Tundra Suspension: Long travel pros and cons? Share your setups!

[Mrbad]

Hey all,

Recently picked up a 2019 Tundra and love it. I am looking into different suspension setups and I really like the ICON CDEV because it allows adjustments on the fly, however I am also considering tried and true King, Fox, etc. in that same vein I am starting to consider long travel as well. I have seen a ton of cool builds at TAV and other sites and they utilize long travel, which makes me think "is that end-game, and should I just skip ahead to that instead of upgrading a different set?" My use case would be hunting/fishing, weekend and seasonal camping trips, by no means a full-time traveler. I also dont intend to drive at high speed in the desert or dunes. So is there is a solid argument for long travel on an overland build?

I am sure there will be varying opinions on both sides but looking forward to the communities input. Whats your setup?

 

[dstefan]

Well, I have an opinion, but no experience with having LT. Had a very well built Tacoma with the classic ICON mid travel suspension that went stupid places just fine heavily loaded. My current 21 Tundra with a camper likewise. You can see the basics of the build in my signature. The 2.5 resi ICONs with the delta joint UCAs and the compression adjusters (not the fancy on the fly ones, though) with a HD Deaver spring pack is just great for anything I throw at it. And by anything, I mean shelfs, ledges, small bouldery stuff, deep sand, etc. I’ve been in the Maze a few times and quite a few other difficult, sketchy areas of UT and AZ without issue. I can also run fast on washboards, etc. My lift is about 2.5 in the front and 3.5 in the rear, though it sits pretty level when loaded.


I HAVE researched LT set ups in the past. They are quite expensive, they push out your wheel track in the front and require longer CV axles, replacement fenders, etc. They put more stress on the overall set up. They would be way overkill for what I do, and it sounds to me from your description what you want to do as well, perhaps. Also, it will FUBAR your already crappy mpgs, and practically require a re-gear.

Keep in mind that we have VERY flexy frames that, especially when combined with a mid travel suspension, provide a lot of articulation, especiallly in the rear. It’s part of what makes Tundras work very well off road, along with the tight turning diameter (44’) which you will mess up, I believe with a LT set up. I can’t think of a time when I’ve lifted a wheel in the Tundra on cross camber stuff.

If you aspire to be a serious rock crawler, then maybe LT makes sense, but . . . my $.02 is save your money on the LT and get a good ICON, King, or other mid travel coilover set up with compression adjusters and good rear springs spec’d for your weight and with a mild lift and 33 to 35” good tire sand you won’t have any trouble. If you have money left over after that consider re-gearing and lockers (edit: and on-board air).

I’m ready to change my opinion if someone with real LT experience in a Tundra chimes in. BTW — you can find folks on Tundras.com that do have LT and do a lot of rock crawling, so that’s a resource. It’s horses for courses.

 

[dstefan]

Also,PS . . . I wish I had the CDEV compression adjusters. That on the fly would be great in areas where you alternate with cross camber stuff where having the shocks hard really reduces the head toss from the side to side alternation. I do love the compression adjusters, it’s just a PITA to stop and readjust mid trail. I know, I know . . . first world problems!

 

[rruff]

Recently picked up a 2019 Tundra and love it. I am looking into different suspension setups

Your use case doesn't make sense at all for LT, IMO.

I have a 2" front lift with fat 35s, swaybar removed, front skid, and Ironman FC Pros... which I guess are no longer an option unfortunately. Otherwise stock. It sounds like you are not a bang for buck guy, though! Maybe look into portal axles ($20k!) and decent shock setup, 37s, lockers, regear, etc...

Ground clearance is the biggest limiter I face (western mountains and deserts), as I tend to avoid mud and snow. 37s and a regear with lockers would be nice.

 

[Mrbad]

Well, I have an opinion, but no experience with having LT. Had a very well built Tacoma with the classic ICON mid travel suspension that went stupid places just fine heavily loaded. My current 21 Tundra with a camper likewise. You can see the basics of the build in my signature. The 2.5 resi ICONs with the delta joint UCAs and the compression adjusters (not the fancy on the fly ones, though) with a HD Deaver spring pack is just great for anything I throw at it. And by anything, I mean shelfs, ledges, small bouldery stuff, deep sand, etc. I’ve been in the Maze a few times and quite a few other difficult, sketchy areas of UT and AZ without issue. I can also run fast on washboards, etc. My lift is about 2.5 in the front and 3.5 in the rear, though it sits pretty level when loaded.


