Need help or selling my tundra

Hello, Ive got some never ending bed bounce issues that is driving me nuts.


Ive got a tundra platinum on 6112/5160’s at 2in lift. Ive added 1 CB shim on each side in the front for 2.5in total front and +2 shackles in the rear (1.25in) to help with bed bounce (based on coachbuilders suggestion). It did not help more than slightly making it feel better.


Here in Denver, I'm still going down the road like a bobblehead and its literally nauseating and pushing me to sell and buy another vehicle. I’m running LT 33” in tires on stock 20in platinum/limited wheels (pic attached) and I also have TRD swaybars in front and back. Yes, Ive tried everything besides a super $$$ suspension…


The ride is harsh on these sectioned highways and destroyed roads out here and I honestly don’t enjoy driving the truck because everywhere I go Im oscillating down the road.


I’m trying to figure out a solution and I want to go up to 3in in the front to level it out if possible but thats secondary to getting a smoother and more enjoyable ride.


I’m thinking about buying the trd pro fox suspension and doing coachbuilders trd pro kit to get 3in front and keeping the +2 in the rear, etc. i’m open to other suspension options like King, Icon, emu or Fox since they're comparable in price to trd pro shocks and are supposed to be better than trd pro but i dont know what to do. I dont want to sell it but man Im at the end of the rope here.


Any thoughts on what suspension mods might fix my problem and maintain a 2.5-3in front level?

 

It's a truck, roads suck everywhere, get used to it.
Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I have the same suspension on 3" front and you need to add half inch spacer to the drivers side I think to make the front level left to right.

If you go to max strut lift the ride is even harsher.

I also have E rated 34" tires on stock 1794 wheels.

Your not going to fix road issues by throwing money at the truck that is perfect already.

Could try 18" wheels and thicker tires for a softer ride maybe.

I am debating moving down to 18" wheels and oversized tires to try and get some mpg back, but I love the dependability of E rated tires, I never get flats and can drive on low air pressure after being on the beach without spending 30mins in the blazing sun after being on the beach all day to air back up before driving to the nearest gas station for a fast air pump.

 

The big rim small tire fad is terrible for driving.

I have a 2.5 inch lift with 35x12.50r18s and my truck drives very well.


I’d be tempted to try smaller rims and bigger tires before suspension.

 

Do you have sectioned highways and get bed bounce? Im talking where its oscillating frequency? Because it only really happens a couple places in the country so anyone who doesnt get it to the point of making passengers nauseous and not being able to sip a drink for 45mins while youre driving the highway doesnt understand it. The “it’s a truck” answer does not apply to us unfortunate few. In the last 3 months I’ve had two different family members force me to pull over because they were going to throw up from the up/down oscillations

 

Yep, roads are bad in many places. Also I was going to say dump your 20" rims. Larger wheels were a very silly idea for vehicles and don't make good sense. As said above, the taller sidewall gives much more under shock and delivers a better ride. Also you said LT tires. Do you need LT tires? Again a stiff sidewall there too. Next is leaf packs. Many small leaves will ride better than a few thick leaves. Lastly, a little weight on the ass. Get a good solid rear bumper at the very least. Any leaf spring vehicle will ride better with a little load on it. I'd shoot for at least 140 lbs. or so, preferably more.

 

This. I would ditch the 20” for 17”s.

 

I use lt tires because i live in the rockies and do a lot of off roading/hunting etc. and wanted strong sidewalls to prevent punctures when im deep in the mountains

 

Put a garbage can in the back and fill it up with water and take a ride. See what happens.

 

Alright so looks like i need to get some new wheels 17in and some non kevlar side walled tires to soften things up. Anyone want to buy some barely used 33s and 20in limited wheels? Lol

 

Actually to be honest, you will need to reach 50 posts before you can list anything for sale on the forum. Good luck with your project and your truck!

 

Weight in the bed will help tremendously. More sidewall will help. Rear suspension is the key, the better shackles are a good start along with a better shock. Bilstein's tend to be a bit stiff. Someone else on here did a leaf spring upgrade to Alcan's or Deaver's, cant remember which, and it helped dramatically also. Mine is on stock TRD OR suspension and 18" wheels and with a topper and a little gear in the back its smooth on 95% of the roads. You may be on one of those 5% roads all the time that exposes this.

 

In all honesty Op, the further down the road you go with aftermarket suspension/tires (strictly speaking trucks here) the more you will experience the negative traits. Lifting and putting on aftermarket suspension, which the vast majority is geared towards off-roading (firmer/stiffer), amplifies bad traits. I have noticed this in every Toyota I have lifted (5 personally/3 family members Toyotas).

For me and ME only, the single and really only reason in the world to go to a larger size tire is for looks. I have never found the ride quality to get any better with larger sizes than stock, even P rated, only worst. In regards to LT rated tires on a Tundra…not commenting.

I have a 1 inch front lift (1/2 CB spacer), 1 inch rear lift (CB .75 shackles), and a TRD sway bar. Truthfully the CB shackles have been one of the best suspension upgrades I have ever done on a vehicle. I wish CB would make a stock size shackle though. There has been a significant increase in firmness/stiffness overall as minor as these modifications are. I am very happy and not willing to go any higher. But again it feels different (firmer) than when I drove the truck off the lot.

Bottom line: every modification has a give and a take. What you’re willing to give and take is solely up to the owner.

I am completely opposite as I once was when it comes to suspension…I even apply my theories to my other hobbies (ATVing/mountain biking).

 

Roadactive Suspension has been something I've heard will reduce bed bounce. It's certainly a whole hell of a lot cheaper than new wheels and tires! I've been considering it myself.

