auto shop quote really high and thinks i need more parts before lifting

finally finished AAL's. wasn't bad at all. and got more lift than expected, supposed to get 1.5" to 2" depending on leaf condition. I got just over 2.5"
I'm guessing it's because my leafs are new. Now since I got that extra lift on rear, I'm wondering if it's ok to leave the 5100's on the 1st. groove up ( .80" lift) where they are now, when I put the 885's on, to help level up front with rear? I don't mind the rear being a little higher if I should set struts at 0, but want it leveled or close to it if I can.
Hopefully I can do the front tomorrow, can't wait to see how it looks. coming on here has really made it possible for me to do this. from all the help on this thread, to all the "how to" threads and seeing what others taco's look like with the set up I liked and wanted to do. I hope I'm faster on the front than I was with the rear, but will keep at it all day if i have to.

Still unsure whether or not to add diff drop. I guess you just have to go one way or the other depending on where you drive or how much off roading you do..... will keep reading about it and decide. gonna leave it off til I learn more

 

With 885's leave the 5100 at 0.

I've been running for 4 years with no diff drop and not the first problem. The lift will settle some after it's on with the weight on it for a bit.

 

thanks. i'll put'em at 0

 

You have what you need. Go save yourself $600 and do it yourself. Or at least go to a guy who isnt trying to get you to buy more parts. Just my two cents

 

Yep, x2 for leaving the setting at 0.

 

Thanks to you guys, I got it done and did it all myself. My only trouble was getting the lugnuts off that the toyota dealer had put on way too tight. the front wheels were the worst. I was standing on a 17" breaker bar trying to get them to spin off and had to bounce on it to get it started. 2 lugnuts took special tools at the tire shop to get off.
But.... once I got the nuts off, the rest went smoothly and pretty darn easy with all the new frame parts.
I used chris 4x4's AAL install thread on here for the leafs. and watched youtube videos by milkcrate82 on how to remove tacoma struts and coil without a compressor
( Part 1 Toyota Tacoma Struts Install | No Spring Compressor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6u7dC7EHg )
and I think that way is safer and quicker than how the shops do it. the coils decompressed slowly and easily. it cant be done any easier, just remove 3 nuts, loosen LCA bolts and drop it down with floorjack and remove bottom strut bolt and the strut and coil just slides right out. If I can do it anyone can ! and I'm an old man with a weak arm on one side due to artificial elbow.
Now, I gotta go pick up new lugnuts, then have it aligned later. I will try and post some pics later, but it's still pretty plain looking, nothing fancy on it like a lot of your taco's I have seen on here. been spending extra money lately, buying AR15 parts ( another 1st time build ) and it is a tackdriver!
Thanks again for pushing me into doing it myself, I had plenty of doubt going through me for days, before getting the nerve up to do it.

 

oopps, thought i was just adding the youtube link, didnt know it would put video up here?

 

HELL YEAH MAN. I'm so glad you did it yourself!! I told you that method was a cake walk. Congrats on the smooth install.

 

Thankx EATSLEEPTACOS , your words of encouragement, And knowing you had been through this with the same coils on your truck is what finally pushed me to do it. I'm glad your on here and quick to help and answer questions.
I kept talking myself out of it, then mad at myself for talking myself out of it. and finally decided I might as well just do it. ( and I don't want to pay that much to people who dont sound like they know what they are doing.) Why pay for idiots when I'm already here and free! the coil decompression part is only scary until you do it. then it slowly and safely drops right down and I couldn't believe how quick and easy that way is.

I'm still up in the air about the diff drop. Logic tells me that if you lift and change the angles, you should drop the diff down to get back to or close to factory numbers.
I'm not as brave as I used to be when wheeling ( or just smart enough to stay away from trouble spots) so I don't think it would hurt to have it on since I hardly ever find myself doing hard trails ( & never on purpose ). not sure if i understand it yet or not, but it's only con, seems to be when offroading. but weird that those who havent put it on don't have premature wear or problems?
I can't get it aligned until friday morning, taking it to the only offroad parts and service store in the area since they do lifted trucks all the time and know their stuff. ( I hope )

 

What you could always do is throw it on and see for yourself just how much of a difference it makes! It's really easy and can come on and off in about 20 minutes. That'd be my recommendation to see if you want it or not.

 

not sure if you have one or not, but a Cordless impact wrench will do wonders for suspension work. I've always used hand tools but my Craftsman C3 saves me time, energy and busted knuckles.

*edit
Just read you completed it, good job man.

 

I tried to put it on just now but cannot get the nuts to bust loose. and my impact quit working last night on last nut I had to take off to remove coils. wish I had it now!
I slid a 20" cheater bar over my 17" breaker bar and it didn't budge
it's an air impact and I'm hoping it just needs a new seal or gasket or?? not even sure if I can get parts for it, it was my grandfathers and has lasted a long long time.
seem to have an air leak and wouldn't spin anymore. I might have alignment shop throw diff drop spacers on before doing the alignment friday morning, or go on to the next town that has a harbor freight and get a new impact. I like my air one, but tempted to try the electric (corded) kind.

 

That sucks!! Mine came right off. Don't worry about doing it before alignment though. It won't mess with the specs at all. It took me a couple weeks to finally get mine installed.

 

That sucks, i know a lot of the higher end impact wrenches have rebuild kits (ingersoll Rand, Snap-on, Chicago Pneumatic etc). I have the corded 1/2 impact wrench from HF too and it's okay but kinda Meh, the cordless 1/2 has more torque. I've also heard good things about the HF Earthquake pneumatic impact.

 

good news.... I sprayed the diff nuts 4 times in a day and let them soak. then tried again with my hand tools and got them to break free. So I was able to put the diff drop spacers in the night before getting it aligned. I have since driven it 350 miles and it drives great. I didn't notice any difference after installing the diff drops, but not sure if i would or not.
and I'm still too busy to go down to Arkansas and do a little off roading, but hope to soon.