Questions about lifting a 5 Lug with Fabtech Spindles and lift shackles.

After reading hours and hours of threads on here, I concluded that 3" Fabtech lift spindles and 2" lift shackles would be the best option to lift my 99 2.4 L 2wd Tacoma. I have the following questions:

1. With the 2" shackles, I've heard people say that the exhaust/muffler gets in the way and it needs to be modified (cut or welded/moved). It looks like it will fit fine but I wonder about when it's weighted down.

2. The purpose of lifting it is to fit bigger tires, be able to do some light off-roading and not look so mini. Some people say you need to re-gear if you put bigger tires on. Is this true? lotsoftoys said that 265/75r16 don't need to be re-geared. I'd rather not re-gear but the whole purpose of buying the smaller 2.4 5 lug was to get better mpg's than the pre-runner or 4x4. If lifting and putting bigger tires is going to make it just as bad, I might reconsider. What size tires can you recommend?

 

I just installed the spindles on my truck but I went with a 2" add a leaf instead of shackles. You don't need new shocks for the spindle stock ones work fine. The issue I had was that my truck still sits way higher in the back than the front so I have to add a spacer up front to level it out. I'm pretty sure most of the 5 luggers came with 3.54 gears and for the tires you're talking about, I personally don't have any experience with Regearing but there's a calculator online where you can punch in your stock tire size and the tire size you want and it'll calculate what gears you need to run. But I'm right there with you when it comes to that 2.4 you can't beat the mpgs.

 

Thanks for replying. Glad to see someone helping out.

I got the spindles on without a problem. Working on the shackles now (need new bushings). I'm just wondering what size tires would be best to get good clearance but not be too hard on the gears/motor to where I still get good mpgs.

If you used the 3" spindles and 2" aal, the front shouldn't be too much lower. Hope that's the case cause I'm putting 2" shackles myself!

 

I have a 99 with Fabtech spindles and 2" shackles with 30 inch tires. I can't get it to align correctly. Anyone know if that's normal? Wondering if I installed it wrong or something. Like tightened one uca more than another or something.

Also, do Bilstien 5100s fit now that it's lifted?

 

Your front shocks remain exactly the same as stock, so no. Which alignment measurment is off?

 

The camber is off. One side is negative on the inside, the other on the outside, so it pulls right. Took it to get aligned but they said it needed camber shims to align it correctly. That's why I'm wondering if it's possible that I installed it wrong. Seems extreme for just putting new spindles on. I didn't use a torque wrench, just estimated. So maybe I tightened the upper control arm tighter on one end? Can't think of anything else.

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

Other than bolting the LCAs to the wrong side of the spindle I can't think of anything that would cause that, and I don't think they'd fit. Got a picture of how bad the camber is?