ok so i have a 98 tacoma 4x4 with a 6in lift i believe it was lifted with trailmaster 6in lift first then had fabtech spindles and struts put on it from what i read the trail master spindles had some problems.

so i just bought this truck and i would like to lower it to a 4 inch lift how would this be possible i made a thread about coilovers a week ago and then i actualy found some but realized it wont work cause i am already sitting to close to the bump stops if i drop it 2 inches with the coils i would be sitting on the bump stops.

so how could i lose 2 inches i only really care about the front i know how to do the back i posted some pics so you can see what i am working with.

if anyone can give me some ideas it would help allot this truck is just too tall

thanks

 

not to offend you or anything, but I almost vomited when I saw those pictures, especially the last one.

Did the sway bar drop bracket snap in HALF?!

Get rid of it before it gets rid of you. Then get a proper lift haha

 

yes it did just snap thats another reason i would like some info if you have any use full advise it would be good

 

I'm not terribly familiar with the post 95 trucks/4Runners to be honest, but that drop bracket doesn't seem to be holding up all that well from the looks of it. Pretty rusty and nasty for the most part.

What do you plan on doing with your truck though? If you don't plan on beating the piss out of it offroad you're probably fine leaving it on there for now.

Reducing the lift without getting a new bracket lift is going to be tough though.

How's the back look? lift springs or is it a block lift?

 

it looks worse in the pics it does have some rust on it

i do not plan to to that much offroading maybe some sand and beach stuff

as for the back it has a block and an add a leaf back is a little stiff

i was thinking maybe i can put a procomp 4" lift on it but i dont know if it will work since they cut the sub frame

i would also have to get some stock spindles and some stock struts

what do you think

 

Sell it and buy a truck that isn't molested. If you want to lower it you need to take it to a frame repair shop and have them complete the repairs to reinstall the lower sub frames and cross members. Thus, returning it to stock height.

 

well i dont want it at stock hieght i would be happy with a 4" lift

if thats what it comes down to my really good friend owns a body shop but i dont want to go to stock

 

What part of the "subframe" did they cut? I figured those bracket lifts were all bolt on.

Your best bet is to completely remove it and get stock spindles to be honest. Ditch the blocks in the back as well.

At stock height the truck will do fine on the beach and in the sand. All you need is to get a locker for the rear end.

If you absolutely want it to be lifted, then a 4" bracket lift will do you good. I've seen the 4" Pro Comp bracket lifts take a beating in the rocks and be no worse the wear. Just avoid the blocks in the back. Add-a-Leafs aren't horrible, but if you want a smoother ride and decent flex get a whole new set of leaves for the rear (63" chevy or a trail-gear set is what I would personally choose between).

 

Like Scuba was trying to say, once you put a drop bracket lift on, you can't just take it off so easily. You need the original sub frame pieces and crossmembers. If you don't have those (which I'll bet is the case), you'd have to make some or cut them off a donor vehicle and have a shop cut off the bracket lift and reinstall everything. I agree w/ Scoob, sell that thing to someone who just wants a big lifted truck and start over with a new truck and don't put a drop bracket lift on, but rather some longer struts/coils. You can get ~3" of lift that way and it will actually be functional. Drop bracket lifts look good to people who don't know better, but they actually reduce your ground clearance from stock, they're expensive, and as you're finding out.. they aren't reversible once you figure out how crappy they really are.

 

Didn't realize drop bracket lifts involved cutting the frame. Had I known that I'd be giving you the same advice as scuba.

I'd say cut your losses and find a stock truck.

 

First off I know that it is not exactly desirable, but I have sucessfully removed a drop bracket lift from one truck before and put it onto another. I would not have attempted it if either truck was mine, but it came out really well....better than I had expected. We had the trucks side by side and cut the frame section out of one and welded it back into the other. Your best bet would be to find a junk yard truck and cut out the section of frame you need, weld it into yours and cross brace it. Not as bad as you would think to do.

Also I don't see why you couldn't just buy a 4" drop bracket lift and put it on.....no welding required unless I am forgetting something. Since the frame is already cut the old lift should just unbolt off and the new one bolt on.

 

Thanks that's what I'm hopping to do with a procomp lift