Suspension help for Tacoma + Finch build

Hey community. Need help building a weekend warrior. Appreciate your expertise, input and suggestions.

 

Truck: 21' Tacoma DCLB TRD Offroad

Camper: 09' FWC Finch (700 lbs dry currently)

 

Driving Plans:

97% - daily driver 

2% - solo camping w/ 900-1100 lbs payload

1% - family camping w/ 1600-1800 lbs payload

 

Short Term Build:

I'm looking for the shortest route to camping. Ride Rite bags + daystar cradles on a stock rig

[Q1] Missing anything?

 

Long Term Build: 

Budget conscious build based on driving plans (above) that has me (1) still able to park in my garage (standard height door) and (2) doesn't mean driving the worlds stiffest rear end to pick up groceries. I do plan on eventually being much heavier w/ skids, sliders, tires, portable winch, hitch swing, etc.

 

Long Term build: 

ARB Old Man Emu 2 Inch Lift Kit (Heavy Load) - OMETAC16HKSB

Ride Rite bags + daystar cradles

Fit 285/75R16 tires

[Q2] OME Dakar HD Leafs + air bags be enough? Or do I need Deaver leaf pack?

[Q3] Will the heavy duty front coil springs be overkill since all weight is in the back?

[Q4] Regear? What to?

 

Rambling:

Payload - Adding bodies, gear, protection, camper, tires and extras Im starring @ 1745 lb. total payload

off road - Don't plan on rock crawling w/ all this weight but was planning on a portable winch, sliders, skids, etc...you never know

Towing - could tow a popup trailer (1500 lbs) in future...just a dream for now

 

With air bags you will find there are two different groups. Those who use them and those who absolutely hate them. I am in the latter group. I would just add a leaf or two to your current pack. I did that on my first truck (Dodge Dakota) and had no problems.

 

I have the heavy OME kit and it is actually too beefy. Even when I added 250 lbs of weight to the front to simulate a winch and skids. I am going to put medium duty springs on the front and take a leaf out of the back. We only use the camper during the winter but I drive my truck all year without modifying the suspension. 

 

I have a manual Tacoma with the V6 and don't see a need to re-gear. I re-geared my old Dodge Dakota it made a power difference but it struggled above 65 mph.

I have 2012 Tacoma long bed with a fleet shell weighing approx 1,000 lbs. empty.  I did a lot of back and forth on what to do suspension-wise and ended up getting a custom set of rear leafs from Deaver.   I was concerned about the tendency of air bags to leak or fail outright.  I just told them what my set-up was and what I planned to do with it, how much lift, etc.  So far so good.  The ride is great and the springs barely sag with the shell on.  I also added Blistein 5100s up front so I have a couple inches of lift in front and bit more in back.  Haven't done any re-gearing.  I'm trying to keep things as light as possible.  It sounds like you've got a heavier set-up.  

OME medium leafs with OME shocks and Firestone airbags with cradles. I really like the air bags. I know some don't. Eagle with a Tacoma 6 foot bed. I've done some fairly significant off road/rock crawl.....it's been great

Thanks @doghouse_riley > ya I'm waiting for Deaver to give me an email back and was planning on going that route long term. Was just worried that for 98% of the trucks driving, the 1000 lb rating leafs will be too harsh. Sounds like we are both trying to avoid weight and re-gear what tire and wheel combo are you running?

 

Thanks @camsf > im planning on the 5100's w/ OME springs. For short term I can get the bags installed on stock suspension just to get started. Sounds like if I ever towed in the future, this wouldn't be a total throw away until I can sort out the long term suspension. what tire and wheel combo are you running? 

Thanks @doghouse_riley > ya I'm waiting for Deaver to give me an email back and was planning on going that route long term. Was just worried that for 98% of the trucks driving, the 1000 lb rating leafs will be too harsh. Sounds like we are both trying to avoid weight and re-gear what tire and wheel combo are you running?

 

 

Jeff at Deaver was very helpful.  Fortunately for me they're close enough that I could drive down and pick them up (they are heavy so expensive to ship) and I installed them myself, which wasn't too difficult.  I don't find the springs too harsh even w/o the shell, but maybe I'm used to driving trucks.  I'm running Cooper Discoverer 265 70r17 (load range E), which added an inch over the stock size.  Any bigger and you need to make other changes to avoid wheel rub.  Tacomaworld.com has a breakdown of the largest tire sizes you can use on a stock set-up with a given wheel size.

WE now have 66,000 miles on our 2013 Tacoma and  2012 Eagle. The Improved shell weighs 1,150 pounds. It is bolted down full time.

 

Truck has the trailer towing pack with the 3.73 rear gear and the 4 liter V6. To handle the weight we had our local spring shop replace the stock springs with a 5 leaf ($625 2013) to support 1,800 pounds though we only have approx 1,500 pounds when we go to the hot springs for a week.

At 49,000 miles we replaced the stock Bilstein shocks that came with the TRD package with Bilstiein 5100's as the OEM Bilsteins weren't performing as well as I thought they should. The 51's were what I was expecting and they are adjustable. Tires are Hankook E range LT265/75R16. They are wearing great.  Vehicle is stock 4WD height. I cut 7 inches out of the stock front mudguards.

 

Trail conditions: Using the "Southern (He also published a Northern Guide) Guide to California Backroads and 4 Wheel Drive Trails" by Chas A. Wells. I drive "Easy to Moderate" trails. 

Worst trail I've driven was Grapevine Canyon (Saline Valley Road) in 2014/15. That year the north piece was washed out due to a heavy summer storm. South road was open. Section I was on was washed out. Had to build up rocks against a vertical wall. Low range. Lock the rear axel. Drive it at an angle. Got over it without high centering after I used my shovel on the top. Speaking about shovels, I carry my Hi-lift jack and shovel on a custom fabricated mount slid into a front receiver. Also carried bikes on it to reduce the amount of dirt on the bike after 30-40 miles of washboard roads. More pictures Go to "my Gallery" Click on "Truck Modifications" Album. 

See picture.

 

Edited by RC Pilot Jim, 02 January 2021 - 07:50 PM.