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new Tacoma and FWC build advice


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#11 Kolockum

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Posted 07 November 2019 - 02:51 AM

I have Firestone air bags with commercial air hoses separately connected to each bag.  I have over 400,000 miles on two sets of these with and without cradles and have never had a leak or problem even running way over GVW at times.  

 

Minor hijack: What brackets do you use for your air bags?

 

Back to the topic: 

Good tires with sidewall protection are a must. This was a Toyo At2, the tire survived.

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2017 Toyota Tacoma with 2000 FWC Eagle

 

"The nut behind the wheel is the most important one. Don't forget to snug yourself up every once in a while." John D & ri-f

 


#12 Get Lost Tom

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Posted 08 November 2019 - 06:19 PM

In for this as well. I have a double Tacoma shortbed with a lift on a it and opted for the Old Man Emu Dakar Medium Duty Leaf springs so that I still have a decent ride when the campers off. For those situations when the camper is on I will rely on the airbags as helpers. Its a Finch Shell model that weighs in at 575lbs dry so there isnt too much stress on the leafs. 


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#13 WillTheThri11

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Posted 13 November 2019 - 09:24 PM

I just got my camper (8' Ranger II) on a 06 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 back in September...drove it back from Boulder CO to Southern California with no suspension mod whatsoever...that was a bit stressfull, but all in all it worked and I even got some very slow speed offroading in on the trip back...since then I put the airbags and daystar cradles and what a difference! Even with the crappy stock shocks it's night and day.  The shocks will likely wear out quick now, but the airbags do make a huge difference and I like the ability to be adjustable.  Since I had brand new TSB leaves, I felt like keeping them.  I may do an icon add a leaf later on if i decide i want the lift.  It removes the overload spring, but that is what the airbag would be for at that point.

 

I wrestled back and forth with this for quite a while myself.  I read a lot on the boards (read the entire 30 plus page thread on tacomaworld for example).  In the end the firestone airbag system is the only thing you can buy that you can use to change your ride after you install it (well the $1000+ Fox shocks have damping adjusters too).  With all of the other spring options, you won't know if it's good or bad until after you install it ($$), get the truck realigned ($) and take it for a spin.  For that reason, I think airbags are a good place to start.  Even if it doesn't end up being the right fit or the only thing you need to do, at least you'll have adjustable bumpstops.

 

Beyond that, find someone with your exact setup and desires who's already made all of the mistakes and decide to trust them without question.  Better yet, buy the camper truck combo mentioned above and just go camping!


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#14 JHanson

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Posted 17 November 2019 - 05:38 PM

Doff,

 

If you plan to remove the camper between trips, air bags are the only way to retain a decent ride both with and without the load. Don't let anyone talk you into beefing up the springs to carry the camper; you'll be sorry when you remove it. Along those lines, adjustable shocks in the rear also help tune the camper/no camper ride. 


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#15 JimBow

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Posted 23 November 2019 - 09:29 AM

I have a Fleet on a 2010 Tacoma. I started with air bags. I did not care for the ride. I recently changed to the Boise Spring Works stage 2 kit with Bilstein shocks all around. I much prefer the ride now, both with the camper on and off. The rear sits a little high with the camper off, but the ride is fine.
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#16 moveinon

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Posted 23 November 2019 - 08:57 PM

Kolockum  I just used the brackets that come with the Firestones and Daystar cradles.  


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#17 rubberlegs

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Posted 23 November 2019 - 10:32 PM

Instead of air bags, you might consider Sumosprings. No air to worry about. They've worked fine for us, and with the camper off there's a gap, so the truck would ride nearly normal. We used the black ones. 

 

Our Taco/Fleet doesn't have any other suspension changes (Taco is an "off road" which has different shocks I believe). But we try to keep the thing light -- no kids or dogs and rarely fill the water tank. The long bed Taco is heavier than ours, which reduces payload, so another thing to consider.


Edited by rubberlegs, 23 November 2019 - 10:33 PM.

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Tacoma/Fleet 2018.


#18 Mark G

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Posted 28 November 2019 - 10:18 PM

I put air bags on my previous truck and managed to break both.  On my '14 Tacoma I installed Sumo Springs. They don't engage when there's no load and there's nothing to break.

 

Where are you?  There are a lot of us around the North Sierras.


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#19 So Cal Adventurer

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Posted 05 December 2019 - 12:50 PM

1- its cheaper than a Tundra and 2- it can get us down tighter trails than a larger Tundra would.

 

 

Ive owned Tacomas and Tundras and both of these statements are 110% false sir.

 

LOTS of FWC start with a smaller truck, and then go to a bigger one, you almost never see folks going from a bigger one to a smaller one, just an FYI :)


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#20 57Pan

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Posted 05 December 2019 - 02:20 PM

   I have a 2005 4x4  extended cab Tacoma, and I'm running ARB EMU lift/springs with firestone airbags, and also BFG ko2 tires hauling an ATC bobcat camper. I really think this combination is working well for me. I run about 35psi in the airbags when the camper is on the truck.

  I feel the handling and power for this combination is fine, the only thing is that if you have a heavy foot your gas mileage really drops.


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