Confused. help figuring out/practicality?

Hey,

Very general question, due to my only experience with suspension being replacing a broken leaf spring one time. I've read the sticky posts, but I think I might be more confused than ever LOL. I have a 21 SR that I want to upgrade the suspension on. The rear leaves are those basically flat stock springs. I don't really ever plan to go to tires bigger than 265/75r16 or maybe 255/85r16, so I'm not sure I need to lift. I don't do much true off road. mostly low maintenance roads and stuff, nothing real hardcore, just enough to get to good camping spots.

We're socked in for winter here, and I don't have a heated garage, so this is going to be a spring project. Part of me wants to lift, but another part looks at the fact that this is my daily driver, driving ~50 miles for work 5 days a week, so that is a consideration.

Question 1: would a low, like 1.5in lift be worth it? or just stay stock height? or go to like a 3/2 lift?

Question 2: with the flat leaf springs in the rear, do a AAL or mini pack, or do a full new pack?

Any other input on this?

Edit: part of the reason I'm looking to upgrade is I'm going to be adding a winch at some point and don't want to be running that with stock suspension. I don't "need" more height, it's just a consideration while getting better front/rear suspension. not against just keeping stock height.

 

Lift height is really a personal preference thing. There are also a million different ways to get to X" lift height. I went from a spacer lift with rear block to 5100's and a 3 leaf aal to kings with a deaver rear leaf pack. There are many options out there that will work just fine, it comes down to expectations and usage.

 

Yeah. I hear ya. I think it's probably that there are so many options I end up seeing one thing and then another and figuring out what would be best for me is kind of a pain. I need high clearance, but stock taco technically already is that. Trying to figure out if just a straight upgrade might be the best option. keep stock height but just upgrade. planning on adding a winch at some point, so I want to have suspension to handle that.

 

To hell with the lift. Buy tickets to someplace warm for a week.

A 100 miles a day in a truck is already tough, no sense in going down the rabbit hole trying to get your factory ride back.

Search: anyone regret lifting their Tacoma.

I think your answer will be found reading some of those posts.

 

The reason you're confused is because it's not a one-size-fits all solution. There's other variables that should be factored in about how one uses their truck.

Since you mentioned commuting 50 miles with your SR.. moving from the stock tires to 265/75 ATs will be a bigger hit on your mileage than the lift if you care about such things.

 

hahaha. yeah. I am kind of seeing that. My only real issue is added weight of a winch on the stock SR suspension. I mean, if I can just upgrade shocks/springs at stock height and do something about those flat as heck leaves in the back, I'm all good.

 

FWIW. Any lift will have a negative impact on fuel usage.

The tires you want will fit in the stock suspension.

As an option, there are 17" wheels that will fit stock suspension. The overall tire diameter will need to remain the same, but it could visually "fill" the wheel well.

Your truck, at such a young age, I doubt there are issues with the leaf springs. Prolly no need to change.

Suggest to pocket your money, drive the truck on the off-road that you do. Then decide. I suspect the truck in stock condition will be able to handle your needs for off-road.

Make changes for YOUR needs, not for bropoints.

 

ya. MPG is a consideration. more talking the commute due to miles put on the aftermarket stuff. but I hear ya. I know there's no one size fits all. Just gathering info since I have a few months to think about it. Thanks.

 

Good points. This is why I ask questions. Better to look a little dumb by asking than to prove it by not asking and getting in trouble later LOL.

 

Another point.

Generally, lifts can alter the reliability of the truck. Often a lift will bring other issues to the table.

 

If the plan is to add weight up front, I would suggest a 3" lift with some higher rated springs for the additional weight.

For the rear, eventually an AAL or progressive AAL pack will eventually be limited by the stock Toyota leaf springs; they are garbage. Best bet is to replace them completely.

Do it once, do it right.

 

If you are in Minnesota, they use a lot of road salt, too.

Here in Michigan, it's almost a sin to put a winch in a daily driver. Constant salt baths being power driven into the winch is not a good situation.

There is no way you could trust the winch to work if you needed it.

Just my opinion. They do look cool, though

 

Not too far from you in IL. I have a winch cover for mine. No issues.

 

That is the other half of it. I have that in my pro/con list for the winch itself. different list from this one LOL

 

If you’re not doing any technical off roading the winch is a waste of money.

 

I think ya'all talked me out of upgrading anything for the time being LOL. The more I think on it, the more I realize that I really don't have a use for a lift at all and, just upgrading suspension would be more of a if/when I decide to actually get a winch thing. well. That saved me some money... for now

 

Just throw and front hitch receiver on the truck and get a removable winch if you don’t need it all year.

 

Just throw and front hitch receiver on the truck and get a removable winch if you don’t need it all year.

 

I'm actually thinking about that as a possibility.

 

And the mpg hit is massive going to the 10 ply 255-85!