If you got to do your 3" lift again what would you...

If you got to do it all over again, what would you do the same, different, and which products would you use again or not and why? I'm trying to figure out what are my best options when doing a 3" lift on my 2012 Access cab Off road with a tow package and 3 leafs which it sounds like Toyota is not going to correct as it designed to have more offroad contouring with the 3 pack. I don't want excessive badassedness(well I do but I'm being realistic and doing a 3" for Daily Driver reasons). I'm a little reluctant to do anything that will void my warranty but I want to be able to use my truck like a truck. I loaded my motorcycle(160lbs) and camping gear(maybe 400lbs) and took a 3000 mile trip to Nationals and was really suprised at how much bottoming I did on the highway. Glad I didn't try to put both bikes in as she would have been sittin on the rubber stops. So now I have a Leer 180 and would like to get one of these http://www.joehauler.com/doublehaulers/doublehaulers.shtml which I know means I have to beef things up, as putting all that weight way back there and full of camping gear under the topper is going to need some upgraded equipment. Curious too what you guys think I might expect to pay for these upgrades.

 

If i could start all over, I would go with some type of Extended Travel Coilovers and shocks all around. Deavers or All Pro Leaf Packs. And some type of Uniball UCA. My rear suspension has been redone 3 times. The front 2 times, 3 by next year. lol Problem is when you first start you don't really know what you plan on doing. I kept changing my mind.

 

I have a full OME set with 885 coils, LR UCA & AAL in the rear with OME struts. If I were to change it (which I most likely will), I would have gone straight to ICON extended travel coil overs in the front, ICON rear struts & full Deaver leaf pack.

 

I would have skipped the AAL and gone with a upgraded leafpack. For now I am satisfied with the rest.

 

This is exactly why I'm asking the pros! I want to do it right the first time in a way that I will be pleased with for as long as possible! Thanks for the feed back!

 

im with you, im saving up to do it right the first time. ive definitely decided with new ucas, ome lift, but do the dakar leaf pack in the rear instead of aal

 

I actually enjoyed my toytec lift kit. However, if I were to redo my 3" lift, I would go with downsouthmotorsports for the coilovers and ucas. For the rear, I would do allpro rear suspension packages like the posters above.

 

Allpro or Deaver over OME Dakar? I have my front end shocks and coils already and now its time for the springs I need. I have considered trying to find a set of tsb and doing a icon 3 leaf but the stock toyata springs suck either way it seems. So I am torn between what brand leaf pack to save up for.......its my next purchase

Can you tell me why those brands have come up twice now before dakars?

 

If I had to do it all over I would have skipped the lift all together.

I currently have the following.

RCD 4 inch
886 front springs (It gave me an 2 inches more lift in the front.)
Aclan real leaf with 4 inches over stock with 400 lbs pre-load. (I had to add a 1 inch block to make up for the 2 inches added in the front.)
Total Chaos UCA's

I would have just done uniball UCAS, a better real leaf pack 400-500 lbs pre-load. And I would have just armor plated the hell out of the underside.

 

Buy once, cry once.

most peoples problem is they want to get something cheap and it be good enough. (me included)

get a quality coilover and upper control arm for up front.
for the rear grab some well known leafs, possibly even the firestone air ride kit since you haul gear. THis will help a ton with the rear weight.
also look into a Hellwig rear swaybar

 

So why would you have skipped it? And to everyone else, these are cold hard opinions I was looking for! Keep'em coming!

 

For every thing I have used my truck for it was just not needed.
I have yet to be even close to maxing out my suspension. I take it camping and to the lake and some trails.. But I think I over built it. I would say I am worried to use my truck to 100% for the fear I might break the truck. (I guess that is why you build them that way) But I think I would be fine with full armor. For the $$ I have in the suspension. I could have spent 1/4 that on under armor.

I love what I have and I'm glad it did it don't get me wrong. I'm not going to change it. But if this truck were to leave me I would not do it again.

 

this^^

my lift, didnt buy me much..i only use it for hunting..some relatively tough trails, but nothing a stocker couldnt do. i'd use the money for something else.

 

I'm thinking Camburg FTW.

Uniball UCA's
Fox Coil Over's with remote or without (front)
Deaver Leaf Pack
Fox 2.0 (rear)

I think that adds up to be around $2500 to $3500 give or take. Way better than the (Fabtec) lift I had on my FX4...

And I'm walking distance from their shop

 

Are those numbers installed or DIY?

 

DIY http://www.camburg.com/

 

Bump

 

Hey OP might be useful to update your post and ask posters to descibe the type of use the truck sees. For example someone that says they wish they had gone with icons all around might do alot more offroading than someone who is perfectly satisfied with billies and an AAL. Try to match truck use with lift-type is just my $.02

That being said I love my ebiachs, 5100's and 2" AAL. Got LR UCA's for good measure and don't regret my decision. I don't do any hardcore offroading so it works well. Havn't had the bed loaded up yet so no comment but I'm sure new leaf packs will be necessary in the future

 

Not sure if you're asking me, but I just named those because they were the first 2 I thought of. No preference between the brands, there's many threads going over the pros and cons and you can decide based on your own needs.

 

Valid point, thanks for the input. I guess for me and my needs I am looking for equipment that will last and is the happy medium. Not going to be out pounding the trails and I also want to maintain ride quality for getting to the trail. I'm starting to think air bags are something to consider for my needs. I'm still a newbie at all this so I'm trying to learn about all the different options. I don't mind spending the $, just want to make it count when I do. There's a lot to consider into the equation. Like I know I want to do some armor and bumpers so gotta factor in the weight there. Just gotta keep reading the good words here in TW! Thanks again guys!