looking for advice to fix ride quality

update:

ok the wheelers 4 leafs ($449 a set) are the exact same as stock so no gain in payload capacity and the guy on the phone said they were pretty weak so they will go flat quick if you put any weight in the bed plus they wanted $130 for shipping which would come to a total of $575 shipped

the general spring HD ($179 each) are 200 lbs over stock capacity so it increases payload by and average of 400 lbs and shipping was $71 for a total of $431 and he agreed to make it $425 when I asked for a discount ($6 off is better then nothing lol) so I bought the general HD leafs. so I get more payload and save $150

so HD leafs are ordered - generalspringkc.com
front strut complete assemblies are ordered - rockauto.com
rear shocks are ordered - Amazon.com

now the next question is the bushings, general springs come with oem rubber bushings in them not poly so should I replace them with poly and get poly shackle bushings or leave the rubbers alone and just buy poly (or oem rubber?) bushings for the shackles

 

The only time I have used poly bushings is on a dedicated track / race car and they were front control arm bushings. The result was a much more responsive ride but it was also much harsher and they squeak. I would start with either the bushings that it comes with or the OEM bushings and if you're not satisfied, go poly. That way you'll be able to identify how much of a difference the bushings really make. Plus, going with the OEM bushings will be cheaper for the time being.

 

ok so then there is no reason NOT to use the stock oem style rubber bushings that come with the leafs, that's what I was wondering about and as you said, they can always be changed out later if need be. i'll order some oem rubber bushings for the hangers then to complete the last remaining thing I needed for all brand new suspension, front to rear.

man, the credit card is on fire right now, I will have to get drunk before I look at the total bill I owe lol.

 

I'm in need of new rear springs as well and was looking at the General standard duty springs as I rarely haul anything heavy in my tacoma. The heaviest thing I haul is usually a refrigerator or range from one side of town to the other when I have a rental that needs a new appliance. $99 for each side and $80 shipping is very appealing to me I was just researching their quality and so far haven't found any real negatives. I was all set to buy the Wheelers Offroad stock replacements but read they no longer have them made by Alcan and there have been quite a few issues with the new version.

 

just a small refrigerator will have those standard oem replacement leafs bottomed out. it only takes about 100 lbs in the back to bottom them out. trust me, if you move appliances around you will need the HD leafs for sure. its well worth that extra $50 per spring

the guy I talked to on the phone said the HD versions are thicker metal so they give you a smoother ride and they will give you a little extra payload capacity in the area of around 300-400 lbs because each spring gives you a little more load capacity over stock oems and stock oems are weak, very weak, so I think you might regret not getting the HD springs. they still give you the stock ride height and the extra payload means 10 years down the road you wont need new springs again.

going back to stock is usually the best way to go but in this case, the stock leaf was too weak to begin with, so the HD are the best choice to make the truck be the way it should have been from the factory.

 

So the guy you spoke with at General said their standard duty springs wouldn't last any longer than the stock Toyota springs? It was my understanding they were still a good long lasting spring the only difference is they can't haul as much weight as the HD springs they sell and the ride would be softer when the truck was unloaded than the HD springs are with an unloaded truck.

 

he said the standard leafs and also the guy at wheelers said his standard springs, both said there were just like dealer replacements and would be just as weak and last just as long as stock leafs. so it short, they are weak as shit and will need replacing in ten years just like the ones on your truck now.

general said the HDs would have a much longer life because they are not made as weak and use thicker leafs. he also reassured me on the phone that unlike other brands HD springs that add lift to your truck, general HD leafs are going to give you true oem ride height.

geez, I sound like a salesman for general lol, but he really did put me at ease and made me feel I was making the correct choices.

call him up tomorrow and talk to him, they are real nice and will answer all your questions until you are sure.

also I ordered the springs this evening around 3 pm and he has several of them in stock so I already have tracking info and they will arrive Friday, that's pretty damn good in my book

 

Hmmm well shit now you got me thinking. May credit card may be catching fire as well because I also need shocks and the difference between standard and hd springs would have easily paid for shocks lol. I really want as close to stock height as possible as well since I don't like to much of a rake and don't want to mess with the stock suspension in the front to level things out. I've already been through my lifting everything up days and now I just like stock and dependable.

 

well the rear shocks I got Gabriel max control for the rear for $47 each at rockauto (best price by $10-$15 anywhere) and fotr the front strut assemblies I got the Monroe quick strut 171352L and 171352R. you can read about it here:

$73 Monroe Quick-Strut 171352L Suspension Strut and Coil Spring Assembly for Toyota Tacoma

http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-171352...62&sr=1-1&keywords=Monroe+quick+strut+171352L

I feel with struts, unless they have less then 50k miles on them, its better to replace everything, spring and all, when doing struts so I got the complete unit for $97 each at rockauto but you can buy just the shocks for around $57 each at rockauto if you want to fool with spring compressors and taking it all apart and putting it all together again and hoping nothing you take apart is going to be worn out and needs replacing

before selecting both of these shocks, I did a lot of research and found them to be good high quality oem ride quality replacement parts if you just want your original factory ride quality back.

the Gabriel rear shocks have larger size shaft and valves for better ride control and smoothness, you can read more about them here:

$66 Gabriel 77494 Max Control

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AM5PYS/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

So, if im reading this correctly, the front springs from the tundra or 4runner are a direct swap? I too am in need of all new suspension. Im rolling on all original equipment after 170k. My springs are flat, i know my shocks have got to be shot, just not sure if the front coils are bad. But ive always liked the idea of swapping parts from other models. Does this swap change the feel, i.e. Harder, softer? Keakar, since you owe me for all the links, just go ahead and add another set of leafs, shipped to California! I'll take the hd's also...

