Should I go with TRD Pro our Icon Stage 2 or 6112/5160 or ?

Hello everyone. I’ve been lurking around here for a few weeks now researching different suspension options. The type of driving I’ll be doing with my Tundra will be 100% on road. I’ll probably tow a 5000lb travel trailer 2 times a year but that won’t happen for at least 1-2 years from now. I’m looking for the smoothest/softest suspension out there for road/highway driving. I live in California/Ventura county and there’s a few sections of the 101 freeway that drives me nuts due to bed bounce. I drive most of the time unloaded and the only thing I have on the bed right now is a Bakflip MX4 and amp bed extender. I currently have bilstein 5100’s front (set at middle clip) and rear with TRD off road springs in the front (I have a 2wd Limited TRD Off Road tundra). I know I’ll never get rid of all bed bounce but I’m willing to pay for the TRD Pro suspension if it reduces the bed bounce a lot. The warranty that comes with the Pro suspension is a plus but it isn’t a deal breaker for me. I’ve talked to a few guys at the Toyota dealership in Simi Valley and they recommended other cheaper options such as:

1. Keep the bilstein 5100’s in the front and try 5160’s in the rear. They said my current 5100 and TRD springs is a “soft” setup and good for on road driving while the 5160’s should smoothen the ride out back.

2. Go with a stage 2 icon. They had a few customers that had similar needs as mine, go with this setup and they were happy with it.

3. King rear shocks. I’m drawing a blank on what setup they recommended but same scenario as #1.

Or...go with my original plan; TRD Pro suspension.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

#1 wouldn't cost you much to try, and you could probably resell for a small hit. I have 6112 and 5160's and the ride is nice for having a lift.

 

If you go with icons do stage 3 with the 2.5 rear shocks well worth the price difference.

 

I vote #1. Everything else...overkill....

 

I thought of that too. Plus I could probably do the install on my own.

 

I drive on the same roads as you do and even with Kings it bounces. There is a section of 405 north around West L.A. that sucks.

 

I lived in Van Nuys for way ..way too long. Know the 101 more than I want to...haha...

 

Bling definitely doesn’t matter to me. I just want it to ride like a Cadillac dammit! Lol

The guy at the dealership said the same thing. Thanks for the feedback.

I’m starting to think the same thing.

Darn. I heard the same thing. Guess Pro’s won’t make that big of a difference...

 

I lived in Northridge for 10 years. Moved to Thousand Oaks a few months ago and I’m loving it

 

TO is real nice except it's in Kommiefornia. No offense....I got the hell out. Have relatives in Orange County. Anaheim Hills and Irvine.

 

YUGE Dodger fan...YUGE

 

I have 5100s on front and rear the rear with one inch lift the front at highest setting and drives real good I drive highway everyday in central valley in California and roads are not great and truck drives pretty smooth

 

I have basically the same setup. It does ride smooth but the bed bounce is annoying.

 

What's your psi set at

 

I’ve toyed around with the tire pressures and it has not made a difference when it comes to bed bounce unfortunately. I think it may be set at around 32psi right now.

 

Yeah concrete highways in Cali suck

 

I would just go ahead and get coilovers and be done with it. Why not icon stage 1 and a add a leaf ? i mean 2 is overkill, but stage 1 would be the bees knees for your situation.

 

Sell the truck and buy a car

 

Get a Coachbuilder +1 rear shackle also. The addition of the poly bushing will help smooth out the suspension. I have CB shackle out back and toytec shock and it’s pretty darn smooth.

And I don’t think there is a thing as too much suspension. The pro suspension probably rides the best out of all you have named. Try to find someone w a pro to take a ride in.

 

honestly if your truck is a pavement princess (not a bad thing) and you want the smoothest ride i wouldnt get the icon or king set ups. dont get me wrong they are both great suspensions and very capable but they are meant to be run hard offroad.
i have a pro and i will say its the best on road riding truck i have been in that i can remember. add in the CB rear shackle with a poly bushing and its even better. yes the set up is pricey and other set ups are more capable, but if you dont need the capabilities then they are no benefit to you.
i have done some light offroading with my set up and it was smooth as can be. i also took a 1600 mile road trip with my wife and kids and no one once complained about the ride. and all this was on LT tires too
i dont have any experience with the lower end bilstein stuff (5100s) on tundras but i have run them on f150s and i personally wasnt a fan. i felt like they were lower priced for a reason. maybe in the tundra they are different but i dont know that.
there are ton of folks on this forum from cali with every possible set up, my suggestion is to reach out to them and see if you can get a ride in their truck to see how you like it. everyone's perception is different

 

i would say go with 6112/5160. IMO, the 2.5 shock body is basically required for our heavy ass trucks. removing the sway bars will also allow the suspension to articulate and contribute towards a caddy like ride - but leave plenty of room for emergency maneuvers.

As for the concrete sections of highway we have in the LA area- its massively dependent on the tires you're running, the psi, your speed, your gross vehicle weight, and suspension.

I have toytec shackles, rear leaf spring bushings replaced with poly, kings 2.5 factory replacement shocks in the rear, no front sway, still have rear sway bar, 35" falken at3w E rated rear tires set at 37 PSI. i still get some of the bounce from the sectioned highways, but its not nearly as much as before.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. Still debating on which route to take but I’m leaning towards trying out the 5160’s on the rear first.

Since I couldn’t nail down which suspension to get, I decided to buy a TRD exhaust and intake today and installed both lol