lift decision, gurus beat it up before purchase

It was driving the wife crazy, hours on forum, talking about truck but think I settled on a plan. I invite pros or cons on my plan 2012 quad cab long bed, 4X4, spend 90% time driving roads, then some sand for kiting, flat land mud hunting, once a year in virginia mts. Mostly want looks, do not want to lose factory ride SO plan on billie 5100's all around, no coil change, no leaf change, maybe or maybe not a 1 inch block to be level, 285/70/17.

If anyone sure this won't work, its now or never. Live in Virginia, no rocks or heavy wheelin, but want the clearance and the look, thanks for reading

 

Do an add a leaf instead of the block and you'll love it.

 

If you preload the factory coils with the 5100's you'll lose a little ride comfort.

 

OME 3" 885s or 884s i forget and dakar leafs or the add a leaf option. do it right the first time. i have this set up on mine except i have 886 coils which allow me to put armor and more weight on the front. the price is a little over 1k but well worth it. if you lift the truck also look into extended ss brake lines, there is a group buy on here for them that are cheap and a great product that i am running on my truck as well.

EDIT: i have spacer up front and add a leaf on my 01 and it is a rough ride. the ride on my 08 is way better.

 

agreed.

 

how much are you willing to spend?

 

I am not worried so much about the money as I am getting to stiff a ride on hard surface. do not want to spend more than 1200, but if I use billies to get 2.5 inches, can fit 275(285)/70/17 under there without cutting, have my original factory ride and seem happy. Until learning the 5100's go with my factory coils, I was heading to the OME kit, but wanting to avoid AAL and go with new pack, but way to stiff on the road. Then the local shops think my plan for me is good. ? still on the fence, cause everyone has an opinion. I will not be wheelin hard, just hitting some tough roads a few times a year at the most, mostly going to work, hitting sand in the summer, which can do now. just want hot look mostly hate to admit it but true

 

Stay away from rear blocks. You'll prematurely de-arch the leaf springs and get horrid axle wrap.

why do you want to avoid AALs if you find new leafs too stiff?

 

Billies at 2.5" setting are gonna ride a tad stiff. Best option up front would be a new coil spring like OME/ eibach. Like someone said earlier... Do it right the first time
Have fun

 

as to axle wrap, I was told 1 inch block won't do it. as to aal, told it forces different stresses on the leaf pack, makes new leaf pack better. new pack is way stiff on the road ?? whats a guy to do.

 

Everywhere I've read has told me to avoid blocks. I see them on big fords and stuff, but hey if it was my truck I would go for the best. There's a good fact post here about lifts showing positives and negatives about certain types of lifts. I assuming you've seen it but just for good measure here is a link too it.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/142677-suspension-lift-info-includes-pics.html
Block lifts are just what they sound like – hunks of steel or (more commonly) aluminum that rest between the axle and the leaf spring. Along with a new set of u-bolts, a rear end block lift can be used to add 1-3″ of lift. Unfortunately, despite their low cost, block lifts are the least desirable of all rear-end lift methods because they increase axle wrap…which leads to a myriad of other problems including broken blocks, broken drive shafts, busted shocks, shackles, leaf springs, etc.
Having said all of this, a small block lift (1″) doesn’t appreciably increase axle wrap and associated risks, and many Tacoma owners have no problems with 2″ block lifts. Still, this is the most undesirable rear-end lift option. Anything else would be better.

 

i went with Toytec 3" lift, 885 coils and an aal, my truck is a dblcab 4x4 lwb. my son with the same setup except his truck is the shortbed and rides rougher than mine. probably 90% of the people with quadcab have swb, the longbed rides completely different. i orginally put the aal for the weak leafs that came with 2005 and actually rode better to me. tires are going to make a big difference in the ride more than the suspension. try to stay away from heavy LT tires,i went with LT275/70/17 in a load range C. these trucks do not need a load range D or E, will kill gas mileage.

 

thanks guys, hearing what I expected. As to the block, which the local stores say no big deal that small, ICON makes an AAL that is the same shape as the leaf pack, is not really an AAL, as it does not force the shape of the pack but acts like a block without risk of axle wrap. Ain't cheap but not a big deal

so I wonder, ICON AAL on the back, 5100's, and big tires. Are you SURE that if I keep my same stock coils, that they must be preloaded?

 

Are you asking if the stock coils will be preloaded if used with 5100 shocks?

If that's what your asking then yes. To gain height you adjust the "C" clip on the shock body. The C clip holds up the coil seat plate, so the higher you move it, the more compressed the coil will be. If you leave the C clip on the lowest setting it's comparable to stock ride height and less compression. It all depends how much height your wanting?

 

thanks Moe I have heard preloading is not good. If that is the case for me at 2.5 on 5100's, stock coils, then am I better with spacers at the top, using one of the shorter settings? I am trying to avoid stiffer coils. as to the rear, ICON makes aal , what they call their progressive aal, that adds height but not stiffness, does not force change on the stock pack. better than a block and better than aal in general.

so, 5100's, spacer up front, c at 1.75, icon progressive aal's in the back, same coils, wonder if keeping stock ride with exception of 5100 improvement and get lift for wheel and tire upgrade? I do not want to stress the stock parts and think at 2.5, not a problem????

 

If you lift your truck, Your front left diff needle bearing will go bad. Just look it up on here ECGS bushing.

 

just go icons

 

richard, you mean go icon progressive aal's or icon all the way. and where is this ecgs bushing story coming from? real or rare, and unrelated to his lift

 

OK guys, this is my confession lift, followed I hope by some responses, good or bad

I have done my homework here and at taco dealorship where quite a few go out lifted. I admit it, mostly want looks, only go offroad to hit the sand to kite and woods to hunt, very slow, nothing aggressive. I have always wanted but never had lift, and now is the time. I actually like the factory ride, do not want it stiffer, so I am just keeping my coils and bilsteins that came with it, going with a spacer above the strut and yes, a 1.5 inch block in the back. Stuff from low range offroad, where the dealorship buys a lot. They like the better tapered block. Will get some nice fuel black wheels for my crew cab long bed, super white, with 285/75/17's, money will go to wheels and tires. This was not a financial decision. Just did not want the stiff shocks or coils for the whiners in the back seat. How bad was my decision based on my driving habits?

 

It's your truck. Doesn't matter what any one else says or thinks.

That being said I've heard OME setups ride like butter compared to the stiffer coils out there. Coil Spacers in the front will make the ride stiffer because the coil is now compressed to fit the spacer. If it were me I'd rather get the new coil.

As for the rear... I've heard people say that blocks and AAL's are about the same when it comes to stiffness. I went with new leaf springs (DAKARS) and it's nice.

Either way your achieving the look you want. If you don't like the ride, you can always switch it up. Atleast blocks and spacers are cheap so you won't be out too much $ if you end up not liking it.