake proportioning valve or BPV adapter raises the lever for the proportioning valve further above the rear axle to compensate for the amount of lift achieved with the new springs. I installed a bracket lifting the lever approximately 2”.

I had to bend the bracket toward the axle housing in order to clear the parking brake cable:





I know you can adjust the BPV by adjusting the threaded rod up and down, which would in turn raise and lower the bar connecting to the valve. I am not clear on the details of adjusting the valve, but the rear brakes do not lock up, and seem to work as they should. If there is a method for this, please feel free to chime in!


3. Driveline Vibrations
I was fortunate to not experience any issue with driveline vibrations. I had a feeling that the new All Terrain tires would vibrate a bit more (and they do). So before switching to the new tires, I checked for vibrations at various speeds. Axle shims and/or a carrier bearing drop kits are often used to angle the differential upward, which eases the driveshaft angle. Both have varying results- depending on the vehicle. Though I didn’t have any vibration issues, I did install an OME carrier bearing drop kit, which consisted of two ¼” thick plates to help ease the driveshaft angle. From what I’ve read, washers work well, too. Luckily, this is an easy 10-minute mod, so the choice is up to you!

Carrier Bearing with Drop Kit:





4. Bumpstops
I kept the factory bumpstops for both the front and rear. I did not see a need to go with longer ones, especially in the rear, since this is a mild 2” lift.

5. CV Angles
At 2” of front lift, the CV angle changed noticeably. Only one of the inner fins on the inner CV boot seems to be lightly rubbing. The outer CV boots look okay and do not seem to show signs of excessive rubbing. Two inches of front lift is about the sweet spot between added ground clearance and not wearing out CV boots prematurely.

Inner CV Boot with no differential drop. Notice where the fin is rubbing the adjacent side.





I will likely install a differential drop in order to eliminate rubbing on the inner CV boots. I really don’t want to replace these on a semi-regular basis. Often, the factory skid plates need to be dropped or modified to accommodate the now lowered differential mounts. A BudBuilt front skid plate may be on order soon. I had the pleasure of speaking with Bud himself and he says that his plates will accommodate a differential drop without modifications. While there are many opinions on whether this mod is worthwhile, for $30, I’ll give it a try when I have a chance and report back!

6. To Add-A-Leaf or not?
I’m in a gray area regarding weight. Again, I carry around a constant 225 Lbs between the canopy and auxiliary battery. With no additional load, the rear is about ¼” higher than the front. With my hitch mounted bike carrier carrying two bikes, the rear sits a tad lower than the front and that is with no load in the bed. Old Man Emu offers an additional leaf, #D6XL that can installed in the CS046R leaf pack. I’m planning to let the rear leafs settle and decide what I want to do in a few months. I’ve read that the AAL will add about an inch to the rear, plus another 3/8” if I install an axle alignment plate. This could net in nearly 1.25” of rake, which may be more than I want. If anyone here is using the D6XL AAL, please send me some measurements!

7. Upper Control Arms
I’m keeping the stock upper control arms for now though I have considered upgrading these. I had my Tacoma aligned after the lift, and the left wheel caster is at its limit. Alignment issues can be resolved with a UCA that can accommodate for additional lift such as Total Chaos, or Lite Racing UCAs. At this point, I will likely keep the factory UCAs so long as I don’t add any more lift. I’m always up for hearing other’s experiences with keeping the stock UCA’s after a 2” lift, and whether they were a worthwhile upgrade.

8. Front Strut Assembly Spacers / Trim Packers
I did not use any spacers. To compensate for the driver’s side lean, typical on most of our Tacomas, I adjusted the preload on the spring to level out the driver’s side. I believe a spacer will accomplish the same goal, but I had no need for one since I could adjust the height of the collars.

 

Part 6- Parts List:
Here’s a detailed list of parts I used for this project, and where they were sourced.

Front:
-Toytec TTAFCS-CK95 600 LB coil and collar kit without shocks – Toytec
-Bilstein 5100 Front Shocks – Wheelers Offroad
-Stainless Steel Front Brake Lines – Toytec
-Strut Bushing Set – Toytec
-New Spring Top Plate – Napa, OEM Equivalent

Rear:
-Old Man Emu / Dakar CS046R Leaf Springs (front bushings included) – Wheelers Offroad
-Old Man Emu Greasable Shackles GS12 – Wheelers Offroad
-Wheeler’s Offroad SB88 Rear Leaf Bushings – Wheelers Offroad
-Bilstein 5100 Rear Shocks – Wheelers Offroad
-Wheeler’s U-Bolts (extended length) – Wheelers Offroad
-Toyota Leaf spring Eye Bolts (for front of leaf springs) – Wheelers Offroad
-Brake Proportioning Valve Bracket – Whelers Offroad
-Extended Stainless Steel Rear Brake Line – Toytec
-Old Man Emu Exhaust Hanger Extension – Wheelers Offroad
-Old Man Emu FK29 Driveline Carrier Bearing Drop Kit – Wheelers Offroad

Tires:
BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A LT 265/75/16, Part #20679 (With severe weather rating)

That concludes my suspension writeup and thanks for looking! It’s long-winded but hopefully touches on many of the questions that may come across when considering this upgrade. Overall, I’m pleased with the new setup and look forward to getting some use out of it for years to come.


