Leaf Pack or Air Bags

Hi all,
Spent a lot of time the past couple nights on this forum reading about the RideRite airbags. I also read little bit about Wheeler's 3 leaf packs. I did research these forums, but could not decide which would be best for me with all the information available. I will describe my driving habits and perhaps you can recommend what I should get.

I rarely off road, and if I do, it's light. I want to be able to haul some weight (as you are all aware anything much that a cooler of beer in the bed sags the rear-end). I want to haul my quad I the bed (550 pounds) and tow 2 more quads on a trailer. I do at times want to load the bed with sand or topsoil as well. The stock springs are not up to snuff for this. I don't need lectures as to what the truck is rated for...I don't need to be told that if I needed to carry my quad I should have researched and bought a different truck. My response is that I could do it with my S10. What I need is help to set up my Tacoma for these purposes.

My truck is a 2014 4X4 DCLB V6.
Do I need the Daystar cradles if I get the airbags?
My truck rides great now. Will airbags or leaf pack improve/decrease ride quality with an empty bed.
Most importantly, Quad in back, 2 on trailer, which would be most suitable - airbag or leaf pack.

P.S. All of this is written on the assumption that I can add airbags to stock suspension.

Thanks for your time.

GC

 

I have the bags without cradles. I barely drive mine but when I do its hauling something. Offroad for mine is on my few acres. I bought Dakars but will install them this spring.
With that said I dont like the harshness due to inflating them up to match the new coils up front and 5100s due to plate bumper.
But I'm keeping them on when I do swap of rear leafs.

 

So you're stock rear? What PSI are you using when empty, and when empty are you raised above stock height?

 

I'm stock on rear right now with bags around 35 psi iirc.
Got 5100s on front with 885s. Shocks set at 0.
Getting everything rounded up to install Dakars in spring. I've hauled 16' vcrimp roof panels with 2x6s all resting on headache rack. No prob on hauling but harsh ride since I have bags inflated to lift the rear to compenstae. Will be much better with new leafs.

 

And yes I'm higher than stock. About 3"

 

I was originally using the bags due to my leafs being shot from my quad. I used just enough to stay level and there was really no diff. Then I got a canopy and the bags helped for that. I eventually installed OME with dakars and I still use the bags. Since I do go off roading I still use the bags with the cradles. I just need to get longer shocks.

 

@Kolunatic, sounds awesome. In your opinion, if you didn't air up to 3" above stock (in other words if you were stock all around and just 5 psi or so in the airbags), do you think your ride would be less harsh?
And thanks for your replies, exactly the experiences I'm looking for.

GC

 

If your looking for ride quality then get a new leaf pack or the 3 leaf aal. If your looking more for hauling without sag then get the air bags. I have firestone air bags and unloaded its rides rough with only 8psi (5+ reccommended). When it is loaded with over 250lbs it rides smooth without much sag. Leaf packs will give alittle under weight but will provide a nice smooth ride loaded and unloaded. The daystar craddles are nice to have so the bags dont stretch but for an on road use its perfectly ok not to have them. But if your hauling quads and towing them then i would reccomend the heavy duty 3 leaf aal or a new leaf pack otherwise get airbags.

 

Hi lockwire, and thanks. Could you explain what you meant by "there was really no difference"... do you mean the bags didn't help, or that the ride was just as good as stock, without the sag. Very interested as it relates perfectly to what I need.

 

Thanks Tacoma Dave. Is there a particular leaf pack or anal you would recommend?

EDIT: fkn autocorrect. AAL !!! I don't need an anal thank you.

 

Yea it'd be less harsh. Got front and rear Bruteforce plate bumpers.
I haul stuff on weekends cuz I drive company truck home. Use the high jack cutouts on bumpers to pull stumps and tposts. Extra weight helps on wet asphalt and wrangler tires help with backing uphill to fill feeder.
I was bottoming out on front before changing coils. Then got the bags to fix quick for 3k mi road trip.

 

If you get airbags, the self leveling setup works great IMO.

 

Awesome and thanks again. Sounds like you put your truck to good use.

 

Hello Windsor, and thanks. What do you mean by the self levelling setup?

 

Having owned RideRites on s stock TRD OffRoad DCSB, they were fantastic. I had stock suspension, eventually TSB springs, and finally RideRites. There is good and not so good.

For eliminating sag, excellent, only needed 5psi. For flex, not so great, you could easily lift a rear wheel off of the ground some times even a high curb. Ride IMO was acceptable yet when I got my '13 and later '14 DCLB I thought I got a new Cadillac. Heavy hauling, fantastic, I rarely had more than 5psi even hauling my boat, but did go to 35 a time of too, it jarred you like you were going to bust a kidney.

I have no use for them now in my DCLB Sport, knock on wood the suspension has been perfect so far, we'll see if it's still good later in life. I had to leave them on my '06 when I traded it since you have to cut off the snubbers.

 

Well you could get the wheelers 3 leaf hd pack where the leafs are thicker for better support. Alcan makes custom leaf springs for your truck they are a hd replacement pack with 5 hd leafs to replace the stock 4 leafs. Ome dakar has 2.75 lift leafs alittle much for a stock tacoma unless you plan to lift the front in the future. For the money i would buy the 3 leaf hd packs they would provide a better ride and better hauling capacity without sag.

 

What were you carrying/towing when you used 35? I ask this because I am under the impression if you need that much psi, then the bed weight or hitch tongue weight would be high, and you should still get a decent ride if the bags are not overinflated. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

 

I won't be lifting the front. Any idea what weight I could take in the bed with the 3 leaf hd pack without bottoming out? Can I carry a half ton?

 

@hotrod...is your '14 stock? And how is your ride with 5 psi in the bags (and an empty bed)?

 

I run AirLift bags and self leveling set. The self leveling system consists of compressor, magnetic sensor, dump valve, and associated wiring and hose.
With the truck at the ride height you want, you set the sensor (sensor on frame rail, magnet on bracket attached to leaf spring). It will maintain minimum psi for the bags, and adjust the pressure as necessary to maintain the height set.
It requires a few seconds of sustained position before it adjusts, that way it isn't trying to adjust itself on a bumpy road. It will however adjust while driving, once it senses the height isn't changing (smooth section of road).
Yes, it does cost more. However, I prefer not having a stiff ride when not loaded.

AIR LIFT 25415 SmartAir Automatic Leveling System

http://www.amazon.com/25415-SmartAir-Automatic-Leveling-System/dp/B000CFNORY#