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- Chris
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- 2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road Long Bed Ice Cap
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Falcon 3.2 Fast Adjust Shocks Review
Of all the mods you can do to your truck – shocks stand out as the one that’s better to do right the first time. I wish more people had written reviews like this while I was searching for my next set of shocks, so here's my subjective review of the Falcon 3.2 Fast Adjust front and rear shocks for the 4th generation Tacoma.
What I’m comparing it to:
I can only compare to what I know, so I’ll be comparing it to my experience on previous builds and the stock TRD off road bilsteins. Previous vehicles: Chevy s10 on rough country, 2nd gen 4runner on bilstein 5100, 1st gen tundra on bilstein 5100 then king 2.5 IFP, 4th gen 4runner on bilstein 5100 then fox 2.0, 2nd gen tacoma on Fox Factory 2.5 w/ resis, 1st gen tacoma on fox 2.0, Ford 350 SRW on King 2.5 w/ adjusters.
Things to know about the truck:
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road Long Bed. I’m carrying about 600-700lb of extra weight, most of it over the rear axle with a fiberglass shell, sleeping platform, rock sliders, roof rack, water tank and a bunch of other crap. The tires are 285/70r17 Goodyear Duratrac RT load range E - 35 PSI on the road and 15-22ish off road. Front sway bar is on with stock upper control arms. Alldogs offroad medium rate springs in the rear.
What I didn’t like about the stock TRD Off-Road red Bilsteins:
Let me start by saying that they’re great for what they are, and they have a good off road tune for cruising dirt roads and uneven terrain. I was pleasantly impressed with them when I first bought the truck and started driving it stock on dirt roads. The ESCV technology is pretty cool and seems to help dampen bottom and top outs. But, they aren’t good for high speeds and they clearly aren’t valved for the extra weight I’m carrying. The damping in the rear felt completely empty through the middle travel range of the shock and there was an unmitigated bounce from hitting anything over 30mph - even, and maybe especially, on the highway. It was so over sprung with the Alldogs springs that it was almost dangerous. I also like to drive fast off road - it’s more fun that way and I’m often trying to cover long distances on dirt/sand in the Southwest US over my 2-day weekend, and I want to get where I’m trying to go.
Installation:
They have a great installation video and it’s straightforward if you’re used to wrenching on your car and have all the right tools. I did it in the driveway over a weekend by myself.
Lift:
About 1.5-1.75 inches of lift in front and 1 inch longer droop wheel travel front and rear. You do not need aftermarket upper control arms, diff drop, needle bearing replacement, or extended sway bar links. It’s a great plug-and-play performance upgrade, but if your goal is to achieve max lift the Falcons are not the right option for that.
On Road:
There is slightly more feedback from the road below 20mph compared to stock - you feel more of the potholes and cracks. But something happens when you hit 20mph, and the suspension changes to riding really plush and smooth. That “plushness” translates to a little extra give/sway when you hit a g-out or when cornering that’s not quite as firm and controlled as it could be, but it’s leagues better than the stock Bilsteins. You're not buying shocks like this for on road ride quality, so really the only thing to note in this category is the extra road feedback at low speeds.
Weight handling:
This is where I think the Falcons outcompete other options in their price point. Adjuster level 3 in the rear rides like my F350 on Kings which is exactly what I want out my mid-size, coil-sprung truck if I’m carrying a load. For my +-600lb, level 2 feels most closely matched with the front and that's where I leave it most of the time except when I'm driving fast in the desert. Let me put it this way – on a scale of 1 to 10, one being 1970s Cadillac, ten being race car stiff. I think the stock Bilsteins are a 4. The Falcon rears on adjuster level one are a 5, level two is a 6, and level three is an 7. Most 2.0 and 2.5 oem replacement shocks without adjusters are valved for stock weight vehicles. They’re not bad by any means; they’re just not valved for additional weight - and that’s where adjusters come in. The rears still had that uncontrolled jounce until I turned it up to levels 2 and 3. Those carrying campers would probably want to keep it on 3 all the time.
Chatter/washboard:
They're kind of stiff below 20mph, then smooth out and get increasingly comfortable as you go faster - typical of a digressively tuned shock. Once you get past that 20mph mark, any sort of "sharpness" goes away and it's very smooth, I wouldn't say plush but definitely smooth. With the right speed and tires aired down, these can make decent-sized washboard disappear with impressive control. On the flip side, if you’re hitting rocky trail chatter big enough that you can’t go 20mph, the Falcons are stiff. The stock Bilsteins, Fox 2.0, and Kings all have better low speed chatter absorption. The Falcons prefer to go fast and if you spend a lot of time in 4LO, this probably isn’t the ideal shock for you. Something to note is I did overheat the rears after a few hours of running a desert wash with large +-3 inch washboards. This specific application requires better cooling IE: larger diameter piston, more oil and finned reservoir.
