Question about lifts for a non-offroader

Hey guys. Longtime Tacoma owner here, just upgraded to a 2020 (TRD OR). My 2010 SR 4x4 had a 3" Toytec suspension lift with 285s that I had put on back in 2015. While it looked cool and was the perfect size lift for my needs, the ride was SUPER stiff and I grew to hate it over time. I was on rough mountain roads a lot more at that time so it was a trade-off. The new truck is my daily driver and just needs to be good in the snow and occasional hunting "4wd" roads.

I really like the look of a lift and 33-35" tires, but I know lifts are also harder on the OEM steering/suspension components and dont usually prolong the life of those parts.

So my question is do you think it's worth it to lift a truck for aesthetics only, with ride quality being my #1 concern? And if so are there kits that offer a more plush or stock-like ride?

Thanks.

 

For me, it's a firm no.

I am continually surprised at what my Taco can do with the only change being one size larger AT tires. Hell, I was surprised at what the stock PoS Toyos could get me through.

For the 99% of the time that I am on the street, I like the stock height for messing around in corners. So, looks are very secondary to function and performance for me.


Edit: One thing to note is that 3rd Gens have a lot more ground clearence and way better angles than the other mid and full size trucks except for the ZR-2 and Gladiator.

 

With suspension, my general impression is that you get what you pay for. I have Icon on the truck right now, but if I were to do it over again, I'd probably go with Kings. No matter what you do, it'll cost you a few thousand bucks. But yeah, a better ride probably starts at the $3000 mark.

edit: if you pay less than that for the parts, you're probably making a significant trade-off/compromise.

 

^ this

for 90% of people it’s unnecessary and if you do it cheap, your ride will be worse than stock

 

Its a rare opinion to see here, but I have to agree with this. I'll be the first to admit that its tempting to lift for looks. Considering how I use my truck, its still a big fat no for me too. Usage per mile is 65-70% commuting/in-town errands, 30-35% towing the camper cross-country, 0-5% off pavement/trails/open fields. Dont have a practical need for a lift, and I'm not willing to sacrifice (much) performance for looking cool. Its amazing what my 2WD can get through with just a set of decent AT's.

 

Thanks!

TW is an enthusiast site, so we are going to see more folks talking about mods versus staying stock. But in real life, I see way more stock Tacos running around. Here, I usually see a few Tacos on every drive.

I have made many mods where my goal is generally to address some functional shortcoming. That covers just about everything that I did, in my mind, except for Derping the grille.

 

Interesting. I paid about $5k out the door for my lift, tires, new wheels, and steel bumper on my old taco. I didnt notice a huge drop in ride quality at first, but like I said over time I grew to hate it. The springs were so stiff they would "jump" after sharp bumps or rocks and slam into the truck. I think I probably got a more entry-level suspension.

 

Which tires were you running? E rated are a killer of ride quality, for sure.

 

Thanks, and I'm inclined to agree with you guys. It just doesn't make enough sense for the 1% of the time more clearance would actually be useful. If anything I'll just get some slightly bigger tires when it's time to replace them. Plus, driving around on the 2020 stock suspension feels like a Lexus to me.

 

I had 285 BFG KO2s, then Pathfinders (Discount's brand). I think the BFGs were E-rated. Too loud, but otherwise a great tire.

 

I was right there with the stock Toyos. The last bunch of miles we're tough, but the wet traction was going away very badly. I am surprised how much all round traction these ATs have.


Yeah. The suspension on these trucks is pretty stellar. Nothing like the old full size and Rangers that I have driven (never owned) in the past.

 

I’m running spacers in front and blocks in rear. Provides same as stock ride. Looks better and more room for bigger tires.

Gas mileage does suffer. As far as E tires, they are heavy (negative), and I prefer the stiffer side wall for the twisties.

 

But... You're lumping together a bumper, wheels, tires, and suspension. I was only talking about suspension, and only about the cost of parts. I don't know if your $5k includes labor or if you did the work yourself (I can barely turn a wrench, but I have friends who spent more time changing their own oil and less time playing Skyrim). I don't really know what parts are in your toytec lift, so it's hard for me to comment. Well... Even if I knew, it would be hard for me to comment because I don't own a shop and I only daily drive my own truck. And we all have subjective feelings about what constitutes a smooth ride.

A heavy steel bumper on shittier entry-level coilovers would probably be a major factor. All I'm saying is that Kings are pretty slick and if you spend enough money, you'll get exactly the ride you're looking for. It's just expensive. Is it worth it? Well, I mean... If what you want is a sick, lifted truck that drives good and feels smooth, then, yes... Everything is a compromise. You've got high standards! High standards require high credit card payments!

 

It's already been said. No need. The stock Tacoma is very capable "out ofthe box" with good tires.

G.

 

Man, can you imagine living in a boring world where we only did the bare minimum of what was required for acceptable functionality? Why do we have more than one hairstyle? White trucks don't drive faster than gray ones. etc.

 

I think the stock Bilsteins are junk. Upgrade to a nicer set for better ride, little to no lift, even 1” is good for a level while you’re messing with it

 

Craig, I'll refer you to the title of the thread ". . . non-off-roader".

G.

 

Nope. I didn't lift my 1st gen for aestetics, the OEM suspension was fully worn out and riding on the bump stops when I got my truck, so instead of just replacing with stock height suspension, I spent a little more and got Old Man Emu setup that produced 2" lift. If I had to do it again, I would have kept stock height and trimmed to fit the 32" Load-range C tires I currently have.

 

I would say it is personal preference. You do not need to lift it. I prefer the looks of a lifted truck with some rubber under it. So, I lifted primarily for looks.

 

I went through quite a bit tougher stuff than hunting trails and fire roads with just 255 series 33s and a little armor. My front skid and sliders were telling me that I was hitting a lot of things when I was off road. I just moved to 6112/5160s with Dakars and it is miles better than stock on road. I don't have any off road reports yet, but sounds like that isn't the question. I don't have 3k in suspension (I installed myself), but I like it a lot so far and I think it is a great mid-range option. Truck is plenty capable stock though.