Tacoma Suspension Mods

Nice I the my old 886s up front currently the icons are out to get rebuilt. For the rear I just recently swapped out HD dakars for the regular ones added a bamf hd hanger, shock relocate kit and 12in king 2.0 smoothies. It rides incredible even with 10ply tires and upfront not much difference from icon to ome.

the general consensus is you don’t need a front diff drop and most aftermarket skids won’t fit with it. You may want to replace the needle bearing with the solid bushing from ecgs for your front diff.

 

Contact @Dobinsons Mike or @MainLineOverland they sell a nicely priced entry level 2" Dobinson lift kit that I've yet to read a bad review about. I've been researching a lot and IMO unless you are really going to be getting after it (overlanding every weekend or hitting fire roads/desert trails at 60+ mph) there is no real necessity to buying kits with external reservoirs etc, because those high performance kits need to be rebuilt in due time leaving the truck out of commission unless you kept your old set up. It took me a long time to get out of the mind set of having something that looks cool and buying something that is at the same level / performance you will truly be driving your truck. I myself am looking at spending a little more and getting the full Dobinson kit which includes the coilovers, rear shocks, and a FULL leaf pack rather than an AAL.

 

Josh, that’s sounding like a good ride especially after seeing all the other Tacoma’s that got 5100’s all the way around. It’s definitely a pretty good piece. Originally I was scared off by them just because they sounded like the lower cost item and seemed like they play so well with tacos from the factory (those have always scared me based on past experiences - of course that was with a Chrysler so take that with a grain of salt).

One thing I THINK I remember reading which turned me off from the bilsteins originally is they don’t play nice with aftermarket shocks, just an FYI. Btw I don’t mean to put you in panic mode (which I know this would do for me), but it’s probably better to catch before install if it is a concern. (I also may be misremembering or trusting something false I read on the internet- yes I know everything I read isn’t true - also VERY sorry if either of these are the case)

Sounds like a good kit though. Please keep us updated on how it turns out. Are you planning on installing yourself?

Based on everyone in this thread running 5100s I may just go that route.

 

I have done all work myself. My lift has now been on for about 130k miles. It's my daily driver and off roader. It's been well tested with trips to Alaska, Colorado, Montana, Vermont, California and other off road destinations.

I had the spring pack made by a local spring shop. Back when I did this work heavy duty springs were not yet available. Now I see some off road companies sell HD springs.
My pack was set up to be progressive and support 600# constant payload withi no overload spring. So when the camper is loaded it rides awesome. Unloaded it can be rough but I like how stiff it is because it makes it more sporty on mountain roads. Very little to no body roll. I don't use air bags. They are no good if you plan on off roading with serious terrain. I use roadmaster helpers if necessary.

I never had the driveline vib issue however I have a manual transmission and not sure if that changes things? I do have a off the line shimmy in 1st gear when unloaded but not a big deal.

I drove for 2 years on stock gears which had terrible mpg and had the needle bearing drone noise...but finally updated and the truck is now a beast even with 285s (with ecgs sleeve so no bearing noise anymore). When I upgraded I added a Detroit Trutrac and that limited slip is awesome because it starts working before the electronic system and they actually compliment each other.
Driving 75mph and mixed city I'll get 17 to 18mpg. With camper and motorcycle trailer I get 14mpg. If I drive conservatively I've pulled off 20mpg unloaded. But I tend to drive spirited...lol

The front ICON and uniball uca are great. They are regressive and awesome for the off roading I do and very good on road. The UCA get me closer to good alignment but with 3in it's hard to make perfect. Again at the time I did my lift adjustable uca were just coming out and out of my price range. I don't think I will upgrade though because I don't have irregular wear on tires so why change what is working.

The one issue I do have on mountain roads the traction control will go off on banking turns. This is a common issue if you search TW. I just have to remember to turn off trac when hitting the mountains and driving fast. Otherwise I don't have this issue normal driving. Again another plus for having additional limited slip. But this issue is not as bad if you drive conservatively.

The steel wheels are the one thing I'd consider changing. They are not hub centric and give me balance issues if I am not meticulous about mounting. When I get some money I might change out the rims for something else. I did have to trim to fit at full travel...minor trimming can't even notice unless looking for it.

 

It rides phenomenally. Very comfortable and a little stiffer than my stock OR suspension. I installed everything myself. It was pretty easy, although the UCA’s were annoying because there’s no room for that long bolt to come out. So far, there’s no changes I’d make in the suspension.

 

Did you mean play well with aftermarket springs?

Either way, I've got 5100s on the family 4Runner with a 2.5 in. lift in the rear and its an amazing improvement over stock and a nice ride.

I'll post pics this weekend. I just had a frame replacement too, so if looks amazing underneath. Had no clue it came with new LCAs. Looks like a new leaf pack as well. New shackles and U bolts at a minimum.

Separate note:

Not High jacking the thread but PM me if anyone wants to pick up a full set of 2016 17in 4Runner wheels and soon 2004 Taco wheels I need gone.

 

A before then after the toytecs, jba’s and 5100’s in the rear.