Firestone Rite Ride

[MikeBC]

Toyota does not recommend Rite Ride warning that they will interfer with the braking system on the 05 Tundra and the stabiliy control on later models. I would appreciate hearing from members who have installed Rite Ride on the Tundra.
MikeBC, Kestrel on a 05 Tundra Access Cab 4X4

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Welcome to the board, Mike.

The following was a thoughtful post on the subject by the esteemed gentleman from Carson City, NV...

Raising the Rear of a Tundra

 

[DLN]

Mike,
Welcome aboard. I can't help you with the air bag question but will be following for general information.

 

[pvstoy]

Toyota does not recommend Rite Ride warning that they will interfer with the braking system on the 05 Tundra and the stabiliy control on later models. I would appreciate hearing from members who have installed Rite Ride on the Tundra.
MikeBC, Kestrel on a 05 Tundra Access Cab 4X4

Hi MikeBC and welcome to the board.

I have crawled under 2000 thru 2003 Tundra’s and they are the same. Rear drum brake setup. I have not crawled under a 2005 or newer to see how they are setup.

Most Toyotas have a load sensing bar that is attached to the frame and runs down to the rear differential. As you load the back bed, the bed lowers and opens the valve, and that allows more braking force to help stop the truck.

If the newer Tundra’s have the same Toyota system then when you raise the rear with the bags you should place the bar angle the same as before you raised the rear end.

To do this just make a metal spacer to raise the bar attachment at the rear differential to make the angle the same.

Now the truck knows you have just added more weight and will stop properly.

"they will interfer with the.....stabiliy control on later models."

Can you elaborate more on this to help me understand what they mean?

 

[jarnis]

This is just conjecture, so take it for what it's worth: Since the stability control system works by actuating the brakes independently to correct for oversteer, maybe Patrick's load sensing bar adjustment would alleviate problems with the stability control as well as the braking by giving the ABS computer accurate cargo weight data. Or maybe not, but it sounds logical to me!

JP

 

[brett13]

For '07 and newer Tundra's, load stabilizing, VSC, ABS and all the traction control nannies are electronic (Electronic Brake Controller and brake assist). There is no lever. Have ride rites on the new truck and they make everything very stable.

 

[pvstoy]

Brett13 what is there on your '07 that tells the computer that the rear end is loaded and sagging?

Must be some kind of sensor that measures load weight or sag. If it is mechanical it could be adjusted to still show load?

 

[brett13]

Brett13 what is there on your '07 that tells the computer that the rear end is loaded and sagging?

Must be some kind of sensor that measures load weight or sag. If it is mechanical it could be adjusted to still show load?

Patrick,

That is a good question. I looked and didn't see anything. Also asked the question on tundrasolutions.com, no one knew of a mechanical mechanism either. I think it must be sensor related, but honestly I don't know how its done. The truck brakes extremely well when loaded- even with the airbags holding up the load. There is a tow/haul switch on the dash which increases engine braking and uses higher rpm. Perhaps the T/H switch adjusts the brake power as well? I do know that this truck is FULL of electronic traction nannies. Hit a slick spot and you think the truck needs to be rebooted, CTRL-ALT-DLT style, but it is actually just doing its job- and it does it well. So, to answer, I'm not 100% sure how it does it, but I haven't found a mechanical device that does it either. And Toyota calls it an "electronic brake controller" with "brake assist"- whatever that means. I'll ask my dealer next time I'm in.

 

[Sam]

I don't know a thing about Toyota's or how the Tundra is set up but ABS does not care about the load in the truck. There are wheel speed sensors and the computer either engages or releases the brakes independently based on wheel speed.

"Brake Assist" in most vehicles simply means that when the computer senses a "panic stop" (by measuring the time it takes for you to move your foot from the gas to the brake) the ABS computer will apply full brake force. Since each driver has a different idea of what full force is on the brake the car takes over, giving you the absolute most braking power that vehicle has.