Best budget suspension for 3/4 drop

I decided to go with the DJM 3/4 drop. I’m now looking into a well mannered setup for DD.

can you guys let me know what shock/ spring combo’s or coil overs provide a good ride without breaking the bank.
I won’t be going to the track so adjustability isn’t my main concern I just want something that doesn’t give a choppy ride and can still handle some spirited driving.

I’m reading the x runner struts would be bouncy/ rough for my single cab 4 cyl, is there a lighter spring to smooth that out or will I be forced to go the Viking / qa1 coil over route if I want a smooth ride?

 

I dont remember what the thread is called but its in this forum, they use viking coilovers stock spring and top hat but bought a collar from sos performance to adapt the oem spring the the viking coilover.

 

Yup, that sounds like the ideal combo, I’m hoping someone has a strut combo that rides nice.

 

Does it work on 4x4/Pre runner? It looks like all the kits are for 5 lugs.

 

Djm sells a shock for the rear to go with that kit, and you could stick with stock up front. I ran that for a while and then switched to the xrunner shock, nothing fancy just bilsteins and it rides smooth. When you get your kit check for grease fittings.


I’ve thought of adding qa1’s or vikings but trying to keep cost down.

 

That’s what I wanted to hear @nightcrawler , do you have a single cab 4cyl?

 

Yes 2013 base model regular cab 2.7. What year is yours?

The pic is the shocks that came with djm for the rear


Fronts can stay stock, I might go back to that setup just to test out ride quality, I really can’t remember the difference

 

06 base

 

So you have no complaints with the x runner Bilsteins? How much drop did you end up getting with the DJM arms and the x runner suspension?

 

3/4 with the djm kit. The bilsteins/xrunner shocks doesn’t lower the truck. There is a few guys on here really good with this stuff, maybe they can chime in. Not sure how to tag someone but they’re are some good posts in this street truck section.

 

Just a thought but I would start out with the djm kit with the rear shocks they sell, I think they are $100. Stay with stock shocks up front. Run that setup and go from there.
I run mine daily in salt etc, so i didn’t want to get qa1’s but that may be the way to go for you.

 

This truck sits nicehttps://youtu.be/wiPgV0xc5h4?si=YbHgq8zMjh3k46dl

 

I did the Viking/stock spring/sos perch set up; here’s the thread on it:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/height-and-ride-adjustable-front-shocks.717946/

One issue you may have with running this set up and DJM control arms is that the lower shock eyelet on the Viking shock is too close to the shock tower and/or the shock tower is too wide, so it won’t fit into the shock mount on the DJM lower control arm. The Bilstein fits with no issue.

I did have the X-runner Bilsteins with both the stock spring and the X-runner spring up front; my opinion is to run X-runner springs with the Bilstein. The stock spring seem to be longer than what the Bilsteins are set up for, so the spring needs to be compressed quite a bit to be mounted on the shock. I found the ride to be quite harsh and bouncy; it was better with the X-Runner spring and Bilstein but even that was a bit too stiff for my liking. That’s just my opinion though; lots have run both set ups and are fine with it so it may just be personal preference.

If I were starting from scratch and had to do it all over again, I’d probably just do DJM control arms for the drop, and keep the stock spring and shock for ride quality. If you want height or dampening adjustability, either now or in the future, I would go with just a coil over set up, and keep everything else stock. If that doesn’t get you low enough, then I’d add the DJM control arms (though you would likely need to do some alterations to the shock mount on the lower control arm.) And if you want to address any lean on cornering, I’d add a sway bar at the rear and/or swap in the bigger X-Runner sway bar up front.

Let me know if you have any questions, more than happy to help.

 

I think you’re right, I’m now rethinking my setup. My ride is pretty stiff, like zero body roll. I also have the xbrace. So I just ordered 4600 bilsteins for the front and putting the djm shocks back on the rear.
I’ll report back after install.

 

@Rola2010 that’s some good advice! I definitely don’t mind the ride being a little stiff with minimal roll. I just don’t want a bouncy ride or a setup that rubs anywhere.

I want the DJM arms so I can get the camber right but I think the stick struts are a bit too spongy to run… I want the added performance of a stiffer shock but it looks like most combos paired with the DJM will drop the front lower than 3”.

I’m not fully against going lower than 3” in the front, I’m just trying to avoid and tire rub in the front.

 

My initial set up was with DJM control arms and the x-runner springs/bilsteins, and x-runner wheels. The lowest my truck sat, and absolutely no rubbing issues. Then again everything is essentially Toyota so it theory it shouldn’t rub. I’m no expert but rubbing might depend more on your wheel set up, I can see it rubbing if I had wider wheels or wheels with a different offset.

I’m not 100% sure, but I think what we experience as stiffness has more to do with the spring than the shock - I think the only reason the stock spring and Bilstein felt stiffer is because the spring had to be compressed way more just to fit it on the Bilstein. The x-runner spring and Bilstein ran way better and acted more like a suspension should - it was rough, but not at all jarring (or somewhat unstable) as the stock spring and Bilstein combo was. If you do plan to go Bilsteins it might be a good idea to grab the x-runner springs (possible salvage yard find) to go with it as they are a matched set.

 

Would the x runner could and DJM arms be around 5” drop in the front?

 

I think it would. Some good info here
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/comprehensive-5-lug-2nd-gen-lowering-info.247184/

 

I’m not sure. I bought my truck used with the DJM control arms, X-runner springs/Bilsteins, and X-runner wheels already on it, so I don’t know how much lower than stock it was as a result of the suspension. I can tell you that the measurement from center of the hub to the fender was 15 3/4”, so you can compare that to your stock measure and that will give you a ballpark of what to expect.

For reference, the coilover set up I have with stock lower control arms is at about 16 1/4” and I have room to go higher or lower, would just need to add a low profile bump stop and get it aligned if I make any changes.

 

did you ever get around to installing?