Lift and towing questions

Sorry for yet another post seeking help with selecting a lift, but after reading countless pages I'm still left with a few questions. All the details and opinions, along with "I'm running brand X and it's GREAT!" leave me still a bit unclear on best path forward.

Here's my setup and need:
I have a 2015 DCSB OR that is stock with a Leer topper. I also occasionally tow a bumper-pull horse trailer with a load leveling hitch, but the soft rear Taco springs sag more than I like. And of course hitting big bumps on the road nearly launches the rear end. I'm looking to add about a 2" lift, and level the rear or retain a little rake. My truck is my daily driver so it needs good road manners, but needs a firmer rear for the towing and hauling, without turning it into a buckboard. I don't "wheel" but do go off road for utility purposes at times (hunting, etc), and may do a little wheeling on rocky fire roads/jeep trails in the future. So...

I'm leaning towards the following, but need some additional details to fully understand a few items.

-Billy 5100's on all four corners
1. OME 881, 882, or Eibach springs?
2. What are the pros/cons of using a shorter or longer spring? Obviously a shorter spring allows more variability in lift height using the different settings, but what about ride characteristics?
3. How do spring lengths affect the available travel? And if I use a shorter spring on a higher ring setting is that any different than using a longer spring on a lower setting?

-AAL or leaf pack
1. I was thinking about the Icon expansion pack to save a couple hundred dollars, but I'm wondering if I should just bite the bullet and get a whole new pack? Is an AAL or expansion pack just lipstick on a pig for the goals I noted above?
2. If I go for an all new leaf pack, which one would fit my needs best; better towing support while retaining a decent ride with typical load of the cap and misc stuff in the truck? Dobinson, Icon, OME, others?
3. Are the 5100 rear shocks long enough for use with a new leaf pack that adds a couple inches, or do I need longer shocks?

Thanks!
Jake

 

Have you thought about air bags? I don’t have personal experience but it seems like that’s what people with your general use case are happiest with(can be in conjunction with upgraded suspension or not)

 

You can do a lot of things to improve the ride and get the truck to sit level. But none of that will increase how much weight your truck can handle. If it is sagging and doing the things you describe you're probably overloaded. Modifying the suspension will only hide the problem, you'll still be overloaded.

Tacoma's have plenty of power to pull a pretty heavy trailer, but are cursed with insanely low payload ratings. My Ford Explorer has almost 500 lbs more payload than my Tacoma. The Honda Fit we used to have was only 200 lbs less. Your cap is using up 180-200 lbs of your payload.

 

I'm not overloaded (I've done the math), that's not the issue. The truck sits level with the trailer but the rear suspension is notoriously poor, regardless of towing.

 

I have considered bags, but not really sure how those need to be factored into the equation of adding a lift and whether that would help with the generally poor ride the stock rear suspension provides.

 

I don’t really have the personal knowledge to tell you the ins and outs of this as I don’t really tow often in the slightest, truck’s mostly set up for off road but I recently did a lot of suspension research recently and saw a lot of love for airbags for people with your use case.

What I do know personally is that leaf springs are either going to be very bouncy if underloaded or very harsh if you’re down on the overloads. No way around that, if you have very different load levels sometimes it’s going to have to ride worse for one of those cases. My understanding is that airbags essentially allow you to either add or remove a little spring rate on the fly so that you can match your load and support your main leafs so you’re not ending up down on the overloads.

Another alternative I saw around are adjustable AALs. Basically you loosen them if you don’t need them and tighten them down to help the load when towing or whatever.
https://ironman4x4america.com/load-plus-helper-spring-kit-2/

I agree that the stock ride sucked esp loaded down, any decent aftermarket suspension will help as long as the spring rates are matched pretty well to the use. Especially if you’re like me and prefer a firm ride the stock suspension is too wallowy no matter what

 

Dakar springs with a WD hitch kept me out of the bump stops way more than the factory leaf when towing a trailer with a 600lb tongue weight.

 

I have a 2008 SR5 ,no tow package . I added Bilstein 6112 up front with whatever coil spring it came with a Dakar medium leaf pack with the AAL and 5125 Bilstein shocks . Rear Timbren SES bump stops . Trans cooler ,bigger battery and electronic brake control for trailer . Also have weight distribution hitch to pull my travel trailer . Guessing everything when said and done trailer ,gear and passengers my weight I’m towing is at least 3600 pounds . Ultra Gauge to monitor my temps .No problems knock on wood

I also have a heavy rear aftermarket bumper and sliders welded to frame .

 

Buy once ,cry once . Get what you can afford but definitely get a new leaf pack not just an AAL .