Better ride / Remove leaf and add air bags???

I'm getting soft in my old age. I want to improve my day to day ride quality on my 74 mile commute. The stock front end seems ok. The rear end is pretty harsh even with the the stock tires at 28F / 25R. I'm thinking I could pull out a leaf on each rear and add air bags with on-board inflation. As such I could travel most days aired down and riding smoother. When I need to carry a load or pull a trailer a couple of times a month, I could press a button and air up for that. Is anyone doing this? I have 4 leaf rear springs .... which leaf would I remove? Thanks!

 

Your rear end is harsh? Are you bottoming out? I thought the stock rear suspension was way too soft. I'm not aware of anybody pulling leafs from the stock pack. I'd say check to see if you're bottoming out. Adding the bags will help if you're bottoming out and for towing/hauling.

 

I don't think I am bottoming out, but I will chalk the stops in the next day or so and see for sure. Like I said ... I'm getting soft in my older age. My opinion, the Tacoma's always ride harsh particularly in the rear. They are a relatively light truck sprung in the rear to carry about what a 1500/150 series truck will carry. There is very little weight on the relatively heavy rear springs when they are empty. I have no issue with the front at 28psi on the stock rim /tire. With the rear at 25PSI and empty I can still feel it kick. I drive like a grandma .... slow and easy. I bought this truck used. It is a '13 DCLB Sport 4x4 with 4 leaf packs ..... does this mean it has had the TSB done?

 

I believe that there is no TSB for your year as they installed the "new" leafs from the factory. Not positive about that though. That's weird though that you find it still stiff. I agree the light bed makes for a light rear end, but most people find it the springs too weak once they load stuff into the bed. Maybe toss a sandbag or two in the bed and see if that helps control the kick? Other possibility that I think is highly unlikely is that the previous owner installed something like this and pulled a leaf, but I don't think that's the case. Maybe your older age is just getting to you lol

 

Haha, you are the first person I've heard that has said the stock ride is too harsh on Tacomas...

But yeah pull the bottom leaf (not the overload) & you have a car, for what your needs are , air bags are probably the way to go...

 

I bet it is bottoming out not riding on the ultra stiff suspension you described. My truck has a shell and normally rides above the bumps. Saturday i bought a floor jack, jack stands, and oil. Had them in the bed and my truck was bottoming out left and right i had to laugh.

 

Did you ever remove a leaf and add air bags?