Stiff Ride After New Leaf Springs - Looking to Soften the Ride

So I had my leaf springs replaced under the recall several months ago and I noticed that I now feel every imperfection in the road. I use to have the 3 leaf pack springs but now have the 4 leaf pack. I was hoping that over time (not decades) that the springs would break-in but that was a bit optimistic. I have never hauled a heavy load and if I do, hey I got bump stops, right.

Now I'm looking for options in order to get back that softer ride and looking for opinions other than "Hey, letting the air out of the tires will soften the ride, and ruin your tires".

I was thinking about adding something like an air suspension system like the Firestone Ride-Rite Air Bag Helper Springs but these only assist in bringing stability to a heavy load. Then I thought that I could remove a single leaf spring and then add the air bags.

I'm basically not sure what the proper path is here but I'd like my smoother ride back and I'd prefer that the modifications be bolt on (something a weekend mechanic could do without specialized tools).

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Throw a sandbag or two in the bed...

 

Easiest way to soften the ride up would be 1. Add weight to the bed or 2. Drop your tire pressure. I’ve noticed anything above ~40 psi in my rear tires makes for a rough ride. Other than that, you could wait for those springs to break in a bit or consider a different shock/air ride like you mentioned.

 

What are your tire pressures at.

Also, trust me you DO NOT want the POS 2+1 leaf pack....

 

Out of curiosity, what pressure are you running?

 

I'll be the 3rd to ask.....what tire pressure are you running?

 

If you didn't replace the shocks, I'd do that. If it doesn't make enough difference for you, add weight. A steel rear bumper or fiberglass topper should do it. Or sand.

 

Add a bed mat. Useful and heavy.

 

You use to have the 3 leaf pack springs, but now have the 4 leaf pack. Don't understand why you went with 4, can you go back to the dealer and insist them to either install 3 OEM spring pack or remove one of the 4 you have now?

 

Pretty sure they quit using the 3 Spring pack in 2012

 

Then have them take one out! Why should you spend money fixing their screw ups, the truck didn't come with 4 springs!

 

One leaf can't be taken out, they weren't designed to be able to do that. "They" didn't screw anything up, this is the correct updated leaf pack. Yes, the truck didn't come with 4 springs, though it should have, and this is Toyotas' correction. The original 3 pack (which is actually 2 leaves and an overload leaf or 2+1 pack) wore out quite quickly and left you on or bouncing off the bump stops with even moderate loads in the bed. The ops new pack will break in, and adding a bed mat or some other weight and checking for correct tire pressures are what the op needs to do now.

 

You'll never get use to the harsh ride, it'll wear you out before you break it in. He should take it back to the dealer and tell them he doesn't like the harsh ride, let them fix it. Other cheap option is getting bags of sand. Good for your gas mileage! ;>) https://www.realtruck.com/shurtrax-...ADft8AbR6pJAjjkr4QfoP5zWZ-FHvB8UaAkIeEALw_wcB

 

I'm kind of surprised anybody would complain about the ride in a Tacoma being "stiff." I came out of a string of seven Ford F-150 4x4's to my 2014 TRD Sport. I love the truck, but find the ride - even with the 4 leaf packs - to be mushy at best. I can only imagine how mushy it would be with the 3 leaf packs! In fact I have gone as far as adding a set of rear Timbrens and Rancho RS5000 shocks in an attempt to both stiffen up the ride and keep the truck from bottoming out when towing my 22' boat. This has been marginally successful, but the truck doesn't ride anywhere nearly as firm as my F-150s - which I really liked the ride in.

 

Could throw Firestone airbags in the back. That’d help carry load and stiffen up. Could always sell the Timbrens too

 

I'm calling 4th!

 

Yes, but that wouldn't help the mushy front end. I've just learned to live with it. And maybe I just like a somewhat stiffer ride than most folks.

 

What shocks are you running? How many miles on them?

 

If you want a firmer ride, there’s definitely a way. I bet if you did 5100s in the front and put them on the highest setting with stock coils, you’d like it. Most people complain about it being too firm.

 

Some people want a "truck", but really want a car. This is not the era of compromise.

Honda made a truck for those people.