FWC+04 Tacoma-suspension

AxleIke

Adventurer
Hello,

I hate to do this, because I'm sure as soon as I post, someone will direct me to a thread I missed, but here goes:

I've been searching for the past couple weeks here with regards to adding an Eagle to the back of an 04 Tacoma.

The tacoma has an Old Man Emu lift on it, with the standard 3" or so rear springs. What we've been looking at is if we should also be getting something else in the back.

I've seen a a few tacomas with FWC's on here who are running air bags, but I wanted to know if people felt the air bags were in anyway limiting on the suspension. This truck will see a lot of rough terrain, and needs to be able to make use of the full range of the suspension. My concern with Air bags is ripping them/limiting up travel at the extremes of the axle travel. Has this been an issue for anyone?

Or, is it a better solution to have someone like Alcan make a custom pack, and run stiffer shocks in the back to combat sway?

Anyway, I appreciate the input, and apologies if I missed a similar thread somewhere.
 

goodtimes

Expedition Poseur
If the camper isn't loaded all the time (IE: you take it off the truck between trips), airbags are *the* way to go -- IMO anyway.

You can get Firestone bags with 10" of travel - they're not going to limit your suspension travel (remember, that is 10" of travel measured inboard of your leaf springs - you probably only have 10 or 12" travel shocks and likely don't use all of it).
 

MidnightRider

MidnightRider
I run airbags on my 04 Taco Doublecab with a 7ft popup. I went the airbag route because I wanted a stock feeling ride when the camper is off. The bags have held up for many miles on and off road. I didn't notice any limitation on wheel travel. Of coarse Im not flyin thru the woops with the camper on either.

I would beef up the frame ( box in ) where the airbag brackets will mount. I also welded the brackets in place so they wont slip or move.
 

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goodtimes

Expedition Poseur
I run airbags on my 04 Taco Doublecab with a 7ft popup.

Just curious - are you able to lower the spare tire on the Tacoma with the tailgate down?

I have to pull the tailgate off of my Dodge when I put the camper on, or else I can't get the tire down.
 

MidnightRider

MidnightRider
"Just curious - are you able to lower the spare tire on the Tacoma with the tailgate down?"

Yes you are able to lower the spare tire........ But not with the tool thats meant to lower it. The tailgate covers most of the hole when dropped.
You have to crawl under there and stick something in the slot, (small prybar, big scredriver, flat piece of metal, etc. ) and lower it down, but it can be done.

I need to take the bar that came with it, cut it and weld a big swivel socket inline. That way it would be like a universal jointed rod that would work from different angles.
 

AxleIke

Adventurer
Thanks for the thoughts. Measuring out the suspension with the rear wheel completely tucked, I don't think air bags will work. There is only 3" of space for the bag, mounts, etc... to compress into. I'm not thinking this will work, but we'll see.

For now, we are just going to add in an extra leaf and see how the loading goes. May still do the air bags, but for now, we'll go with out.
 

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