Rocks:
Again, low speed chatter absorption is a little stiff. There are other options that will smooth out a rocky trail better, but they do well crawling on big rocks. There's a comfortable give when you climb up on a rock and same thing when you come back off, and they settle right away. The rear shocks do a great job of damping the side-to-side motion of top-heavy weight. It really only sways once then settles right after that. One negative I noticed is the occasional harsh top out from the front. The spring top-out damper is better than the stock Bilstein’s ESCV, but I think a hydraulic top out like the OME mt64 would be even better. Articulation is similar to stock. From what I've read, MT64s also have more travel - so that would be the way to go for more articulation and to mitigate top-outs.
High Speed Desert:
This isn’t a desert racing shock, and it’s not going to skip over whoops with bottomless suspension. With that said - it’s a really, really fun ride at speed with an impressive amount of damping and control. In typical digressive fashion - the faster you go the smoother they get, and the Falcons give you the confidence to push it. You can skip over bumps and let the shocks eat underneath as long as you stay within the suspension’s travel, which says a lot about how good the valving is. But front wheel travel is the limiting factor, and that’s where you’ll see the biggest difference between the Falcon kit and other 2.5-3.0 shocks with extended travel. The rear is fantastic, however, especially adjusted to level 3 and punches well above its “weight.” I kept up with friends in their SxS running around the desert doing things that you would only expect more expensive shocks to do. Overall, the Falcons prefer to run fast and they're very fun to drive - which means at some point a bump or dip will come up in front of you that you don’t have time to break for. The Falcons have your back when it’s time to commit - but it’s not the kind of shock that you voluntarily want to get air with, and it’s not going to eat whoops for breakfast.
Conclusion:
The Falcons fit in a cool category; you don’t have to run after-market upper control arms, so they slot into the price range that’s above all the 2.0 shocks and below all the 2.5s with resis. I think the closest comparables out there are Bilstein 6100 series and Old Man Emu MT64s, with Falcon sitting right between them. What sets them apart, though, is the ability to adjust the rear shocks - it actually makes a world of difference for carrying weight. As far as their overall performance - the Falcons are closer to my experience on Fox 2.5 and King 2.5 than Bilstein 5100s. They perform increasingly well the faster you push them, which is very fun and confidence-inspiring. But if you’re hitting the desert for extended periods, you’ll likely want something with better damping, bottom and top out control, and cooling. You will not be keeping up the Raptor guys in Baja, and the Falcons are not comfortable with getting air. So, who are they for? First - anyone carrying weight. The rear adjusters are meant for that, and they work. Second - anyone willing to spend more and put up with race maintenance intervals for a performance off-road shock, but you're not interested in replacing UCAs, needle bearing, diff drop, sway bar links, trac bar adjustment, etc.
↓ Video below is on the stock Bilsteins. Notice how long it continues swaying? Falcons fixed that. ↓
Of all the mods you can do to your truck – shocks stand out as the one that’s better to do right the first time. I wish more people had written reviews like this while I was searching for my next set of shocks, so here's my subjective review of the Falcon 3.2 Fast Adjust front and rear shocks for the 4th generation Tacoma.
What I’m comparing it to:
I can only compare to what I know, so I’ll be comparing it to my experience on previous builds and the stock TRD off road bilsteins. Previous vehicles: Chevy s10 on rough country, 2nd gen 4runner on bilstein 5100, 1st gen tundra on bilstein 5100 then king 2.5 IFP, 4th gen 4runner on bilstein 5100 then fox 2.0, 2nd gen tacoma on Fox Factory 2.5 w/ resis, 1st gen tacoma on fox 2.0, Ford 350 SRW on King 2.5 w/ adjusters.
Things to know about the truck:
2025 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road Long Bed. I’m carrying about 600-700lb of extra weight, most of it over the rear axle with a fiberglass shell, sleeping platform, rock sliders, roof rack, water tank and a bunch of other crap. The tires are 285/70r17 Goodyear Duratrac RT load range E - 35 PSI on the road and 15-22ish off road. Front sway bar is on with stock upper control arms. Alldogs offroad medium rate springs in the rear.
What I didn’t like about the stock TRD Off-Road red Bilsteins:
Let me start by saying that they’re great for what they are, and they have a good off road tune for cruising dirt roads and uneven terrain. I was pleasantly impressed with them when I first bought the truck and started driving it stock on dirt roads. The ESCV technology is pretty cool and seems to help dampen bottom and top outs. But, they aren’t good for high speeds and they clearly aren’t valved for the extra weight I’m carrying. The damping in the rear felt completely empty through the middle travel range of the shock and there was an unmitigated bounce from hitting anything over 30mph - even, and maybe especially, on the highway. It was so over sprung with the Alldogs springs that it was almost dangerous. I also like to drive fast off road - it’s more fun that way and I’m often trying to cover long distances on dirt/sand in the Southwest US over my 2-day weekend, and I want to get where I’m trying to go.
Installation:
They have a great installation video and it’s straightforward if you’re used to wrenching on your car and have all the right tools. I did it in the driveway over a weekend by myself.
Lift:
About 1.5-1.75 inches of lift in front and 1 inch longer droop wheel travel front and rear. You do not need aftermarket upper control arms, diff drop, needle bearing replacement, or extended sway bar links. It’s a great plug-and-play performance upgrade, but if your goal is to achieve max lift the Falcons are not the right option for that.
