Hauling firewood: Rear suspension issue.

I've never seen this diagram before, so thanks for sharing. I'm pretty sure my 2013 OR only has 3 clips on the OEM 2+1. However, everything I've read on here suggests that they won't do the TSB on 2013 trucks....can anyone weigh in on that. I'm a half inch nose high on one side, with nothing in the truck and my leaf springs are shot....looking for replacements as we speak.

 

It’s worth it to at least call around. I don’t see why they wouldn’t do it for you.

 

The changeover when they added more clips was mid-MY2011.
My own 2011 did not qualify (4-leaf, 6-clips).
If you look at yours, I'm sure it will have all 4-clips.

 

Yep you are totally right. Went out to have a look just now, 4 clips. Damn. Wanted to get some free leaf springs.

 

I got it for next to free, it is my 1st saw. I needed to learn how NOT to use a chainsaw before I spent any real cash on a good one.

Where I work used to service them, so they have every part to rebuilt it sitting on shelves. It does not over heat, I cut that entire load with no problem. The chain lube was clogged when I got it, and did not oil the chain at all until I corrected it. Now the chain lube works perfect, no draining out or anything

 

That sure is clean-looking under there for a 2010...nice.

 

1/2 cord of most any wood is going to be over the payload of a Tacoma. Modifying the suspension doesn't increase your payload, it only hides the problem and encourages people to be even more dangerous by overloading even more. The more weight you put in the rear, the less weight you have on the front axle. The one that does 100% of your steering and about 80% of your braking. Overloading the truck, even with the rear sitting level negatively effects handling.

Either plan on making more trips or buy a trailer. I bought a trailer right after buying my Tacoma. I can easily haul more weight in it than I could in a 1 ton truck with an 8' bed. It is easier to load, unload and I don't beat up the truck.

 

I appreciate the replies. My son's '04 F-150 handles half a cord of firewood well, so I was hoping the issue with the Taco was just springs. But I like the Taco too much to go back to a Ford product, so maybe a trailer is the best option after all.

Phooey,
Charlie

 

+1

Not to mention cost of a decent 6x10 trailer is about the same or less than what you'd be dumping into your suspension to do it right, and a trailer does not make compromises for extra load capacity that you would not necessarily want to drive around with unloaded. I heat my house in SW Colorado all winter with a woodstove (small gas furnace back up) and cut/haul/split/stack the wood summers/early fall. A few times right after I moved here I loaded up the bed. Stock leaf springs never really recovered. Then got a 6x10 trailer never looked back. We burn about 4 cords give or take every winter.

 

Where are you going to get a 6x10 trailer that can handle more weight than a sofa for $400 (cost of emu springs) or less?

 

Or about $300 for air bags, with no harsher ride when not loaded (at min psi).

 

Please attempt to apply physics next time you make blanket statements involving physics. I am ONLY willing to accept this claim under the following conditions;
SHORT BED loaded evenly,
LONG BED with rearward weight bias.

LONG bed configuration places the axle approximately under the CENTER of the bed, so if it is loaded evenly, its effect on the front weight will be NEUTRAL.

Typical pickup loading will have more materials placed towards the cab, up as high as the roof, and sloping down towards the tailgate. This typical loading pattern will actually ensure INCREASED weight on the FRONT axle, or possibly NEUTRAL in the case of a short bed.

Further, the vehicle's weight limitations include supporting up to 650 pounds vertically on the trailer hitch. This will DEFINITELY cause reduced weight on the front wheels.

 

I'd definitely recommend doing it correctly. Pay the extra $100 for real metal springs instead of inflatable bump stops.

 

Tractor trailers use air bags.......

 

Which are VERY different than the inflatable dildos that you're suggesting.

 

Airbags

 

If you want to never have to worry about it again get yourself some dakars!

 

Stock leafs suck!

I have loaded flooring and other construction materials in my truck to the bump stops. Occationally doing that is not a problem. I would not be getting ready to drop big money on a suspension just because one time here and there you over do the pay load a little bit.

Air bags are the cheapest option for occational heavy towing or hauling.
However they are more band aids if you do a lot of heavy hauling. Air bags are not meant to be leaf spring replacements lol

If you do a lot of tough truck work do a full OME suspension set up with Dakar leafs.

 

Trailers are handy for hauling things that just won't fit in the bed of a Taco, as well. I haul my Cub Cadet Challenger 400 Side by Side on mine, as well as my 54" cut lawn tractor, my 44" walk behind, and SO much more!

 

You missed the "do it right" part. You want to haul around half ton or more of wood in the bed on a regular basis safely you'll need more than a set of springs (or airbags). I tried to go that way even more cheaply for a while, with a single AAL and no other changes to stock suspension. Loaded it handled horribly, wallowing and leaning all over the place. Thing handled poorly unloaded too, rear was far too stiff, way higher than I liked, overall just hated it. Eventually took it out, went with 6112/5160's, new TSB leafs + 3-leaf AAL. And a 6 x 10 trailer that can haul 1+ cords of green rounds (or couple of motorcycles, or furniture etc. all of which is so much easier not messing with the bed) without a problem. YMMV.

Tacos really not meant to haul much in the bed in my experience. Which is fine it is a great truck for everything else, if I'd wanted a truck to haul stuff in I'd have gotten something a lot bigger. Tacos tow a lot better than they carry stuff in the bed. I had a big enclosed double axle trailer for a while, Taco did just fine over 12k ft passes in CO fully loaded.