What do I need to know about top hats?

Thinking about adding 1" or 2" top hats to my front struts to level the truck up a smidge after doing an add a leaf to the rear. Is there anything that I need to be aware or before I order a set?
Will it do long term damage to the suspension, will it give weird drive shaft angles? Should I just leave it alone?

Just bought some new Falken wildpeak 235 85/r16 tires and have zero rubbing.

Thanks for any advice!

 

You mean a spacer lift?

 

Yes, I think. Those things that go on top of the front shock struts to give a little lift.

 

That's the cheap way to do it and the ride might feel like dog ass. Depending how big the spacers are, you will need new longer bolts for the hats.

 

I think my 97 has the spacers, and it does ride like dog ass…
What’s the better way?

 

Get shocks with springs made for lifting. I personally run OME nitros with 880 springs. Night and day difference.

 

What would be best spring setup with Bilstein 5100s?
I'm looking for a plusher ride.
Right now my 4x4 rides like a buckboard on the street.

 

A lot of people run OME 881 for a small lift with the 5100 with good results or 880 for even less lift. I personally don't have experience with the 5100 and prefer to match springs with the same maker of the shocks since I believe that they tuned the shocks to match their own springs.

 

Any of the bilstein lift options, with their digressive valving, is going to give you a ride that’s well controlled and feels great (better than a spacer lift), but won’t be “plush.”

 

Well 'plush' might be the wrong term, just looking for a normal ride considering a 25 year old 4X4.
Whoever lifted this truck, from sources here, did it the cheap way and I doubt by any sort of suspension specialist.
Being a motorcycle offroader myself, I know that doing suspension correctly takes expertise. That said, I know very little about truck suspension and lifts.
My challenge seems to be finding that guy who knows their sh#t and doesn't over-sell me stuff I don't need. There are several 4X4 joints here in Reno NV but so far it seems most are selling accessories over the counter and installing them. Selling parts does not equal knowledge of suspension.

 

Are you looking to go back to stock spec or keep some lift?

 

Really, I don't care either way. I'm good with the stock height truck, but I don't mind an inch or two either. Just want to get it to ride smoother within a budget.
Under a grand would be nice.
I'll do some offroad just for kicks but I bought the truck for home dutied, hardware store, dump runs, light trailering, etc.
It's got a winch and heavy duty bumper and after market winch.
What I know about the suspension is coil overs front with spacers, rear looks like it's got a lift block bolted to the frame.
Other than that, just told it has a 2" lift from the guy I bought it from, and he didn't do the lift.
(Sorry if I seem to be jacking the PO's thread, but seeking knowledge beneficial to both of us
I did post my questions elsewhere).

 

For under a grand, I’d do a Bilstein 5100 setup all around and buy new leaves to remove the block out back.

or keep the block and do a 6112/5160 Bilstein setup to have nice adjustability up front. Then save for nice deavers later

 

Uhhhh, is that TWO spacers in the front? Wtf never seen that before. And wtf is up with the rear? It looks like it is sitting on the bumpstop already. Not sure whar the previous owner did here but I would get this kit and call it a day. If want minimal lift you can get the OME lift kit with 880 springs or a set of 4600 and reuse your current springs then pull out that rear bumpstop.

 

"deavers"?
I'm reading that Old Man shocks and coils are matched to each other, which in the moto world is the right approach.
But also reading that the Bilstein 5100s are a good value for the buck.
Since I don't know if the front springs are stock or otherwise I'm in the dark there.
What's the importance of replacing the leaf springs?

 

Again I know nothing about bump stops or anything else...
The cylindrical thingies you see are airbag levelers strictly for load leveling. That much I do know from the PO.

 

Top hats you say????

 

Since you don't know, I would replace the whole thing. I personally prefer to go with OME for the progressive shock and spring as a set. I'm not a fan of digressive shocks like the Bilstein. Admittedly, I have never used them on my Tacoma but I have used them multiple times in previous vehicles and it never left me satisfied with the way that they performed. However, it seems people here are happy with that setup so maybe it works in the Tacoma. I wasn't willing to venture down that road. I also came from the moto world and mixing springs and shocks is a no-no but I think these trucks may be much more forgiving since they are just driven at slow speeds on the road and most people don't go offroad with them.

The Deaver leaf pack he is talking about is a complete replacement for your leafs in the back. If you aren't ready for that, I would tear out the current block and that "airbag" thing and put in a AAL. The Toytec kits comes with a Deaver AAL that should work well.

 

Yeah well that seems like a good full kit option within my budget. When I find someone to do the work might just do that.
Wondering if there are any reviews on the results...
Just want that better ride

so what is a Front Differential Drop Kit?
Evidently you need that on a 4X4 like mine.

It says "Complete 3" lift kit with Toytec front coils for 95-04 Tacoma"
I don't care to lift it any higher, lower if anytthing...

 

Do it yourself. It's beyond easy. Save for the OME kit and get 880 or 881 springs. 880 if you want less lift.