Lift advice

[banyar]

Good evening, I'm new to the forum and I just bought a TRD Sport. I want to lift it and change the original rims and tires. I don't know much about it, so I'm asking for your advice. I'm thinking of putting these on the front:

and these on the back:

which would lift it 3" in the front and 2" in the back with a 1" rake. I'm considering 285/70R18 or 285/75R17 tires. Is that correct? Is it a good combination? Would I need to change the UCA? I just want to lift it for aesthetic reasons, I'm not going to off-road it.Thanks in advance.

Sponsored

 

[MT-Taco]

Those shocks look like a larger diameter? So you’re probably going to need UCA’s. At full droop the factory UCA’s might contact the shocks. Also lifting to 3 inches you’re going to need them to get a good alignment. FYI Just changing the front shocks could give you an unbalanced ride. Look at Bilstein 6112’s, I think they are a good option? You can find a full set front and rear for about $1300.
https://www.shocksurplus.com/collections/bilstein?Year/2026/Make/Toyota/Model/Tacoma/DriveType/RWD

https://jbaoffroad.com/vehicle/2024-toyota-tacoma

 

[PNWkip]

Just my opinion, but if you're gonna do those Eibachs might as well do the whole kit at 2" front 1" rear. If you stay at 2" or under you shouldn't need UCAs. Not sure how 285/70R18 would fit in there, so I'll let someone else chime in. @Panda Motorworks sometimes has great deals on that kit.

 

[banyar]

Those shocks look like a larger diameter? So you’re probably going to need UCA’s. At full droop the factory UCA’s might contact the shocks. Also lifting to 3 inches you’re going to need them to get a good alignment. FYI Just changing the front shocks could give you an unbalanced ride. Look at Bilstein 6112’s, I think they are a good option? You can find a full set front and rear for about $1300.
https://www.shocksurplus.com/collections/bilstein?Year/2026/Make/Toyota/Model/Tacoma/DriveType/RWD

https://jbaoffroad.com/vehicle/2024-toyota-tacoma

thanks for your input, are you referring to this?


Bilstein
6112 Strut & Spring + Rear B8 6100 Shocks Set
2024-2026 Toyota Tacoma 4WD RWD
$1,309.99

I think this set lift the front 2.5” and 1.5” rear? I can use the stock springs in the rear with the Bilstein shocks?

 

[plasticsnaks]

Just installed the eibach stage 2 kit on my 2025 Sport 4x4. Also added 3/4” spacers to the eibach 1” rear lift coils to get 1.75” lift in the rear. I wanted to retain factory rake which I did. I also had to crank down the front coil overs to my desired ~2” lift in the front. (When I installed these at factory settings, I was at 3.5” lift.) * Note: these will probably settle to some degree over time but I can re-adjust the coil overs back to desired height.
I did go with UCA’s (JBA) and did so from many years of experience with lifted Tacomas/4runners. With a 2” lift you “may” be able to get within “factory alignment specs” but I can guarantee you won’t be able to get “optimal” alignment numbers. With the factory UCA’s you’ll most likely be low on caster and high on camber vs “optimal” alignment numbers. Keep in mind that “optimal” is subjective…..but do yourself enough digging through years of Tacoma/4runner forums posts and you’ll get similar optimal numbers.

I also highly suggest that when you get an alignment after your lift is installed, to find someone who will align it to “optimal numbers” vs getting it into “Toyota spec.”
I just recently found out that Toyotas wide range of their allowed alignment spec numbers are borderline ridiculous for these 4th gen’s…..especially if lifted.
I’m having mine re-aligned next week after the 4x4 shop who aligned it assured me they’re get it right and said they didn’t need my nor JBA’s alignment numbers. They basically got the caster right, but the camber and toe are way too high, even though they are in Toyota spec. They gave me +.70 and +.92 camber and +.35 toe in. These camber and toe numbers will smoke the front tire outside tread quickly. (Ask me how I know and then research into what others with 4th gen Tacomas have encountered with crazy front tire wear and ridiculously high camber and toe numbers that are considered within Toyota spec).

