Airbags, Springs, Sumo Springs with a camper - quick removal solution of Sumo Springs when no camper

[tacocamper]

Hi all,

2015 Tacoma, 4x4, DCLB with Four Wheel Campers Fleet Model 1200lbs.

I have done a ton of reading and yes a lot of users find it fine with adding say Firestone airbags to the stock rear springs, while other users swear against airbags and suggest going with new springs such as ICON RXT (Option 3), OME Dakars HD w/AAL or custom springs.

I feel that I am in a different position as I do not leave the camper in the bed and only load it on for occasional trips throughout the year which are usual on fairly rough forest service roads to remote spots. Remainder of my driving for the year is paved roads and weekend light offroading. So having airbags will not withstand the abuse of offroading and having a set of heavy duty springs can make for a rough ride driving 90% of the time the camper is not loaded on truck.

So is there a good middle ground perhaps? Hear me out and please let me know if anyone has done this?

What I am thinking is why not go with say a medium duty rear leaf spring set for comfort when not fully loaded with a camper but when fully loaded just add say the Sumo Springs. So what I mean is only add the Sumo Springs when the camper is on. After installing the mounting bracket for the Sumo Spring to the leaf spring pack to install the spring itself you just simply thread the spring to the bracket. So cant you just unthread or remove the Sumo Spring when you don't have the camper on?

I am thinking I could figure out how to install a stock height bump stop using the existing Sumo Spring bracket when the camper is not on and enjoy a more comfortable ride with medium springs, but when it comes time to head out with the camper I could thread on the Sumo Springs.

Same would go for the Timbren brand springs, these could be unbolted and remove from the spring pack when not in use and allow articulation of the rear end when I am offroading without the camper.

Any thoughts? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks in advance!

Adam

Also I would like to add that yes I am aware I am over the gross vehicle weight when camper is installed. And no I will not be buying another vehicle with a larger payload for the handful of times I have the camper on the back.

 

[TacomaAustin]

My suggestion is before adding a new spring pack, install a pair of the medium density SumoSprings to the truck.

I have a pair of Firestone Ride Rites with Daystar cradles installed on my 2005 Tundra. It should be noted that when the camper is loaded thy require me to add around 7 to 8 PSI each week. Without the camper loaded, I may add 1 to 2 pounds on a monthly basis.

Air bags are good for controlling rear end squat. My next step is to a sway bar to the mix.

 

[CPT Davenport]

I have had 3 trucks now all with super springs. No rough ride when empty as they only engage when a load is present. I even have them on a K5 blazer that is a beast off road, but also used as a "ranch truck". Right now I have around 800 pounds of flagstone that I just picked up in her. Hardly squatting at all.

Note: All trucks also have heavy duty Bilsteins.

 

[tacocamper]

I have had 3 trucks now all with super springs. No rough ride when empty as they only engage when a load is present. I even have them on a K5 blazer that is a beast off road, but also used as a "ranch truck". Right now I have around 800 pounds of flagstone that I just picked up in her. Hardly squatting at all.

Note: All trucks also have heavy duty Bilsteins.

@Cpt Davenport when you say super springs do you mean "Sumo Springs" or so you mean the "SuperSprings" helper springs that can be added to the leaf pack?

 

[CPT Davenport]

SuperSpring helper springs not Sumo.

 

[rubberlegs]

We have the black Sumosprings (as of 2018). When I installed them (easy job, didn't have to jack up anything), there was a gap between them and the overtravel bump stop. So without the camper the truck seems to ride normally. But note that I never had a truck before, so take that with a grain of salt!

I sweated between the colors of Sumosprings, and really glad I got the black ones. Over time, they may have settled a bit as the rear seems a bit lower (not much) than it should be, and I really need to adjust the headlights (we rarely drive at night -- retired!).

Our camper is on 98% of the time, but we did some stuff without it earlier this summer.