Off Road Nose Dive

Starting to get the DCLB TRD Sport into more and more technical trails in stocoma trim and seeing where its limits are. One thing i have been noticing is that even taking it real easy, the front suspension dives a lot when coming down ledges (not specifically on descents, I'm aware of weight transfers) and blows through my travel and ground clearance (poor crossmember). Wheeling with my buddy with a AC TRD OR, he didnt seem to have this issue (no chance at keeping up with his pace), is this just better control in the OR shocks vs the Sport or more so that loaded, im probably 350lbs heavier (chassis config + all load centered over the bed).

If its the shocks this will probably re-prioritize my upgrade priorities but going to be some 32's first

 

All the stock shocks are soft. They’re built for comfort not off road stability. The off-road shocks are stiffer than the sport but not by much.

 

Other way around. Off road shocks are softer. Sport shocks are stiffer for the street.

More likely that you are heavier.

 

Having owned both, can confirm lol

 

Damn it. That’s what I meant

 

The TRD Pro Fox Shocks pretty much “Fix” that issue.

 

The Off Road springs are progressive, so they're soft at the beginning of the wheel travel, but get firmer as you use up that travel. So it should provide a smooth ride over small bumps but also provide better bottoming resistance.

The Sport springs, if I'm not mistaken, are digressive. So they're firmer at the beginning of the suspension travel, but get softer as you go through it. It provides better handling on road, but larger bumps will cause it to bottom out. I could also see where extra weight would compound the issue.

Most aftermarket suspension will be an upgrade over stock, with the exception of maybe the Fox shocks on the Pro.

 

I thought that the springs across all the trucks (except PRO) were the same. Also a spring can not by nature be digressive unless your yielding it.

 

The shocks are digressive, as I understand.

I wasn't too keen on the suspension on my trd OR until I A: accidentally jumped some railroad tracks, the speed must have been perfect because it was incredibly graceful, stable and didn't bottom out and B: driving it through the ditch at the bottom of my property to load it up with brush and branches. It was again, so smooth and graceful, never lifted a tire, no creaks or groans, I was shocked. This is coming from someone who deals with long armed Jeeps, I know flex.

Getting used to the nose dive when braking takes a while to get accustomed to though, no doubt.

It's first time I can say the company labeled the truck right. It's setup for offroad, the sport for pavement and the pro for higher speed offroad. If you bought the right one by name for your application, your needs are greater and you need to mod it. That's fine. The people that buy a sport and then talk about making it flex, adding a locker or that it rides stiff... dude, c'mon. It's not like these trucks are rare, you just bought the wrong one.

The good news is, you can usually grab some brand new take-off TRD OR shocks for next to nothing, so toss some on and see how you feel about it. If better but not enough, then spend real money. The upsides of a truck like this.

 

I think your right, the digressive set up would be done through shock valving and not the spring. I haven't looked into suspension upgrades in a awhile and I'm going off of memory, which is, admittedly, not always the best lol.

I could be wrong, but I thought I remembered a discussion comparing the springs on the Off Road and SR5, with the Off Road being progressive and SR5 being linear. Again, I could be wrong on that.

 

You bet, upgrade that suspension

 

New suspension

 

If they are(sport shocks) indeed digressive, this makes sense.

About the buying a sport and off roading it. In Canada the TRD OR is not available in the DCLB configuration. As I can't change the chassis I figured that suspension will be. Aconsumable anyways and will be upgraded along the way.

I will probably start looking at some OR take offs as a stop gap if a deal comes around now. Unless it makes sense just to jump to eibach pros or omes right away.

 

Get proper rated coils, and good shocks will allow you to adjust that out.... I’m running BP51’s and I can run em stiff or soft and me personally, I like em soft.... I don’t beat my truck and drive 10/10.... I like to really creep over rocks and wait for tires to hook and do their job.... so softer makes it more enjoyable


https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDKyrhRDjeO/?igshid=12jnls58ki9nt

Here’s a quick video from Sunday.... this is probably what you’re experiencing... floaty/boaty suspension?

 

Just wanna say, good on you OP for running the stock taco through the paces before just diving into a “cool lift” set up.

 

Kinda like that but worse. My speeds were similar. I like that idea of adjustability if I have more weight to account for. Wonder if it would even be worth going to a medium spring right away (will only have alu skids and a winch down the road). Or just buy springs once I get the need.

 

Thanks. The truck is very capable on its own. Just doing 32s next year and reroute(this year) I can see even opening up much more potential. We went through ardbeg a little while ago and there wasn't anything that stopped it (never took a bypass except for some deep bouldery water)

 

If you're wheelin' your stock sport and aware of your need for a stiffer ride... chances are you'll be needing more than aluminum skids in the future hahahaha Love hearing of people really using and enjoying their vehicles. Proper pring rates are needed to maintain a given height wiith a given load... yes, stiffness goes up and down with higher rated springs, but the "stiffness" your butt dyno will feel the most is the dampening capabilities of the shocks...

to answer your question:
If you're going with an OME type setup.... doesn't hurt to go Mediums... then later swap out for stiffer springs... easy and cheap change... something not so easy and cheap on a coilover like a King, FOX, BP51

 

Read this quickly and thought you suggested the taco box to be thrown into the budget LOL and yes, cam tabs... reinforce your stockers or buy the Total Chaos kit to really beef things up... I flattened two on one side and sheared the other on a trip, once... Good call @jeff b

 

Oh wow, yeah, those are BEEF... Wish I would have seen these earlier... My BAMF skids keep rocks away pretty well