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OME with airbag system, will it work?

Discussion in 'Suspension' started by Imageoguy, Sep 17, 2012.

  1. Sep 17, 2012 at 9:38 PM
    #1
    Imageoguy

    Imageoguy [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Gatineau, Qc, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCLB SR5
    Full OME suspension (885 front springs, Dakar leaf pack + OME shocks) + D29XL extra leaf + 3 deg. shim + RideRite airbags
    Hi,
    I'm planning on buying a long box V6 4 door 2010 or 2011 taco in the next couple months and looking for advice on suspension mods for heavy loads as well as a lift. I'll probably install a sled deck on it for my ATV and my sled (something like the attached pic).
    I’d like to add a 2 inch lift (Standard OME complete kit, OMETAC05LK on the ARB site but I’m open to suggestions) and add the biggest tires that would fit. Would a rear suspension airbag system work with that kit since it provides 2” of lift? I’ll be hauling over 1000 lbs at time but mostly a couple hundred pounds which is why I would like to keep a cushy suspension and just add air in the airbags when I have my sled or ATV in the back.
    Also, any advice on the taco package I should be looking for (base, SR5 or TRD). I don’t care about the bells and whistles. I will be doing a bit of off-road but from what I have researched, if I do the above-mentioned mods, there is nothing else the SR5 or TRD can offer as far as off-road performance. Any thoughts on this?
    Thanks for any help

    tacoma-deck-009-resized.jpg
     
  2. Sep 17, 2012 at 9:42 PM
    #2
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

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    Peter North
    British Columbia
    Vehicle:
    Mag Grey 09 Trd Sport DCLB 4x4
    OME 885x , OME shocks and Dakars , Wheelers SuperBumps front and rear , 275/70/17 Hankook ATm , OEM bed mat , Weathertech digifit floor liners , Weathertech in-channel vents , headache rack , Leer 100RCC commercial canopy , TRD bedside decals removed , Devil Horns by Andres , HomerTaco Satoshi
    Get the DCLB SR5 4x4 if you are planning on changing the suspension anyway

    I have the OME kit you are looking at on my DCLB 4x4 Sport , I'm happy with it .

    You will see 2 1/2" of front and rear lift with it though , not 2"
     
  3. Sep 17, 2012 at 10:57 PM
    #3
    Mach375

    Mach375 Habitual Violator of Wheeling Rule #2

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    Sathington "Alowicious Devadander Abercrombie" Willoughby (but you can call me Mud)
    Location: Satan's Stinky Butthole (SoCal)
    Vehicle:
    '11 DCLB 4x4 TRD Sport
    Too much to list, but enough to get me in trouble. Repeatedly.
    I'll let you know as soon as UPS gets that 3" spacer to me.

    I've got OME 3" installed now on my 2011 DCLB 4x4 and love it. I picked up a Firestone Ride Rite for pretty cheap, and am currently waiting on the 3" spacer to arrive. From what I can see, it looks easy and straightforward, and completely do-able.

    This kit requires the bumpstops to be cut down, but I think I'm just going to remove them entirely (loosen the U-bolts and it's just sitting on top of the springs).

    Stay tuned.
     
  4. Sep 18, 2012 at 7:15 AM
    #4
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

    Joined:
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    Peter North
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    Vehicle:
    Mag Grey 09 Trd Sport DCLB 4x4
    OME 885x , OME shocks and Dakars , Wheelers SuperBumps front and rear , 275/70/17 Hankook ATm , OEM bed mat , Weathertech digifit floor liners , Weathertech in-channel vents , headache rack , Leer 100RCC commercial canopy , TRD bedside decals removed , Devil Horns by Andres , HomerTaco Satoshi
    What 3" spacer are you talking about ^^^ ?


    OP , you could also consider Timbrens to work with the Dakars
     
  5. Sep 18, 2012 at 7:17 AM
    #5
    Mach375

    Mach375 Habitual Violator of Wheeling Rule #2

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    Sathington "Alowicious Devadander Abercrombie" Willoughby (but you can call me Mud)
    Location: Satan's Stinky Butthole (SoCal)
    Vehicle:
    '11 DCLB 4x4 TRD Sport
    Too much to list, but enough to get me in trouble. Repeatedly.
    Spacer for the RideRites. THe kit I picked up was for stock height. RideRite makes spacers for their bags for all size lifts.
     
