Suspension upgrade...tow 5000lbs and mostly street driving

Hello everyone so im new to this forum but I have searched for years snice I bought my truck back in 2006. I have read numerous threads about suspension lifts and all seem to focus on serious off road. I currently have Rancho quick lift which is 2.5" lift with RS9000XL for the rear with air lift.

So im looking to upgrade my Rancho because bushing are shot and rusting.

I use my truck to tow about 5000lb and 90% street driving and rest light off road.

Looking for a coilover that has 2.5" lift that I can match with the rear shock with add a leaf or blocks important needs to tow well.

I seen guys use
Toytec
Icon
King
Fox


I have ordered the following:
- JBA UCA LCA
- LBJ
- Power steering bushing to poly
- Sway link from suspension Max
- Sway bar bushings from Moog
- Outer tie rod
- CVJ red inner boit for CV joint

 

i've got the ICON 3 leaf AAL with the factory overload spring still installed. truck tows 6k lbs pretty damn great with this setup. lifted up front and out back with a slight rake.

my full setup is the 3 leaf AAL, bilstein 5100s front and rear with OME 885 springs and energy suspension isolators. camburg upper control arms and wheelers extended brake lines... really cant complain about my suspensions performance for my needs (which is indeed towing my tacomas and other projects around

 

Ok so sounds like a setup that would work for me snice I'm usually just using the truck to tow and driven around town. So I have a couple questions on your setup.

1. Icon AAL the inky kne I see is the model 51100 which says it only lifts truck 1.5" and you have to remove the overload spring. https://www.iconvehicledynamics.com...-96-up-tacoma-00-06-tundra-15-add-a-leaf-kit/

2. The Bilstein 5100s shocks say it only lifts truck 1" snice you can't use circlip 4 or 5 . Which one do you have your set too? Also they are backordered everywhere.

3. The ome coils 2885 how much lift did it get you?

$214 ARB 2885 Old Man Emu Coil Spring

https://www.amazon.com/ARB-2885-Old-Coil-Spring/dp/B004LQAO9Q

Looks like the kit you have.
https://www.1stgenoffroad.com/store/p769/Bilstein/OMELiftLevelKit.html#/

 

I was speaking to Toytec and the recommended the Aluma series kit. Has anyone use this kit before?

 

My fronts ~2” lift. Rear is about 1.75”. I kept the overload in. Just need to file the rivets on the clamps of the aal down a bit so they don’t make noise

the 885 springs are on the lowest setting on the 5100s. Leads to a firmer but really good ride

 

I’m almost the exact same setup as @empty_lord only I removed the rear over loads with my icons, and I’m running Firestone Air bags.

With the bags deflated to 5psi I sit almost perfectly level. 885’s on the bottom setting is about 2” of lift in the front, and rear icons with over load removed is about 1” lift.

 

I have the same air bags is there a reason you removed the overload spring?

 

The leaf pack will flex better. I don’t run airbags so the overload staying on is ideal for me (and you get a wee bit more height)

 

In terms of picking what you want to run up front It really depends on how stiff you want it to be. King, fox, and icon are going to be a little softer. And Toytec or Icon with the 700lbs springs. As for the rear. and AAL and keeping the stock overload bar is your best option with the airlift unless you want to buy custom leafs.

 

So I really dont need to stiff as I don't offraod heavily. Most street driving and towing 5k.

So my understanding is if I go with Bilstein 5100 all around, 885 springs which I believe there 650lbs. And add the icon aal keeping the overload spring with my airbags should give me about 2" in the front and the rear will have some rake?

I was hoping if there was an option for like 2.5" left for front and rear level or little rake. Snice I have currently Rancho quick lift struts which supposedly gives 2.5" lift in the front. I will need to measure ground to fender to see how it compares to your setups.

 

Ground to fender measurements will vary with tire size, center hub to fender wont. https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-big-is-yours-measure-up.46186/

 

Thank you just loaded my measurements to that thread.

 

I drive about 40k a year and I was hoping for a softer street ride. The air bags pick up the slack if I’m towing my pop up trailer or RZR.

I’m not sure the Icons “improved” my ride much, but I got the lift I wanted.

 

So not sure if it was a good deal but I just placed an order that the site said it had 1 set of bilstein 5100 in stock for $438 shipped.

Now I have to get the 2885, the isolators and icon aal. I'm I missing something?

Does anyone have the part number for the isolators?

 

What do you guys think about these aal packs look just like the icon I see some guys have used them but can seem to find any feed back.

 

pretty much the same setup. not a bad deal. if your going to keep the overload you'll still want to grind the rivets for the clamps flatter (not to the point where they can break though)

 

Do you know the part number for the isolators?

 

oh. let me see if i can find them on my order history

 

$20 Energy Suspension 9.6104G Coil Spring Isolator Set

https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Suspension-9-6104G-SPRING-ISOLATOR/dp/B000CN5G7W

should be these

 

Thank you for your fast response. Quick question are the wheelers cam bolts any good?

 

personally ive got no experience with them. i bought new toyota ones.. even if theyre pricey

 

Do I need any bump stops with your setup?

 

ive got the stock bumps for now with the spacers bilstein provides in front. stock in rear. eventually i'll add Durobumps front and rear though

 

Was looking at those Durobumps there pricey but I thi k I should be good snice I hopefully don't bottom out the shocks snice I'm not going off road.

Also i know it's off topic but curious what you did with your proportioning valve?

 

i have it adjusted up. i tried tieing it up to the bed and the rear brakes just got so damn sensitive and would lock up. so i adjusted the valve with the tool from toyota..


since people dont have that tool accessible normally, you'll have to do it based off feel

 

Yes it sucks been reading alot and seems like a pain in the butt. I was thinking in doing the wilwood valve but not sure exactly how it will work to adjust when empty and towing. My valve is all rusted up.

 

Forgot to ask what strut mount did you use?
Was thinking these KYB and the isolator you recommend.

$34 KYB SM5442 - Mount and Insulator

https://www.amazon.com/KYB-SM5442-Mount-and-Insulator/dp/B000PWW7RM

 

Yea those are what I used. Then just swap the rubber for the energy suspension isolator

 

Did you have the issue with the Drivers side being lower then the passenger?

 

On mine just a hair. A small 1/4” spacer on the driver side would fix what I have. But it doesn’t bother me