Best Suspension Upgrade to handle Canopy + RTT

Hey everyone, first post on the forum!

I just got my 2023 Tacoma TRD Sport EC/LB. I ultimately want to have a canopy + RTT tent mounted for my camping set up. I've been doing quite a bit of reading about the Tacoma's payload (mine is 950 lbs) and think I'll ultimately have about ~500 lbs in the bed semi-permanently (Canopy ~180, RTT ~180, Drawers/Gear ~150).

It seems on most camping trips I'll be flirting with the payload limit. I don't really plan to add any heavy overlanding mods like steel bumpers but may add a cheap skid plate eventually. I'm not heavy into 4x4ing, mostly just drive gravel roads, with occasional 4x4 to access a good camping spot.

Theres two main questions I would like some information on.

1) What is the best bang for my buck to have this weight be easier on truck? I know very little about suspensions and was planning on keeping it all stock until I did a big more reading and napkin math. Is adding a leaf the way to go for me to hold that weight a bit easier? Not really looking to add a ton of money into suspension or a lift yet.

2) Does anyone have any insights about mounting a RTT directly onto a canopy? I'm planning on going with the Leer 100R for the price. One shop I went to really suggested to stay away from a direct mount, instead suggesting an external wrapped frame that goes outside the canopy and is mounted to the bed rails. What are some pro/cons of either method and what are some experiences you all have had? Bed stiffeners are a must either way right?

Thank you!

 

Personally, I would wait until I could get a proper King/Fox suspension system, or any decent kit with coil springs and leaf pack that match the extra weight. Buy once, cry once

 

I don't think you need King or Fox for your setup. Honestly you could probably get away with air bags and daystar cradles. The ride would re a little rough but it would be economic and accomplish what you are wanting. Otherwise, a bit of a suspension upgrade would be in order if you wanted a soft ride with that weight in the truck all the time.

I wouldn't mount a tent to a camper shell but that's me. I would want a more rigid structure holding the tent. Yes, I would install stiffeners.

 

You're probably already at the limit when you add driver, passenger and fuel.

I run OME/Dakars with the nitrocharger shocks. A great ride on and off road (even on washboard) and will handle the weight of your load without issue. I've read lots of complaints of Dakar's squeaking but I had them for 14 years on my second gen and a 1.5 years on my third without issue.

 

Hey there, I've got Fox 2.0s all around with an AAL and it served me well for a little while with just a bed rack and RTT. Rear end would squat when fully loaded for a trip. Then I added Decked drawers which made the rear end sag even more. I installed Firestone air bags with Daystar cradles on to lift the rear end back up and I definitely do not recommend it. It was the cheaper route but the ride is super harsh. A good quality leaf pack like Icon or Deaver is your best bet.

 

Seconded on a new leaf pack from Icon (RXT, stage 3) or Deaver (Expedition U402, stage 2) for that much weight. The rear leaf springs are the weak point of the truck IMO, and nothing short of a new leaf pack would properly handle 500 lbs of constant weight in the rear in the long run. The only downside is they will both add a lift of (just over 1" for Icon, around 2" for Deaver) in the back with that weight, so you might want to do something in the front to match the lift if going Deavers especially, Icons might be fine.

IMO, Add-a-leaf's (AAL) are a budget option that (most) people regret messing with because they increase the spring rate of the rear, leaving a harsher ride, most end up replacing with a full leaf pack eventually. Air bags are more suited for occasional loads, like pulling a camper, and not for constant weight.

Icons are cheaper and plenty of people like them, they are probably the most popular leaf pack for our trucks. They also send you an additional leaf that you can swap out/add for their 3 stages of weight to accommodate any future changes to your truck (i.e. removing weight in your case). I think Deavers' reputation is better and I've never read a bad thing about them, but as far as I can tell, it would be a bit more involved to change their weight rating in the future (might take a phone call with Deaver to discuss).

You also would need new u-bolts (at least for the Icons, but probably for the Deavers too). It might be worth looking into new shocks as well in the rear.

You said you weren't looking to spend a bunch, but you'll probably end up somewhere around $1000-$1500 with either setup if you decide to add new rear shocks as well, maybe $800-$1300 without. IMO, it's better to buy once, cry once, otherwise you could easily spend a few hundred on other solutions only to find out that a new leaf pack would have been better from the start.

I don't have an direct experience with either (yet), this is just my understanding from reading on here a bunch. You can also look at what other people are running in the build threads section for similar setups.

 

Thank you for the in depth response! That is so helpful. I'll probably look to just get the canopy then for now until I can look more into leaf/shock options. That is a bit cheaper than I thought it might be too which helps.

 

OME are stout, and designed for extra weight. They are often ran with heavy A.R.E bumpers and overlanding gear
Look in that direction.

 

Sleep in a nice grond tent

Save a lot of capital expense and not be dragging all that stuff around the rest of the time.

 

Actually love this. Toppers are like 7k? Plus the bed bars? Huge investment but hey, enjoy you.

 

Here’s what I went with, they are adjustable.

 

I've been sleeping in a tent for years. I do lots of winter camping in the rainy PNW and want to get off the ground for a while.

 

Thanks for your input. I live 2 hours down washboard forestry roads beyond the pavement so I'm thinking the suspension upgrade is needed.

 

Seems an OR would have been a better choice than a Sport in that case. That's a lotta washboard!

I think I'd start with just a topper and sleep in the bed. Then do the 5112/6112 shocks and see how it works for you.

And definitely bed stiffeners. And bed lighting from @mattgecko

 

hahah sorry it's not two hours straight of washboard. But your typical forestry road. Didn't think the OR was right for me as I don't do, or have interest in starting doing any kind of rock crawling, mudding or crazy 4x4ing. Doubt I would have ever used the crawl feature.

Thanks!

 

My comment was based on the OR having a more compliant suspension for the type of driving you do. The Sport is shocked for pavement pounding. And certainly does fine off road too. Just a firmer ride.

 

Yeah it was a tough call between the two. It's still going to do a fair amount of pavement driving too.

 

I’ve run a RTT on a Leer 100 series topper for several years. I use a roof rack mounted to the optional Thule tracks to carry the tent. I usually take it off when I’m not on a trip, but I’ve never had any issues carrying that weight directly on the topper. If you’re leaving it on long term bed braces might be worthwhile, but in my experience a frame over the topper isn’t necessary.

A friend used the previously suggested Roadmaster helper springs on his Tacoma and spoke highly of them. I would think an add a leaf could also accomplish what you want on a budget. Others have had good luck with them, but in my experience I wouldn’t recommend air bags. No matter what pressure I ran they always bottomed out harshly for me.

FWIW I’m running an Icon RXT leaf pack on stage 2, with a load a little less than yours I’m sitting at about 1 to 1 1/2 of lift and am happy with the ride quality.

 

Make sure the Leer has tracks on top so you get crossbar/rack options. My set up is racks front to rear (I used prinsu)for mounting a longer hard shell rtt. Carries the weight great with icon rxt springs and even have a decked system in rear. Im real happy with it so far.

 

Thanks for chiming in! Your setup looks great. Going to pull the trigger on a similar setup. Leer RCC with the tracks on top and then a local shop to get prinsu-like racks front to rear. Leave it at that for a while until I look at the suspension.