So i called Mike at Off Road Solutions, great helpful guy. He told me that if i go with a SAW 0-3.5" sus lift i would be best off going to a manual hub conversion that they sell and install. 1000 for the kit and then 400 for the install. so you looking at 1400 there. then roughly 850 for a SAW lift with Blisten 5100 shocks for the rear and new shackels. i can live with 850. Mike told me that if i do that much of a lift and then do the conversion kit i wouldnt have to worry about my CV joints and boots AT ALL. just want your opinions if this sounds right. i know the price is....well the price is up there but i want it done right and strong. heard nothing but good things about the conversion to manual hubs.

so let me make this easy. $850....good strong 3.5" max sus lift. $1400 for manual conversion to take care of ALL my cv problems.

is this sounding like the expensive, but absoulte best path?

 

Sure, if you don't mind spending that kinda cash.

I've looked at their kit, it looks nice and complete, but I haven't quite yet reasoned out the $1000 price tag. Lots of people run SAWs without problems to their CVs. Do a diff drop, you'll be fine. $625 for the SAWs, $150 for some Bills, $50 for a Downey shackle and $20 for a diff drop.

 

the manual hub conversion is desired by most (if not all) with ADD and a suspension lift, but its a pretty penny to spend.

you decide if its worth the $1400 to convert to manual hubs.

you could just get spacers for the front and save some cash there.

3.5" is waaaaaaaaay too much for your tacoma, manual hubs or not. from what ive seen, 3" is the max for the ball joints. plus your ride will suck real bad with the SAWs cranked that much on your light taco.

 

oh im not saying that i would go to a 3 and a half inch. just saying that it would be possible. i wouldnt go more than like 2 and 3/4

 

have you done more checking on the manual hub idea, I know for Tacomas there are some people that used junkyard parts and converted that way. Willbchap on the TTORA board did it that I know of.

 

isn't it cheaper to just get the high angle cv joints,?? another solution would be 2.5" suspension and 1" body lift.... if you can do the work yourself then you would save a lot that way and still fit 33s.

if you are going to be hardcore and do a manual hub conversion for 1200 bucks, i would just skip that stuff and go straight to the SAS! that is the absoloute best there is! and its gonna cost more... but thats the toughest thing out there. You are already looking at about 3 grand.... so if you want the best... this isn't gonna satisfy you..... just go all the way... do it right the first time... SAS.

 

You know SAS isnt always the best choice!!! I gotta agree with Steve on this (dear god help me, I will regret this!) After owning both SAS and IFS I will be the first to tell you that SAS has its obvious advantages, but Toyota puts out a mean IFS setup. IFS rides smoother on the road, responds better, and in SOME instances gives you a more controlled feel. Ill leave this post here though so I dont go on a rant for a whole page.

Its all about what youre gonna do with it!


Josh

 

Here's one for you...you have to get out and lock the darn hubs when you want 4WD. :pat:

There's a lot of "hardcore bling" factor to the manual hubs. Some of it is truthfull...but for most of us, it's overkill. You should lift it now, and wheel it for a while. See if things start going bad and then do the manual-hub job.

Jim

 

What are you going to be using the truck for mainly? How much time will it see offroad? If your not going to wheel that sucker, then I wouldn't drop a load of cash into it. If you just want it for the bling factor, then just buy some 3" spacers, a body lift, and be done with it

 

my whole thought is spend the cash now to get it done right and not have to worry about it down the road when im in say....Moab. well that and so i can be talking to someone that knows what they are talking about. walk over, turn my hub and say "yea thats what a grand did for me"......lol. i know its the expensive route. but its the right one. i think i have decided to wait until the end of summer and see what the summer brings me and see if its something i will NEED. im just gonna do a 2 and a half AAL in the rear and then get SAW coil overs and set them at about 2 inches and see if i like that.

 

There are other mods that will get you through Moab...this one won't help you at all.

I'd look at just doing the lift and spending that extra cash on something like sliders...or sturdy bumpers...or a rear locker...etc.

Jim

 

No matter how you build it or what you spend... if you go wheelin you are bound to break something sometime!!!!!!!!!! So, you need to be realistic about how often you are going to wheel, how hard your gonna wheel and how much you are willing to spend.