I just bought a 97 Tacoma 4x4 3.4 ext cab. I need to lift it enough to get 33" 12.5 toyo open country MT. I think I need about 4" of lift. It has a ARB bumper so that will help. I'm thinking of just Geting new coils for the front and either new leafs or makeing a set shackles for the back. I've looked around a bit but did not see any good kits. Not looking to spend a ton but don't want a cheap lift. And it needs to maintain a smooth ride.
Also what would you recommend for shocks?
I'd like to stay away from body and block lifts.

 

 

I would look at scuba's profile he has a great setup. I dont know much about leafs in the back but I would go with OME in the front. 881 or 882's. And OME shocks are top of the line. If you go to toytech.com they have a lot of information.

 

You're not going to get 4" lift without either a drop bracket (don't do a drop bracket) or a adding a body lift with a ~2.5" coilover lift.

There are tons of options out there.

For the front you can go with bilstien 5100's and some eibach 3" lift coils from toytech
You could run an allpro bilstien coilover.
You could run Old Man Emu 882's with OME shocks.
Or you could go with high dollar Icon, Sway Away, or Camburg coilovers.

For the rear, you have other options.

There are Allpro 3" lift springs (standard or the heavy duty "expo springs").
I don't reccommed OME Dakars. They flatten too easily.
There's the chevy 63" conversion.
Theres Alcan custom springs...


Heres a link to get you started.
http://www.customtacos.com/tech/index.php?article=137

Once you read it. Follow the links on the right under the Pros and cons of each section to take you to the vendors where you can start pricing things out.

 

Thanks for the info I'll check into it. One reason I did not want to mess with a Body lift is I dint want to have to raise the front bumper. This is actually my brothers truck and I have only seen it once so as far as a body lift goes I don't know much about the set up for the tacos steering, how hard it would be to extend
it. Maybe not at all if the b/l was small enough.

 

The ARB bumper has enough play to raise it up a 1/2-3/4".
You don't need to extend anything with a 1" body lift.

 

how much do you want to spend?

 

My brother paid 5k I think. That's good that the bumber has enough play. Like I said I've only seen I once and I did not look at the bumper mounts.
We will proably just make a 1" body lift and then use a new coil. And shackles for the back. How much lift you think you need for 33" to acomedate full travel. And for the most part what kind of increase in travel can we expect with new coils in the front. I know it depends on brand, size and all that.
Thanks.

 

Sorry i thought you said how much did you spend.
I'm not sure how much he is welling to spend. He does not do much off road. He just wants to be able to fit his tires and mild off road use. I'm thinking maybe a 1" b/l new coils in the front and either make a set of shackles or if he's willing buy new springs.

 

He finally got the truck and it looks like it might already have a after market coil. Who makes yellow coils? Some of ome are I think ( the PO might have just painted them too) but the front looks taller then the back so idk. The shocks looked like they might have been bilstens they were dirty so I could not tell.