1St Gen Tundra Tow Rig - Need Help With Suspension And Lift

TheJosh

Explorer
i have a completely stock 2005 Toyota Tundra 2WD TRD Tow Rig. This my work truck and i spent all my days driving it around. after many years of towing my TRD bilsteins and springs need to be replaced. i am in the process of ordering Custom Alcan Springs for the rear with a 2.5" lift and based on my specs of having a bed full of tools (330lbs) and a average tongue weight of 400lbs. that part i have figured out but the rest i do not. can someone point me to what would be a good suspension setup for my truck?

thank you!

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zidaro

Explorer
Nice truck. You have not stated at all how you intend to use this truck, that would help alot and till then you will get answers all across the board or none at all. Since you said it is your tow rig, i will assume you use this only on the highways or very mild washboard roads.

Sounds like your dialed already in the rear. My thoughts- Alcans are great springs and they will build you what you ask for. Springs built for a 700# load will handle purdy rough without anything in the bed, so plan on carrying something all the time. Lighter spring rate and adjustable airbags might serve you better if you spend much time in it without that load. Other than that, you must need a set of rear shocks to dampen the ride. Choose your flavor, they all will do their job. I like Fox, Radflo, or Icon but all will work.
Front- you may want to level the front out to match the rear. On a tow rig this could be done with something as simple as coilover spacers- cheap and factory ride retained. However, since youve said the suspension may be shot and already stiffened up the rear quite a bit you may want to match the ride quality as well or it will have a strange buck in the rear. Again, quality coilovers are abound and you dont need the top of the line to tow highways with. 2.5" lift coils will not affect your geometry greatly so a simple coilover/spring unit swap and alignment will work great. OME, Bilstein, any others will work. Stock rims should handle that lift w/o A-arm rubbing or could get some small spacers to alleviate it if they do.

Check out www.wheelersoffroad.com for lots of toyota lift ideas. Also www.tundrasolutions.com and www.tundratalk.com have many threads on just this subject. Plenty of vendors here on Expo sell kits as well and should be able to give great advise.

give up some more info and people here will be able to better steer you.
 

TheJosh

Explorer
this is strictly my work truck, i never drive it when I'm not working. the load of 330+ lbs of tools never leaves my bed and stays in there night and day under my toneau cover. i drive all over the bay area everyday. i have General Grapplers on the truck now (32")

i want a front suspension to match the rear and provide a better ride. i am not fond of the stock billies (i think they are garbage) I'm also not a fan of a spacer kit either. I've checked out tundra solutions and tundra talk but they mainly cater to 2nd gens and the advise isn't as good as here. so thats why I'm looking for input here.
 

Derek24

Explorer
Can't go wrong with Bilstein 5100's up front. Set them at any lift you like, 0-2.5" of lift. They ride good and don't break the bank like coilovers, but coilovers are nice too! At set of Firestone airbags will do you good as well with all that weight.
 

TheJosh

Explorer
Can't go wrong with Bilstein 5100's up front. Set them at any lift you like, 0-2.5" of lift. They ride good and don't break the bank like coilovers, but coilovers are nice too! At set of Firestone airbags will do you good as well with all that weight.

Thank you!

Maybe I'll just go with billies all around and air bags and hold off on the springs for now. Maybe a add a leaf with airbags might achieve what I'm looking for
 

dyogim

Explorer
FYI... There's a set of 5100's for sale on Craigslist for cheap and it's for the 1st gen tundra.
 

dyogim

Explorer
For the rear 5100's would be good. The springs for the rear, another option would be to swap it for 63" 4x4 chevy springs. The payload increase was a whole lot better and flexy at the same time. I have the rearend set up to where I can switch back to tundra springs and the Chevys. If the payload is still lacking add an airbag.
 

TheJosh

Explorer
Awesome thank you!! I sent a email waiting for a reply. I also for 2 sets of rear 5100's for $180 which is about what one pair costs new, so I buy it and sell the other to recoup-

Now we're am I gonna find 63" Chevy springs?!
 

dyogim

Explorer
Awesome thank you!! I sent a email waiting for a reply. I also for 2 sets of rear 5100's for $180 which is about what one pair costs new, so I buy it and sell the other to recoup-

Now we're am I gonna find 63" Chevy springs?!

Pirate4x4 has them. You'll need to have new mounts welded on but, you won't have to remove the stock mounts. Hence, the option of being able to switch back and forth if needed.
 

dyogim

Explorer
If you can hold out for a couple of months I can get you a pair of sway away adjustable coil overs for the front. Back then they were referred to as Teamwest Swayaways. They were the first set of adjustable coil overs with the top heim joints. They need to be rebuilt so my uncle might let them go for cheap.
 

TheJosh

Explorer
If you can hold out for a couple of months I can get you a pair of sway away adjustable coil overs for the front. Back then they were referred to as Teamwest Swayaways. They were the first set of adjustable coil overs with the top heim joints. They need to be rebuilt so my uncle might let them go for cheap.

How much you think they would run? And how much to rebuild?

I could probably hold off a couple months for the front. In The meantime I can figure out the rear.

I think I'll order The airlift airbags too
 

dyogim

Explorer
How much you think they would run? And how much to rebuild?

I could probably hold off a couple months for the front. In The meantime I can figure out the rear.

I think I'll order The airlift airbags too

He lives in Hawaii and plans to come to the mainland in April. I'll ask him to bring them with him. I think he was quoted 150 to rebuild. It may be worth the it to get the 5100's first. The rear Chevy swap kit can be purchased from ruffstuffspecialties.com
 

Verde Rat

Weekend Warrior
In lieu of airbags you could go with some Timbern SES , I'm using them in combination with a AAL and 1” block. I will say that they seem overpriced for a piece of rubber but, they work fine for me.

As for the Front suspension, my 1st gen Tundra is running Donahos (ICON) set at 2.5” and my 1st gen Sequoia is using the Bilstein 5100s set on the second notch (3/4”). The Dahahos are a great set up but expensive the Bilsteins work just fine and have greatly improved the Big Tree's ride for a reasonable price.
 

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