And my apologies for the thumbnail pics. I was unable to get photo links from my Skydrive work. Will try to get this fixed as soon as I figure out how to post them up.

 

Looks good! I did about the same deal last weekend but didn't do rear leaf springs.

 

Very good write-up. How does your truck ride now? Mine has an AAL in it and it rides super rough, almost like it does not move at all when it has no load in the bed.

 

Thank you! The front is definitely more stiff than with factory coils and the HD shocks that were on there. The rear feels just about right- definitely stiffer than before. That's a good thing because the old springs used to hit the bumpstops over any decent sized speedbump!

While I like the way the rear rides, sitting my 190 lbs on the tailgate lowers the back end by about an inch, which is when it starts to rest on the overload springs. I'd like to not rely on the overload springs every time I a couple hundred lbs of gear in the back so am considering getting the D6XL add-a-leaf that OME makes for that spring pack. Need to post a question on this to see what others think.

Are you running the OME pack, or just an add-a-leaf on the factory leafs?

 

It was an AAL on the factory leafs. I actually removed it tonight as I'm going back to stock.

 

So it drops about an inch & you're hitting the overload ?? That doesn't sound right,& I never understood the 2nd overload in the Dakars, theres a couple members here I've removed the 2nd overload for...

 

Front
Toytec TTAFCS-CK95 (Coils w/o Shocks) $360.00 Toytec
Bilstein Shocks $173.00 Wheelers
Brake Lines $64.80 Toytec
Strut Bushing Set $20.00 Toytec
Spring Assembly Labor $70.00
Spring Top Cap $40.00 Napa

Rear
-Leafs- OME CS046R (Dakar) $350.00 Wheelers
-Leaf Bushings (front) $0.00 Included
-Leaf Bushings (rear) (Use SB88 OME, SB89 Stock shackles) $20.00 Wheelers
-OME Greasable Shackle GS12 $98.00 Wheelers
Bilstein 5100 (Longer?) $157.00 Wheelers
U-Bolts $30.00 Wheelers
Leaf Bolts $17.50 Wheelers
Brake line Bracket $15.00 Wheelers
Longer Brake Line $31.50 Toytec
Exhaust Hanger Relocate $12.25 Wheelers
OME FK29 Driveline Carrier Drop Kit $11.79 Wheelers
S&H $160.00

It cost about $1600 for everything. Yeah, I could have shopped around for better deals, but I didn't. I installed everything myself except for the leaf springs. Took me a solid day, but it was my first run at any kind of lift. No special tools- just a breaker bar and ratchet set. Air tools would have helped greatly in changing out the rear leafs.

This ended up being a two-part project, and this summer I ended up adding the following:

-Light Racing UCA's $280.00 Toytec. The Light Racing UCA's helped considerably with getting a proper alignment.
-Dakar Add-a-leaf $75.00 Toytec. The Dakars were beginning to sag under any kind of load. The AAL solved this, however, I now have a little more lift than originally intended.
-Sky Offroad Axle Relocation Plate $30.00 Sky Offroad. The Dakars moved the axle forward about 3/4". The plate moved them back 3/4" and added about 3/8" of lift
-4Crawler Parking Brake Relocation Tabs $16 4Crawler.com. With the thicker leaf pack, I had to move the parking brake cable up about 1" to clear the top of the leafs.
-Front diff drop $40.00 Sonoran Steel. I read countless pros and cons about the diff drop. For the money and fifteen minutes install time (took me longer to find my tools), it was a worthwhile add. The change in the CV angle was very minor, but it did let me get that additional 1" of lift without the cv fins rubbing. Figured if it didn't work out, I'd be out a half hour and $50.00 . If you choose to stick with the stock skid plate, it will need some trimming and shimming. I went with a BudBuilt skid and it bolted right in, clearing the diff drop perfectly. Their quality is outstanding, BTW!

Overall, I'm pleased with how it turned out and how well it carries my camp gear and bikes. Only complaint is the stiff ride due to the add a leaf and having the coils at around 2.75" of lift. Look forward to getting some use out of it one of these days when work and life settle down a bit

 

I know this is awhile ago, but I was wondering if you had a list of tools required for doing this lift? I just purchased my lift kit from Wheelers and will be doing the front and rear once it gets in. I also moved and left my tool box at my parents. Rather than moving the entire crate, i would rather just grab the tools that i would need and have it all lined up ready to go.