Alldogs Offroad Front Springs Installed!

[andrewleader]

I just installed the "~1.5" taller" TOY-F-M-4GT front coil springs from Alldogs: https://www.alldogsoffroad.com/alld...t-lift-coil-springs-for-4th-gen-toyota-tacoma

My goal was to lift and stiffen the front to handle the additional 930 lbs of permanent weight my 2024 Tacoma has with my Tune M1 truck camper and interior build-out.

I re-used the stock Off-Road Bilstein struts.

$230 shipped, free shipping, and no sales tax in Washington, good deal!

The front ended up about 1.5" inches taller as expected! Which with my payload is 1" taller than stock, which matches my rear being 1" taller too, which is exactly what I wanted!

Handling is MUCH better, the stock Off-Road springs weren't handling the weight well (extra bounce back when going over speed bumps, and a lot of side-slosh when dropping off something one side at a time). The Alldogs springs seem perfect for this weight! It also feels smooth and soft too, doesn't seem too firm or anything. If anything, I think I need stiffer springs in the rear (don't want it taller, but the back seems like it could benefit from being stiffer), but the front is perfect now!

Install notes...

• You'll want a good quality impact wrench with 800 ft lbs breakaway. My cheap harbor freight one couldn't break off some of the nuts, I had to buy a Dewalt impact wrench
• Getting the strut aligned was a little tricky, take note of the precise angle the strut is before you remove it.
• For the alignment, I think you can get it for FREE at Toyota if you're under 12 months and 12,000 miles with the basic warranty: "Coverage is for 36 months or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first, with the exception of air conditioning recharge, wheel alignment and wheel balancing, which are covered for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first". Firestone didn't have the alignment specs for the 2024's yet, so they did it based on the 2023 specs... hoping Toyota releases those specs soon. I bought Firestone's lifetime alignment, so I can bring it back once they have the specs (if you're owning your vehicle for 10 years, the lifetime alignment is so worth it!)

Install took me about 6 hours (at least one hour was wasting time trying to use my cheaper impact wrench). I think I could easily do it in 4 hours next time. Shops quoted me over $800 labor (including alignment) to do it, so even with buying some new tools, I saved at least $200! If I had a full shop lift and shop tools and a nice spring compressor (instead of the rental O'reilly one), I bet I could get it done in 2 hours... kinda ridiculous they're probably quoting it at 4 hours of labor.

I'm officially happy with my suspension now! I can post some updates once I go off roading (maybe in late April). I wouldn't change a thing about the front suspension (based on my brief two days of driving), as I mentioned the only thing I'd change is potentially the rear suspension, I'd like it to be a little stiffer for all the weight, but I don't want it sitting any taller.

Here's the new springs next to the old springs. Note that they're the same length when uncompressed, but the Alldogs have one extra coil in there, and they're stiffer so the truck actually sits taller.

Sponsored

 

[Muckle]

Very interesting. This may be exactly what I am looking for. I'm in roughly the same boat you were in - installed approximately 300lbs of steel between rock sliders and skid plates, so I'm looking to stiffen up primarily the front suspension; I can feel it compresses easier than I'd like.

Did you take the springs to a shop to get them compressed, or use a DIY compressor?

 

[andrewleader]

Very interesting. This may be exactly what I am looking for. I'm in roughly the same boat you were in - installed approximately 300lbs of steel between rock sliders and skid plates, so I'm looking to stiffen up primarily the front suspension; I can feel it compresses easier than I'd like.

Did you take the springs to a shop to get them compressed, or use a DIY compressor?

I used a rental DIY compressor from O'reilly auto parts (free, 48hr return period). This video explains the one I used, it worked fine with both these springs (the safety latch didn't fit over the newer springs but otherwise worked fine, I had to compress the first one three separate times since I kept screwing up the alignment angle of the strut, but it never failed all those times! It was critical having the impact wrench for tightening the spring compressors too, otherwise it would take SO long (and be much scarier).

One of the tricky things of the install was re-tightening the two lower control arm bolts into the steering knuckle, since turning those bolts turns the steering (and I guess these trucks don't have steering locks when parked). I ended up putting back on one tire, dropping that side down, and then torquing those bolts on (the other tire on the ground prevented the steering from turning).

I think these springs would work well for you! Just got back from another drive and I'm so much happier all the additional side sway when going over speedbumps at an angle / etc is gone.

 

[Tacoyaki]

Very nice! Good to hear the ride isn't sacrificed. This sounds like the front lift solution I've been waiting for. I was planning to get a mix of lower and upper spacers, but would prefer a spring.
What rear springs do you have again? I have the 821s and they seem good for the 1000lbs on my rear end now.

 

[andrewleader]

What rear springs do you have again? I have the 821s and they seem good for the 1000lbs on my rear end now.

I’ve got the 819’s, I was worried the 821’s would lift it too high. What’s your center-of-wheel to bottom-of-fender measurement with your 821’s and 1000 lbs of weight? Mine is 24.25” with 930 lbs of weight, and that’s the tallest I ideally want it to be.

 

[Tacoyaki]

I’ve got the 819’s, I was worried the 821’s would lift it too high. What’s your center-of-wheel to bottom-of-fender measurement with your 821’s and 1000 lbs of weight? Mine is 24.25” with 930 lbs of weight, and that’s the tallest I ideally want it to be.

Measuring on our last trip, I was at 23.75" in the rear. So 1.5" front lift would be perfect.

 

[JustDSM]

Here are the factory Alignment documents from Toyota.

Thanks for sharing the info on these springs!

Sponsored