Aftermarket suspension for my 3rd gen DCSB 4x4 questions

Close enough! I’m in Lassen County!

 

1) I don't believe you do
2) no
3) yes, if you intend on using your front sway bar
4) no

I'm running the Icon 2.5 without ressies and 2.0 in the rear. The kit came with the sway bar relocation block and IS required if you want to use your sway bar. Otherwise the coils will bind against the swaybar. The rest are up to you. I also have no needle bearing vibrations either, but YMMV.

 

(UNPOPULAR OPINION)

Honestly, just get some more aggressive tires if you must (though the stock OR tires are surprisingly capable, though they don't have that bro look to them); if you want to put some 33's on it, 255/85r16s will fit and give you some extra ground clearance if you feel its needed. The stock suspension is more than sufficient for most cases, and was tuned for off road usage. In fact, if I recall correctly the stock Billies are valved just the same or reasonably close to the 5100s.

In my experiences my 2017 TRD OR will go pretty much every where I point it stock. I'll probably add some 255/85s and some bolt on sliders. I have yet to use the locker and rarely (maybe a couple of times?) used 4lo for the most part. I've gone everywhere my buddies lifted Titan on 35s with Mud Graps would go with less difficulty and floated through mud with the stock shoes too. Haven't had a need for a tow or anything, and thats in some pretty nasty Ga clay and soft sand, up and down hills. Take it out off the beaten path some more and you'll be pleasantly surprised with how much it can handle stock.

 

Those narrower & taller 85’s look nice on Tacoma’s, and are supposed to do well in snow and mud. I thought about going that route too if for looks, but my driving is mostly on desert dry dirt, sand and rock, which wider tires are better for in terms of sand floatation and less puncture potential on sharp rocks.

I use lockers mostly when doing recovery pull outs, especially from sand.

 

I think they definitely provide a good compromise in offering a capable tire with good looks. You gain the added ground clearance of a 33 without the necessity of adding a lift and retaining the factory ride; which feels pretty great imo. They only downsides I could see would be in desert environments like you mentioned, and the potential lack of local sourcing without ordering online if you need new shoes asap.

 

If you want wide tires for the desert, you do you, but I figure the military runs skinny tires in the sandbox for a reason.

The 255s have been great and with no lift I can promise you my truck will do the kind of trails posted earlier with no difficulties.

That all said I'm still upgrading but it's because I need to carry weight, not to fit tires (Also remember lift != Ground clearance- it's amazing how many people seem to believe that). You lift to fit bigger tires, that's where you get clearance.

 

Skinnier tire = higher psi downforce on the tread, thus sharp things will be able to do more damage. But the inverse of that is higher psi downforce = more friction. There’s a good report link on it somewhere here on TW, the conclusion was that they both have their benefits under different circumstances. it’s my hunch that the military wants clearance and good traction under all conditions. Their tires are already rather puncture proof...

 

Yeah, I went with 265/75/16 KO2’s for weight too (E’s), as my wife and I are rock hounds and load up a lot of those on our desert trips, and I pull a trailer, too. So I put in a single AAL and kept the overload spring in for lift+weight handling, and 5100’s all around for lift (about 1.5”). Next project: reroute that dang exhaust pipe, I hit it once too many already on rocks (when I was stock).