Is it ever really necessary to install a lift?

The Off-Road model is pretty decent right out of the box. Just add taller tires and your good to go!

 

Haven't had a lifted truck in 10 years. I'm content with the capability of a stock midsize with an offroad package. To run proper trails here I'd need minimum of a 2.5" of lift, 10 ply 33's, re-gear, front locker, full skids, sliders, plate bumpers, a winch, recovery gear. Then I have to accept the fact that I'll be getting trail damage on my $$$ daily driver, burning fuel like an old big block with the passing power of a smart car in mountain passes.

Only damage I've gotten where I travel is a dented skid plate and muffler. Can live with that, I'd rather run trails on 2 wheels anyway.

 

Sorry. Meant to ask how much hit to MPG?

 

I have a mountain bike that will run the trails lol. If I ever were possessed to want to four wheel hard core for fun again, I would just go buy a Jeep and spend a few grand fixing it up. That is the ultimate off road vehicle. Sucks on road, but off road it is king.

 

I'd assume about 1-2 MPG hit... it will be worse if you did a larger tire or E load.

 

I say buy protection first and then wheel it and see where you need to improve it. If you are worried about losing OEM ride quality, don't be. Assuming you can pony up the cash, there are aftermarket kits that are loads better in terms of ride quality. My BP-51 is a good example of that.

Like countless others have said, the Tacoma is pretty darn capable stock so you might get out there and realize you don't need to waste your money on a lift. Skids and sliders however are never a waste of money.

 

Waiting is always smart. If later you feel you need it you will know exactly why. I did the 265s and was very pleased with the results. I’ve since lifted but not as far as I had planned and more for performance of the suspension overall than clearance and durability. A lot of off road trails are more about technical vs. technology, whereas lifts bring in trade offs and expense along with more ridicule than you might expect.

 

Agreed on sliders for sure, skid plates maybe a little less critical but not bad money spent. I totally agree that there's no reason to be in love with the stock suspension. Even just a basic OME or Bilstein you'll see the difference on washboard and the higher end stuff just floats over the stuff. I started with a stock TRD OR, too, so it's not about the base parts either. Stock suspension isn't about the best off highway ride but on pavement.

Also when you do start adding stuff like armor the stock springs will be quickly over matched, so you need higher rate ones anyway so might as well upgrade shocks, too. Load capacity is why I have some lift, though.

The question is do you need 3" of lift and the answer is definitely no. But I don't like the way that Tacoma rear leafs are slightly negatively arched stock and definitely don't like riding on the overloads and bump stops off highway.

So I put on stronger springs that only end up flat with load on the trails. This took about 2" over stock, which meant I added some front lift so I wasn't excessively raked. The 2.5" body shocks were a luxury, I know that. But I also don't see any reason for block lifts on stock coil overs. If you're going to lift, do it right at least.

 

265/75/16s. Stock

285/70/17s. Lifted

 

My company vehicle is a 2013 TRD sport with a 6" drop bracket lift, blocks in the back and 33" tires. Rides like hell on road, constantly breaks front suspension parts, eats tires, and honestly, does nothing my stock 2017 SR5 cant do. Driving that truck cured me of any desire to mess with my suspension.

 

TBH if I could get stock-height rear leafs with more load capacity, I'd go with that and be happy as a clam. But uprated springs generally come with a lift, so I'll probably end up having to lift the front an inch or so anyway.

 

Good reality check in this thread. I am running a stock OR and it's fine but I've been eyeing the FN fx pro 17s and 275/70/17s. If I can pull that off on stock suspension/height it will definitely be less stressful than having to deal with changing everything all at once.

 

99% of all trucks out there ( regardless of brand) that are lifted....are lifted for looks only and not for practical reasons.

 

And the other 1% are on TW

 

There are a couple of ways to get upgraded springs without lift but my experience (albeit on a pre-Taco Truck) is that springs you might see on commercial or contractor trucks can sometimes be so much higher rate as to be filling rattling if you don't have 750 lbs of stuff in the back. So it's something to ask of the vendor. Also custom packs are an option to get the right spring rate and height.

 

That's unfortunate that a shitty drop bracket lift put a bad taste in your mouth. A proper, small suspension lift is headache free when installed properly.

 

Agreed, I wouldn't compare suspension lifts in general to drop bracket lifts...those are pretty extreme and if not done properly, can ride and feel like crap. A one to three inch suspension lift via front coils and rear leaf springs can ride just as nice (or better) than stock and not run the risk of drivetrain damage if done right. 3" is pushing it but with the right setup it can be done.

 

Don't do your lift first. Like others have said here, what you will most likely need regardless of lift is going to be armor. So get some sliders/skid plates and hit the trails. You will quickly find out the limitations of your truck and depending on how much gear you carry you might start to sag and you might get away with an add-a-leaf over a full leaf spring replacement.

This is the point where I upgraded mine. I went with a mild 2" lift which doesn't mess your geometry up and you don't have to do anything complicated. Really, this was mostly to bring it up a little bit over stock since I was sagging a lot and my rear would hit the bump stops all the time which was a bit annoying and to improve my ride quality in general with all the extra weight I had put on.

I'm still on 32" mostly due to the unsprung weight. I am running Cooper AT3's in C rating which are 46 lbs per tire and perform well enough for me on and off-road. If I went up 1" in tire size and went with some ST MAXX's in E rating (which some will claim is a must) I would be at 59 lbs per tire. That's 13 lbs difference or 52 lbs total which is a pretty big deal and our trucks are dogs as is.

 

Leveling looks better, IMO, but the rake is for hauling material. If rake was for handling, every vehicle would have it.