TRD Ride Difference 3rd Gen vs 2nd Gen?

Newbie here... Does anyone have thoughts on the ride differences between the 3rd Gen TRD, and 2nd Gen TRD?

I'm considering selling my 2004 ExtraCab TRD and moving up to a 2nd Gen, or 3rd Gen. I also need to go for a 4dr truck with the next truck. I have not ridden in a 2nd Gen TRD yet, but did test drive a new 2017 a few weeks ago. I felt like the 2017's suspension was every bit as bouncy as my 2004 with nearly 200K miles on it. I could feel every bump in the road, and it had similar body roll, etc. I guess I was expecting a new truck to have a little tighter ride. Maybe I'm just getting old. I actually preferred the ride quality of the 2017 SR5 to the 2017 TRD.

I'm looking to test drive a 2nd Gen TRD soon to get a comparison, but was curious if anyone had insights they'd like to share?

 

There are 3 different TRD trims, could you be more specific about which one you're talking about? (although I suspect it's the Sport, since you said the ride is stiff- my OR goes over bumps without much drama)

 

Yep, the TRD I drove was a TRD Sport. It also had a short bed (which I don't prefer, and probably wouldn't buy). I'm not sure if the bed length changes anything for ride quality though.

 

Loved mine when stock. Trd offroad.

The SR5 with its stock components is not bad it's just a little stiffer in my opinion. Basic gas front and rear shocks.

I've switched to 5100's and for what I use the truck for it made a world of diff. off& on-road.

I imagine that you have not run the same suspension; front and rear shocks for 200,000 miles......

If you're going to be doing any swaps then go with the basic model and go from there and do more research.


Welcome to Tacoma world

 

Whats the real difference between "basic gas shocks" and 5100's? I've got 30K on my SR5 suspension right now.

 

A '17 TRD OR is very plush IMO but does have a ton of body roll as a result. The Sport was pretty jouncy and it cornered flatter although they both understeer like pigs compared to almost anything else on the market. The long bed adds wheelbase so it's going to feel more solid going down the road.

I bought the OR because I live in rural PA and it handles the roads here nicely. I also have a sporty cars and motorcycles though so my truck doesn't need to be a razor sharp handler in the twisties. I'm cool with it wallowing around as long as I don't need a kidney belt for frost heaves and washboard. If it was my only vehicle I might wish for something more responsive.

 

Really? I didn't know you could get a DCLB TRD Offroad in the states. I'd only heard of people getting those in Canada.

Anyway, @OP- if you want the ride of the offroad but don't want to spend the money for the package, there's options too. You can get an SR5 and buy Bilstein 5100s, which are the next step up from the OR stock suspension (4600s), or you could just buy someone's takeoff OR suspension on here for like $200.

 

I like this idea. Thanks! Where can I learn more about the Bilstein 5100 mod, seems to be a popular suggestion? I'd be curious how it changes the ride. I do mostly highway driving - probably 90% highway anyways.

 

If you didn't like the stiff ride of the sport I'm not sure why you'd want the digressive 5100s. Test drive a TRD OR if you want a soft ride. As far as overall ride 2nd gen vs 3rd gen I honestly don't think there's much difference. It's the same frame and suspension and more or less the same weight soo...

 

I have had a 1st Gen, 2 2nd Gens, and now my 3rd Gen, all were Off Road Models and the 3rd Gen has by far the smoothest ride.

 

The difference is the valving in the gas shock itself, some are stiffer some are a softer.

 

So what could I expect from a swap to the 5100s? Stiffer or softer? I'll be honest, the Edmunds "death valley" torture test has me thinking I need Kings. haha

 

The 4600s on the OR are also digressive

 

There's quite a number of threads around here about the 5100s, you can search for them and find lots of information there. You may also want to read up on the differences between digressive and progressive valved shocks but the tl;dr is digressive shocks will feel softer over high speed compressions (hitting bumps at higher speeds) but stiffer at lower speed compressions, and progressives are the opposite- soft at lower speeds firmer at high speeds. To get a quality progressive setup will cost you a bit more and you'll want to look at OME, Fox, or Kings for that. To the best of my knowledge, Bilstein does not make a progressive valved shock for our trucks. (which is a real pain in the ass because I do alot of crawling on trails and want progressive shocks... but I digress)

Blah blah blah it sounds like if you do 90% of your driving on highways you'd want digressive shocks and the Bilstein options would be good for you.

 

What about linear shocks, would they be a good option (or does anyone make them for the Tacomas)?

 

Well for what it's worth I've been bashing my 2017 DCLB TRD OR around job sites for the past 50,000 miles. (yeah, 50k in 11 months).

I am often the very first vehicle onto a job site for soil grading and site mapping. Then Im there through the structural phase. I was a little gentle with truck at first then I remebered it is a Taco after all. I am in no way gentle now. In my off time I clean it up and drive for LYFT. Constant compliments on the comfort and ride.

 

I see what you did there.

 

The 4600 and 5100 are pretty much the same shock. Same internals and construction. Different finishes and more importantly, different purposes. The 5100 is designed for lifted trucks and comes in all kinds of lengths/strokes to accommodate and with valving to handle heavier/larger tires. Generally, if you bought the same size 5100 as would fit your stock truck it would ride very close to the same as a 4600. Maybe a little more rebound assuming you might be using a heavier wheel/tire combination. If you lift your truck - you can't use a 4600 anymore. But, unless you are lifting you can save a couple bucks and not give up anything except chrome with the 4600 (also called the Heavy Duty).

 

The Sport probably has the harshest ride of all Tacoma's, you can always go back and test drive an Off Road or Pro.

 

My 2016 Sport rode rougher than my 2011 Sport did. I had to go back to the Bilsteins and the ride is much better. So are the TRD Bilsteins on the offroad supposed to be the same as the 4600? Because I got the 4600's and they look bigger than the TRD Bilsteins.