CALLING ALL TRD BAJA SUSPENSION OWNERS

I apologize if this is covered somewhere else, but I've been searching a few days now with pretty vague results with something this specific. Any help is appreciated discussing this.

I'm trying to get responses from anyone experiencing or having experienced harsher than normal ride with the TRD baja suspension (650 lb. springs).

This past month I redid the entire front suspension on my 2008 double cab tacoma TRD Sport 2wd. To include New:

-Energy suspension rack and pinion bushings
-inner and outer tie rods
-new lower control arms
-SPC adjustable upper control arms
-new SPC cam bolts
-new wheel bearings
-and the TRD baja pro suspension (ptr13-35150-aa springs)
-3/4 inch (1.5 in lift) front top plate spacer

No changes to tire air pressure, truck has stock wheels and tires. The spring and struts came assembled from the dealer, Toyota of Dallas. I Had the truck aligned with L/F 0.1, R/F 0.0 camber and L/F +2.7, R/F +2.9 caster (for bigger tire/wheel combo coming soon). I forget the exact toe numbers but was set within factory specs.

My truck now rides like a Tank. Like, wow it's stiff! compared to my 216k 11 year old stock sport suspension (So soft). This is so stiff that on the driver side If I hit a small speed bump or pot hole too fast the suspension feels as if there's so much preload the wheel is just skipping off of the pavement and even sometimes cause the abs to activate. I rechecked everything was torqued down properly.... upper control arms torqued to 85 ftlb while weight of the vehicle on the ground.... cam bolts torqued to 200ftlb. I did noticed the driver side spring/strut is preload by one slot (I believe for taco lean), should take the preload out the driver side and make it like the passenger side? Because it feels like most of the roughness is coming from the driver side. The whole thing is very firm, but this is just way to stiff! The trucks steering feels amazing on the straight aways and through corners with good roads, but there's just no way you could offroad this.... I'm at a loss here, I've been working on this on weekends only for over a month now. I'm about ready to remove the 3/4 spacers to see if it reduces the harshness at all... or should I buy the 31520 springs(600ftlb)? Does anyone have some similar experience with this? I'm tearing my hair out. Thanks in advance.

-Garrett

 

is the spacer between the top hat and strut tower, or is between the top hat and spring (preloading the spring more)?

Also cam bolts should only be torqued to 100 ftlbs, and make sure to torque them at ride height (same goes for lower shock mount).

 

The spacer is sandwiched between the Top of strut and between the strut tower (Top spacer), I don't like the idea of spacers that preload springs.
The SPC cam bolts instructions state to torque them down to 200ftlb, but I will double check the lower shock mount... I don't really feel over torqueing the lower shock mount will make the suspension do this. But I will definitely retorque it!

 

Oh the SPC upper ball joint big nut, yes 200 ftlbs.

"Cam bolts" i took as the LCA to frame bolts, those should be at 100ftlbs and tightened when the vehicle is under its own weight, same with the lower shock mount. This is due to them being a bonded rubber bushing.

 

Yes for both, The lower cam bolts on the LCAs, spc wants 198 and 220ish ftlb. It could be the issue but really, I was just following the instructions like a nerd. I'm not sure, but 100ftlb seems way too little these bolts turn so easy... we aligned this truck three time and these bolts really needed to be tight, every time we test drove it the number would change from the bolts being too loose.

 

Definitely not my experience with the Baja suspension. I’m running 1/2” top plate driver and 1/4” passenger (taco lean battle).

You mention you are running stock tires. Are they P-load run at 32psi? Theory being that possibly a worn out suspension may have hid a harsh riding tire.

 

Mine's been fine for the last 70k miles. No issues. Your 2WD, so less front end weight... I could see it being a little stiffer, but it shouldn't be terrible.

 

Good point, I did not consider that. 34 psi on both, so a little high vs. the 29 on the door sticker so I will adjust that and excuse me I didn't realize these were one size taller, 70 sidewall vs. The oem size 65 sidewall. Load rating is 113T, so I don't know what that equates too as far as alphabet soup load ratings. Are you also running the heavier 650lb springs?

 

My truck is an access cab 4x4 4cly. I have a arb bumper with winch. I installed the Baja setup. Same results for me also. I ordered 600lb eibach springs and swapped them out. It was a big difference in ride quality. Lost a half inch in lift. It rides even better after a couple months.

 

Your sidewalk says P, in front of the size. That is the stock load rating. Your pressure is just a little high, but not enough to where it should negatively effect the ride to the extent you are talking about.

 

I could see that with an AC 4cyl, as that will be a fair amount lighter.

 

Yeah stock definitely. But I added at least 200lbs directly up front with the bumper and winch. Regardless your ride will improve with lighter springs.

 

And to answer the OPs previous question, yes I am running the 650lb Baja springs and really like the ride.

 

*update**

I may have misinterpreted the feeling/sound. So on top of the increase in stiffness this feeling/sound I was getting from the driver side may actually be a popping or binding.

Last night I had a buddy jump up and down on the step boards while hanging from the roof rack to simulate the road and an audible popping came from only the driver side. Also if I touched the tire while he rocked the truck I could feel the popping.

I need to take another look at the driver side suspension when I get home, far as I can tell without tearing it apart. It's either the wheel bearing or something to do with the rack and pinion. No, the sway bar is not interfering with the strut nor is the upper control arm ball joint hitting the spring.

Is it possible when lifting these trucks the increase in length of the tie rod arms causes a bind in the rack as the suspension compresses and straightens the rod? Or would the suspension compressing cause toe to just widen and tires point out?

 

Did they do anything with your bump stops? To account for your spacers. So your shocks aren't topping out first instead of the bumps tops taking the hit?

 

No, I did not do anything with the bump stops.
The bump stops on the Baja suspension package are supposed to be shortened. Because they provide additional travel so I chose not to do that since I gave it an additional 1.5 in lift with a 3/4 in spacer I decided to leave the stock taller bump stops on.

This suspension is so stiff I doubt it ever will fully compress to the point it hits the bump stops on the road, nor was it hitting the bump stops at the time we rocked the truck last night.