 

I think everyone is assuming its just how a Tundra rides with that suspension setup. That said, thousands of people run that suspension, with rougher ride than stock, but not anywhere close to "like a bobblehead and nauseating".

Did you install everything yourself or have a shop do it? Unless you are very sensitive, that setup shouldnt be super rough at all.

 

I mean, I have not driven your roads but I have driven from NY to FL several times in the Tundra including while towing.

We have some bad sections along 95 for sure, but likely not as long as your stretches being your in open country compared to the east coast.

Nobody has complained about it to me, but I rarely have anyone in the back seat when I'm traveling long distances, couple times to the beach and they were fine but the truck was also loaded down with loaded coolers, beach gear, and luggage.

In bad road sections I have found higher or lower speeds can help, or changing lanes, or even driving in-between lanes straddling 2 lanes, depending on traffic.
After traveling so much (Mostly at night) I tend to treat lane markings on multi lane roads like advice, not rules, at night when traffic is almost nonexistent lol.

Have you tried it with weight in the bed or not? Towing or not?
These may help, while lowering your mpg lol.

Maybe yall have it really bad and I just don't get it....like you said.

If so I would be writing to my state DOT and complaining nonstop, we pay a lot of taxes, they can at least make the road drivable and safe for the posted speed limits.

Do other trucks/vehicles have this issue?
Is your truck in good shape, suspension, frame etc?

 

I know exactly what you are experiencing. I usually put sand bags in the bed during the winter and remove them in the summer. I left them in and moved them closer to the tailgate and it helped, but not 100%.

 

I live just up the road from you (cheyenne). It's got to be the highway design combined with the design of the tundra. Maybe
My 1st gen doesn't do it, but my 2018 makes me seasick.

 

Yes, professional install on everything. Its just the roads here in denver and some places like SoCal have it. I drove from FL to Denver and took the long way to see family and never had bed bounce until i got here. You either have experienced it or you havent and arent really sure what im talking about. Plenty of other posts about it with no fixes. Minus adding weight, leafs, new tires & smaller wheels, etc just have to live with it or sell it. Thanks for everyone’s help

 

you drive the 25 south of the city a lot?

 

Did you look into the RAS I suggested or no?

 

I don't mind the way my Tundra drives with 6112 and LT tires, but man....every time I drive down and go through Denver there are areas that are so, so bad. I try to avoid them at all cost, but that is me that goes through 3-4 times /year. It is hard for me to even imaging living that every day.

 

Get yourself and your truck a supercharger, you'll forget about the bed bounce!

 

What PSI are you running in your tires If you are doing what my dipshit step parent did and running at the max PSI on the side of the tire then you are going to beat yourself to death. First suggestion would be to ditch the 20" wheels for some 18s. Big wheels make it rigid, which is great for cornering at speed, but dog shit for comfort. Also, unless you are towing or off-roading, get P rated tires. Way more comfort oriented.

 

I am running 30psi front and rear.

sandbags help a little but not a lot.

i do drive south denver daily on 25, so at least someone know my pain.

i did look into ras but hard to tellif it will work for bed bounce in an empty bed as much as it help bounce when towing. Ive inquired to the company

 

I don't drive it daily. Just when I'm going downtown or to the mountains, but yeah, the expansion joints on that road are spaced JUST right. They put the truck into the perfect rhythm to amplify everything. If you ever see anyone driving a black Tundra with their hand out the window waving it like they're hopping a lowrider, that's me.

 

I second a lot of what has been said - tire pressures help but an unloaded truck on 20’s with LT tires and off road shocks can make for a harsh ride. I know what kind of roads you are talking about; there happens to be a highway by one of siblings that does the same thing if my truck is empty and it really does get nauseating.

As other have said: more sidewall helps, so smaller rim, bigger sidewall. For now, as counterintuitive as it may sound, try bumping up the tire pressure three psi at a time and see what happens. The goal would be to have the shock absorbers do more of the work trying to dampen the ride; tires are an important part of the suspension but they have no damping, really, and act more like a spring.

Better leaf springs also help. But weight in the bed helps a lot - right over the rear axle, IME. The rear end of these trucks empty usually weigh in around 2500-2800 lbs depending on the configuration, and the leaf springs are sprung for twice that load or more. Adding a 2-3” lift up front transfers some weight to the rear but doesn’t place the weight over the axle so you get more see-sawing on those oscillating roads. Plus, more lift usually equals a stiffer ride for many reasons (not always, but often).

I like 5160’s but perhaps a different rear shock would be better suited. I ran them for over 100k miles and decided to change them out for Dobinson MRA’s because of the adjustability and larger shock body/piston area. They are like comparing the Bilstein 6112’s to regular 5100’s, then add a reservoir. The 6112’s are also great but the digressive valving can also exacerbate the oscillations. The Dobinsons (as well as fox, king, etc) are a linear shock, but the MRA’s let you adjust slow speed damping (cornering), high speed damping (bigger bumps), and rebound individually. I’ve been very happy with mine so far, but my truck is also not empty.

 

A few interviews with the company folks on YouTube explain that the RAS sits on the shackle side of the leaf (which moves) and has a piston and coil, so it should dampen movement in both directions of expansion and compression.

 

These last few comments are gold. Thanks guys. Ive got some thinking to do. I literally live in the worst section of road for Tundras in the country and either need to upgrade shocks and tires (again) or I need to get something else…

 

Honestly, just buy something else. Unless you want to box and brace the frame, you'll always have some of this and you'll never really feel happy.

 

Throw the ole lady/GF in the shotgun seat and hit the road.