You’ll need to be really at ease working on your car to handle this operation on your own. Although it might be a little less expensive, you run the risk of harming your car or getting a subpar result.
Make careful to conduct your study if you decide to decrease it yourself. A lowering kit must be purchased as a preliminary step. Depending on the quality and features, these can cost between $300 and $1,000. Then, you’ll just need to follow the instructions that came with your kit.
Costs for professionally lowering your Tacoma range from $1,000 to $4,000. Although it is more expensive, this choice will almost certainly lead to success and happiness. To locate the finest choice for you, you should compare pricing estimates from several vendors.
If you’re unsure whether you want to handle it yourself or hire a professional, having a little extra cash in your wallet might help you make up your mind. To discover out how much you can save on auto insurance, check out the Jerry app.
After you download Jerry, all you need to do is respond to a few questions that will take you around 45 seconds to do, and you’ll get car insurance rates for coverage that is identical to your current plan right away. Users of Jerry save $879 year on average.
In This Article...
Does lowering a truck change the way it rides?
A common approach to personalize your vehicle is to lower it so that it is closer to the ground. When done correctly, it has a wonderful appearance and improves handling capabilities. If done incorrectly, it may impair handling, drivability, and traction, decrease tire tread life, and even harm certain components.
Benefits
A lowered suspension makes it easier for a driver to be acutely aware of how their car behaves on various surfaces since greater vibrations from potholes in the road surface are transmitted through the steering wheel.
With this arrangement, you need extra firm springs to prevent your vehicle’s front or rear from bottoming out over bumps or depressions. Many people would rather have this kind of driving experience than, say, a cushier ride in a premium vehicle.
Because of the lower center of gravity, there is significantly less lean when a vehicle makes a quick turn. The portion of the car that is outside a turn maintains a better level with the interior. This enables an automobile to act more rapidly and responsively during a turn.
Being nearer to the ground also results in better response, more stability, and grip at high speeds. When you hit the gas or brakes hard, less weight is transferred because lowering means getting firmer springs. You can benefit from quicker acceleration and stops as a result.
Vehicles that are lowered are more aerodynamic. Less air is striking the tires and wheels (that are not streamlined shapes). These cars are speedier as a result. Additionally, some owners of low-stance automobiles report better gas mileage. However, too much lowering of a vehicle will result in more wind resistance.
Vehicles with lower centers of gravity are less likely to flip over when turning.
When you lower a car, you often mount a set of plus-sized wheels and tires on it. These tires offer less roll around corners, shorter sidewalls, and a wider contact patch (which maintains more rubber in touch with the road).
Custom wheels and a lowered suspension are attention-getters for cars and trucks. It stands out in a crowd because of its more aggressive and performance-focused appearance.
Drawbacks
You may be less concerned about the ride comfort of a lower suspension if you and your passengers are used to a suspension that is softer and softens hits like bumps and potholes. As a result of being nearer the pavement, you might also hear more traffic noise.
Your enemy on rutted, rocky, washboard, and potholed roads will be the reduced clearance.
Your wheel-tire fitting geometry changes as you descend. If it’s done incorrectly, your automobile could have alignment issues that cause excessive or premature wear patterns.
Even a half-inch lower suspension might cause issues while driving over speed bumps, small potholes, or in tight turns. The front of your car might strike the pavement if you start up a driveway or ramp, drive over the lip of a parking garage, or cross a curb. Components underneath the automobile, such as the oil pan and exhaust system, are vulnerable to severe damage if they come into contact with the ground.
You could need a flat bed if you ever need a tow truck. If not, there can be an issue with the vehicle’s back body dragging on the ground.
Incorrect or excessive lowering might result in the wheels, tires, or suspension and steering components coming into contact. Additionally, it could result in tire rubbing when making turns or travelling over bumps.
If you have a flat tire, you can discover inconveniently that there isn’t enough room to get the unit beneath the frame of the car.
It might be costly to maintain proper alignment and use high-quality components. The likelihood that you’ll need extra parts increases as you descend. For instance, you should expect to spend $1,000 or more if coilovers (coil spring over shock) are a part of your new configuration.
To find out whether 1) the manufacturer advises against lowering your car or 2) whether lowering your car will invalidate or negatively affect whatever warranty coverage you presently have, you should examine both your owner’s handbook and any manufacturer’s or aftermarket warranty.
Know This Before You Modify Your Suspension
- You could need to reduce a lot less than you think if higher performance is what you’re looking. It’s simple to miss the mark and worsen your penalty. Get professional assistance to ensure that parts like struts and springs can maintain the proper angle for the tires.
- When it comes to shocks, struts, or other parts, don’t skimp. You are adjusting the balance and structure of your car. Don’t take a chance on broken components.