  6. Sep 18, 2012 at 7:19 AM
    #6
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

    Joined:
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    Peter North
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    Vehicle:
    Mag Grey 09 Trd Sport DCLB 4x4
    OME 885x , OME shocks and Dakars , Wheelers SuperBumps front and rear , 275/70/17 Hankook ATm , OEM bed mat , Weathertech digifit floor liners , Weathertech in-channel vents , headache rack , Leer 100RCC commercial canopy , TRD bedside decals removed , Devil Horns by Andres , HomerTaco Satoshi
    Oh , gotcha
     
  7. Sep 18, 2012 at 8:16 PM
    #7
    Imageoguy

    Imageoguy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Gatineau, Qc, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCLB SR5
    Full OME suspension (885 front springs, Dakar leaf pack + OME shocks) + D29XL extra leaf + 3 deg. shim + RideRite airbags
    I didn't know that, thanks! Now all I have to do if find myself a truck!
     
  8. Oct 17, 2012 at 4:27 PM
    #8
    Mach375

    Mach375 Habitual Violator of Wheeling Rule #2

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    Sathington "Alowicious Devadander Abercrombie" Willoughby (but you can call me Mud)
    Location: Satan's Stinky Butthole (SoCal)
    Vehicle:
    '11 DCLB 4x4 TRD Sport
    Too much to list, but enough to get me in trouble. Repeatedly.
    Got the bags in last week. Turns out the spacer I ordered wasn't needed.
    I'll get some pics ...sometime... In the meantime, description:
    Turns out that adding airbags to a thicker-than-stock leafpack means the lower mounting plate for the bags does not reach the axle, as it is designed to do. It's about an inch or so short. A couple of solutions I see (neither of which I've yet tried): 1) Call Firestone and ask if they have a mounting plate that reaches lower, maybe for another application (quite likely), or 2) Either fab up your own mounting plate, or weld an extension onto the supplied plate.
    All-in-all, yes, it's possible. Yes, you can drive around with the lower plate too short (I am...for now). No, I would not recommend carrying enough weight to require using the airbags until the issue is corrected. Yes, correction is likely to be easy.
    One thing that bugs me a bit: The minimum pressure required to be maintained in the bags is 5psi. While this is pretty damn low, it does raise the ass end noticeably when it's empty. Because of that, I am running lower than 5psi, which, considering I removed the bumpstops (rather than cutting them, as the instructions show), may be an issue when I run into a situation when I might normally hit the bumpstops. I'll let you know if this proves to be a problem.
     
  9. Oct 18, 2012 at 5:16 AM
    #9
    Imageoguy

    Imageoguy [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2012
    Member:
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    Messages:
    203
    Gender:
    Male
    Gatineau, Qc, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCLB SR5
    Full OME suspension (885 front springs, Dakar leaf pack + OME shocks) + D29XL extra leaf + 3 deg. shim + RideRite airbags
    Thanks Mach375,

    I'm getting my 2012 Taco on friday and will be ordering the springs and bags in the next few weeks. I've got a welder so if there are some mods for the bag it shouldn't be a problem. I'll wait and see what firestone has to say about the issue first.
     
  10. Dec 28, 2012 at 10:00 PM
    #10
    Milowilli

    Milowilli Milowilli

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    Prob with airbags is that they don't stretch enough to the full droop of suspension. I use Timbrens because it's a rubber spring and reduces the jarring ride of bottoming out with heavy loads . The setup above is for heavy load carring on rough roads. I would say Airbags are better on larger trucks.
     
  11. Dec 28, 2012 at 10:42 PM
    #11
    OZ-T

    OZ-T You are going backwards

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2009
    Member:
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    Messages:
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    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Peter North
    British Columbia
    Vehicle:
    Mag Grey 09 Trd Sport DCLB 4x4
    OME 885x , OME shocks and Dakars , Wheelers SuperBumps front and rear , 275/70/17 Hankook ATm , OEM bed mat , Weathertech digifit floor liners , Weathertech in-channel vents , headache rack , Leer 100RCC commercial canopy , TRD bedside decals removed , Devil Horns by Andres , HomerTaco Satoshi
    They aren't soft
     

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