Best riding 2-3" lift?

Hey guys, sorry if this has been spoken about but, I keep popping cv axles with my 3.5" rc lift so I am going to go smaller after replacing my cv back to OEM Toyota CVs. I am also going with a 2-3" smaller lift. I am also going to add a small bumper w winch and possibly rock sliders. I was thinking about going Old Man Emu heavy duty but, wondered about ride quality. I also didn't know if 285/75/16 will fit. I know FOX is the most expensive but, was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on a higher end brand that's not 3k. Thanks.

 

Low end of budget Bilstien 6112 and 5160s and RXT leaf springs.

Higher end, deal with @AccuTune Offroad they have the fancy Fox with DSC that is so tempting. I've yet to drive on any Fox shock above TRD Fox or 2.0 Fox.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/should-i-get-dsc-adjusters-on-my-fox-shocks/

 

Bilstein 6112 and 5100 is a proven setup that rides great

 

This^^^^ king, icon, fox = constant maintenance.

 

If you're lifting 2 inches in the rear, get icon rxt leafs for versatile bang of buck, the extended 5100s or better, and longer bump stops, preferably a flip kit. Standard length rear 5100s are only 23" long.

 

Ive had non-resi Icons since 2015. Does everything I ask it to do. It's tight in the corners and loose over bumps. I don't offfroad

 

Not true about maintenance being higher on Fox or king… they just have maintainable parts where as most the Bilstein do not. Not to say they are a bad shock, they can make just as good products as Fox or king if not better — but their bolt on Tacoma stuff caters to a lower price point and performance than the other two.

you can also tune those shocks for any comfort or feeling you like through different valving & spring rates for any extra weight you have up front. As said, accutune can make either of these brands ride like a Cadillac.. But this will be top $$$.

bilstein 6100 will be a good bang for buck. Don’t set the lift too high, 2-2.5” max from my experience. Stick with 500-600lb or OEM springs in the front unless you have a heavy steel bumper.

match the rears to the front as far as brand and level of performance.

rear leaf springs, I’d suggest giving Alcan springs a call. They can also make whatever custom pack you want for lift height and ride quality, and payload. Found their prices to be reasonable for what they provide.

I have Alcan springs that are rated for +200lbs constant over stock, have a lot of lift (4”), and they ride nicer on the street than any OEM Tacoma. They also can smash offroad very well, and tow a trailer without squatting a ton. I was personally blown away at what they could do — I didn’t think leaf springs could get that good.

 

6112/5160 is popular. The front is said to be 2.3". Rear has reservoir. Not every combo offers that.

You can research what might be similar or potentially better, and how the price compares.
Supposedly OME has something slightly better, with higher cost to match.

 

similar vehicles on the same rough dirt road, similar tires and tire pressure :
the tacoma with Bilsteins ( or rancho etc) will not be able to even come close enough to follow the dust of a similar Tacoma at it's confort speed with the Fox or Eibach type , the wheels will skip and chatter right off the road in a curve and cause a crash if you even try to follow with Bilsteins
I know this 100% for fact
Not true with paved roads, the Bilsteins are just fine for everyday driving

 

I agree with this. I've had both the Bilstein 6112/5160 on stock stuff, and now have Fox 2.5 PES + Deaver leafs + other aftermarket fun stuff. There is a reason it costs more to play with the big stuff, but the secret is actually tuning it for your specific setup and not expecting it to magically bolt on and work without adjusting (as many people do).

I also disagree with this. King/Icon/Fox/any other big 2.5" shock requires no more maintenance at times than a Bilstein 6112. The difference is one you can tune and rebuild and requires a bit of fiddling if you want the optimal performance, and the other is a one-size-fits-most bolt-on disposable-ish product. Everyone needs to be honest with themselves about what you are really trying to accomplish before hating on things they don't understand.

A hobo warming his hands over a barrel fire will find some warmth. Imagine someone walking up and throwing $5k worth of dollar bills into that same fire. OK yeah the burning money technically will temporarily fuel that fire, but is the warmth really improved now by that much? Silly to expect the same of a suspension "build."

 

Good stuff my dude. Any set of shocks will improve the ride of the truck and as you mentioned it’s all about being honest on the usage you’ll give to such truck and bro from there. The comment in regards of the maintenance on high end shocks it’s based on my experience. Their high performance design compromises a little on the longevity of serviceable parts. Not the end of the world but something to keep in the back of you head. If you have the funds than it’s no biggie. Cheers

 

I like my accutune set up, I've got @ 50k on them & ya its time to send them in for a tune up, but my truck is on wash board gravel as much as it's on pavement. I'm running bumper, winch sliders on 600# springs and they provided a nice ride, durabumps handle the miss judged g-outs. If I was starting over I'd do the same, call and talk to accutune and go with there recomendation

 

This could explain why my 6112s feel so stiff and jarring. I've got them on the top notches for my 2nd gen. I also have 265/75/16 KO2s and I was thinking that could be causing the stiffness, but it sounds like I should play with the clip settings.

 

Can you provide some examples of these compromises?

 

Hiem joints in my region is a good one, but there’s alternatives to them.

 

Nothing major. Simple stuff such as leaks and bushing bearings(heims). It’s stuff that was avoidable by doing proper maintenance and and being considerate after usage. But again it’s still maintenance. And as I mentioned before if you have the funds it really doesn’t matter.

 

Some shock brands cheap out on bearings (not heims) which can lead to premature wear. Some brands like Fox for example, use high quality bearings and have an o-ring that helps seal the bearing from dirt and debris. Not all high end shock brands are the same, sometimes the details matter most which end up costing more.

 

Can you comment on Old Man Emu?

 

I’ve had old man emu, Bilstein, Icon, and Iron Man. I’ve also driven a 4runner with an aftermarket Fox set up.

The OME was just like a pogo stick, regardless of what type of coil weight I used. Bilstein felt like stock. Icon and Fox were very plush.

The Iron Man is on a 200 series land cruiser, so it’s really hard to say if it’s better than stock or not.

Can’t comment on OME BP series.

 

As someone who has redone their suspension a few times; rear has been redone 5 times..I'll just say, you get what you pay for. Buy once, cry once.