Non-lift suspension advice

I have a different kind of tire and suspension question about my 2013 Access Cab SR5 4x4...

I don't really want a lift.

I do want a slightly softer ride, and I'm going to be hauling several hundred (up to 500) pounds of stone from time to time, mostly on pavement but also on good and bad gravel and dirt roads in the woods and hills.

I have 245/75/16 All-Weather tires which are ok for another year if I want. They're nothing special. Stock wheels.

Stock everything else, original 2013 factory OEM as far as I can tell.

If I consider getting a better rear suspension to handle these loads on poor roads, what is a good place to start?

If I want slightly softer ride up front, what's a good shock?

Will different tires make a difference? I don't off-road for fun, but I do drive bad roads on my way to fun, in the snow too. I don't really want wide aggressive tires, but a taller tire at the same width would be cool for the clearance and the old school look.

Just to be clear, if I end up with additional ride height, that's fine, but it's not what I'm after.

 

How many miles are on your OEM shocks, first?

And which specific brand/model of tire is on now?

Oh and while your at it how many miles on the truck?

 

This is where I would start. When you buy your next set of tires, get P265/75-16s (not LTs). They're an inch taller than your 245s and with your stock rims, they'll fit with no trimming or rubbing. Their slightly taller sidewall *might* improve the ride a bit, though likely not enough to notice. Mainly, they should help soften the small sharp bumps just a bit. As a bonus, they do look better.

 

Just gonna put these here because they are one type of solution for the rear for heavier loads.

https://www.etrailer.com/susp-2013_...ing+Pre-Runner?fUrl=-pt-Bump_Stops-pm-Timbren

 

Michelin LTX AT2 is a very nice tire. M+S rated, excellent wet pavement traction, and really good off road too. And long lasting.

 

Those should be a good solution for occasional hauling. Expensive, but there may be cheaper options out there.

 

Tires


Front suspension



Rear suspension



Truck is a 2013 with 65k miles. Stock as far as I know. I bought it 6 weeks ago, my second Toyota truck.

 

As far as I know the whole truck has 65k on it. All parts look factory OEM to me, but I'm still learning about this truck.

Sailun tires, I added photos above.

 

Thanks, that jives with other things I've been told.

I'll do some reading about P/LT tire types. It's a daily driver and I do haul stuff with it but it's not a work truck for sure.

 

Looks cool, but 5000lbs. seems like overkill?

I'll consider it. I was expecting advice about shocks and maybe new leaf springs, so I'll have to expand my thinking because there's obviously options that I totally didn't know about. I appreciate it!

 

Agreed, 5000# seems a bit ambitious. Whether that's a realistic number or not, the amount of load capacity assist will depend on the air pressure you put into them. You mentioned hauling up to 500#, and there may be better solutions for you.

I didn't advise about shocks or springs because I don't know what might best fit your situation. A softer ride is usually at odds with increased load capacity, which is why I think some sort of adjustable air assist may be the best answer.

TW is an active forum with a lot of knowledgeable members, and hopefully others will give you better advice than I can.

Oh, one more note about tires. P (passenger) rating is virtually the same as SL (standard load) which is what I have on my 2005 Tacoma. I have hauled some fairly heavy loads of firewood without any problems. Some guys prefer LT tires, but they can cause a stiffer ride and affect fuel mileage a bit.

 

That's actually very helpful.

I think I probably will explore the air spring for the rear and invest in some P or SL 265/75s. This feels like it would give me some easy gains in the tire and options for the rear.

I think that the softer ride is less important than handling on gravel/bad roads at the end of the day. Would anyone suggest improving the OEM suspension in the front if I use the air springs in the back? I feel like it handles pretty well as is it.

 

Just guesstimating based on my loads of firewood and your intended use hauling stone -- I doubt there's any reason to change anything in the front suspension. As long as the shocks are good. At 65K miles, they should still be okay, but you might want to upgrade a bit. And that's a whole 'nother can of worms with opinions all over the map. I didn't want to lift my Tacoma so I went with Bilstein 4600s (use 5100s if you intend to lift it).

 

You could try something like this. Cheap and easy.
https://www.hellwigproducts.com/products/?partnumber=550

 

Thanks! I'm going to drive it for a couple months and figure out if there's anything I really need to change, I figure the tires will be the first thing in any case. I'm hoping the factory leafs are enough and in good shape, and I feel like I've got a few options to think about if it's not handling well.