2013 Recap

So, I've been rocking the 2013 DCSB T|X Baja since last July. Still love the truck and I'm very please with the purchase. I do have a couple of small issues that I'm not sure about.

1. Rear Suspension: Picked up the wife's parents from the airport. Riding back with 4 adults and a bed full of luggage, and I bottomed out (rear only) on a pretty small pot hole. Didn't think that little of a load would be enough to bottom out the truck. One reason I went Baja was to not have to mess with aftermarket stuff. After reading through these forums I've found a couple of possible solutions.
a. Bump Stops - could improve the feel of actually bottoming out. This treats the symptom though, and isn't a real solution.
b. OME Dakar Leaf Springs - These will raise my back end 2-3 inches from the current stock configuration. I think these will be stiffer than stock and fix the issue of bottoming out. The concerns are whether or not it will work with my Baja shocks and the trouble/cost of upgrading the leaf springs.

2. Rolling backwards - Was riding with the wife driving the other day. I'm still laid up with a cast on the right foot and can't drive. Anyways, she stops at a light on a steep incline. Light changes and she lets off brake to move her foot to the gas. I'd say she didn't do it quickly, but didn't do it all that slowly either. Anyways, the truck starts to roll back a little, and makes a really terrible grindy noise. She quickly stopped the truck. Tries again, but much quicker this time and as soon as she got on the gas and started forward, no rolling backwards, no lingering noise. Still sounded like shit and worried me. Is this normal? My Camry and old 2wheel drive Tundra never made a sound like that on an incline, even with some slight rolling back.

Thanks for any insight guys.

 

Nope, dry, and just in normal 2WD.

 

For your first concern, I got 2" of lift from my Dakaras and they ride WAY better than the stock springs, I highly recommend them.

As for the hill rollback, it is another issue where the Tacoma is behind the times. Most autos ( and even most standards) in the 30,000+ price range have a hill hold function now a days. I'm sure the new model will have one as well.

 

Did you have to change out the shock when you changed the spring? I'd like to keep the one I have as it has the remote reservoir.

 

For #2. Airbags. No lift and can be filled to level your truck and absorb more of the load when you're loaded down. Your stock ride will remain the same.

I have to say I'm kinda shocked that four people and some luggage would bottom out you truck over 'small' pot holes. How fast were you traveling? How large are the four occupants? How much luggage and how much did it weigh?

I've had four people and luggage in many cars w/o any issue. A truck should be able to handle this load better than a sedan.

 

My stock 4 leaf spring pack bottomed out regularly when i had 4 adults and a bed full of camping shit. It found it really disappointing to say the least. With the Daks, thar kind of load just smoothens out the ride

 

I'd get the Dakars for the rear and probably take one of the leafs out. Will still handle way more weight than the crappy stock leafs but not give as much lift. I would think you'd be fine with your current shocks in that situation. Not sure how the baja rear shocks compare in length to the OMEs nitrochargers.

 

Yes.

I would find a part number for your shock and see if the extended and collapsed lengths are around that of a an aftermarket shock built for a 2" lift.

 

Mine has kicked in once when I was pulling out of a shopping plaza on a steep incline. The noise was AWFUL. The manual says that the noise is normal operation, but they need to describe how terrible it sounds.

 

Was going about 35 through a rough spot in town. The bags were crazy heavy, but I was the only big person in the truck. Either way, I was disappointed it bottomed out, and agree it should handle better than a sedan.

Thanks for the info on the noise. I'm going to go back to the hill when I get my cast off and let it roll back on purpose. I want to get used to the noise and see how long it takes the HAC to kick in.

Anyone with a Baja put in Dakars without swapping the Bilsteins? Or I guess anyone running the Dakars with 5100s?

 

Yep, anytime the truck is in drive and it rolls backwards, the brakes kick in with some serious racket. It's similar to when A-TRAC kicks in. Rather alarming the first time you hear it.

 

My bet us the baja shocks (I believe they are Bilstein 5160's?) will be fine.

I ran the stock shocks for a bit with a 2" AAL for a while, they worked on road and mild off-roading. I switched because the ride was stiff and couldn't support my trailer.