Comparison of 890s and 99 OEMs with daystar 1.5 spacer
Ive recently done a TON of front end work on my truck, replacing basically everything, including the suspension. With that I also did the rear, and thought that my experiences might serve as valuable info for some of the members here.
Ive been running my truck lifted for 3 years now, and have had 3 completely different setups both in the front and rear. I decided to drop the truck a bit going with Tacoma 5100s/99s in the front, and 99s with 1.5" daystar spacers in the back. Im still using LC shocks in the back as well. I love the look of a 3" lift, but wanted to get my alignment specs closer to stock. This is the main reason I dropped it down a bit - for on road ride quality and wear on my tires. And I like the fact that at any point if I decide, I can put the fronts on the lowest setting, and then remove the spacers in the back and be at 99 coil stock height.
So here are my observations. Keep in mind my 3rd gen is a 98. With the 890s I had 3" of rear lift, and now I have around 2.5" as expected (99s = 1" + 1.5" daystar spacers = 2.5" lift). I actually wanted to drop it even more than that, like to 1.75", which is what I have in the front on the 5100 middle setting. Im hoping the used 99s settle a bit over the next few months.
Ride quality and handling:
Surprisingly the ride is ALMOST identical in the back. At higher speeds it feels exactly the same. I want to believe that the 99s are a bit softer than the 890s, as that would make sense. But I cant honestly say they feel any softer. In fact, the one difference I noticed was that at low speeds the 99s actually feel a bit stiffer. I.e. when one side hits a decent bump you really feel it. Its like the rear axel doesnt want to flex as easily. I believe this is because the 890s are progressive, while the 99 spring rate is consistent. So while the 890s have an overall stiffer spring rate and can haul more weight, at slow speeds they handle very well with that softer section toward the top taking more of impact from bumps. At higher speeds things even out as the 99s are softer overall, and the 890s will be pushing beyond the soft section and into the stiffer coils.
Conclusion:
The ride is very similar overall. 890s give 3" lift. 99s + 1.5" spacer give 2.25-2.5". Clearly 890s are better for someone who does a lot of off road driving as they provide more articulation. They can also handle more weight than stock coils. 99s with spacers feel great on the road, and get the axle a little closer to center for those like me who don't want to pay $200 for an adjustable panhard bar.