Peri was looking for a small lift for her truck, and she decided to go with a Tuff Country 3 inch spacer lift.

For all pictures of the install, click HERE.
The kit came in two boxes, one with the lift and another with shocks and boots.
Here are all of the parts.   It is a complete kit, with spacers for the front, shocks, a brake proportioning valve relocation bracket and extended brake line for the rear.   It also includes a front differential drop.
The first step is to jack the truck up and remove the front wheels.
Once the vehicle is up, be sure to use jack stands to support it.
Here is the stock front end.   The first step is to remove the strut.

Remove the three top mounting nuts on the top of the strut.   

DO NOT remove the center nut!   This is what holds the strut together.   Removing the center nut can result in serious injury if the spring is not compressed.

Once the three top mounting nuts are off, remove the lower mounting bolt (green arrow) and then you can remove the strut from the vehicle.
Here the strut is off the vehicle.   It is now time to compress the spring so you can install the spacer.

Compress the spring until you are sure you can fit the spacer between the spring and the top plate.   Once you are sure it will fit, you can remove the center nut and insert the spacer.   

Watch how things come apart, as you will put it back together the same way it comes apart.   The only thing you will not use again is the rubber isolator (green arrow). 

Here the top plate is off.   Be VERY careful when working with the spring compressors.   If one was to fail, the spring will go flying!

While the top plate is off, use a hammer to knock the stock studs out of it and replace them with the longer ones supplied in the kit.
The rubber bushings that were on the strut under the top plate stay just as they were (green arrow).
Install the spacer.
Once the spacer is on, you can put the top plate back on just like it came apart.

Place the round spacer over the new studs between the top of the strut and the upper strut mount.   Once it is in place, replace the top mounting nuts and the lower mounting bolt.

Replace the front tires, the front end installation is complete.
Raise and support the rear of the vehicle.   Remove the stock rear shocks.

With the rear of the truck supported on jack stands, place the jack under the center of the rear axle and support it.   You can then remove the factory U-bolts and lower the axle away from the springs enough to insert the blocks.

Make sure that the thinner side of the block faces the front of the truck and that the pins line up on the block, leaf spring and axle.
Once the blocks are in place, use the new longer u-bolts for reassemblely.
Here is a side shot showing how the u-bolts hold the bump stops.
Install the lower mounting pad and use the new nuts to tighten it all back together.
Here you can see the pins not quite lined up yet.
Once the blocks are installed, it is time to install the new shocks.   The rear shocks on the Tacoma limit the suspension travel.   The new shocks are longer than stock to account for the new rear height and also give a little more room for flex.
Here you can see one of the rear shocks installed.
Install the rear brake proportioning valve bracket.   To install it, just unbolt the arm from the rear of the factory mounting position and use the plate to remount it.   Here you can see the factory mounting position (green arrow) and the arm already on the plate.   All that is left is to attach the plate to the factory mounting position on the axle.
Install the new longer rear brake line and bleed the brakes.
To install the front differential drop, you must first remove the front factory skid plates.   Locate the bolts that hold the front differential mounting arms and remove them.  The differential will move down slightly, but will not come out because of the rear mount.   Use the supplied spacers and longer bolts to remount the front differential.
Here is a close up of the spacer in place ready to be bolted up.

Before you drive around too much, you will want to get an alignment.

Thats all!   Here the truck is ready to go to the ranch for some beauty shots!

First impressions:

The trucks ride is a little stiffer, but it is mostly noticed in the corners, where it has less lean.   

"It handles *really*
nice actually and I was pleasantly surprised.   I definitely notice the height when driving though not as much as when I get in or out.   Amazing what 3" can do."
Tuff Country Lift Kits
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10-1-2004