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Toyota Tacoma Daystar 3.5 Inch Combo Lift - 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

Kevin McNulty Former Editor, Mud Life

The Toyota Tacoma Double Cab is a popular truck. We find them all over the highway and on the trail. In factory form they are quite capable, and the 190hp DOHC 3.4 L V-6 is a dependable and efficient powerplant. The double cab is also a great way to get family and a lot of gear out on the trail. A minor lift, shocks, and off-road tires increase the truck's capabilities and make it even more trail-friendly.

131 1009 Toyota Tacoma Daystar Combo Lift Kit tacoma Driver Side View Photo 28768589

While looking for a way to mildly lift this '03 Double Cab Tacoma we contacted Daystar Suspension Products and picked up a 31/2-inch lift combo kit, which includes front coil spacers, a body lift, and longer rear shackles. The kit is completely bolt-on and doesn't require any special tools. We also picked up a set of new Goodyear DuraTrac tires for the Tacoma for additional traction and better performance on and off the highway.

After a day of bolting on the Daystar suspension parts and mounting the tires on some black steel wheels, we found the trail capabilities of the Taco significantly better, with increased ground clearance and greater traction from the DuraTrac tires.

PhotosView Slideshow Removing the factory suspension shackles from the rear of the truck's suspension is sometimes tough. We recommend spraying all bolts and fasteners with a solvent like Break-Free or WD-40 the night before to help loosen frozen components.

Removing the factory suspension shackles from the rear of the truck's suspension is sometimes tough. We recommend spraying all bolts and fasteners with a solvent like Break-Free or WD-40 the night before to help loosen frozen components.

Many times we end up cutting or burning the bushings and sleeve out of the leaf spring eye. Heating up the bushing works every time; just make sure to watch fuel lines and any other components that may be damaged from the heat.

After installing the Daystar polyurethane bushings in the spring eye, grease the shackle bolt for easier installation. If it doesn't slide in easily, place a socket over the bolt head so it won't damage the zerk fitting and hammer it in.

The Daystar shackles are 3 inches longer that the factory shackles and provide lift and durability. The new shackles are stronger than the factory shackles and should provide years of dependability in harsh conditions.

The Combo Lift provides a 21/2-inch coil spacer for front lift. The strut and coil must be removed in order to install the spacer. This includes disconnecting the sway bar and upper A-arm. The ball joint can usually be disconnected by removing the upper nut and hitting the side of the knuckle with a hammer.

Once the upper coil spacer and strut are installed, the A-arm and sway bar can be bolted back in place. The 21/2-inch spacer isn't that drastic of a lift and won't affect the factory ride; however, we do recommend a front suspension alignment.

Daystar now offers its Scorpion line of twin-tube performance shocks (sold separately from Combo Lift Kit). They are specifically tuned for each application and come with polyurethane bushings and shock boots. The shocks we pulled off this Tacoma were completely blown and leaking fluid; the Scorpion shocks were a definite step up and provided a comfortable ride.

The new Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires are impressive because of their aggressive yet highway-friendly ride. The tires are designed with large side lugs, which offer sidewall protection and additional traction when the tires are aired down.

We chose258/75R16 DuraTrac tires and mounted them on a set of black steel wheels. Each lug of the tires is designed with two lines of siping, which will increase traction in wet weather. There are three polyester, two steel, and two nylon belts in the tread of the tire, and three polyester sidewall belts. This belting should provide good protection in most wheeling and highway conditions.

Toyota Tacoma Daystar 3.5 Inch Combo Lift - 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine

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