98 Tacoma and an Eagle FWC

[jameus4]

Hi, I'm new here and wanted to know what I need to do to my 98 Tacoma, 3.4 6cyl, 5speed manual, ex cab before I get the Eagle model. My truck seems squishy with any kind of weight in it. I'm in Montana so will be much climbing of Mountain roads. Should I get new springs and shocks, sway bars? Would a K&N air intake help? I've seen a few same models but have heard to not even bother with this type of truck.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Darryla]

Hi Jim: If it will help, I have a 2001 Tacoma Std Cab 4X4. I have a 4 cyl engine with the K&N air filter. I also have bilsteins all around, a helwig stabilizer and supersprings on the back. It seems to work ok for me. You could put airbags on yours, but I saw a guy who had them on the Tacoma and it swayed more than my supersprings in my opinion. Also, there are some folks that replaced the rear springs with some expensive ones (around $1500.00), but they give you some issues also such as the rear riding pretty high when no weight is in the back. Also, there is a guy in Santa Cruz that put a type of helper spring that is used on ambulances. He seems to think that works well and is reasonably priced. Its all a trade off and you have to pick things that work for you. I have found if you do your research on line you can get some things that will help you at a reasonable cost.

I know my opinion is just my own, but I have seen what some others have done at an expensive cost and even though though they think they know more than I do, I doubt it. Its a Tacoma, you aint going to make it a big Dodge or something. I have only seen one Tacoma that a guy named Patrick made that was super heafty. But, he is a super engineer and he is beyond me.

Go have fun with it and just drive slow.

Darryl

 

[bike4mee]

Hey
I had a heavy Sunlight camper on my old Tacoma (I have 2003 Tundra now) I put an extra leaf spring and this did the trick. It kept it level and still rode fine. It is a little high in the back with just a camper shell, but nothing I noticed. I have added the extra leaf spring to my Tundra and it works fine. $400 is a great alternative to other expensive options

 

[Cort]

Hi Jim: If it will help, I have a 2001 Tacoma Std Cab 4X4. I have a 4 cyl engine with the K&N air filter. I also have bilsteins all around, a helwig stabilizer and supersprings on the back. It seems to work ok for me. You could put airbags on yours, but I saw a guy who had them on the Tacoma and it swayed more than my supersprings in my opinion. Also, there are some folks that replaced the rear springs with some expensive ones (around $1500.00), but they give you some issues also such as the rear riding pretty high when no weight is in the back. Also, there is a guy in Santa Cruz that put a type of helper spring that is used on ambulances. He seems to think that works well and is reasonably priced. Its all a trade off and you have to pick things that work for you. I have found if you do your research on line you can get some things that will help you at a reasonable cost.

I know my opinion is just my own, but I have seen what some others have done at an expensive cost and even though though they think they know more than I do, I doubt it. Its a Tacoma, you aint going to make it a big Dodge or something. I have only seen one Tacoma that a guy named Patrick made that was super heafty. But, he is a super engineer and he is beyond me.

Go have fun with it and just drive slow.

Darryl


Jim,

I have an 01 Tacoma, V6, ExtraCab and this is what I had done. New front coils (OME 881's), Bilstein 5100's all around, Ride Rite Airbags, I had the Rear Leaf springs re-arched and re-tempered and the overload spring slightly flattened. Load range E tires. I still need to add a full length Add-a-Leaf. I have a short Add-a-Leaf in there now and I want just a little more. I had a fabricator box out the airbag brackets as well and the frame in the vicinity of the airbag mounts. This setup works great for me. I don't worry about the airbag brackets or the frame bending and I don't need to rely on them very much (15-20 psi) when I am loaded up with gear for 2 people for a long weekend. I recently did a 3 week long trip with three people and I had to bring the bags up to around 40psi. That is to much is my opinion, which is why I am going to add the full length Add-a-leaf.

My 2 cents,

Cort

 

[Argonaut20]

For what it's worth, you might look at Timbrens and a sway bar, perhaps an extra leaf as well. Air bags are also a possibility but you will need more spring for side to side stability. It helps to watch how much you carry when you load the camper for an outing. If you take everything possible to cram into the camper, you will need to beef up the suspension more than if you travel light. That model Tacoma is a very capable truck. (Owned one for 8 years.)

 

[generubin]

I think you should follow everyone above's recommendations and then just to be sure, throw in a 3/4 ton truck to boot!

Seriously though, I suggest you read over this thread: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3320/

 

[Cort]

Every Truck and Every Camper has its uses...your Tacoma will never be a 3/4 ton and it will never haul a 3/4 ton Camper, which is why you are getting an eagle. It will never haul your camper and your 18 ft jet boat up a 7% grade at 70 mph.

What it will do is provide you a great camping experience and at very economical price, it will haul an eagle and it will last you for many years provided you take care for it.

Oh wait I forgot, outfitted right it will take you where no 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton domestic gasser or diesel will ever take you . The only guy left out in front will be the guy with the jeep.

Someone has to stick up for the Tacos out there. Outfitted right they are a perfectly fine rig!

Cort

 

[Argonaut20]

Every Truck and Every Camper has its uses...your Tacoma will never be a 3/4 ton and it will never haul a 3/4 ton Camper, which is why you are getting an eagle. It will never haul your camper and your 18 ft jet boat up a 7% grade at 70 mph.

What it will do is provide you a great camping experience and at very economical price, it will haul an eagle and it will last you for many years provided you take care for it.

Oh wait I forgot, outfitted right it will take you where no 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton domestic gasser or diesel will ever take you . The only guy left out in front will be the guy with the jeep.

Someone has to stick up for the Tacos out there. Outfitted right they are a perfectly fine rig!

Cort


Amen to that. If you have the truck, it is less expensive to do the mods and buy the Eagle (or Bobcat) than to spring for a new or used 3/4 ton whatever and a corresponding size camper. And, as Cort says, Tacomas make a perfectly fine rig.

 

[chnlisle]

And buy a good coffee maker and a pencil too.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Hey Jim

We have found over the years the Eagle or Finch models will do just fine on the small toyota trucks.

We have been putting the Eagle, Fleet, and Ranger II models on the older small Toyota trucks for 20 + years now. No probelms. No accidents. No law suits. No big complaints.

Just be aware of your limitations, make sure to do a rear suspension upgrade, get a good set of tires, and keep the camper as simple & as light as you can.

You will be fine and should have many happy years of camping.

Use the KISS approach (KISS = keep it simple silly).


Happy Camping !




.


.

 

[jameus4]

Thanks Everyone. I really appreciate it. Can't wait to put that order in on the camper. Just need to finish up some house projects and then get OUT THERE!

Jim

 

[Silvertip47]

One thing about air bags. Do not use them to add to your suspension just to make it stiffer. Their sole purpose is to level the truck. Steel trumps balloons every time!!!!

I run air bags on my truck as they are a necessary evil for me. My camper has all the appliances down the driver's side so it leans that way.

So if you end up using bags plumb them separate from each other!!! That way you can level front to rear and side to side.

And if plumbed together they can actually add sway by squishing air out of the low side and adding it to the high side on corners and curves!!!