2017 TRD Pro upgrade advice: Shocks / tires

Hey everyone,

After spending a weekend at the Outer Banks of North Carolina driving on the beach I realized I REALLY need upgrade my factory suspension and tires.

I drive 80% highway and 20% off road, but when I do flip the switch to 4WD I'd like the front end not to top-out on every bump, and I'd like tires with a bit of a "bite".

After reading the forums for hours and consuming WAY to much beer while doing so, I believe the way to go is with Blistein 5100's all the way around paired with Pro Comp A/T Sports, or Nitto Terra Grappler G2's for shoes.

IMPORTANT - We occasionally (3 to 4 times a year) pull a 20ft travel trailer that weighs around 3500lbs. So I need a tire that will handle the occasional towing.

I was told that if I get the Blisteins that I need to go with new springs, otherwise the front will sit too high. ??? (I had originally planned just to go with a 2 inch leveling spacer up front)

My big concern is vibration at highway speeds. Obviously I want to avoid that at all costs.

Lastly, I'm very mechanically inclined and quite comfortable with major projects, but have never done struts / shocks. I live on a military base and have access to essentially every tool I could imagine, including a drive on lift. They have a spring compressor as well. Has anyone done these themselves, and if so how much of a PIA is it? The backs look simple, bolt on and off. It's the front's I'm concerned about.

My max budget is about $1600, but I'd like to have some $$ left over for lunch and beer when I'm all done.

I'd really like comments and advice from folks with the same truck who have upgraded so I can get some true feedback on what works and what doesn't.

Thanks!

 

If you are even mildly capable you will have no problem swapping the Struts and shocks. You will need the spring compressor to get the top hat off and move it to the new shock. If I were you I would try to get a set of the 2015 Pro Bilstein kit if you can find one. Toyota has been clearancing them out for around $600. They may be hard to find as everyone snapped them up but I got a set today from a dealer in Arizona. Much better shocks than the 5100 and only a little more expensive. Just need to get lucky and find some. I have 5100s now and will be swapping them out as soon as my new ones come in. I also have a sport and hated the stock shocks and switched right away to 5100s but I still feel they left something to be desired. If you are looking for a used set of 5100s with OME 885 springs that are only 9 months old give me a shout, I won’t be needing them in about a week.

 

And the 2015 Pro set will fit a 2017? Would hate to shell out $600 and not have them fit.

Curious what you didn't like about the 5100's and the 885's. Too stiff?

 

Any time you alter ride height, you may get driveline vibes. or you may not. every truck is different

 

Completely understand, which is why I'm looking for people who have done similar mods and have minimized/ eliminated vibration.

 

Yes the pro kit fits the 3rd gen and get around 2” if lift (getting mine installed today =]). The pro kit is basically a non adjustable bilstein 6112 front and 5160 rear which is an upgrade to the basic 5100 (considered low end of bilstein). Also the TRD pro kit is custom valved and springs tuned to our type of trucks which cost a lot of money to do, so not a lot of people does it.

Lots of peopls don’t know, but suspensions can be fine tuned for the type of vehicle, however aftermarket suspensions are just baseline tuned to accommodate different vehicles.

 

If you wanted to lift it, I'd sell your factory suspension and put those towards the king 2.5 kit. Adjustable dampers too. Then run a BFG AT 33. How was OBX? I cant wait to get my pro out there!

 

I found a kit from a dealer in Maryland for $650. Sounds like a good deal. Curious though as to where/ how you mount the rear rreservoirs?

 

oh wait.. its too early in the morning and I didn't read it right... I thought you had a pro and wanted to change that suspension. I'll get more coffee now...

 

I don't want to go that extreme. Just want to upgrade the ride quality, and go with a more aggressive tire without having to do a true "lift" that would involve cutting. Want to go with a 265/70/17 so I have a little added height from the tire. (Currently factory 265/65/70's)

 

I helped @TownvilleTim install this same kit last weekend on his second gen. the rear resi's come with a mount. tip....install the resi into the mount, then attach the mount to the frame. upper shock mount is in the way if you try to slip it in afterwards. there are rectangular cutouts in the frame, that accept the resi mount.

 

Yep installed mine a few days ago on a 2017:

 

They mount up to your frame. I would contact the dealer first. The prices on their website are different from the price the dealerships want (dealerships can mark up the price). Also, Toyota is no longer making these kits so if they don’t have it in stock, you won’t get em and be stuck in back order for a while until they sort thru all the supply chaos that happened a couple of weeks ago.

If they do have it, jump into it! I am a very good friend of a famous off-roading shop where I live and when they tried to see the price of getting the standard shocks made by bilstein that he kit is based off of and tuning it like Toyota, it came out to $2,500. The parts cost $1,900 and valving and such with their labor was $600 (the labor charge was with my discount they gave me, the parts were just regular price, the invoice for them on parts since they are vendors was $1,300).

 

Exactly what I wanted to hear. Too bad you're 3 hours away from me......would be nice to do this with someone with some experience. I'm expecting bloody knuckles and some significant swearing!

 

BAM!

 

its not bad, we got his done in 3 hours I think.

 

we had a great mod day last weekend at the SOS Shop in Laurens, SC

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/sc-mod-day.531394/page-33#post-17229487

 

2015 Pro kit definitely fits. There are a couple of threads on here about TRD Pro Kit PTR1335150. Lots of info here and also MANY pages of reading..
I didn't hate the 5100 but felt they could be better especially on rebound. 5100's were a lot better than stock though. With the price of the 2015 Pro Kit, I can sell my 5100's and make a significant upgrade for a few hundred dollars. too good an opportunity to pass up.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ptr13-35150-bilstein-trd-pro-kit-upgrade.530072/page-114

If you are considering going this route you better hurry. You can search the National Toyota Parts Inventory to see what dealers may have them in stock. Use https://www.partsvoice.com/partsearch and type in part number PTR1335150 and start making calls to see if you can get someone to ship a set to you. That is what i did and was able to secure a set yesterday. Also if you go with this kit you would have a very good suspension and a bunch of money from you budget left over for tires.

 

Thanks for the heads up. Just called 3 dealers that showed "In Stock" on their websites, only to find out they don't have it. There are 2 on E-Bay listed for over $1000. Screw that noise. Nothing on Amazon either.

What to do, what to do......

 

If the ones you found were online and listed at Darcars Toyota in Frederick MD they are gone. I saw them yesterday, ordered them on line, then called only to find out the inventory counts was wrong and they actually didi not have them. I called a dealer in Phoenix who would ship them that had 1 set left.