- Your insurer can refuse to cover a claim for damage if you modify your car in a way that isn’t permitted for the road. Ask your agent if your premiums will increase or your policy terms will alter before you customize your ride.
- Extreme aftermarket wheel-tire combinations or suspension modifications may cause steering, suspension, or drivetrain issues that are not covered by your car’s warranty. Before installation, determine whether the alterations you’re considering may lead to rejected warranty claims.
- After you lower, get an alignment to assure the optimal handling and tire longevity.
- Be cautious as you adjust to how your new arrangement works. Your car may steer a little differently and won’t be able to absorb road shocks as well thanks to the considerably stronger suspension. A loss of traction could result from an abrupt hard brake or a tight bend on a rough road.
Make sure you’re not putting together a setup that is hazardous or will interfere with other car systems if you modify your vehicle’s OE (original equipment) suspension. It involves striking the correct balance between safety, performance, aesthetics, cost, and driveability, just like with many aftermarket modifications. Visit your nearby Les Schwab for assistance.
Can a Toyota Tacoma PreRunner be lowered?
The 20052015 Tacoma 44 and PreRunner with the regular suspension are compatible with this high-quality Tundra Racing lowering kit.
The kit lowers the vehicle without compromising ride quality by using new front spring perches and new rear spring attachment points.
By reducing the car’s roll center, the appearance, posture, and handling of the vehicle are all improved.
To clear the leaf spring, the rear exhaust hanger needs to be bent half a turn forward.
How is a spare tire for a 33 Toyota Tacoma mounted?
A 285/70R17 tire will fit in the spare tire slot, yes. It was tight, but our Yokohama Geolander 285/70R17 (33.1) fit into the stock spare spot without any alterations. It will probably be simpler to install a spare tire if you have a smaller size 33 tire, such as a BFG KO2 (32.7).
As opposed to the factory spare, our Yokohama Geolander 285/70R17 (33.1) did not fit flush against the underside of the truck. The Yokos tire, which is a larger size 33 tire, will catch on the spare tire support brackets and won’t fully seat into place. As a result, there is now a 1.5-inch space between the tire and the area where it would normally be flush. Having said that, it is unquestionably driveable and doesn’t hang down too far to get trapped in anything. The spare tire was tight and secure after a day of driving; nothing moved, and there were no sounds emanating from the rear.
Not all 285s are the same size, so keep that in mind. 33 tires in general and some 285s in particular measure little while others measure huge.
For instance, because the BFG KO2 285/70R17 (32.7) tire has a smaller diameter than the Yokohama Geolandar, it might be simpler to accommodate the entire tire. A BFG KO2 285/75R17 (33.9) tire also has a much wider overall diameter because it has a taller sidewall and is closer in size to a 34 tire. The AMP Tires Terrain Attacks, which measure 32.64 inches and are among the smallest 285s on the market, are one of the very tiniest 285s.
Just remember to pay attention to the exact tire size in inches rather than just the conventional measurement when trying to fit a 285 tire.
Reference for tire size (285/70R17):
- Terrain Attacks on AMP Tires: 32.6
- BFG KO2: 32.7
- ATX for General Grabber: 32.7
- AT2 TOYO Extreme: 32.8
- At3W Falken Wildpeak: 32.8
- Maxx Cooper S/T: 32.9
- Durtracs Wranglers: 33
- Geolander from Yokohama: 33.1
Where Will it Rub?
We weren’t sure if the 285s would fit precisely or if any modifications would be required. We were a little shocked by how close it fit before we aired the tire down (to load it up a little more). Although it was difficult, it was feasible. A 33 spare tire can be mounted without any modifications or deflating the tire.
All 4 tire support brackets are in contact with the full-size spare. The brackets for the spare tire are made to retain the spare in position at all four corners. We were able to raise the tire higher into position because we literally let the air out of the tire. See more below on that.
Remember that we didn’t alter these brackets in any way to make the spare 285/70R17 fit. You could certainly use a heavy hammer to pound these support brackets in order to clear some room if you desired. Punctuating a few brackets won’t endanger the truck or your safety, so don’t be concerned.
Hitch Receiver Clearance
The back of the hitch receiver was another area where the tire came dangerously near to rubbing. There isn’t much you can do to avoid the hitch receiver, thus for tire sizes larger than 285/70R17, you might want to consider alternate tire installation solutions. One thing you can’t do in this situation is “pound it out.”
Again, if we hadn’t inflated the tire, it would have been challenging to get it past the receiver.
Exhaust Clearance
The 285/70R17 spare was too close to the exhaust, despite the fact that it doesn’t actually touch it. Any tire size greater than a 285/70R17 would require the exhaust to be trimmed back in order to clear the larger tire size. Which many individuals already do to aid with general clearance.
