There are a lot of leveling kits out there for sale. Heck, there are more leveling-kit companies than lift-kit companies it seems, nowadays. But sometimes you want an actual couple inches of lift, front and rear, and not just to level out your truck. There are a variety of ways to do this, and you are certainly welcome to look around to mix and match to get both your front end and rear end up in the air. But if you have a Tacoma and want to make just one call, then check out Trail Master's new 2-inch coil spring and shackle lift for first generation Toyota Tacomas. SLO Works in San Luis Obispo, California, had our test truck back together in about three hours, including compressing the coil springs to get the spacers on. And though front coil spacers will make no ride benefit changes, the new rear shackles allowed the rear leaves to move more easily and slightly improved this Taco's off-road performance.
How Did We Like It?
We took the Tacoma out for a little spin in the dirt before the owner got back and figured out what we had done. It actually rode a little better than it did stock, thanks to both the rear shackle and of course the new shocks we installed at the same time. But the added ground clearance was much appreciated, and the lift was not enough to make our standard-sized tires look too small. We were definitely happy with this simple and cost-effective kit.