On a lifted 4th gen Tacoma I and many others would consider “Optimal” caster to be +4 to + 5 and camber should be 0 to +.5 max (closer to 0 better) and total toe 0 to +.2 max …..these are numbers I’ve used in the past for my two 3rd gen tacomas and two 5th gen 4Runners. They all drove perfect with even tire wear.

Best wishes on your suspension!

 

[PNWkip]

thanks for your input, are you referring to this?


Bilstein
6112 Strut & Spring + Rear B8 6100 Shocks Set
2024-2026 Toyota Tacoma 4WD RWD
$1,309.99

I think this set lift the front 2.5” and 1.5” rear? I can use the stock springs in the rear with the Bilstein shocks?

You should reach out to Bilstein with your vin just to confirm those are compatible with the sport. The 5100 are not, so I would just double check to confirm the 6112 & 6100 are.

 

[banyar]

Just installed the eibach stage 2 kit on my 2025 Sport 4x4. Also added 3/4” spacers to the eibach 1” rear lift coils to get 1.75” lift in the rear. I wanted to retain factory rake which I did. I also had to crank down the front coil overs to my desired ~2” lift in the front. (When I installed these at factory settings, I was at 3.5” lift.) * Note: these will probably settle to some degree over time but I can re-adjust the coil overs back to desired height.
I did go with UCA’s (JBA) and did so from many years of experience with lifted Tacomas/4runners. With a 2” lift you “may” be able to get within “factory alignment specs” but I can guarantee you won’t be able to get “optimal” alignment numbers. With the factory UCA’s you’ll most likely be low on caster and high on camber vs “optimal” alignment numbers. Keep in mind that “optimal” is subjective…..but do yourself enough digging through years of Tacoma/4runner forums posts and you’ll get similar optimal numbers.

I also highly suggest that when you get an alignment after your lift is installed, to find someone who will align it to “optimal numbers” vs getting it into “Toyota spec.”
I just recently found out that Toyotas wide range of their allowed alignment spec numbers are borderline ridiculous for these 4th gen’s…..especially if lifted.
I’m having mine re-aligned next week after the 4x4 shop who aligned it assured me they’re get it right and said they didn’t need my nor JBA’s alignment numbers. They basically got the caster right, but the camber and toe are way too high, even though they are in Toyota spec. They gave me +.70 and +.92 camber and +.35 toe in. These camber and toe numbers will smoke the front tire outside tread quickly. (Ask me how I know and then research into what others with 4th gen Tacomas have encountered with crazy front tire wear and ridiculously high camber and toe numbers that are considered within Toyota spec).

On a lifted 4th gen Tacoma I and many others would consider “Optimal” caster to be +4 to + 5 and camber should be 0 to +.5 max (closer to 0 better) and total toe 0 to +.2 max …..these are numbers I’ve used in the past for my two 3rd gen tacomas and two 5th gen 4Runners. They all drove perfect with even tire wear.

Best wishes on your suspension!

Wow, there are so many factors involved when lifting a truck. I never thought it would be so complicated. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. I just want my Tacoma to look taller and more robust since I'm coming from a Colorado Trailboss and I'd gotten used to driving a taller truck. I use it 100% on the street.

 

[PNWkip]

And when you are setting the front with any adjustable ride height shock, remember you will get roughly 1.5X the setting. So if you set the shock @ 1" you will actually get 1.5" due to suspension geometry. If you throw the Eibach in at the 2" setting they come set on out of the box you'll get 3"+ like @plasticsnaks mentioned

 

[banyar]

You should reach out to Bilstein with your vin just to confirm those are compatible with the sport. The 5100 are not, so I would just double check to confirm the 6112 & 6100 are.

Thank you, I will

 

[MT-Taco]

thanks for your input, are you referring to this?


Bilstein
6112 Strut & Spring + Rear B8 6100 Shocks Set
2024-2026 Toyota Tacoma 4WD RWD
$1,309.99

I think this set lift the front 2.5” and 1.5” rear? I can use the stock springs in the rear with the Bilstein shocks?

Yep, and factory springs will work.

 

[PNWkip]

Thank you, I will

Let us know what they say here for future sport owners !

Excited to see what your truck ends up looking like

 

[banyar]

Of course, I'll share their response here, as well as photos of the final result.

Sponsored