Advice for a Newbie on Tacoma Purchase?

Hello Everyone,

Was looking for some tips as I am new to the truck world and the Tacoma world. I am looking at getting a Double Cab Long Bed and was wondering if people could give me some insight. I test drove a TRD Sport DC LB today and although it was nice... there are some things that i did not like. I do not like the flashy hood scoop that is there for no reason. I also found the seats to be oddly low and i have a bad back so i was thinking of getting the seat lifted with those spacers ive seen people write about on the tacoma forums or maybe an auto upholstery shop could add more padding to increase the height about an inch and a half? However.... my MAIN concern is taking turns in the truck it seemed to dip an awful lot. I thought the TRD sport would have stiffer springs but the thing nearly front flipped at the nose. All in all I felt the ride to be very Squishy. Is the Off Road model better as far as the springs go? Can anyone relate to what my concerns are? Thank you.

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld!

I don’t know which model has stiffer suspension, but I don’t think it will make much difference. It is a truck. It will never handle like a car.

 

The sport has stiffer suspension, but like the above said, all trucks will have body rolls in corners compared to cars. That is how they are designed. Any truck you will drive will pretty much handle the same with full size trucks having the most body rolls.

If you have stiff suspension like a car, it will not handle well off-road or on trails or tow heavy trailers.

 

I would also like to add; if you have done any racing before or motorcycle riding, then you know you should break/slow down before hitting a turn and then either coasting or accelerating in the turn.

With trucks, it is the same concept so you mitigate that nose dive.

 

Welcome!In agreement with what @ZekeR7 posted above^.

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Welcome to TW!!

 

Thank you for the welcome. Yes I know how to take a turn I was just comparing the Tacoma to my past wrangler and the Tacoma seems to feel tipsy and I test drove the sport.

I’ve read the billstein shocks seem to be stuffer and popular suggestion on this forum. Would those plus a stiffer sway bar do the trick and stiffen things up?

 

Welcome aboard

 

Thanks man.

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks for the welcome

 

Howdy

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome, I would also test drive the Off Road to see if you think it feels better than the Sport, IMHO the Off Road is a better value for the money too.

 

Welcome.

Off road will be a softer ride. It will feel floaty like old Cadillac. Getting some stronger sidewall tires will help with that though.

If you don't like the sport hood scoop there will be plenty of flat hood owners ready to swap you.

 

Thanks Guys. Yea I am going to test the off road to compare. I’ve read it’s more floaty but might as well just check. I’m thinking of putting the Jeep duratrac tides on it. How easy would it be to find someone who wants to swap hoods?

 

These trucks have a soft ride for sure. It’s something I like about them actually. You can modify the suspension until it rides like a dump truck if that’s what you like. The double cab long bed is a long truck and steers like one. Short bed AC is more sporty feeling. A line will form to get that scoop that many complain about.

 

Have a 2016 Sport DCSB, son in law has 2017 OR DCSB, honestly with normal street driving it's hard to tell much difference in ride.

 

Welcome!