Stiffer Rear Leaf Springs for Trailer Towing

I have a 2014 CrewMax Limited TRD 4X4 (with 51000 miles) and will be towing a 25’ Airstream Flying Cloud 7300# GVWR and 835# Hitch Weight. I will be using a Blue Ox Weight Distributed Hitch.

Right now it seems that the rear squats when I pull a 1/2 ton trailer with just the ball.

The Tundra has the towing package and the TRD 4X4 package. I had to upgrade the rear coil springs on my 07 FJ Cruiser for our 3000# tent trailer with the factory towing ball hitch. I’m wondering if the same may be true of the Tundra’s rear leaf springs?

We will be full-time Airstream travelers so I want to get the Tundra setup before I have no where to work on the truck.

I was thinking about Old Man Emu heavy leaf spring with the Dakar helper leaf and airbags in the rear???

Any help or suggestions would be welcome. Mahalo in advance

Aukaiiki sends the Hawai’ian Pacific Northwest,
(OVRLNDR with a Tin Can)

 

Dobinson's HD leaf packs, Iron man greasable shackles and bushings, Roadmaster HD active suspension, yellow Sumo springs for bump stops. No sag loaded, nice ride empty or loaded. BDS traction bars for no axle wrap when pulling from dead stops, saves u joints and preserves pinion angle. It just works and because of redundancy it's nice and safe giving the driver confidence at highway speeds.

 

I tow a Flagstaff 29 BHS, it's about 9800lbs dry and approx 900lb hitch weight.

I run a Curt 17500 weight distribution hitch and I added 1600lb Super Springs to my suspension.

Trailer and truck are level and the truck pulls like a dream.

 

That’s like 300 pounds of extra payload weight down there lol. Nice setup though

 

Key is down there, reduced center gravity is a good thing. Not to mention traction when empty. Also nice to keep headlights in focus.

 

Toyotas have notoriously weak rear springs, as you've discovered. Are we talking about a 25 fb? First congratulations. In my opinion those are the perfect size forever camper. The 25fb has a very heavy tongue weight, probably a thousand pounds or more.

You didn't mention a weight distribution hitch. You need one. It's not optional with this light truck and that tongue weight.

Your going to be running right up to max payload, maybe even a bit over. In my opinion this can be done safely but you need to get everything dialed in. Keep your fluids changed.

Measure your tongue weight. You can do it with a bathroom scale and some scrap lumber. You need to know this to get the right weight bars for the WDH.

If you want to get creative you can move your batteries back to the axles and save a lot of tongue weight. Airforums has we ideas.

 

Actually op did mention blue ox wdh. So, that base is covered.

 

OP whatever you want, might want to get started now, supplies are limited and waiting times can be long.

 

OK good deal. My money is on the bars being to weak for the tongue weight. Does anyone else here have this Airstream?

 

onesojourner thanks for the comeback. I have a blue ox weight distribution hitch provided by Airstream with the purchase. The AS FC is a 25RBT which is lighter on the hitch then the 25FBT. I’ll play with the bars to see if that helps. The plan is to weigh the total rig at the CAT Scale on the way home from picking up the Airstream from the dealer (Sept. delivery).

 

2mchfun nice setup. I was hoping to change less and not add too much more weight. My math says I’m at or slightly over the Tundra’s limit. I’m trying to stay within the Tundra’s max and the combined max. Thanks again

 

We run an Airstream 28, rear twin bedroom. 900 tongue weight on paper, 850 measured in real life (due to 2nd rear AC unit on roof.) About 6500lbs loaded in our usage (about 7000 lb if I were to fill it with water.)

Almost identical thread here:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/towing-airstream-as-25-fbq.91672/

My suspension mods here:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/my-tundra-mods-for-stable-towing.84197/

I recommend the TRD rear stabilizer bar for sure. I also have a Blue Ox and have been very happy with it. I have blue sumo springs cut down by one donut but no other helper springs (ie. leaf packs or related assists.) All it takes to "level" the combination is proper setup of the WDH. Adjust the ball height first (one time step) and when tension is applied to the spring bars the truck levels out.