Over the past year, I had been commuting to and from flight school in Northern Utah. After getting a job in Fairbanks, Alaska, I decided it was time to upgrade from a sedan to a vehicle better suited to the terrain and a cross-country move.
Enter a 2019 Tacoma in TRD Sport trim – the perfect balance of rugged durability and on-road manners.
The only things missing were a suspension refresh to address tired stock components and a solid needle bearing from ECGS. In this review, I’ll cover my experience with the Eibach suspension kit, including insights into what went well and what I would have done differently.
Table Of Contents
Kit Overview
What’s In The Box
- 2x (height adjustable) Front Pro Truck 2.0 Coilovers
- 2x Rear External Reservoir Shocks
- Sway Bar Relocation Brackets
- Paper instructions
- Coilover Spanner Wrench for front adjustment
- All necessary hardware
Specs & Features
- Anodized 6061-T6 Billet Aluminum Coilover Mounts
- 46mm Piston
- Monotube Design w/ Nitrogen Filled Variable Force Valving
- Zinc Coated
- 0 – 2.5″ lift (Front)
- Up to 1.5″ lift (Rear)
- Individually tested for quality
- Made in the U.S.A.
- 2-year warranty
Initial Thoughts
The installation was incredibly straightforward, and I believe anyone with the requisite tools and some time on the weekend could complete it. The biggest challenges I faced were the rust on some of the bolts, which was easily remedied with some PB Blaster, although I did lose the two 10mm brake line bolts because I was impatient.
After the first 500 miles, I checked the condition of the hardware, and everything remained where it should be and at the correct torque. I used a Tekton torque wrench for all bolts that required a rating. It was fairly obvious early on that the stock suspension was old and performing below spec, and made the upgrade seem very significant. Hard-braking nose dives were eliminated, and the bump steer I experienced over highway potholes was completely gone, even when loaded down.
Driving The Alcan
This drive ended up taking me 7 days to complete and around 3100 miles, accounting for detours. Some of the more serious elements included frost heaves, which, at best, are small disruptions in the pavement and, at worst, can be sudden, severe breaks that present as a series of ramps, providing the opportunity for some unexpected airtime. Some of the paved sections would also occasionally have sections of waves where precipitation over the wintertime would freeze, expand, and create multiple undulations.
Despite this, the Eibach kit’s performance was tight, keeping me and my trailer glued to the pavement. Across the construction and unpaved sections lay any combination of potholes, washboards, and shoulder slopes, which presented little challenge. All accounted for, my Tacoma only sagged about 3/4″ with the help of some middleweight Sumo Springs and handled the 1000lb payload and ~3400 GVW of the trailer. Given enough time and capital, I think airbags or the strongest suspension helper would have been ideal, but the springs and Eibach rear shocks provided enough support and performance to get the job done.
Final Thoughts
The primary reason I chose the Eibach Pro Truck Stage 2R Kit was cost. It’s a reputable brand and came in well below their competitors for the type and quality. I waited until it was on sale to save a few hundred more dollars. Are there other kits that are more capable and robust? Sure, but I plan on doing light off-roading, car camping, and more road tripping across Alaska. So why buy something that I’ll likely never use to full potential?
Saving a few hundred on a suspension kit to put toward lights, tires, and fuel seemed like a fair trade-off. However, its performance over the stock isn’t even comparable. My TRD Sport handles better than new and provides significant response over varying terrain and under varying loads. If I were saving for an endless list of parts, this kit would be a prudent choice that offers great value. I’m looking forward to many more miles and testing under various conditions, especially as my builds grows.
