Often drive dirt roads, what maintenance to do?

My truck is regularly driven on rough, wash board roads. It has started to feel “looser” over the last three years with a couple squeaks and knocks here and there. It feels fine on pavement but there’s a few sounds that I have especially noticed this spring. I’m hoping for some recommendations on some of the regular things to check to maybe tighten up or lube. I miss that tight Tacoma feeling like when I first bought it three years ago and it didn’t make a sound off road. Thanks in advance for suggestions.
2” suspension lift all around with duratrac 285/75/16

 

Torque suspension nuts and bolts would be my 1st thing to do.

 

I inspect my air filter regularly, change it often, and if I don't or can't change it I give it a few whacks on the bumper. Not sure if that actually does anything though except make a big dust cloud.

What tire pressure you run? If I know I'm gonna be on dirt I drop it down. Makes a HUGE different in ride quality. That could be problematic if you're frequently going back and forth between that washboard shit and pavement.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I am around 33psi. They are E rates tires, I find them rough.

 

Drop it to 18-20 and try those dirt roads again and tell me what you think

 

This for sure. Makes washboard much more manageable. But you don't want to run that low on paved/highway roads for any length of time. So if you are pure dirt fine, but if a mixture you'll want on board air to get back up to road pressure.

 

Maybe your vision of on-board air is different than mine but I wouldn't say it has to be "on-board"... a nice portable with battery clips (not cigarette lighter) for $50 - $200 max is more than sufficient.

Either way, I wouldn't want to be getting out and airing up more than once per weekend. Not sure OPs dirt/pavement driving schedule but maybe he'll find it can get away with constantly running like 25 or something if he needs to hop on a highway every now and then. I wouldn't drive 75mph like that but 55 for a bit, sure.

 

Good suggestions. Some of those battery booster jump box's come with built air compressors, along with 110V AC, USBs, trouble light, etc. Not a bad idea if the occasional off-road adventure is on your list.

 

I plan on getting a compressor on bored eventually but for now I can’t be changing the pressure every day. I am also on mountain highways daily so I can’t run that low. Thanks for the good suggestions.

I recently lubed the u joints which took lots. I will torque the flange yoke as well, thanks. When Te torquing things should I loosen them off first then re torque? I should also change the brake fluid it’s dark. Can I pull some out the reservoir and then just top it back up a few times?
Thanks for the good suggestions.

 

Make sure all wheel balance weights are there , or have them balanced, and that there is no mud or debris caked on the inside of the rims. Check shock, strut, and related suspension fasteners and components for looseness. Test shocks and struts for rebound and jounce control. Washboard roads are known to kill them. Refer to the owners manual for severe duty maintenance ( it should be specified) and follow it. Use an oem air filter and change it frequently per severe duty schedule. Dust (silica) levels can be measured in a used oil analysis and that comes from intake air. Make sure the air induction system is sealed tightly so all intake air is filtered.

 

Thanks, I definitely change my air filter more than average as it’s often dusty here. How do I test shocks for rebound and bounce control?

 

Well than also clean the throttle body and MAF sensor.

Nothing to do with the loose feeling you described though.

 

A quick test is to bounce each corner of the truck firmly by hand. The shocks should cycle up and down about 1-1.5 times. If they keep going more than that they are worn. Also inspect the shocks for an accumulation of oily dirt or oil seeping from the shafts. You can also tell on the road. If the rear keeps bouncing excessively after a minor bump or dip or the front dips and keeps bouncing when braking at a light you have something going on.

I looked at the owners maintenance manual, Toyota calls for increased "inspect" of many items during" operation under dusty conditions". They recommend changing the air filter every 30,000 miles under those conditions. You are doing better for sure. Somebody has posted the manuals in a sticky on this forum if you don't have it. It's a good place to start anyway.

 

Those of you with experience running 15-20 psi on dirt roads- do you find significant wear? I often go 60-80 miles a going 60 or so mph at times. I’m concerned about premature wear.

When I say I find the E rated tires rough it’s because I normally notice it more on pavement going over cracks and small bumps in the road.

I have not tried low air pressure off-road yet as I don’t want to go so far through the mountains on pavement before I can air back up. On board compressor in the near future.

 

Crop adviser here. 70% of my driving is done on rutted out farm roads in my '09 DCSB. Replace the radiator mounts and body mounts with polyurethane was by far one of the best maintenance items that got rid of a lot of pops, rattles, knocks.

Rad mounts:

$34 Energy Suspension- 9.4101G UNIVERSAL MOUNT

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CN9BZ0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Body Mounts:

$110 ENERGY SUSPN Energy Suspension 8.4109G Body Mount Set-Reg, Access & Dbl Cab

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G1X9ZA6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you were to only do one of the above, I would recommend the rad mount. That helped out so much.

 

Great info thanks for that. I definitely hear a few new pops, rattles, knocks and squeaks this spring.

 

Running those speeds that often, I wouldn't want to air down, especially if carrying a load. Less air + higher speeds -> more tire flex -> warmer tires -> bad for tires.

 

That’s the assumption I was making.

 

Aren't those going to be more stiff than factory rubber, thus exacerbating OP's problems?

 

They do a better job at supporting the cab and radiator sub structure than factory OEM rubber bushings. The factory OEM rubber bushings are too soft to handle the rigors of regular offroad use.

I haven't seen any detriment or negative side effects from installing these exact energy suspension rubber bushings in my vehicle. Just the opposite in fact, all, 100% awesomeness. The rattle through the steering wheel, gone. The knocking from the front end over bumps and rocks, gone. The popping when pulling out of a parking spot, gone.

I spent a good part of a year chasing out knocks, pops, rattles, squeaks in my Tacoma replacing the UCA bushings, UCA ball joint, LCA bushing, LCA ball joint, rear leaf spring front/rear bushings, lubing the leafs, etc... and all this quieted the noise down, but didn't go away until I replaced the rad mount and body mount. I honestly cannot recommend this mod enough. It's like driving a new vehicle, how quiet it is now.