Suspension modification advice (GFC/dual sport)

Seeking suspension modification advice -

I recently put a GFC on my 14' Tacoma OR (135K miles) that I DD and use as an all-around adventure vehicle. The truck sees many highway/fire-road miles (for example last year we took it to UT, CO, TX from NJ…all separate trips) . My wife and I use the truck to get us out into places to do things (mtb, fish, backpack, ski/snowboard, etc.), not to wheel.

In addition, prior to having the GFC installed I had been transporting my dual sport (300ish pounds) in the truck bed (which I can no longer do) and will be moving to a hitch carrier going forward.

Ive noticed the rear of the truck has settled bit with the GFC installed over the last couple months and have been making myself dizzy looking into suspension modifications to accommodate the GFC, trip loads, and occasional hitch transport of my dual sport.

Does anyone have any opinion on what might be the best option to accommodate this while keeping suspension height similar to stock or in an area that won't cause excessive wear on other parts and keep ride quality? Like I said above, we use the truck to get us out into places to do other things so ride quality, gas mileage, and durability/reliability are top priority.

The GFC will stay on the truck full-time...the only large swings in weight will be when adding camping gear and sometimes carrying a dual sport (sometimes both at same time).

Am I looking at an all-around suspension swap, rear only , a set of airbags/cradles, a mix of all?

I also get that my truck is going on 10 years old and some of the suspension components could be nearing end of life (is this a thing?) - I've never owned a vehicle for this long before.

 

Weigh your truck!

Weigh it as you'd drive around town/daily.
Weigh it loaded with the dual sport and hitch carrier loaded up for camping.

If you are not wheeling/rock crawling with it, and are okay not having the super ultimate articulation of your rear axle, air bags are the way to go for occasional heavy weight. I'd recommend the leaf springs/shocks are tuned for your empty/daily driving weight, and the air bags are used for when you're carrying the bike/camping gear.

If you buy super heavy duty leaf springs for carrying your full camping load they'll likely be much stiffer than you'd prefer when the truck is empty.

 

^^^Beat me to it and great advice. Weighing the truck is key, especially if the camper is staying on full-time.

If the GFC is staying on the truck full-time, an increased load-carrying leaf pack is a solid option. Icon RXT and Deaver are popular choices but companies like Alcan can make you a custom pack to your specs.

If the camper is coming off, and your load ranges from empty to heavy, I've had success with Firestone air bags and Daystar cradles (I also have some OME Dakar leaf packs, but not exactly stoked on those). Can confirm the air bags do limit up travel of the suspension (on an already limited up-travel design of 2nd/3rd gen Tacomas in general) so I'll be looking to change that in the future (JD Fab spring under and a heavier leaf pack).

 

What do you not like about the OME leaf packs?

 

Good idea - Ill have to figure out a spot where I can get it on a scale.

 

Seems a bunch of the stuff that's documented here on Tacoma World has been close to my experience, notably they sagged and double u'd within the first month or so and that affected empty ride quality (when the air bags are not in use) and, of course, ride height. They're notorious for squeaking, too, but that hasn't been my experience yet. Still, I feel there are better options available and I'll be moving away from them as soon as I can afford the next step.

 

Airbags

/thread.

Leaf packs are cool n all but with such a varying load in the rear ESPECIALLY the dynamic load out back on a hitch carrier, air bags are going to be the way to go. I love mine, and thats after rocking OME mediums for 70k miles.

If you are running standard length 5100's or any other stock length shock zero need for fancy cradles etc.

I can go from unloaded to a trailer with 600lbs of tongue weight and a dirtbike in the bed and have the truck remain at the same ride height all with a little battery powered air compressor (that i have anyway for my motorcycles)

 

I got used Icon RXT set to op3. 5160 in back.
Given op2 is advertised by Icon to say noticeable under just 200lbs which is what just a shell weighs, I don’t see the point of switching it to op2.

archive or Deaver may be better but cost more. And may be more specific less universal. Might be wrong about that.

would want airbags too but don’t like how they seem to remove the bumpstop and supposedly can bend the frame if they bottom out.
Seems that would require welding on a new bumpstop system somewhere else to do it properly and avoid that.

even with op3 when I went on a trip loaded the back sagged noticeably reverse raked which seems like the point of airbags to avoid that and ride well at the same time.
So maybe that would be wise to do for those real world scenarios. Whether it be gear, trips, towing, etc.

not sure if my archive u bolt flip kit would work with airbags or require different parts (currently have their yellow bumps on it)

 

Air bags for the massive tongue weight. It makes a huge difference and saves wear on the leaf springs.

 

Has anyone tried the RAS system? https://activesuspension.com/products/toyota-tacoma-2005-2021

 

wondering the same thing
If it fits icon RXT
And now it compares to airbags

probably doesnt. Airbag is generally more comfortable than spring.

 

OP: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/firestone-airbag-kit-daystar-cradles.830527/