Suspension Upgrades For Tacoma With New FWC

[flyingbehr]

I am looking for recommendations for upgrading my mostly stock 2020 tacoma which now has a 2014 finch camper on it.

The Truck: 2020 Tacoma Off-The-Road (double cab long bed).

The Camper: 2014 Finch FWC. Weighs about 900 lbs dry. It is fully loaded.

I currently have firestone airbags installed, but that is it right now.

I am not a knowledgable truck owner when it comes to suspension and upgrades. I am seeking any input or insight into different suspension and lift options people have tried or recommend for tacomas. I have been told both Dobinson and OME makes a good lift kit. I have also been told that lifting will negatively affect my center of gravity. Any thoughts on this?

As a side note, the fit of the finch is awesome on a long bed. There is no overhang, and I am even able to close my tailgate (which I may or may not choose to keep. Makes for an awkward step into the camper. Also someone pointed out that if the tailgate is closed while someone is inside that person will need to use the emergency exit to get out as they are essentially locked in).

Thanks in advanced for any insight.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Yes, lifting your truck will raise the center of gravity and thus affect handling. But asking the truck carry more payload than it's designed (which you're very likely doing) also affects handling and ride. So you should match the suspension to your application.

Do you even need or want lift? My guess is you probably don't need it but that's a question for you. Assuming you do not you can install heavier duty springs just to hold the extra weight so that it rides at around stock height comfortably.

 

[flyingbehr]

Thanks for the quick response. I'll specify further on how I plan on using this rig / truck.

I live in Colorado (Roaring Fork Valley) and I would like to feel confident going up and down many of the really cool back roads around the state. Some of these roads are more aggressive than others and while I do want to feel confident about my clearance I also do not plan on pushing things too far considering I am also carrying my home / camper on the back. This was my original line of thought for getting a lift kit although I am not married to the idea.

Outside of Colorado I plan on using this rig for longer road trips out to the West Coast and there will be a lot of highway time. I do not want to make this 'overly' outfitted for 'overlanding' and then not be able to use it comfortably on the high way.

Thanks for again any insight.

 

[flyingbehr]

Here is a side profile of the truck. Not sure how much this helps the topic on suspension, but I am psyched on the combination of the Finch and the Longbed.

 

[DaveInDenver]

If you ever find yourself down in GJ (where I actually live) I'd be happy to let you kick tires and drive a lifted Tacoma if you want. My truck's not going to be as top heavy as yours but I have removed the sway bar - which I would recommend you do not on yours - so the tippy sensation will be obvious to you. I run pretty stiff springs (OME CS047R + 1 extra leaf rear pack, 650 lb/in front) with fairly aggressively valved FOX shocks. It sits about +2" over stock. So it's not exactly a Cadillac soft ride either. But I've been driving a truck built like this for decades in Colorado so I'm comfortable with what it's capable of doing or not doing.

ETA: I completely forgot to mention, too, we have Alcan Spring here in GJ. They make custom leaf springs and if you're interested in uprated payload but perhaps not as much lift as you'd get with OME/Dobinson/All-Pro/etc. they could make exactly what you want.

 

[rruff]

I have also been told that lifting will negatively affect my center of gravity. Any thoughts on this?

Keep your front lift 1.5-2" and don't lift the rear. Will the camper be on all the time?

If yes... then get some springs custom made for your load. Possible adding a couple leafs would also work, or the heavy duty OME/Dobinson/Ironman springs. It would also be good to get rear shocks that are valved for the load. Accutune does custom valving on the reservoir shocks and the Fox 2.0 are not horribly expensive. If the load will always be on you can get the non adjustable models. https://accutuneoffroad.com/product...a/toyota-tacoma-2020-2005/rear-shocks-mounts/ For the front check out Ironman Pros, or you could match with Fox, but tuning for the load is less critical because weight will not increase much on the front with the camper.

If not... then it's probably best to keep the airbags. Maybe add a leaf. Adjustable shocks for the rear.

Either way you may want a rear swaybar and better tires would certainly help. I've also heard that a regear is very helpful on Tacomas, but $$$.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Don't over think it.. you shouldn't need anything more than airbags, it only 1k lbs.
Try to resist the suspension rabbit hole for a few months.

