Daystar Cradles on a 1st Gen Tacoma?

I'm trying to find a way to make my truck a bit of a swiss army knife. I typically drive my truck around unloaded when I'm daily-ing it, but every once in a while I load it down with a canopy, RTT, and camping gear. When it's unloaded, the leafs are too stiff, and when it's loaded with camping gear, the leafs are too soft.

My idea was to run bags and a daystar cradle so when I'm camping the truck doesn't sag in the rear. This would allow me to pull a leaf and have a much more comfortable daily driver when the truck isn't loaded down with gear.

The issue is that I can't seem to find any kit that would allow me to run the daystar cradle / bag setup on my 1st gen tacoma. I've seen many setups on 2nd gens, but none on a 1st gen.

So...

Does anyone run air bags and daystar cradles on their 1st gen tacoma?

Video of Daystar Cradle for example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4QBG3izhyA

 

I'm in the process of making my own brackets to run the daystar cradles. Everything is mocked up and tacked together. But I want to add the frame stiffing plates first. I'll post some pics tomorrow. It's one of may many projects that has been pushed to back of the line.

 

Please do! I'd love to see how it comes out.

 

I had these bags already from another kit. Bump stops in the bags.

 

@mechanicjon thank you for the pictures. I'm sure once I take on this project the pictures will come in handy. Don't forget to post the finished product when you're done!

I assume the bracket that sort of looks like a table is the one that the daystar cradle will sit on?

 

Yes the cradle will sit on that.

 

Hey @mechanicjon, did you ever end up installing your airbags and cradles? I'd love to see some pictures and hear what you think of it.

 

What about the firestone Ride-rite airbags?

http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4607

 

Air cylinders are better for this application! You would run valves, up/down switches, air compressor and air cylinders, they would allow for a fairly soft leafpack or four link and can be parralled to the shocks or replace them completely. I have setup bags for years and for a bulletproof setup bags need to be on the axle or sandwiched between link bars and frame to do it rite. The setup shown is for Tonka trucks!, you would yank it out soon for stock or learn and redo it the correct way. I've seen couches with better bag setups for lifting people,lol. If you want hualing capabilities and a smooth ride when unloaded pic up some old minitruckin magazines the lowrider guys will get you where you want and for probably just a couple more bucks.

 

Possibly, If I can run them with daystar cradles so I don't tear them when my suspension droops out. Waiting to see what came of @mechanicjon's setup.

 

I've been busy with work. Hopefully I'll mine installed in the next 2 weeks.

 

My Firestone’s still have a little life left in them when my truck is at full droop. Are you lifted in the rear much?

Pic isn’t at full droop but it shows how much the bags expand

 

My rear suspension is mid travel, therefore the bags don't have enough droop to match the droop of my suspension.

Thanks for chiming in though.

 

Man, mid travel can lift the hell out of the rear you obviously haven't ran the Deaver leafpack with the extra leaf. I had to max out my front Kings with total chaos uppers and it only leveled perfect no bro lean whatsoever, I kinda like the front pionted a degree or two up but not with the Deaver extra leaf J59 pack! They are so old school the Deaver fam did Bonnie and Clydes leafs! Check that history out I had to run them after I found out the history and visited the old ass shop, lol it was badass!

 

Did you ever figure out your set up?

 

Very curious about this as well. I didn't realize these wouldn't mount to the 1st gen stock and it had been my plan to run the cradles.