Alaska/Canada Roads and Teardrop Trailer Towing - What Tacoma Suspension Setup for Rough Distance Driving

[tragisj]

We are driving down to Utah from Alaska this June to pickup a teardrop trailer we are purchasing. All said and done a reasonably accurate tongue weight estimate is going to be 400 lbs. with 150 lbs of gear in the bed - 550 total bed weight.

Taco is currently dialed with Fox Performance Elite coil overs set to 2" in the front and ICON triple rate springs in the rear - totally level right now.

Here's the rub - the triple rate springs are no match for that much weight. I need stiffer rear springs but how much lift will they really add when I am unloaded? I keep reading up to 2" inches which makes for some serious rake. If necessary so be it but I want to keep it tame in the rear and not go 2" of lift in the back if possible.

Airbags seem to be a favorite to but they compromise droop and ride quality? Run overland coils and add ballast when I do not have the trailer hooked up?

Thanks for the help. The key is speed(ish) and distances(long) on all road surfaces that vary from highway to gnarly fire roads to gravel washboard. Photo added for effect.

Sponsored

 

[Will721]

Put a football in them.

 

[MT-Taco]

Assuming you have fox adjustable rear reservoirs? Just stiffen them up. I’ve had well over 1000lbs in the bed with icon triple rate springs and adjustable JRI shocks on 4 corners, I just put the shocks on the stiffest setting and it was level. The rear unloaded is an inch higher than the front.

 

[tragisj]

Assuming you have fox adjustable rear reservoirs? Just stiffen them up. I’ve had well over 1000lbs in the bed with icon triple rate springs and adjustable JRI shocks on 4 corners, I just put the shocks on the stiffest setting and it was level. The rear unloaded is an inch higher than the front.

Seriously!? Its that easy? Dude that sounds perfect. DSC on all corners. I never took stock rear height measurements but it did seem to jump up more than Icon's .5" increase. With 500 pounds I might keep level. Thank you for the 3rd way option. It was always my understanding the compression damping had no real effect on static load and only mattered when dynamic forces were at play.

Sponsored