SL or load range e?

SL….
SL tires will handle WAY more weight than the truck will handle.

 

I appreciate the information but, Im just gonna throw out my problem with this 2023 taco V6 4x4 SR5. I can put my right hand on the bed of the truck standing on 1 leg (awaiting VA approval for hip surgery) and horizontally push and pull for less than 30 seconds and the truck will actually chirp the tires and move sideways. Im 5'4 and 140lbs and not super strong. Truck will keep shaking horizontally for 5 whole seconds til it stops with my hand off. Also when stopping even moderately at a red light the front end dips down and truck will go like a see saw for like 3 seconds. Truck only has 6000 miles on it. What is the best (but on the cheaper side) option for me to stiffen up the ride? I dont expect porche handling but just a normal handling. My brothers Crown Victoria doesnt sway, dip ect. as much as my Taco. Its got the stock 245/75/16 destiny tires and no mods. Not terribly concerned with gas mileage as I dont put even 500 miles a month on the truck but I do like to go on dirt roads up a mountain to get to good fishing spots. See a lot of Rogues, Rav4's, and Subaru's that cant make it up these dirt roads due to incline. I put my truck in 4 high and no problems.

 

Stiffen up the ride? Wat?!

Your shock absorbers are blown. (Worn out, dead.) Get new shocks on all 4 corners.

When you jump or push down on a corner of a parked vehicle, if the shocks are in normal condition the vehicle will either not bounce at all or have 1 slight partial upward rebound and then no further movement.

If a vehicle keeps bouncing like a superball after 1 push its because the springs work, but the shocks no longer do.

 

Its only got six thousand miles on it. What (on the cheaper side) shocks would you recommend? Say like $1000 budget for front and rear not including installation.

 

Something is seriously wrong with your suspension. Take it to a trustworthy mechanic and get them to diagnose it. I can't imagine a 2023 Taco w/ 6K miles on it behaving that way unless it is a serious lemon or someone tried to do "some work" on it at some point & literally left some of the shock absorbers disconnected or possibly removed completely.

There is literally nothing else that could possibly cause what you are describing -- a vehicle bouncing for a full 5 seconds after someone stops hopping on the bumper or pushing it -- other than failed, partly disconnected, or missing shock absorbers.

If you want further diagnosis here on TW, post A BUNCH (like 7 or 8) of clear photos of the suspension, front and rear -- not 1 pic -- in A NEW THREAD, not this thread, and people will probably take an interest & maybe be able to help with a clearer diagnosis.

Start the new thread & then post a link to it in your reply.

 

Thanks brother!

 

As someone with E load tires…. Don’t get the E load. They’re tough but my god are they heavy. I went from getting 25 mpg to 16. I’ll tell you what though you can beat the shit out of those tires they don’t care

 

I'm getting 21 mpg on load range E snow tires. 52 lbs each. Did you change tire size or ride height at the same time? At a steady speed on the highway, weight of the tire has almost no effect on gas mileage. Or I guess it does indirectly. More weight means more material that has to flex as it rolls, so more rolling resistance.

 

I went outside and tried this, and I was surprised by how much the truck shakes. It does look like it's mostly the tires flexing. I wasn't able to get it to chirp tires or move, but I have a topper that's an extra couple hundred pounds over the bed. Maybe it could happen with an empty bed with less weight on the rear axle. My garage has an epoxy floor that's somewhat slippery.

Try increasing your tire pressure to the max printed on the sidewall, and see if that makes a difference.

 

I have 265/75R16 load range E tires on my 2020 truck. I got 22 mpg when I lived in Arizona; about 18 in Tennessee. Not sure that weight of the tires is significant.

 

Go lighter.

 

I've had both, only real difference was in MPG's. I have a very strong opinion on anyone who says E's make the ride better due to the extra firmness of the sidewalls. With the flimsy rear suspension hangers, the truck flexes before the tires do anyways.

Tacoma on E's is fine for some, but for general driving, SL's are hard to beat.

 

NO!

 

Agreed

The pressure displayed on a tire sidewall is the max pressure needed to handle the tire’s max load, which is also listed there. Unless hauling or towing, it is generally advised to stick with the tire pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, typically listed on the driver-side door jamb data plate or in the owners manual.

 

I'm not suggesting it long term. Just try it and see if it changes how much the truck bounces. Maybe go for a short drive. You'll have a rougher ride and less traction. Cheaper than trying new tires for anyone who's considering load range E to try to control tire flex.

 

Use, hazards, need for use, off road conditions and frequency all play a part.

Working in the bush, I tried C rated once, after the second pungy stick through the sidewall I went back to E and is all I'll run for work. I can't afford the down time.

If I was mainly paved roads and occasional FSR, I'd think differently and probably have Michelin LTX on it.

 

I like my E load 33" Wilpeaks very much, but I LOVED my 265/75/16 C Load Duratracs. Never worried about getting flats, and they saw plenty of off road.

 

I’ve gone back and forth between E range and SL for years and hardly noticed any real difference in MPG’s. Biggest factors for losing/gaining mpg’s have been adding a camper, winter fuel, and driving habits/environment

 

Here's an idea: for normal on road use, I'd use the tire type specified by the manufacturer (P / SL / XL).

LT tires (C, E, whatever) are for heavier loads or punishing conditions, at the expense of comfort, on road grip, wet traction, and more.

Why are you going with larger tires as well? Is this your truck that the kid drives occasionally, or is it their truck?

 

@HCorps bang for your buck it's hard to best Bilstein 5100's. Like you I have an SR5 and the stock shocks on them are very soft. I've seen many complaints about the nose diving when braking. I switched to 5100's on mine and it's a big improvement.