Getting conflicting advice about a 1" lift

Hey all,

I have a '15 Tacoma SR5 stock everything that I want to put new suspension (5100s x4) and larger tires/wheels on. I'm getting conflicting advice about trying to limit the lift to 1" both front and back (I like the factory rake, I do not want a leveling lift).

I'd like to replace the coils and leafs and am being told that if I do the leafs I won't be able to limit it to 1" back there. Am I wanting something that can't be done? I'd like a bit better load response in back, so would like to replace the stock leafs, but without making the backend more skittish.

Thanks.

 

Custom leaf springs from Alcan or Deaver will get you only 1" lift but increased payload. For the front, just throw a 1/2" spacer on top of the driver side and 1/4" spacer on passenger side and you'll have about 1" lift up front.

 

Will any of the Dakar leaf packs get me there? Or will I have to do a custom deal?

 

I think Dakars are available in medium and heavy duty . Minimum is around 2” of lift . @Toytec Lifts
@HeadStrong Off-Road

 

I was thinking this kit with the 5100s and Dakar leaf packs, but maybe I should just get this one and do Deavers separately.

EDIT: They sell the Deavers too.

 

Icon rxt option 1 is right about there

 

5100 and 4600 sucks

look into 6112/5160, front is height adjustable
Icon RXT is a good leafpack but I don't know how much it lifts at the lowest setting. If that's too high you can just do something else like a spacer block (bad), 1.5 AAL, etc.

 

I'm currently running 5100's all around, OME 885 coils and a Toytec AAL in the rear
It's budget friendly and gives you a bit more room if you decide to get bigger tires in the future

I believe I got roughly a 2" lift once it settled

I had some rake in the rear before throwing my shell on, now it sits a bit above level if that's a concern to you

 

The Icons and the 6112s are a bit too much for me to do right now. How come the 5100s suck?

I finally got a shop with a guy that knows what he's talking about and he quoted me $3k to put on 5100s and a Deaver leaf pack. We can tune in a 1.5" lift or so.

Eternal question though, with a 1.5" lift, can I go up to a 32" tire?

 

I would skip the 5100's personally. They ride a bit rough. I like my 6112's, but those cost a lot of money!

For the price, 3rd gen TRD Offroad take-offs are hard to beat. For the front lift it's pretty close to what you're looking for. For the rear, it won't add any lift unless your leaf springs are sagging and you get get the 3rd gen leaf springs. If you go that route, make sure to get front fully assembled and rear shocks at a minimum. The ride quality of the 3rd gen TRD OR suspension on a 2nd gen is fantastic!! I personally liked it more than my current setup. My current setup is 6112's front, 5100 B110 (longer stroke) rear with Dakar med leaf springs. The spring rate on 6112's are way too soft IMO and doesn't pair well with the Dakars. I don't know if Icon RXT's would ride better? I haven't really looked into it.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/review-3rd-gen-suspension-on-2nd-gen.542843/

 

$300 5100’s and $700 (at most) leafpack for $3k
Sure sounds like he “knows what he’s talking about”
aka “trying to make a sale”
I too am a mechanic at a shop but an honest one with always more than enough work to where I have no need to bullshit and be a salesman

“6112 costs too much” yet entertains $3k to put on 5100’s to end up doing the job twice after the ride sucks

there is a reason 6112 is much thicker
they are not free

not to mention the fact this is something you can install yourself at home with cheap hand tools

only thing better is adjustable resi Fox which is expensive and why I don’t have it

if you want to waste money on previous labor and parts cost changing the truck from stock shitty ride to 5100 shitty ride (then want to change that later for more labor and cost) you certainly can. It’s your prerogative
Do it right or don’t do it at all. Do it right the first time. Or if you want to do it wrong the first time and have a second time that’s totally an option.

if you came up to me offering $3k to slap on a sub $700 leafpack and $300-400 shocks id do a backflip
Make $2k labor doing easy work in one day What a day that would be. Make more than a lawyer and doctor combined

 

That guy doesn't know what he's talking about. $3k to install 5100's and a leaf pack is outrageous. He must be marking up the prices on the parts quite a bit. It's all stuff you can do in your driveway pretty easily. 32" tires will fit on a stock Tacoma too. 265/70R17 or 265/75R16 are 31.7" and fit just fine. 285's is where you run into issues.

