Advice - rear suspension

[Str8lin]

Need some advice group!

Put a Tuff Country 3" lift on my 06 Taco DC in Sept to get my truck up so I could throw 285 75 16s BFG TAs on. I really like my set up don;t get me wrong, the lift raised the front 3" and rear 1.5, the rear tweak was a simple add a leaf. it looks good and works great for me on fire trails and CAT 2 off roading. I have recently put an ARE shell on bed and it still sits level, bit when I throw another 150 - 200 lbs in bed it starts to sag a bit.

So.. what should I do to get better load carrying ability so I cna laod with 300-400 lbs in rear and stil not look overloaded?? Thought about the Deaver leaf packs? Your thoughts?

Oh.. want to add... will head to Moab next summer to wheel and know I may want to eventually upgrade to a better front coilover (Donahoe or Camburg) so whatever I do with rear I'd want to do it right so it would compliment the eventual upgrade to front.

thanks in advance!

 

[asteffes]

Get a 12-leaf pack from Deaver or Alcan and the Donahoe rear shocks.

 

[erin]

:iagree:

You won't be disapointed with the Deavers, money well spent.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Its the way Toyota does the shackle. Since the shackle is in compression the shackle is always trying to lay flat. Great for articulation but bad for loads.

If the shackle was in tension (spring pulling UP) on the shackle as load increases the shackle would lean back and fight the spring flattening out...it is effectively make a variable rate spring.

Only couple of ways to remedy the problem....Stiff springs and some lift or Air bags/helper spring. AIr bags would probably be the best because you can adjust the pressure to the load.

FYI Tacos have a weak frame in the rear and if you are carrying loads like that regularly. A few companies make a weld on plate to strengthen the frame where it goes over the axle you might want to add before putting a set of bags on it. You are moving the load point to the weak point with a bag.
There are a few posts on the site about it.

 

[njtaco]

Grim,

I think the rear shackles on the 05 and up Tacomas are in tension, unlike the 04 and earlier trucks.

Str8lin,

While bags would work, IMHO they are better suited to a variable load. If 300 lbs will be a normal load, order springs and shocks to that spec. and then look into bags. With a 12-leaf pack, like asteffes said, you will be hard pressed (pun?) to overload them.

 

[devinsixtyseven]

a spring pack built specific to flex/ride normally at a specific payload capacity will serve you best in the long run, from either deaver or alcan. both make excellent products and their prices are comparable, so it really comes down to how close you live to either colorado (alcan) or california (deaver). if your leaf pack is arched more to provide lift etc., it will also be longer, so you'll have more available droop and can run a longer shock.

donahoe makes a great product. so does bilstein...their 5100 and 7100 are great products and very well suited to the heavier payloads and stiffer springs of a fully loaded rig.

total chaos makes an adapter for the rear upper shock mount, it converts the mount to an eye rather than a needle, so you can run any shock you want...try 8" or 9" shafts. on my truck, a 10" shaft will collapse to the shock body before it hits the bump stop...the body mount isn't quite high enough (i have a tundra).

-sean

 

[Grim Reaper]

Grim,

I think the rear shackles on the 05 and up Tacomas are in tension, unlike the 04 and earlier trucks.

Str8lin,

While bags would work, IMHO they are better suited to a variable load. If 300 lbs will be a normal load, order springs and shocks to that spec. and then look into bags. With a 12-leaf pack, like asteffes said, you will be hard pressed (pun?) to overload them.

I hope you are correct.

I never understood why Toyota didn't do that in the first place. Its a major source of problems when using a truck as a truck. It also contributes to Spring wrap and the "Toyota sag".