TRD Pro Suspension... issues

OP, do you really need a truck? If you don’t need a bed, an SUV might be a better option. I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to make a midsize truck drive and ride like you want. If you need a bed and want a car-like ride, a Ridgeline is the only thing that really fits the bill. I doubt anything with leaf springs is going to meet your expectations. Upside is, Tacomas are fetching top dollar right now, so selling might not hurt too much.

 

I’d probably attribute it more to the roads in my city more than the truck, but it definitely doesn’t feel very composed on the road...albeit, I’m usually trying to avoid massive craters in the road which are apparently “normal” so who knows. I suppose this is what we get in Winnipeg, Manitoba.....it’s a sad life.

 

Sounds like any truck with an empty bed. Do you need a bed?

As for transmission and all, well you either learn to live with it or get something else yeah. To me, it feels like when I test drove a Yaris AT back in 2008. The transmission was, from memory , acting the same weird way as downshifting too hard too long. I ended up getting it with a stick (and learning with that car) and kept it 12 years. That solved my issue...

Didn't get the Tacoma with a stick because 1 we can't get them DCLB and second, backing up the trailer tent sounded awful with the tall reverse gearing.

 

I know what you mean about roads. I think the roads in my town were designed by a rollercoaster engineer.

 

They look like 265/70/17’s.

 

You don't know how much you miss your truck until you get rid of it.

 

I run my Pro on KM3 265/75r16s (E rated) about 32PSI and it rides like a dream. The only other body on frame that rides nicer is a Raptor. Just saying.

 

Something is definitly not right. I have the same configuration on my 2019 and it feels fantastic, whether its on blacktop, in the hills or on the ranch. Still running my stock tires but I do have a decked box and some tools in the back

 

Welcome to the world of driving a pick up with an unladen bed.

My Pro with stock shocks, 32PSI tires, and 200lbs of RTT and bed bars is very smooth over shitty Oklahoma roads. Over the same roads, my unladen '13 Sport with stock Bilstein shocks would bounce its ass like a stripper.

 

There is nothing wrong with that LOL

 

I have a 2021 TRD OR, and I read someone say that they find the suspension is pretty sensitive to changes. I started with the Goodyear OEMs and thought the truck's ride was really good. Then, I upsized to the 265 75R16 BFG KOs in Load Range E. I liked the look and it is a great tire, but my gas mileage plummeted, like to 15-16mpg range (probably because of the weight) and then the ride was not good for my primary job as a daily driver. So I returned those BFGs after a week and switched to the Falken Wildpeaks in the 75Rs, SL range. I liked them much better for the ride and mileage went back up immediately to 17-18mpg.

With the Wildpeaks, I thought the ride was really comparable to the Goodyears when I first got them. Then I experimented with putting them down to around 31PSI up front and 32PSI in the back. I thought the ride then became harsh and busy, especially over expansion joints, almost like the shocks were fighting with the squishiness of the tires. So I put them back up to 34PSI on all four corners and now it feels like it did with the original goodyears again. For me, I would say that the difference in ride quality between a few PSI in the tires was more dramatic than I would expect. I may even try them up at 36-37PSI.

I have done all of this with not a lot of miles on the truck and I expect that the suspension will break in more and would help if I actually hauled something besides my kids lacrosse gear. I wouldn't put E rated tires on again and my experience is that there is a sweet spot on the PSI to get the best ride quality, and for me personally, lower PSI did not equal better ride quality.

 

Don't confuse me with the OP -- I wasn't the one complaining about the ride, just stating that I am fine with the ride even with E-rated tires. I was fully aware of the compromise I was making. I've done the math with the help of other TW folks, and I run them at 37 psi. The difference wasn't near as much as I thought it might be.

I do think the OP may never be happy with the ride, though. Some people are truck people, some people are car people. Personally, I think my truck rides better than our Corolla, but I think part of it is what you get used to.