The 5100's on our trucks ride pretty rough. If you are ok with spending $3k, then I would look at Fox, Icon, King, etc and a $200 tool set. Call up a buddy that knows how to wrench a little and you'll have a lift done in a day.

 

Leaf spring install easy in the driveway? Maybe for a mechanic, or someone that works on their own cars. For the average Joe, it's not that easy.

 

I suggest looking into a different rear shock, you may over extend them and blow them. Didn’t take much long did my 5100 to blow with AAL and 1” block. Never been off road either lol!

 

Ugh. Haha. I do appreciate the feedback. And I know this is beat to death on this forum (and elsewhere), but I wanna do this right and at the same time I can't spend a lot of money, or it just makes sense right now for me to skip all this and just put new tires on at stock height.

But this is what I've always wanted to do with my truck, and my wife is willing right now to let me spend around $5k on suspension + wheels + tires.

The 3rd gen take-offs sound nice, but I have an irrational dislike for used shit. Maybe that will make me lose out on a good bargain on a good setup, but it is what it is. :shrug:

It sounds like maybe you have wholesale pricing in your head or something? The quote has $1k in labor and $110 for an alignment -- which may be a lot, I don't know -- but otherwise the quote beats the prices on parts compared to the stuff at Headstrong Offroad that I linked in a previous post. They warranty the parts and labor, which may be a factor in the cost, too.

When I said he knows what he's talking about, I meant that he agreed that we can do a lift less than 2" or more. A couple other guys were telling me different. I hadn't looked at the Deaver leaf pack on HS that is $1100 before talking to those other guys, but it says it only gives 1.5" of lift, and I imagine would settle a bit too. And he told me those are in stock at the warehouse.

Does the Deaver J66 suck?

I'll admit wanting to do this myself is what I've always wanted to do, but I don't know how realistic it is. I am most certainly mechanically-inclined, but I am not mechanically-experienced. I guess I could ask my two brothers-in-law that work on their own cars a bit to see if they think it's something they're willing to tackle with me.

So what would you all recommend in the end here?

I was looking at Icon lifts, and Stage 1 is certainly in my price range, especially if I do it myself. Stage 2 is as well, but I want a new leaf pack (am I stupid?) and that appears to come with an AAL set.

The 6112/5160 kit and the Deaver is ~$3k in parts. If I did that myself, that would leave enough to get wheels and tires.

Do I need UCAs (regardless of if I am only going for a minimal lift height)? That will complicate the install but doesn't make it impossible/impractical in and of itself.

 

One thing I should probably clarify here is that I am not looking for a lift. I am looking for upgraded suspension. If I have to lift it to get that then I will. I will then decide on the right size tire to put under there.

 

Dobinsons on down the track mate ...

 

Good God, these guys are some enablers. Get a set of 5100s, throw some spacers on the front like @JasonLee said, put a decent leaf pack in the back and call it a day.
Really, what are you using the truck for? Are you going to Moab, rock crawling, overlanding, or just going to Lowes and Home Depot like the rest of us?
If you're anywhere near southern Indiana, PM me. I'll take you for a ride in mine and you'll be amazed at how smooth it is.

 

Gen 3 takeoff would get my vote for what you are after. You do realize your whole truck is "used shit".....just say'n.

 

I did a mild lift, about 1-1.5" or so and keeping the factory rake. Used the medium duty OME springs and removed one of the overload springs. Worked great.

To do this, some other work was necessary too, and it was on a EL095 leaf pack they don't make anymore so keep that in mind. Some more info in this post.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/posts/19382388/