Suspension advice for rough ride

So a while back, picked up a 2012 taco v6 baja MT access cab. When I got it it had 285/75/16 E, toytec 1" spacer on the front, and I believe a icon 1.5 aal in the rear. It road stiff, and the tires needed replacing before I felt comfortable taking it out.

Fast forward to now, got into a group buy on Foxes!!! Got the 2.5 Front Coilover DSC Ajustable Res Extended Travel (0-3") -

$2,020 880-06-418 Rear Coilover Shock Absorbers Fits Toyota Tacoma

880-06-418 Rear 2.0 Performance Series Res w/CD Adj 2-3" - 985-26-117 and added some Dakars EL095R. Replaced the tires with the stock size 265/70/16 E BFG AT KO2. Also added wheelers superbumps all around! With everything leveled at 24" hub to fender all around, took a trip out to death valley.. Man, rides like a tank. Even washboard roads beat me to death at 20mph. Crawling seemed to be ok, flex great. but with any speed, even freeway driving is jaring. I have aired down to 32psi, helped a little, and just today, took my preload back down so I'm at 22" hub to fender in the front. I dont think I run near enough weight for the Dakars, they seem bouncy, and overly harsh!!! I don't think I'll be adding weight in the form of steel bumps/ sliders, my first thoughts would be switch packs to the wheelers 8 leaf 2" pack or go ahead and get some Deaver J66. Other thoughts, E rated seems to be way overkill.

What other options do I have in a 265/75/16 C rated? I appreciated the protection in death valley, but the ride is so harsh? So how does this sound to you Tacomaworld?? Interested in your thoughts, and appreciative as always for your input and guidance!!!

 

Sell your Dakar's to me if you end up selling them. As for the ride, if you do mainly on road driving with your progressive shocks then that would explain the rough ride. I've got Toytec's progressive AAL and it works great (besides going over speed bumps). Downside to that is the axle wrap which is where your Dakar's come into play! Dakar's = no axle wrap.

Hope someone chimes in and helps ya out!

 

I might when the time comes!! As for Street, with the preload back down front was noticably softer, now I can tell I'm running no sway bar!!! Now my ass is all up in the air!!!

 

What psi are you running on road?

Edit: and you said you have the adjustable dsc? Have you messed with that as well?

 

Right now 36psi, tried 30 seemed not enough to keep the sidewall from flexing all the time on the street.

 

36 isn't too bad. Do you know what the spring rate is on your coils?

 

600lbs on the fox 2.5s, again, to level with the dakars, I think I had way too much preload, would think I would have had to go 14 inch springs I 650lb

 

According to OME, you can remove the third leaf down to get a plusher ride.

 

That's my job in the next few days.. still think a more progressive spring would be smoother. But I'm thinking about taking the third leaf and one overload out

 

Definitely worth trying! Overload won't affect ride at all though. It's just a thick leaf at the very bottom to keep them from arching over backwards.

 

Yeah, just want to drop the back a bit!!

 

Then that'll do just that! Hoping it works for you.

 

I hope so, then I kind of feel like I bought roughly the same as stock springs... Will report back tomorrow!!

 

Could be worth trying. But check the nitrogen pressures first. There should be around 200 PSI. Low pressure causes harsh drive.

 

Good call, will do as well!!

 

You aired down to 32?! Man that's street pressures. That's what I run on the street. If you really want to help the ride on rough roads you should air down to less than 20. At Moab I was running 14 psi all week long. Let those sidewalls flex a bit. If all you are doing is driving on washboard I'd maybe go a bit higher but no more than 20. I have Dakkars and the rear was ok with 5100's. I just installed 10" Fox 2.0 with reservoirs from AccuTune Offroad and man I know that will really be a huge improvement. Go try them with lower psi and report back.

 

Aired down to 32 psi for hiway, 15 in trails!! Tried removing the third leaf on my dakars today, took it down 1/2 inch, a little softer, but I'm convinced my liking is even softer. Going to look at deaver j66 and wheelers 2inch 8 pack. Still can't believe I'm at 23 1/2 with a leaf removed!! These dakars lift crazy,!!!

 

What were you at before dakars? 23.5" is only like 2" of lift (at least compared to measurements on my truck)

 

Hmmm maybe not that high then, was at 24, assumed from what I've been reading that 21 I the rear for a stock 2nd gen off road?

 

Yeah that's about right. I was at 21.5" on the rear pre lift.