Lift Questions for 2014 TRD Off Road DCSB

I'm asking for guidance on which lift to go with. I've read a lot on this forum and others, watched a lot of install videos, and talked with my local 4WD shop. Now to the forum for more information.

My 2014 TRD Off Road is a daily driver, no off roading or rock crawling, only the occasional bumpy dirt road or field to get me to dirt bike areas. The most weight I haul is a 250 pound dirt bike.

I've always admired lifted Tacomas with the 17 inch rims and 285X70XR17 AT tires and want that for my truck, more for appearance than performance. My current set up is 16 inch stock rims with 275X70XR16 tires.

A local 4 wheel specialty shop has quoted the following given the information above:

Economy choice--Rough Country 3 inch lift for $300 parts, $565 labor, and $180 alignment. The 4WD shop said this would work well for me unless I start off-roading. Unless I hear otherwise, this is what I'm going with.

Next level choice--Rough Country 3.5 lift for $850 parts, $705 labor, and $180 alignment. The shop said this would probably be overkill, but they wanted me to know about it so I had options. The video on the website says the new upper control arms have upgraded joints that are more compatible with lifts than the stock joints...but I'm not sure whether this is sales hype or factual.

So my question for the experienced forum folks here is whether the economy option above will cause any long term problems with suspension parts or other parts given my driving habits?

Do the additional parts in the 3.5 lift kit reduce the risk of problems with suspension parts?

Both kits provide hardware to lower the differential.

Is this Old Man Emu lift overkill for my situation?

I appreciate your guidance.

 

I just can’t get over the fact that they’re charging you that much for a front in alignment that is out of this world. Crazy OMG.

 

Skip both of those options that the shop provided and don't run a diff drop.

It sounds like 5100s up front with either the stock coil spring or the OME coils and a new leaf pack in the rear (Dakar for example) would get you the lift you're after. Also, to run 285s be prepared to do some trimming and a cab mount chop because they will rub.

 

I see 3rd Gen tacomas with 285X70X17 tires with what appears to be a lot of room in the wheel wells. Do 3rd Gen tacomas have more wheel room than 2nd gen?

 

Welcome To TW

 

I have a 2015 DBLC. Your tire choice shouldn't rub; however, you didn't say what rims and offset so it might. If all you want is look put a 1 1/2 inch spacer in and call it good up front-$50 ish. Do an AAL in the rear-$150 ish. Spend $80 for an alignment at a shop that isn't killing you on price and have it all for under $300 ish. It will ride like poo, but hey, its a truck. Caveat: at 3" you should (and everybody agrees on this...) put new AAL's on that allow for the caster to be right. This is gonna bump things up another $500-$800 to do it right. Safer to stay at 2 1/2" lift.

I ran a 3/4" spacer with 3rd Gen OR shocks and springs with a Headstrong AAL for many years (2 1/2" lift up front.) Cost me less than $200. 255/85r16's on factory 3rd Gen OR wheels. Much narrower than your choice but much taller too. No rub. Lots of hard off roading and didn't mind the ride. Just made the upgrade to Dobisons suspension and a 3" total lift front and new Alcan springs with Hammer Hangers and Dobisons for 3" lift in the rear. Under 4k with alignment (I did installation so saved all that labor.) Going to 35x10.5r17 on Level 8 Mk 6 wheels, 17x9 with -12 offset. Not anticipating more than a pinch weld flatten as far as rubbing is concerned. Worth every penny so far... you get what you pay for.

 

Not sure what the 3rd Gens are doing but, in my personal experience on a 2nd Gen running a 285/75/16 on 16x8 +0, I rubbed the fender flare, fender liner, bumper cover, and cab mount when fully stuffed. This is with SPC UCAs and +3.5 caster.

 

Bilstein 6112/5160 with Icon RXT or better.
anything below that probably isn’t going to ride well.

Cheaper is springs, spacers, OME, 5100, AAL, etc
which is gonna end up to you driving the truck (now higher, possibly bottoming out the shock, closer to positive camber) seeing if you like the ride that causes or not
And if not, it will be a funny feeling looking back at the time and money spent putting those parts which 1.still cost a lot and 2.are not that much cheaper than 6112/5160

There are also deals on used parts like 6112/5160, Fox 3rd gen PRO takeoffs that supposedly fit, etc
(I’ve seen probably 2 ads of PRO Fox for sale in the last week)

im pretty sure it costs less to do a basic alignment on a lambo

one assumes rear end is untouched on the Taco
But due to double adjustment points on the lower A arm of the Taco for camber, that makes it take longer than most cars that don’t have that

toe can be set with a string and ruler at home.
camber probably requires an angle gauge. Not sure about caster.

 

That 3" kit is rears only and 3.5" has both front and rear looking at your links.
Stock Tacoma springs will all sag and are too soft so they will have to be replaced if heavy use or towing or wrapping occurs on takeoff and shudder/vibrations.
Any front lift over 2" will probably require new UCAs to align - many posts on all this.
Front alignment cams/bolts often are so rusted/corroded that they must be cut out/off and replaced so that will be an added cost.
Good luck on your choices. If you cheap out to start with you will be replacing all of it later.

 

Thanks for the helpful information so far.

I confirmed that the wheel wells on my 2014 TRD Off Road are 2 inches narrower than the Gen 3 Tacoma with the look I want. I measured both this morning. My wheel well measures 34 inches across (parallel to the ground) at the lowest point. The Gen 3 measures 36 inches width. That explains the need for Gen 2 owners to trim and chop to run 33s. And even if I was able to get the 33s to fit it wouldn't look like the 33s sitting in the larger wheel well.

I think I'll level the front 2 inches (raising from 20 to 22 center wheel to fender), leave the rear alone (already 22 inches), and pick an aggressive set of rims and tires totaling 31 to 32 diameter.

I'll search what wheel/tire sizes work with leveled stock Gen 2s. I'll have 22 inches from the center wheel to fender on both front and back after the leveling.

 

@Lightyear68 here's my truck with stock wheels, tires, and suspension


Stock wheels, 265/75/16 and about a 2" lift


16x8 +0 wheels, 265/75/16, 2" lift


16x8 +0 wheels, 285/75/16, 2" lift

 

I appreciate you brother, on the cancer victory, and on helping me zero in on my lift and wheel/tire purchase.

I'd be really happy with the look you got with your setup.

Am I correct that you lifted the front 2 inches to level it with the back? Just a simple block lift over the strut? I found these for $50 on the usual sites.

My rear is 22 inches center wheel to bottom of fender. My front is 20 inches. Let me know. I feel like I'm close. Thanks again.

 

I'm 21" front and rear on extended travel fox 2.5 coilovers and SPC UCAs up front and Dakars in the rear with fox 2.0 remote reservoirs. I have a bit of extra weight...front bumper/winch, ifs/transmission/transfer case skids, bolt on sliders with fill plates, rear high clearance bumper with a swingout, 2 spare tires, a GFC camper and a couple hundred lbs of gear in the bed.

 

3rd gen front springs, stock rear springs, 265-75R16 MTs

 

Thanks for this photo. It shows me how my black 2014 Tacoma will look with black rims and better tires. I'm convinced that 265x75xR16 is the way for me to go.

 

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