I HAVE researched LT set ups in the past. They are quite expensive, they push out your wheel track in the front and require longer CV axles, replacement fenders, etc. They put more stress on the overall set up. They would be way overkill for what I do, and it sounds to me from your description what you want to do as well, perhaps. Also, it will FUBAR your already crappy mpgs, and practically require a re-gear.

Keep in mind that we have VERY flexy frames that, especially when combined with a mid travel suspension, provide a lot of articulation, especiallly in the rear. It’s part of what makes Tundras work very well off road, along with the tight turning diameter (44’) which you will mess up, I believe with a LT set up. I can’t think of a time when I’ve lifted a wheel in the Tundra on cross camber stuff.

If you aspire to be a serious rock crawler, then maybe LT makes sense, but . . . my $.02 is save your money on the LT and get a good ICON, King, or other mid travel coilover set up with compression adjusters and good rear springs spec’d for your weight and with a mild lift and 33 to 35” good tire sand you won’t have any trouble. If you have money left over after that consider re-gearing and lockers (edit: and on-board air).

I’m ready to change my opinion if someone with real LT experience in a Tundra chimes in. BTW — you can find folks on Tundras.com that do have LT and do a lot of rock crawling, so that’s a resource. It’s horses for courses.

Yeah not to mention every extremely capable Tundra I have seen has had a mid travel lift, and some other goodies but can go anywhere you want (and at times exceed the performance of the driver). I don't aspire to be a rock crawler, in fact your build and use case are ideal. I need to be realistic in that this will also be my daily driver haha although I would love to throw a supercharger in there

 

[Mrbad]

Your use case doesn't make sense at all for LT, IMO.

I have a 2" front lift with fat 35s, swaybar removed, front skid, and Ironman FC Pros... which I guess are no longer an option unfortunately. Otherwise stock. It sounds like you are not a bang for buck guy, though! Maybe look into portal axles ($20k!) and decent shock setup, 37s, lockers, regear, etc...

Ground clearance is the biggest limiter I face (western mountains and deserts), as I tend to avoid mud and snow. 37s and a regear with lockers would be nice.

I agree, the more I read the modifications list the more it doesnt really make sense unless im building a chase truck. I lean towards "buy once, cry once" so bang for the buck is what I keep in the forefront of my mind. I wouldn't want to go bigger than 35s so I can keep the spare in the factory location.

 

[rruff]

Pretty sure you can deflate a 37 and ratchet strap it down and make it fit... or cut off the tabs or something. You definitely want a spare, but it doesn't need to be that convenient. I always plug first... and in many thousands of offroad miles, I think I only used a spare once. In fact a smaller spare would work fine too, so long as you get the other tire fixed or replaced when you get to pavement. A Tundra with 37s looks just right, and the extra ground clearance is always nice. 5.29 regear is best if you are going to do that.

One thing that seems like a generally bad idea is going over 2" on the front lift. Even 1.5" would be fine and is enough for 37s. More just causes issues with CVs and ball joints.

 

[shmabs]

Pretty sure you can deflate a 37 and ratchet strap it down and make it fit... or cut off the tabs or something. You definitely want a spare, but it doesn't need to be that convenient. I always plug first... and in many thousands of offroad miles, I think I only used a spare once. In fact a smaller spare would work fine too, so long as you get the other tire fixed or replaced when you get to pavement. A Tundra with 37s looks just right, and the extra ground clearance is always nice. 5.29 regear is best if you are going to do that.

One thing that seems like a generally bad idea is going over 2" on the front lift. Even 1.5" would be fine and is enough for 37s. More just causes issues with CVs and ball joints.

My "small" 37 inch ko2s have no chance of fitting underneath, even with the tabs cut off.

To the OP: Your uses don't scream "I need long travel" but ultimately it's your call. I have a decent mind travel setup on my tundra, running 37's geared and locked in the rear, and does the overland sort of thing just fine. I would say that it's pretty darn close to my bone stock 2017 raptor in terms of higher speed performance. I run king 3.0's up front with MCM upper arms, and duro bumps. Rear is deaver 748's with MCM spec'd ADS triple bypasses and a slighty longer shackle.

As other's have mentioned, going LT is a can of worms.....

 

[Downytide]

I live in Canada, we have no dunes, no desert, I don't need LT but secretly I want it.

it really comes down to if you can afford it or not.

There's quite few folks on Tundras.com will help you spend your money very quickly,

 

[Dranged]

-slight diversion but on-topic, albeit adjacent-

Does anyone in this Tundy audience have REAL and reliable stats of stock (1st gen) Tundra coil spring rates?

thx in advance