On Road:
There is slightly more feedback from the road below 20mph compared to stock - you feel more of the potholes and cracks. But something happens when you hit 20mph, and the suspension changes to riding really plush and smooth. That “plushness” translates to a little extra give/sway when you hit a g-out or when cornering that’s not quite as firm and controlled as it could be, but it’s leagues better than the stock Bilsteins. You're not buying shocks like this for on road ride quality, so really the only thing to note in this category is the extra road feedback at low speeds.
Weight handling:
This is where I think the Falcons outcompete other options in their price point. Adjuster level 3 in the rear rides like my F350 on Kings which is exactly what I want out my mid-size, coil-sprung truck if I’m carrying a load. For my +-600lb, level 2 feels most closely matched with the front and that's where I leave it most of the time except when I'm driving fast in the desert. Let me put it this way – on a scale of 1 to 10, one being 1970s Cadillac, ten being race car stiff. I think the stock Bilsteins are a 4. The Falcon rears on adjuster level one are a 5, level two is a 6, and level three is an 7. Most 2.0 and 2.5 oem replacement shocks without adjusters are valved for stock weight vehicles. They’re not bad by any means; they’re just not valved for additional weight - and that’s where adjusters come in. The rears still had that uncontrolled jounce until I turned it up to levels 2 and 3. Those carrying campers would probably want to keep it on 3 all the time.
Chatter/washboard:
They're kind of stiff below 20mph, then smooth out and get increasingly comfortable as you go faster - typical of a digressively tuned shock. Once you get past that 20mph mark, any sort of "sharpness" goes away and it's very smooth, I wouldn't say plush but definitely smooth. With the right speed and tires aired down, these can make decent-sized washboard disappear with impressive control. On the flip side, if you’re hitting rocky trail chatter big enough that you can’t go 20mph, the Falcons are stiff. The stock Bilsteins, Fox 2.0, and Kings all have better low speed chatter absorption. The Falcons prefer to go fast and if you spend a lot of time in 4LO, this probably isn’t the ideal shock for you. Something to note is I did overheat the rears after a few hours of running a desert wash with large +-3 inch washboards. This specific application requires better cooling IE: larger diameter piston, more oil and finned reservoir.
Rocks:
Again, low speed chatter absorption is a little stiff. There are other options that will smooth out a rocky trail better, but they do well crawling on big rocks. There's a comfortable give when you climb up on a rock and same thing when you come back off, and they settle right away. The rear shocks do a great job of damping the side-to-side motion of top-heavy weight. It really only sways once then settles right after that. One negative I noticed is the occasional harsh top out from the front. The spring top-out damper is better than the stock Bilstein’s ESCV, but I think a hydraulic top out like the OME mt64 would be even better. Articulation is similar to stock. From what I've read, MT64s also have more travel - so that would be the way to go for more articulation and to mitigate top-outs.
High Speed Desert:
This isn’t a desert racing shock, and it’s not going to skip over whoops with bottomless suspension. With that said - it’s a really, really fun ride at speed with an impressive amount of damping and control. In typical digressive fashion - the faster you go the smoother they get, and the Falcons give you the confidence to push it. You can skip over bumps and let the shocks eat underneath as long as you stay within the suspension’s travel, which says a lot about how good the valving is. But front wheel travel is the limiting factor, and that’s where you’ll see the biggest difference between the Falcon kit and other 2.5-3.0 shocks with extended travel. The rear is fantastic, however, especially adjusted to level 3 and punches well above its “weight.” I kept up with friends in their SxS running around the desert doing things that you would only expect more expensive shocks to do. Overall, the Falcons prefer to run fast and they're very fun to drive - which means at some point a bump or dip will come up in front of you that you don’t have time to break for. The Falcons have your back when it’s time to commit - but it’s not the kind of shock that you voluntarily want to get air with, and it’s not going to eat whoops for breakfast.
Conclusion:
The Falcons fit in a cool category; you don’t have to run after-market upper control arms, so they slot into the price range that’s above all the 2.0 shocks and below all the 2.5s with resis. I think the closest comparables out there are Bilstein 6100 series and Old Man Emu MT64s, with Falcon sitting right between them. What sets them apart, though, is the ability to adjust the rear shocks - it actually makes a world of difference for carrying weight. As far as their overall performance - the Falcons are closer to my experience on Fox 2.5 and King 2.5 than Bilstein 5100s. They perform increasingly well the faster you push them, which is very fun and confidence-inspiring. But if you’re hitting the desert for extended periods, you’ll likely want something with better damping, bottom and top out control, and cooling. You will not be keeping up the Raptor guys in Baja, and the Falcons are not comfortable with getting air. So, who are they for? First - anyone carrying weight. The rear adjusters are meant for that, and they work. Second - anyone willing to spend more and put up with race maintenance intervals for a performance off-road shock, but you're not interested in replacing UCAs, needle bearing, diff drop, sway bar links, trac bar adjustment, etc.
↓ Video below is on the stock Bilsteins. Notice how long it continues swaying? Falcons fixed that. ↓
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