01 Tacoma 5 lug lowering question.

so i looked at lc engineering's 3 in the front and 4 in the rear lowering it and it doesn't come with lowering springs liek the one you posted. It comes with control arms and in the description it says install new control arms. Does installing new control arm slower the truck?

 

The control arms dont slow your truck down or lower your truck! They are there to ensure you get back to alignment specs after your drop. Although they are not needed for the 3/4" drop actually and I dont think anyone has had issues getting realigned without them, so they are kind of a waster of money imo.

The front drop you get in the DJM kit is from flipping your ball joints, which is cheaper to do than coils. They make all their money in the control arms basically on this kit and you get nothing as a nifty bonus! This is why I did not post this kit, it would not be the route I would recommend due to price for what you get. However there are many on here that run the DJM kit and can chime in on their first hand experience.

So those control arms WILL slow you down I guess since you will waste money on them you could use to make your truck faster!

 

my bad i meant lower not slower lol.

 

Hope I answered your question back there, just had some fun with your typo too! Are you leaning towards a coil drop or the ball joint flip? Need more info?

The ball joint flip is basically taking your upper and lower ball joints from under the control arms where the factory installs them, and putting them on top of the control arms to get your drop. It uses your stock springs, but the negatives I have read from some folks is you get bump steer on bumpy roads. I also read from some it is actually just a bit over 2" actual drop. Many guys run them and dig them because it helps get you real low combining with a drop spring too if 5-6" drop is what you're after. You are messing with the factory suspension geometry, so suspect that it will handle differently to some degree. The bj flip can be cost effective if you dont buy the DJM kit and simply grab some bolts to do the job yourself using a write up from the forum here.

The coil drops are either Belltech 2" for a bit softer ride or the Chassistech 3" for a bit more drop but firmer ride (from my research).

Another budget route that is not recommend and yet many do is to cut your coils to your desired ride height.

What are you trying to accomplish? How much drop, how much budget, and how do you want the truck to ride and function after your drop may also help steer you in one method over another.

Any more questions or what are you adding to your cart for Xmas?!!!

 

One more note for @rharris5551 , I bought my truck with a SnugTop full painted and lined camper shell and no add a leaf and have since removed the shell.

The ride height difference was negligible but I would say the truck actually rode quite a bit more forgiving over bumps and potholes with a bit of extra weight back there from the topper. Guess it makes sense since these trucks are made to hold a lot of weight in the bed, so they seem to ride a bit harsh when unloaded.

Remove those rear blocks, pop on them new wheels and call it done!!
Oh yeah, and post PICS please!

 

lol my budget is around 400-500 for a good lowering kit and im actually looking for a good drop like either 3 inch front and rear or 4 inch front and rear. I love quality but springs are good you say?

 

As stated earlier, the ball joint flip will mess with your geometry and springs will not. You can get springs and blocks for the $200 range, then add some shocks and low profile bump stops while your at it. You have 2 spring options as also mentioned:

1- Belltech 2/3" drop kit for $200 shipped. This is the route I would go. Not quite as much drop as a 3/4" but still get a nicer stance, a more usable truck height, lower center of gravity for better handling, and a daily drive-able ride.

2- If you are more into as much drop as feasible at the cost of a rougher ride and minimal rear frame clearance you can grab the ChassisTech $228 1995.5-2004 Tacom'a 2WD 3"-4" Drop Coils Lowering Springs Blocks Lowering Kit
3/4" coil block drop for $227 shipped.

For the best ride quality definitely go for option 1, the Belltech kit and get new shocks. If you want the lower stance but rough ride and more "rub" potential go for the ChassisTech. It is hard to tell from your profile thumbnail pic, but if your tires are sticking out from the fender well due to low offset wheels you may need to modify things further especially if you go with more drop. Good to hear you have money in your budget left over!

As for a shock pick I had some KYB Excel G and these rode very close to my pricey Bilsteins for probably half the price or less at $30 a shock. Links to shocks below:

$39 KYB 343209 Excel-G Gas Shock, Black , Silver

Front

$35 KYB 344055 Excel-G Gas Shock

Rear

Let's see what you do with some pics please!

 

Yeah the rims are pretty wide with the tires its how i bought it lol i was planning to snag me some new rims like 15x8’s or 16x8’s

 

Thanks for the info i should have taken the account i wanted to drop the ride with smaller rims

 

I am running 8 inch wide wheels with 45mm offset and think they sit perfectly in the fender wells. No mods and no issues with my 3" drop running 245/45/17's. This pic shows the fitment pretty nicely.


15"s and 16"s are cool if you are going for vintage or more stock looking tire combo with a meaty sidewall. If you want some modern high performance rubber to improve handling you may need to look into 17"s and up (eg. Michelin Pilot Sport 4s do not come smaller than 17").

The wheels/tires are the single largest factor that will change how your truck handles the curves, launches, and stops keep in mind if these qualities are important to you. Regardless of wheel size keep the overall tire diameter around 25-26" depending on on your drop.

Hope you get the ride quality and stance you desire with your drop and tires guys!

 

Fck yeah we the few of the tacomas that like lowering bless up bro!

 

just bought a 2001 tacoma that i can see the blocks they used to lower the back , but did they also have to change the shocks ? how to tell ? is there a measurement i could make . what I can't see is if they lowered the front . if you lower the back do you also have to lowere the front ? will the truck not be level ? , is there a measurement from top of the wheel to top of the tire ? or top of the axle to ? I want to raise it back to stock height so I can carry more cargo .

 

After going back and forth with suspension set ups, does anyone know how I can get a 2/2 drop in an event I want to go that route? If so, what does that entail? 2” drop springs from Belltech and 2” drop blocks?

Thanks in advanced!