u/goexplorewithdavid

I have a 2026 TRD Off Road and like the idea of adding a bit more front clearance and making the truck look more level. I was considering a Westcott preload collar lift but I don't want to jeopardize the ride quality.

It looks like I can get a 2" front spring lift from All Dogs / Dobinsons / Icon / Bilstein which keeps my stock Bilstein struts and doesn't require upgraded UCAs or any other parts. I believe a 2.5" lift is recommended to truly level the truck but I'm fine with 2" to avoid the extra cost/work.

Question 1: Is this a good option for someone who does 98% of their driving in the city and just wants some off-road capability for the occasional weekend camping trip?

Question 2: Which brand is the best option here and why?

Question 3: What am I failing to take into consideration here?

I have the Unlimited Premium plan on a Google Pixel 10 Pro XL and have been using it around the greater Los Angeles area for the last ~ 6 months. Before US Mobile, I had T-Mobile for a long time.

I have had multiple occasions in the last 2 months where my phone has super slow, or no service at all, in areas that I would normally expect to have service. When I listen to music and drive, I often have songs that pause to buffer for multiple seconds.

I went on a hike in a rural area with no coverage a few days ago. After returning to my car where coverage should have been available, it literally took my phone 20 minutes to get enough service to use navigation (had to drive 20 minutes back into town for my phone to connect). I was with someone using Spectrum Mobile and they had service the moment we got back to the car.

Bottom line is that I've been noticing complete drops in coverage, or reduced speeds on a pretty regular basis in all different parts of LA. I usually use Google Maps and play music when driving, but have had to drive in silence and without navigation multiple times recently until coverage can be found. This happens in busy areas and quiet areas alike, at all different times and days.

It was so bad a few weeks ago that I decided to switch from Warp to Light Speed, but this completely disconnected me from cellular until I was back home and on WiFi to finish the process. I guess I should have seen that coming, but was lucky to be near home when I did this. On Light Speed, I am noticing the same issues and it's getting annoying. I've reset my phone, ensured everything is updated, enabled roaming, turned off data saver mode and more...nothing helps. So the "Widest Coverage" option and the "Fastest Speed" options both don't have fast speeds or wide coverage??

In the 5+ years I had T-Mobile, also in LA, I don't think I had as many connectivity issues as I've had in the last few months with US Mobile. I never thought about my cellular plan because it just worked, now I find myself troubleshooting and constantly trying to fix this. I even considered adding a second data line, but my phone can only support 2 eSIM's and I use both already.

Is this normal, or what is going on?

I put 285 tires on my 4G Taco that came with 265 tires. I did not yet get a 285 spare because honestly, I forgot. I currently have the 265 factory spare under the bed, and I don't think a 285 will fit there.

Does it make any sense to keep the 265 on for a last ditch emergency recovery even if I have to drive 2mph with it on, or is it useless enough to fully remove?

I am looking into a tire carrier for my bed to mount a proper spare, but also wondering if I can get away without one. I have a tire plug and patch kit, gluetread sidewall repair kit, and an air compressor.

While I am doing some off-roading, I'm not really getting more than maybe a few dozen miles from civilization generally and I have a Starlink mini if I get truly stuck. With the sidewall patch and plug kit, I feel like I'm pretty well covered for most situations but realize that having a full size spare is the best option. But it also takes up a lot of bed space and adds weight for daily driving.