Long-travel questions for those that have it

The difference between a +2'' kit and a +3.5'' kit is about 1.5'' to 2'' of suspension travel. That's pretty inconsequential in comparison to shock valving, secondary shocks, etc. You're paying for the strength of the lower and upper control arms, the added travel is a bonus. You need those arms to be tough to handle the punishment you'll throw at them if you use it like a long travel truck is meant to be used. Unless you start cutting into coil buckets and redoing bumpstop mounts you're not going to pull more than 14-15" of travel regardless of what kit you buy.

Don't get the all pro kit. The total chaos is a much better kit. This is coming from a guy with the all pro kit.

The quickest way to turn a daily driver into a money pit project truck is to introduce a long travel kit and real offroading.

You will not automatically break axles with LT wheeling, even hard wheeling. Knock on wood I never have and I wheel the piss out of the truck. You just have to be careful and learn your limits. hopefully you break cheap stuff as you learn those limits.

It is a constant battle to keep my truck handling decently on the street. Heim joints wear out. Power steering racks wear out (I'm on #3, as well as pump #3). Wheel bearings wear out. You won't have a sway bar. It will never handle as good as stock on the street for that fact.

The stock steering components were not built to routinely handle a 5,000 pound truck with 35'' tires offroad. I haven't lived in the desert for five years - the tight trails do just as much damage if not more than the sandy high speed ones. Nobody makes an upgraded steering rack for the trucks yet. The "heavy duty" tie rods just worsen the problem - they break racks instead of just bending themselves. They also have heims - which wear out and put play in the steering.

Without rear LT you will never use the front LT to the degree that you paid for it. It's a waste of money if you don't plan to finish it by going rear LT.

Read the "considering long travel thread" that I wrote that is linked above.

Lastly, putting long travel on a 2013 is stupid unless you're absolutely made of money. You will never sell it (without taking a loss) and it will never stop demanding time and money above and beyond that of any other type of hobby vehicle.




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These blunt comments are a result of lessons learned the hard way. Built trucks are cool. They're fun. I love my truck; 'til death do us part - hopefully not at the same time.

But they're like part time jobs, except you pay them instead of them paying you. If you're not okay with that, you're going to be really disappointed a few years down the line.

 

Summing up, you're gonna need like 10k for a "true" LT setup. You won't necessarily spend that much getting your truck setup, but you'll need available funds to fix things assuming you're wheeling your LT setup the way it was mean't to be wheeled. If you just want a lot of travel, you can do a LT setup for 13 ish inches of travel and I believe all pro has a setup that doesn't require glass fenders (although it isn't technically considered LT by the hard core guys). True LT is glass fenders, replace entire front suspension, replace rear suspension, longer arms, etc. and your travel is 16+ inches. Oh and tires, 35's ain't cheap. 37's...

 

Totally agree with driving/ doin side by side. But I live in the middle of no where so I can't!

Don't forget I've ALSO had stock/MT/and now a top spacer on my current rig. I've also owned and operated a SAS conversion... So I'm familiar with their abilities.

I'd prefer to be overbuilt if the only cost is actual cost. If that makes sense. Sticking to MT just to save cash to me is a waste because I WILL use it off road. I end up in the hills alone A LOT! Having extra ability for the small price of a one-time charge up front is a no-brainer to me!

As long as it performs just as well everywhere else too I'm sold

 

It's a continual charge. The maintenance and man hours you will put into keeping it in top shape is considerable. Fail to stay on top of it and it will manifest into big time problems.

$10k for front and rear LT is doable, if you do the fabrication work yourself.

 

I'm doing this more as a minor overlander/off road rig than a true LT truck. No fast shit, no desert runs. Was planning all-pro 2" and their expo leaf setup in the rear. That's my game, FYI. Not sold 100%, still debating... But I'd prefer to go that route if the drivability is still good

 

True story, doesnt hurt to be over built. Sounds like you're sold on the LT then. If that's the case then go for it! I would still say go for the 3.5"+, why settle on a 2"+ if cost is the only cost? I don't know a ton about LT but there is a lot of good info on here of you do some searching, and you can always post in the LT BS Thread.

 

Thanks for all the input. Will hopefully help in the decision!

 

It will require glass fenders and it will require a big fucking hammer if you intend to use the travel with 33's; with 35's a BFH and swinging for the fences.

The only guys who give a shit what other people classify their suspension as are keyboard offroaders.

The TC kit is a better kit than the AP kit. The AP control arms are stupid strong, that's their best selling feature. Their shock bolt design sucks and is prone to freezing in place, and being an absolute bitch to get out once stuck in place because of the design. They have no provisions for a secondary shock. Their powder coating sucks. It's borderline on giving you enough caster.

A heimed UCA TC +2" kit has none of those problems.

 

Want to keep stock fenders 3.5" is too wide for my tastes and requires too much other crap. I'll never use those kits really, THAT would seem like money for nothing to me over the 2" kit

 

Different strokes. Didnt see your other post about the go fast stuff. GL with whatever you decide.

 

Hahaha, I like that,

But seriously OP, it sounds like you like the idea of LT but I don't think it's right for you considering most of what you're saying.

 

At the end of the day, 2" or 3.5" wider then stock width doesn't mean jack diddly without properly tuned shocks AND a set up that's been tinkered with for optimum travel.

There's no magic off the shelf kit, MT or LT that's going to be cloud like. Big plus for the 2" kit is more room for 35s which you don't plan on running anyways...

Every time I drive a bone stock tacoma I'm like WOW this rides awesome on the road. You can't have the best of both worlds.

You better be prepared to spend $3k on CV axles alone if you go LT...

 

Why is that?

 

Since May I've spent over $10K on parts. Not a single part has been put on, and I haven't spent a nickel on fabrication yet.

 

Been considering it all and looking it over with all your guy's input. To set up a nice MT kit is still rather pricey… The added cost of going LT really isn't *THAT* much. But I get a lot of added benefits to it with very little recurring costs. I know it can become a rabbit hole for a lot of you, but I'm just gonna bolt the shit on and use it for the added travel off road, I am not making my tacoma an airplane like a lot of you guys! LOL

I'm leaning towards doing it. Like I'm going to price it out one last time for sure… but really, for a good MT kit, after you factor in a quality UCA, the coilover kit itself… a few other misc parts, the cost difference to get the equipment isn't that much for a truck I plan to keep and use! So if I decide I have a couple $$K more to spare without scrimping, I'm gonna do it!

We shall see. I'll let you guys know

 

Like it was said above, don't go LT front and MT rear. A Long travel rear and mid travel front end will out perform the reverse, any day. I think you would do well with a TC stock length kit or +2 kit and an SUA kit of some sort. Something around 11-15" of rear travel.

LT front and MT rear means you're going to be cracking/bending your rear frame and doing who knows what else damage when you haul ass and the rear end is just slamming up and down with those expos.

 

You know what? Just, fuck all of you ;-)

Ok ok. I went with a good MT build. Had a moment of math last night while I couldn't sleep. After all the research and everything I decided $2500 wasn't worth 2.5" of travel.

You rational bastards, the lot of you! Thanks

 

I had the same moment last month when we broke out the tape measure between a +2 truck and MT truck.

 

How dare you compliment us on our rationality. The nerve of some people. I hate when people accuse me of making sense. UGH

 

Hehe