 

how about I send you the ones I take off? i'll wipe em down with wd40 so they look new

seriously though, someone I trust told me the TRD suspension is much weaker springs all around then the regular suspension is so it can flex and articulate more for off roading situations so you might want to NOT buy TRD parts for it if you don't off road

 

Best option I have found for ride quality so far, is the stock TRD bilstein shocks and coils. I bought a pair of leaf spring from Ebay for around $250 shipped. I've had them on the truck for over 6 months now, I have carried a lot of loads in the truck bed and no sagging or loss of comfort.

 

For that kind of money your nearly in Bilstien 5100 territory. This link is for a second gen truck with the General Spring HD springs installed:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/generalspringkc-com-hd-leaf-springs.266183/

He claims a 2" lift that settled to 1.5". They sound good from his perspective.

 

I step away for a minute and there are 2 pages!!
So "exhaust" I went with HDs because I hall a drz on the trailer hitch. That's 400 lbs on the outside of the bumper. Thicker springs should last longer.
As far as the "lift", I parked next to a 15 tacoma and my bumpers are maybe 1/4 lower than an "on the lot " new tacoma. So run down to toyota and see wear yours would be.
Front assemble/ springs, yes 4runner and early tundra fit. Stock taco spring rate new is400-425. Tundra and the 99 runner springs are 575-600.
You have to let me know how the fronts you ordered work. The bilsteins for tacomas are just not cutting it for me. Not enough dampening.

Oh and yes the HDs come ready to go. Just grease the bajesus out of everything. Toyota realy went cheap on my truck. I don't put anything together without antiseze.

Post pics!!

 

I believe that guy was just saying that's how much his truck sagged with flat springs.

mine are completely flat horizontal with not even an attempt to lift itself anymore so I would expect returning to stock height would have to be 1.5"-2" higher then that. my truck still has a normal stance to it though and doesn't sit lower in the back at all so maybe the front struts are sagging as well?

as to the Bilstien 5100 I think they are great but they are not the best shock for pavement princesses like my truck. the ones I bought were in fact very similar to the bilstiens construction but they are designed specifically for road use where the bilstiens are mainly designed for off road use in mind.

but as you said they are not extremely expensive to buy and are on par with most "above standard" quality shocks out there

 

All good information. You make a good point about the 5100's not being as pavement specific, that hadn't crossed my mind.

+1 on greasing and anti-seizing the crap out of everything. Even if you guys are out of the rust belt I wouldn't take a chance with these trucks.

 

out of rust belt yes but still around a lot of salt water so the rear most areas should always be rust prevention in mind for launching boats

I did find my springs lifted up a "little" after sitting overnight, they went from completely flat to a "slight" arch lifting up about a 1/4" on each end of the spring. maybe if I bounced it around on the road a while it might get a little better but it definitely has nothing left in it to support any weight at all and bottoms out on any bump so I feel like im embarrassed not to have noticed that when I bought it because I know enough to notice things like that but I was concentrating on the most important things like frame rust, body condition, engine, tranny, drivetrain, electrical, so I glossed over most of the "replaceable" stuff like tires, brakes, and shocks, assuming I would be changing it out anyway but I could swear the leafs weren't flat when I bought it. I assume maybe they jacked it up so it could hang to reshaped them for it to look normal before they parked it in the lot. I know I glanced at them and thought "ok leafs look good" so im puzzled by how they went flat so fast but the truck did ride hard as a rock from the beginning.

I had some old shock bushings I went to replace my dry rotted ones with today but the non prerunner shock uses smaller size mounts and bushings so they wouldn't fit. I was just going to do that because I didn't want to install new shocks until after the leafs are replaced so nothing gets overly stressed in the process and in the mean time I wanted to be sure the shocks weren't moving around. the ones I have don't "feel" loose so they will just have to stay for now.

 

got to thinking today I better check the sway bar bushings and ends since everything but them will be all new now, I went look it over and in looks fine, no dry rot or movement or signs of any movement in the bushings so at least that's one thing I don't need to change lol.

the sway bar links and the rest of the front end condition will only be answered after I get to the struts and see if anything is loose or worn out and of course check the brakes and rotors out.

it will be a complete maint inspection/repair service for the truck and I will finish it off with a tranny flush and switch to snythetics which will only leave the complete timing belt/water pump kit on the "to do list" for the truck

 

Thats funny cause when i bought my taco, the salesman told me trd was stiffer.. Regardless, it definitely needs new springs, hell its gonna be a brand new truck in about a year. Ive been neglectful. Tbelt, tundra brakes, mc, new shocks/springs up front, headlight retrofit. Sure send the springs and ill just put them on over the old ones! To be honest i do very little wheeling. I do mess around a bit though. But im not worried about staying stock..

 

well I hope he doesn't mind me sharing this but its not like it was secretive communications so here is the advice I was given: (I omitted the first part with advise about my intended suspension goals)

so based on that I think if you went with standard replacements over the TRD replacements, it should give you stiffer suspension with slightly more payload ability