There are lots of options for lifting your Toyota Tacoma. I know it is a cliche, but you often get what you pay for with lifts. While most people ask, "what are you going to be doing with your truck" I always start with, "do you like how your truck rides" because that's what matters most. If you like a soft, plush ride, then don't lift your truck. No matter how much money you spend, your truck will never ride as smooth as it does when it is stock. My next questions are more important:
- How much money are you willing to spend?
- Are you going to do the work yourself? If not, you'll need more money.
So if you really want to lift you truck, here are the right and wrong ways to do it.
There are several lift types and lifting the front of your truck is very different from the rear.
Front lift options:
- Coilovers
- Taller springs with a higher spring rate with new shocks
- New shocks with adjustable perches
- Spacer
Reear lift options
- New leaf springs
- Add-a-leaf (AAL)
- Spacer/block
Coilovers are custom shocks and springs that are mated together. Usually these are adjustable, allowing you to increase or decrease the amount of lift. Coilovers generally start off around $800 and can cost up to $1,400. These provide you with a lot of flexibility and generally a good ride. Please note, most coilovers use heavier spring rates (650lbs is the norm for Tacomas) so they will ride firmer. King Coilovers have a softer spring rate (550lbs) so they'll provide a softer ride. Here are some good vendors that provide high-quality coilovers:
In my opinion, you can't go wrong with any of the coilovers listed above. I have personally run Icons and Sway-A-Way (which are the same as Camburgs) and was impressed with the ride quality and build of both.
Taller springs with a higher spring rate with new shocks
For Tacomas, their is only one real option for new springs and shocks and that is Old Man Emu. When you go with OME, you get beefier shocks and taller springs that have a heavier spring rate. Since OME offers different spring rates, you can customize the ride to match your rig. You can get anywhere from 1.5 inches of lift to 2.5 inches of lift depending on the spring you select. You can see the different spring/shock combos for a 2005+ Tacoma here.
Eibach recently has come to the market with a lift spring they say works with factory shocks. I haven't read much about them, but initial forum reviews show people are generally happy with them, but they aren't designed for extreme off-road use.
