Suspension questions

Hello all!

I'm new here and I recently purchased an 02 taco 4x4 xtra cab manual. Only upgrade I'm aware of is the previous owner hauled metal sculptures and installed an extra leaf in back to compensate for weight. Other than that its stock.
I'm pretty sure the front susp is bad as it bottoms out pretty easy and wanted to put in B 5100 struts and OME 881 springs.

Bilstein 24-249928 Shock Absorber

$145 Bilstein 24249928 Shock Absorber

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CK0LFME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_c6knEbDNDZ3CC

ARB 2881 Old Man Emu Coil Spring

$214 ARB 2881 Old Man Emu Coil Spring

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P9IDDS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_g1knEb8EW2189

The rears look like 4600 series.

My questions...
1. Do I need new strut mounts? or any other parts im just unaware of?? If so, any recommendations?

2. Should I keep the 4600's(they look fine) in the back or switch to 5100's? If I need to switch, will that extra leaf make it so I need a different length rear shock? The bed clearly rides higher than the front

Most of my driving is street but I do go camping on bumpy roads and load the dirt bike in back with other gear usually. I dont go crawling.

Anything helps guys!

 

First I apologize for the long post. I'm throwing a lot out here.

1st bit of advise I'll give you is to not order your car parts from a place that sells games and books. Go to a place that specializes in truck suspension, even Toyota suspension. Wheelers, Downsouthmotorsports, Headstrong, etc... Just take a look at the Vendor's section, for the most part those are all pretty good places to shop at. These are places you can call and actually talk to a human expert if you have an issue with your parts. an't do that at Amazon. Plus, I've seen numerous times where Amazon doesn't get the vehicle fit correctly. Like a part they say will fit that I KNOW doesn't, and visa versa.

So...

The 4600's are great shocks, and are essentially identical to the 5100s, only difference is the 5100s are height adjustable. Keep the 4600s for stock height, 5100's to lift it. The weird thing to be aware of is that the front 5100s are good for 0-2.5" of lift, so you CAN run them at stock height. The rears, however, the 5100s need at least 1" of lift. 4600's (front and rear) are stock height only.

Do you want the 881's just so you can match the add-a-leaf in the rear? If so, I'd suggest just taking the add-a-leaf out, especially if you don't run around with heavy loads. If you like the height in the rear, but want a better ride, you can get an extended shackle that doesn't effect the spring rate like the add-a-leaf does.

Whatever you do, if you get the 5100s, and a coil like the 880 or 881, do NOT set the 5100's on anything but the "stock height" setting. Let the spring do the lifting in that case.

Another advantage of a car/truck vendor: You can even have a place like Wheelers assemble them for you so all you do is bolt them in rather than needing a spring compressor to assemble yourself:
(these are just examples, and may not be exactly what you need - but should be close). Only get the top hats if you are doing the assembly yourself, and only if your current ones are damaged (they're probably fine, though). The rubber bushing/washer things are good to have. On our older trucks, the rubber breaks down and is probably hard and crusty anyway.

I have a dirtbike that I throw in the back as well, and I've never felt the need for an add-a-leaf. But it just depends on how often you do that, and what you feel it drives like when you don't have it loaded down.

 

Go with new 5100's all around. The extra leaf in the back should provide suficent lift. If you take it out, I think new 881's up front and old leaf springs will give you a case of the bro lean.

Monroe or Moog make nice strut too hats for our trucks. I have them and have no complaints.

 

Thanks guys! you've givin me a lot to think about and I really appreciate it. feel like I'm headed in the right direction now!