REVIEW 3rd gen suspension on 2nd gen

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...front-rear-shocks-southern-ca-shipped.730150/

 

Another testament to this righteous thread and upgrade.

Found a set of 2020 TRD Offroads a few wks back for 150 (just the shocks/coils all 4 corners).

Got them put on today and it is a noticeable difference drive wise. Previous ones had almost 114k on em - i forgot to mark before height but it looks between an inch and inch & a half (2wd 4cyl)

Feels waaaaaaaaay more planted going around curves and very nice rebound and more controlled feel on the short offroad bit i did to test her out.

Plus i got an alignment which was desperately needed - the old specs looked like a numerical Picasso

 

Just did this swap today on the same exact model... DCSB Prerunner 4-cylinder. I was expecting to have to detach the upper control arms from the knuckles like most how-to videos suggest, but I just needed to get the sway bar out of the way and the OEM coils (Hitachi branded) slid right out.

My old shocks and springs turned 150k miles and the new ones had shy of 50k from an '18 TRD Off-Road... definitely less roll in the corners and a bit less nose dive when braking. Failed to measure height beforehand, but it looks like a good inch or so. I also took the opportunity to replace the sway bar endlinks and bushings. Getting the OEM endlinks off was a bitch because the 5mm hex key ends stripped immediately. Had to resort to vise grips and a cordless DeWalt impact driver.

I also installed 1" MZS blocks from Amazon in the rear to keep some semblance of factory rake. Paired them with 4600s, which aren't supposed to be for any amount of lift, but I figured they'd be okay with the 1" blocks and old leafs that have lost some of their height. The blocks and rear shocks were super easy to install even for a mechanical neophyte like me.

 

I would love to do this. My stock suspension has 150k hard miles of washboard. Everyone with in 100 miles wants $400+ for their stock suspension... Sux

 

Pics of the 3rd gen suspension up front with the MZS 1" blocks and 4600s in the rear. This was part of a broader refresh with 17" Tundra wheels, 255/70r17 Kenda Klevers, Rhino Rack roof rails, and the Yakima racks. Love how it looks now... subtle OEM+.

 

Nice. I wish I'd done somthing to the rear myself- its not dog draggin its ass on the carpet type look but i can feel like its more travel in front than back which is weird for a truck. I may replace the leafs at some point and add one.

As far as the stiffness it was night and day for me but about 2 months on now everything has settled out. I just took mine on a cross state wknd trip and it took the crappy roads a light trail perfectly

 

@stec06 with those flattish leafs and that block installed, be aware of the axle wrap now.

 

Zero axle wrap! If the springs droop any more, I've got new TSB replacements sitting in my shed.

 

I was amazed at how much worse the leaf springs on a 2nd gen are without a shock in place. took off my OEM shocks and replaced with a set off a friends Tacoma that I've had sitting on a shelf since before covid from a 2020 Taco. I'm definitely due for new leafs. dropped probably another 2 inches as soon as the shock came out. defiantly not my 90 toyota which just barely sagged as soon as the shock came out.

guess time to find a set of leaf springs.

 

Swapped over 2022 OR front and rear including leafs and UCA's to my 2012. During the leaf swap I noticed my original leafs had more of a curve to them (older spring further away for reference). Anyone else notice this? I think actually lost a tiny amount of lift in the rear.... Wondering if I screwed something up... I'll post more pictures and a review of the swap soon.

 

I put some brand new OEM equivalents on mine from SD Truck Springs, and they were flat/had negative curve right from the get-go... just like the stock leafs I pulled out. That's one of the reasons I ended up leaving 1" blocks installed. I bet you didn't mess anything up. Those slight variances are probably normal.

 

I have noticed the same, 2x set of claimed low mile 3rd gen leafs (and they look like it) and both sit quite low on my 2nd gen vs what I remember my stock 2nd gens on truck. Hell the measuring tape tells me my 2nd gen with 3rd gen leafs sits like 1in lower than a 3rd gen

Shackles are the same dimensions but I'm wondering if where the shackle connects to the frame is in a slightly different location.