 

[life_w_vagabonds]

I’m carrying about the same weight in my Ranger. I added bags to cut down on sway and they really helped. I see you already have bags installed, what pressure are you running and what load range tires are you on?

 

[DaveInDenver]

Don't over think it.. you shouldn't need anything more than airbags, it only 1k lbs.
Try to resist the suspension rabbit hole for a few months.

Completely legit approach. My concern (probably unfounded) is relying on airbags in a case like this where the weight is essentially a permanent addition means the suspension is overloaded should they leak or the compressor fails. I know airbags are used as primary load bearing springs but in this application they're only supposed to be intermittent helpers, right?

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Full time.. lots of people leave their campers on full-time with just air bags on stock suspension.. you will need to monitor them for a while to make sure they are holding pressure.

 

[flyingbehr]

Wow. Thanks to everyone who took time to share their thoughts on this. New to this forum and I am a little blown away at getting this much feedback in such a short time window. This is all great and thank you. I'll try to get to everyone's responses in an efficient way.

I feel comfortable waiting to go down the 'suspension rabbit hole' and further contemplating whether a lift is necessary. I may be getting ahead of myself thinking of some of more aggressive roads and terrain and I can see how the airbags perform. I currently have the airbags at 30 psi. I have checked them twice since they were installed and they seem to be holding pressure fine.

I do anticipate keeping the camper on the truck full time and for that reason I will probably take an intermediate (and seemingly less complex) step of getting higher rated tires. I am currently running stock tires. Any recommendations for tires?

Before summer arrives I will likely have a better picture of what my suspension needs are and cross that bridge then. Sounds like custom leafs are a great way to go but I will have to compare the costs to some of the available preconfigured kits.

 

[flyingbehr]

If you ever find yourself down in GJ (where I actually live) I'd be happy to let you kick tires and drive a lifted Tacoma if you want. My truck's not going to be as top heavy as yours but I have removed the sway bar - which I would recommend you do not on yours - so the tippy sensation will be obvious to you. I run pretty stiff springs (OME CS047R + 1 extra leaf rear pack, 650 lb/in front) with fairly aggressively valved FOX shocks. It sits about +2" over stock. So it's not exactly a Cadillac soft ride either. But I've been driving a truck built like this for decades in Colorado so I'm comfortable with what it's capable of doing or not doing.

Thanks for this offer. I will consider that if I find myself in or around GJ sometime in the near future.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Many on here have gone through the same learning curve.
The money you save now on suspension can be spent on upgrading tires..
Again, many have been down this road, imo, go straight to load range E.
Much to choose from and you'll never look back.
Eventually you may want to think about regearing, which is another great improvement over stock, imo

 

[tacollie]

Start with tires. My buddy has a Finch on a 15' Tacoma. He ran airbags on the crappy stock springs for a couple years with no issues. He just drove a little slower. He did eventually upgrade to Alcans and Bilstein 8100.

 

[rruff]

I feel comfortable waiting to go down the 'suspension rabbit hole' and further contemplating whether a lift is necessary.

I do anticipate keeping the camper on the truck full time and for that reason I will probably take an intermediate (and seemingly less complex) step of getting higher rated tires. I am currently running stock tires. Any recommendations for tires?

Nothing is necessary... nothing at all!... but what you can do offroad and the quality of ride and handling on and offroad will be affected.

What is your planned use for this rig? Is it a daily driver as well? How much driving on the highway? How adventurous would you like to be offroad?

Like other US 1/2 ton pickups, the Tacoma is made primarily for unloaded street duty. It will carry light loads ok, but you are likely over GVWR with a fulltime load... so some intelligent upgrades will certainly help. You have airbags which are a simple way to accommodate a variable load, but since you have a constant load they aren't the best for ride quality. If you don't have the Daystar cradles they are really poor offroad as well. The bags limit articulation and can easily be damaged when you are crossed up.

For tires I'd check into how large in diameter you can go on stock rims and no lift before you need to cut metal to clear them. Larger diameter tires give you the best ground clearance offroad. I was able to go up 3" over stock tires on the Tundra, but don't know about the Tacoma. Best if you get on a good Tacoma specific forum to see what others have successfully done. I have Hankook ATMs and I'm happy with them. The outstanding feature is low rolling resistance and good mpg for a heavy E rated AT tire. They quit making them though! Looks like the AT2 has replaced them.