Best suspension update for my situation

I’m not sure if this qualifies as true off-roading but the times I’m driving on dirt roads, it’s just slow going up an established dirt road. Some are smooth, some washboard, and some are rutted a bit. Nothing hardcore. Nothing remotely like rock hopping. But it’s common to be loaded to gross weight at these times.

Thanks

 

Get a weight distribution hitch and go from there. Air bags are a solution for payload, not towing. I tow a 5,500lb travel trailer (4,500lb dry weight) and the truck sits nice and level when the WD hitch is properly setup.

To address payload limitations I installed Dakar leaf springs in 2016. I towed on the stock suspension for 3 years before that.

 

Thanks!

Well if you're staying on good dirt roads then that would sway me more towards the airbags...I chose the timbrens because they dont tie the spring pack to the frame. Airbags wouldnt work for me because I unhook the trailer and unload the quad and go wheeling and I 4wheel for fun when Im not towing or hauling.

Its all in the title...
Best for your situation
You're only limited by your budget and how youre going to use your truck.

Have fun
Been thru the same thing myself years ago trying to figure it out.
Im extremely happy with my choices hope you will be too!

 

What’s the issue with the roadmaster active suspension? You can up the preload. I had sumosprings but wasn’t a huge fan so now I’m trying the RAS on a 13 with stock non-tsb leafs.

 

I really appreciate everyone's feedback. All very helpful even if mildly confusing at times

I'm really starting to lean toward air bags as a starting point to help with the times I'm fully loaded but not towing. I'll probably add the cradles too to help avoid over taxing their stretch on occasion. The airbags seem to have the advantage of not changing anything when the truck is unloaded as well as fixing the sag when loaded. And I can always make other changes like adding a leaf or replacing the stock leaf set with a better set, or adding different shocks if I feel the need at a later time. Anything I do will be an improvement over doing nothing.

I will definitely be using a weight distribution hitch with sway control when towing. I saw a great video that shows the real effects of weight on each axle with a trailer, first with just airbags and then just with the WD hitch. The hitch made a huge difference getting weight back on the front wheels and much off of the rear wheels and back to the trailer. The air bags help with sag but do next to nothing to put weight back where it belongs when the trailer is attached. There were several comments that using both the airbags and the WD hitch would be a great combination to improve things further.

I have time before I need to make a final decision.

 

Anyone need Sumosprings?

 

What suspension are you running up front?

 

Not to keep hammering on the timbrens but thats exactly what they do without changing a thing unloaded.

Edit. And no air lines or compressor to fail and they will never leak or tear.
Im hard on stuff so keep it simple/bulletproof.

A guy just posted a pic on his install in the what have you done to your tacoma today thread. Yeah here it is...best suspension invention ever imo

Stock springs, revtec puck and 5100s, just clicked em up 1 notch from where my front end guy set em (he set them at stock height which wasnt working for my driving style, a little stiffer got rid of the body roll going hard into corners)

I see no reason to change unless I hit the lottery. Id rather spend my money on other stuff.
Im happy with it.
It aligns spot on and works for me.

 

I had the Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS) on my previous truck (2000 Dakota QC 4x4) which my son now drives and still have them on my 07 Access Cab Prerunner. Both trucks have Leer caps. There's no real issue with the RAS except when I'm loaded to the gills with camping gear, riding gear and the bike on the hitch carrier or a couple of bikes on a trailer. Then I'm sagging more than I like. I really think it's the OEM leaf springs on the Tacoma. I've done the recall on the springs and put the RAS back on with the preload set to 40%, which was set at 20% with the old leaf springs. I'm looking to use something in conjunction with the RAS that will help when I'm loaded up for camping and riding. Like I mentioned and have been told by other members on this forum, the OEM leaf springs just don't hold up. Since mine were replaced and with the RAS, the leaf springs have dropped a little over 1/4 inch.

BTW- when I was driving my Dakota and had it loaded, it never bottomed out when hitting a good bump - the Tacoma has. Not a good feeling.

 

This kind of threw me off also haha

 

OP, i would recomend looking through this forum for guides to suspesion. at least in this format there is only so much we can tell you without you already having quite a bit of knowledge. youtube would be great for putting in the options we have already told you, but honestly it woudl be much faster for you to spend a bit of time reading. enter the search bar guide to suspesion. it might already be a sticky. here is one that is awesome.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/