That stated. Up front grabbed 2023 UCAs and shocks all four corners off a TRD OR. Sold off the shocks then used the UCAs to replace failed SPC UCAs, grabbed some THIRD GEN 5100s for up front on my 2nd gen to use with the 3rd gen TRD OR coils and it rides amazing set the 5100s at 0

 

Not looking good for this suspension swap...
What is a good Spring pack alternative then the 3rd Gen springs?
I really don't want to put a Lift block in the rear.
Dont need to life the front. Just have a hybrid winch bumper and do more hauling and towing.

 

Alright fellas, here's my result. My suspension had about 120k miles on it, and I replaced everything from truck 10 years newer with only about 5k miles.
The following video was the most helpful in guiding this replacement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6IloGEzoJk

Replacing the upper control arms on this truck was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I would not do it again unless they are really shot. For the drivers side you have to disconnect a bunch of stuff including the battery just to get the damn thing free. Also, you need to grab pliers and bend back your wheel well. Passengers side is just as terrible. I used a punch and hammered it out...

For the struts, drop your skid plate and the bolts holding your sway bar. I added 3/8" spacers and they leveled the truck out nicely. Link here: gained about 1 3/8" up front. You can see from the photos that you can fit the spacers and still have a couple threads showing above the tower.

Read up a few posts and you will see that the new leafs did not lift the truck as previous posts have suggested - in fact I lost about 1/4" to 1/3" back there.

Overall, same review that the previous posts had. Truck feels more planted on turns, doesn't nose dive as much when braking, and overall feels more solid and smooth over bumps. Worth it for $300 and a few hours labor.

 

I did this swap today. I have a 2015 Ac 4cyl 2wd. I found a set on eBay from a 22 Trd Or.
This has been the best upgrade I’ve done so far. Lifted my truck perfectly and the ride has greatly improved. Still can’t believe what a big improvement I felt with such minimal investment. Highly recommend this!!

 

I know most guys aren’t asking this question, but will OEM 2nd gen suspension fit on a 3rd gen?

 

You don't need to remove the battery. Just unbolt the single bolt that holds the harness to the fender and slip the bolt past it. I recently replaced my UCAs along with my shocks as well. The bolts going back into the UCA was difficult, but not as difficult as other things I've done on a vehicle.

 

Just to add to this thread, I was able to find a set of 2022 take offs with a few thousand miles on them to replace my 160k mile set on my 2011. The original leaf pack was replaced with the TSB pack at around 30k miles, but it flattened out pretty soon because of the constant camper/gear weight in the back.

Prior to install I added a Torch 1.5" aal in the new 2022 leaf pack, a 1/4" Toytec spacer to correct the driver side lean, and a set of Bilstein 5100's (fronts set to 0.85 lift setting) to use with the new, stiffer, 2022 front coils.

Hub to fender measurements before and after:

DF 20.25 to 22.5 (2.25” gain)

PF 20.625 to 22.5 (1.875” gain)

DR 21.25 to 23.75 (2.5” gain)

PR 20.875 to 23.75 (2.875” gain)

The passenger front was almost exactly the gain expected at 1 inch from the 3rd gen coils and 0.85 inches from the 5100s, and the 1/4" spacer on the driver side evened out the front perfectly. The gain in the rear was measured after about a month of settling (it was over 3.5 inches of lift when first installed), and both sides in the back are now even.

The ride is absolutely wonderful considering my old shocks were completely worn out and useless at 160k, but the way it drives now with less body roll in corners and nose dive under braking is the real highlight. I highly recommend this setup if you are looking for a budget friendly way to refresh your suspension and get a mild (1.5 to 2ish inch) lift.

Before and after pictures:

 

Hi, idk if this is a stupid question but anyway. I’ve seen that I can use stock 3rd gen suspension on a 2nd gen. would an aftermarket lift for a 3rd gen fit on a 2nd gen? I’ve found an icon stage 2 lift kit on marketplace for a really good price but I just want to make sure thanks.

 

I’ve installed the 3rd Gen suspension all around, so I’d say it would fit. The biggest issued would be any warranty claims on the lift as it was installed on a 2nd Gen instead of a 3rd Gen.