The Best (and Worst) Ways To LIFT Your Tacoma!

In today's video, I go over the different kinds of suspension lifts I've done on the 3rd Generation Toyota Tacoma and my over experience/pros and cons with them!

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My Instagram 📱: @chloekuotaco

🌮 MY TACOMA: 2019 TRD Off-Road, Silver Sky Metallic DCSB 🌮

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[mattlewandowski]

Front Suspension Options:

Spacer Lift = Cheap, easy, excellent for mall crawlers. Not the best choice if your off roading involves more than easy trails and fire roads. Does not improve your load handling
Westcott style Preload Lift = Reasonably priced, a bit more complicated preloads your suspension increasing ride stiffness offsets spring compression but does not actually give you more load handling. Will accelerate spring fatigue
Coilover Replacements = Expensive, but otherwise covers all the bases. Fairly easy to install. Wide range of pricing and function depending on your needs. (do not take my advice or anyone else you "meet on the street" talk to an actual suspension expert better yet talk to several of them.) A Fox mid travel kit like Cloe installed is great for all around use. You need to figure out how much lift and spring rate you need to handle your tire size, and handle the weight of your bumper, winch, and other accessories. A proper kit will be approximately tuned to your needs this is why many companies offer different spring rates and different lift heights, though many retailers do not seem to be knowledgeable enough to sell you the right product.

Rear Suspension Options:
(You NEED some rear suspension mod if you regularly have a heavy load (metal bumper, extra fuel, water, camping gear, roof top tents, etc.) or if you regularly pull a trailer of some form.)

Blocks = NO!!! JUST DON'T!!! these have been around since the 70s, but they are only suitable for show vehicles that are not going to see real driving. At very least IF you get blocks for your mall crawler or daily driver to make it look cool, PLEASE do yourself a favor and also get traction bars.
Add-A-Leaf = These are more complicated to install as you have to disassemble your leaf pack in most cases, BUT they are a cheap (I have seen them as li'l as $80 so only twice the cost of a set of blocks) and effective way to upgrade your rear suspension. They will increase the spring stiffness and make for a bumpier ride.
Replacement springs = More expensive but very easy to install, they come in a variety of spring rates, and even come in progressive variable rates which will allow for a smoother ride when you have li'l to no weight and yet will still handle heavy loads.
Air Helper Springs = Not to be confused with an air suspension conversion, these are usually easy to install, and allow you to adjust your suspension to compensate for your changing load. They can be reasonably priced, or can get fairly expensive depending on the bells and whistles. IMO this is an excellent choice for a daily driver that is used under a variety of conditions. they are not popular for rock crawlers as they are vulnerable to puncture.

Full Suspension Kits:
This can get pricy tanging from $1500-1600 for something like an OME lift kit to tens of thousands for something more radical. As with front and rear components, they have a variety of options that largely boil down to "how are you lifting the front", and how are you lifting the back". The advantage is the manufactures often include most everything you need with a reputable kit.

Basic Lift Kit = replacement struts/springs and rear springs or add a leaf. Usually cheap. Usually easy to install can range from a kit like the basic OME kit and will come with replacement front coils, a set of rear add a leafs or rear springs depending on the kit, and a set of shocks. It is a simple bolt on project that can be done in an afternoon. The OME kit for the third gen tacoma does not include a differential drop, but all this is is a set of replacement bolts and a spacer. Such can be found on amazon for $20. That will improve your front axle angles to take stress off the drivetrain components. Likewise there is a driveshaft drop spacer that is similarly affordable that will improve your driveshaft angle if you go with a 3" lift kit.

Intermediate Lift Kit = pricier more advanced components such as the Fox Mid Travel kit (much like Cloe has), these kits by various manufactures often include a better UCA, coilovers (perhaps remote reservoir), matching rear shocks, and often an add a leaf or replacement spring. they can easily cost around $5000 by the time you are done regardless of if you piece the parts together yourself or buy a kit. They are often easy to install

Advanced Lift Kits = These as the name implies are more advanced. They potentially have every bell and whistle you could want such as dual shock kits, long travel kits, etc. They replace many more components, and may require cutting and welding suspension parts, driveline parts, and even steering components. However they can be exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to having the perfect suspension for the type of use you have in mind for your vehicle, but expect to pay in excess of $10, 000 by the time all is said and done.