Fortunately, there is a heat shield right here, which is quite helpful, but you absolutely do not want a tire to touch that heat shield. The exhaust portion will need to be modified if you choose a tire size greater than 285/70R17 (285/75R17, 295/70R17, etc.).
Rear Axle Clearance
Another area that comes near to touching the spare tire is the axle. It can cause an issue and restrict your rearward movement if it rubs against the diff.
However, based only on appearances, there appears to be sufficient space to allow the tire to clear the bump (when the axle compresses all the way up towards the bed). However, increasing the tire size would undoubtedly cause problems, particularly with a short bed Tacoma (pictured here).
Leaf Spring Hanger Clearance
The hitch receiver is comparable to this rubbing area. Very near to rubbing; if you don’t air down your tire, fitting problems may result. There isn’t much you can do to prevent rubbing in this situation. The only thing you could do is purchase aftermarket leaf hangers. This hanger should not be pounded flat.
Following thorough testing, it did become obvious during articulation. Going up a tire size (285/75R17, 295/70R17, etc.) necessitates inventive fitment solutions.
Airing Down
To get the spare to fit as high as possible, we did air it down quite a little. The tire had 40 PSI when it was returned from the shop, so I let it out by 10 PSI and reinstalled it. There wasn’t much of a difference between 30 PSI and 40 PSI. The same was true with 20 PSI; while it was moving in the correct direction, it was insufficient. We’re not running a full-size 10 PSI spare just yet, at least not until we have onboard air like this ARB single motor compressor or a mobile one like this ARB twin motor compressor. I ultimately went all the way down to 10 PSI because it appeared to work best to really pull the tire up into place.
If you have a way to air it back up, it is something to think about before lowering the spare to 10 PSI. Naturally, 10 PSI is far too low to drive on, so if you can’t air it back up, you effectively don’t have a usable spare, which defeats the entire purpose.
The spare tire is now hanging just off the spare tire support brackets, approximately two inches from the top, where it usually rests. We inflated the tire back up to 35 PSI.
We experimented with other PSI increments to determine which one made the most difference, and we discovered that 10 PSI gave the most “stuff,” though we don’t advise operating a spare with only 10 PSI. You should blow down your spare at your own risk, but know that this is a choice.
Modification Made to Fit 33 Tire (285/70/17)
The spare tire’s air pressure was the only adjustment we made to make it fit optimally. I’m done now. You could make a small adjustment to make it work if you wanted to make it fit better or fit a larger tire down there.
Hitting the standard brackets with a heavy hammer is the simplest approach to create some extra space. This could allow you to place a larger tire without compromising your truck’s safety or ability to drive.
The hitch receiver cannot be hammered back, unfortunately. Removing it or finding an aftermarket one that allows you more clearance on the back of the spare is really your only option. Alternately, you can relocate the spare tire to save a problem.
Modifying the exhaust would be rather simple. Simply trim it back to the axle, and you’re done. To prevent rattling thereafter, I advise cutting it immediately after an exhaust hanger. To prevent the tire from becoming too hot, one alternative would be to replace the stock heat shield with one that is more robust.
There isn’t much you can do to modify the leaf hanger and axle to clear them aside from inflating the spare tire. The axle and potentially the leaf spring hangers should also be kept clean if your vehicle has a long bed because the axle will be farther from the truck’s back.
Spare Tire Mounting Options
Don’t worry if you don’t want to deal with fitting your spare 285 in the stock place. There are also more solutions that enable you to always have your full-size spare with you.
You may simply throw your bed back there if you don’t use it very often. The disadvantages of that are that it takes up most of your bed area and is simpler to steal. You might also get a bed rack or tire carrier that is made for beds. Take a look at the Wilco Universal Bed Rail Tire Carrier. In addition to saving some space, this would make theft more difficult.
Purchasing a rear bumper swingout would be the most expensive choice. This choice not only offers you greater safety, but it also lets you fit virtually any size spare tire that you desire. The RIGd UltraSwing is a nice alternative that costs less than a full bumper.
Bigger Sizes
As I have indicated, it was quite simple to put a spare 285/70R17 tire, but there wasn’t much room. You would need to think creatively about how to place a tire larger than a 33 in the spare position. This merely makes it more challenging and time-consuming, not impossible, to fit anything bigger down there. It could be simpler to locate a different backup mounting system at that time.
To fit a larger tire comfortably, it would undoubtedly need to be modified in some way. It goes without saying that extra modification will be necessary to make a larger tire fit.
Final Thoughts
In the end, it’s nice to know that we can squeeze a 285 in the empty space. I would absolutely think about acquiring 5 of those if you were thinking about moving up to 33s.
There is no harm in purchasing another 33 to match, even if you already have some. Running one of those would be lot better than one that is a different size, even if you can locate a used 33.