Example build: My truck (2018 Tacoma TRD Off Road LBDC)... Use: Daily driver/work truck, weekend overlander, occasional off roader (mild trails, but rougher than dirt roads) in East Tennessee. I am not taking it rock crawling, I am not desert racing. We have rock and mud trails, we have tree branches over growing our trails, and we have mud holes that can be mistaken for ponds :)
I am still driving stock, but when my current tires wear out, I plan on upgrading to 255/85r16 KM3s on the stock rims (eventually replaced with method bead grip or similar to allow me to air down further). I tow trailers with my truck, I load it up with ladders and pressure washers, I load it up with lumber, and I load it up with camping gear. Despite this even a mini skid steer on a trailer only caused it to squat 2 inches. When I get my new tires I am also going to do a basic 3" suspension lift with an OME lift kit ($1680), sway bar drop spacer kit (from amazon with moog urethane bushings) ($35), a differential drop kit (also from amazon) ($20), and a driveshaft drop kit (OME) ($25). The kit comes with full rear springs (I am only getting the medium duty springs to retain ride comfort). I will have basic shocks, not remote reservoir (though I will be jealous of Cloe having those Fox remote coilovers), but the rear will be a set of full springs. I am also looking at a basic Air Helper Spring with some airline parts ($300) which I will tie into my OBA (which is presently just a compressor and some lines to front and rear bumpers, but I have plans for upgrading that as well as budget permits)

In all the suspension will run around $2500 and the tires will run around $1200, but it will look good, give me added clearance (and better traction on the trails thanks to the tire upgrade), and good manners on the road regardless of what I am carrying or towing. I WILL have to add a puncture repair kit for the airbag, and may even try to get my hands on a replacement airbag just in case, BUT even if I loose an airbag on the trail, the truck will still be operational as I will have a conventional lift. the airbag is just to remove the squat under a heavy load. (and if I plumb it right help with leveling the truck at camp)

[hermanrosario]

the amount of heavy labor, you need to do, to make these videos is incredible . also thanks for staying close to stock, its important to people like me, budget/warranty and practical

[hellfire]

I think the main reason why people buy spacer lifts is because it's $100 vs $2000 lol.

[jesusguido]

I purchased my 23' off road. I mainly will use to get onto bumpy areas when going mountain biking and not aggressive off roading. My local shop recommended the westcott leveling kit to gain clearance for the 285s while keeping the facory bilstein shocks. I think this is my best option.

[DrJasonTorn]

I ordered a 23 Tacoma off-road. I’ve been getting my mods lined up, and this channel has been a great resource! Thank you! Subscribed.

[JasonExplainsThings]

Great video as always Chloe. Just went through this process on the 4Runner. It's really fun and rewarding to feel the difference.

[RDGST]

You really should balance the rear with the front. It's all about matching the spring rates. By replacing the leaf pack (not as hard as it sounds) or doing an Add-A-Leaf (cheaper but less easy), you could really improve the overall handling of your truck from tip to tail. Because trucks are supposed to have the rear a bit higher than the front. 😎

[Ashoud_Anobetah]

Good stuff.. cool chick in a short box taco.. what else do ya need.... keep up the good videos !

[atoxicscorpio]

Watching your videos puts a smile on my face. I've always wanted to see a video on this topic.

[cooey]

Not an expert. Well you sure have taught me a lot when I do my mods🙌🏾 keep up the good work!!

[livingsurvival]

Why would you not raise the front a bit more than the rear. I assume you’re adding your decked system, racks, covers, rtt etc? Then your rear would be lower.

[ShootingSportz]

Thanks Chloe. I have a 2021 TRD Pro, and have been trying to decide what direction to go. I always thought the Wescott Designs setup was a "spacer lift" but you clearly clarified that in this video. I didn't want to ditch my OEM Fox suspension, and this seems like the best way to go!

Were you able to fit 285s with no issues? Did you have to go with a CMC, or swap out UCAs?

[proclific]

Not a Tech huh ? Your 10 x better then some techs I know 🤫😉 !!

[aaronmartell]

Im doing the eibach springs and lift. Don't need expensive Fox or King shocks.

[jimcatanzaro]

I lifted my 19 Tacoma with 5100 billstiens front with 0me 887 springs cost 500 and the rear 2” blocks 65 dollars and shocks where 150 and 120 for the alignment work done by me so under 900 and rides better then factory

[Mazda]

I got a 3rd generation Tacoma, I need soft ride. What did you recommend ( I just got a surgery of a broken neck and I don’t want to sale my Tacoma) I will appreciate your help. Thanks and happy new year’s.

[rildain]

First off, I have no experience working with suspension, so maybe this is a completely ignorant question, but…
Doesn’t that Fox aftermarket suspension adjust the ride height in effectively the same way as the spacers? Wouldn’t that have the same drawback as the spacers?

[pedroluken]

Great video as always Chloe. I've always wanted to see a video on this topic.

[MitchellBloss]

Hi Chloe! Like this video but wondering if the trd pro comes from factory 1.5 inches higher anyway and then add the Wescott lift sys...does this now make front end higher than rear? My understanding is they send a .5in block/ shim with kit? Or should we add a leaf? Srry for all the questions but plse respond and much appreciated!

[dms]

I decided to throw on 5100s with Old Man Emu springs and an Icon Leaf spring to replace the bottom stock leaf in the rear. So I still 3" in front and 1" in rear lift on my 21 Off-Road Taco. What do you think of that instead of the Wescott Lift Kit?