My towing mods that I just made to my Little Tacoma.

[Ken K.]

I bought my Tacoma back in March 2015. I bought my 2015 Rockwood 2502KS Mini Lite shortly there after. I invested in a WDH at the time of purchase. Took a few tries to get it all set up the way I wanted to but finally got it all level. Started camping with this setup in May. We clocked about 10,000 miles over the rest of the year until we finally packed it in late November. I had been just using the Equalizer WDH, and some crappy door mount CIPA Mirrors. It wasn't a terrible season; after the season was over I began to think about the things that constantly bugged me. The stock rear suspension on the Tacoma is about as mushy as a 1992 Buick Lesabre. Even with the Equalizer on it still bounced excessively in certain conditions. It definitely needed to reinforcement, and those mirrors had to go as well. They vibrated so bad I couldn't see anything half the time. So I took a weekend and Installed a couple of upgrades just to make the trips a little nicer. First up I installed some Firestone Ride Right Air Bags. These were bolt on, really glad I didn't have to drill holes in my frame. I also upgraded my stock mirrors with some Tyger Power Adjustable towing Mirrors. These also were bolt on plug and play.

[bluewoo]

I like the mirrors!!

[youroo]

Nice Towing Mod's! Can you lower the Tailgate while hooked up? Youroo!!

[tmfaulksr]

Originally Posted by Ken K.

I bought my Tacoma back in March 2015. I bought my 2015 Rockwood 2502KS Mini Lite shortly there after. So I took a weekend and Installed a couple of upgrades just to make the trips a little nicer. First up I installed some Firestone Ride Right Air Bags. These were bolt on, really glad I didn't have to drill holes in my frame.

i have a nissan titan cc. I've got a guy in my area that took some firestone air levelers he took off of his titan, for RV towing, and wants to sell them pretty cheap. the mounts look very similar to yours. if you don't mind revealing some facts, what prep did you perform to install on the truck?
thanks in advance.....

[Keith15]

Hi I've installed airbags on my Tundra and my buddies, Dodge and Tundra. Install is straightforward. Usually need to cutoff rubber jounce that keeps leaf springs from hitting frame of truck. Everything else is simply Bolton with no other prep other than jacking truck up and removing tire for better access to install. Run air lines to an area where you can easily access to fill or empty bags. If you visit Firestone site you can view copy of installation instructions.

[Glindz233s]

Interesting mods. I'm going to check them out for my '08 Taco.

[john5646]

Tm,
Here's a pic of fire stones on 2006 Nissan crew.
The Tacoma mods, very nice, air bags are awesome.

[bareftn]

I see you have leaf springs what not just go to a truck spring shop and have them add a leaf or two to each side ?

[john5646]

Air bags allow the option of leveling while still maintaining stock ride. Simply run 5 psi for stock and go up to 70 psi plus, if say towing, or heavy payload, common sense needs to be factored in as air bags or springs do only level the load not make things safe. Also air bags can be done by DIY for $225.00. Takes 2 hrs to install and if you wanted to removal when you sell truck?
These were the reasons I went bags.

[tmfaulksr]

Originally Posted by Keith15

Hi I've installed airbags on my Tundra and my buddies, Dodge and Tundra. Install is straightforward. Usually need to cutoff rubber jounce that keeps leaf springs from hitting frame of truck. Everything else is simply Bolton with no other prep other than jacking truck up and removing tire for better access to install. Run air lines to an area where you can easily access to fill or empty bags. If you visit Firestone site you can view copy of installation instructions.

that is great info.
didn't think about their website....:roll eyes:
thanks...

[PenJoe]

tnfaulksr, go to the Firestone Ride-Rite website

http://riderite.com/Ride-Rite%20Product%20Detail

Do a "vehicle search" to make sure they fit model to model. Check the chart for your year and model and then of the sellers vehicle and model. The part (kit) numbers will probably be the same. If they are, these are pretty easy to install. Just make sure the bags were not damaged on removal and that you have all of the parts. As john5646 states, a new kit is $225. A bag replacement is about $100. They are well worth the $225-cheap is better if they are in good shape.

I believe that you can get the mounting instruction from Ride-Rite for your TV as-well. Mounting varies slightly from vehicle to vehicle, but no drilling of holes is required.

I removed a set of Ride-Rites from an '08 Sierra and wanted to put the on a 2013 Silverado. Basically the same bodies. However, the part numbers did not match, so I ordered a set for the Silverado. When the new ones arrived, I compared them with those from the Sierra. The only difference was that the top mounting hole was oval on the new ones and round on the older set. The new set would fit the '08 Sierra and the '13 Silverado, but the older set hole would have to be made oval and the would have fit. Had I known that, I could have saved some money and just reamed the holes oval by a quarter inch.

[tmfaulksr]

Originally Posted by john5646

Air bags allow the option of leveling while still maintaining stock ride. Simply run 5 psi for stock and go up to 70 psi plus, if say towing, or heavy payload, common sense needs to be factored in as air bags or springs do only level the load not make things safe. Also air bags can be done by DIY for $225.00. Takes 2 hrs to install and if you wanted to removal when you sell truck?
These were the reasons I went bags.

good stuff....

[tmfaulksr]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

tnfaulksr, go to the Firestone Ride-Rite website

http://riderite.com/Ride-Rite%20Product%20Detail

Do a "vehicle search" to make sure they fit model to model. Check the chart for your year and model and then of the sellers vehicle and model. The part (kit) numbers will probably be the same. If they are, these are pretty easy to install. Just make sure the bags were not damaged on removal and that you have all of the parts. As john5646 states, a new kit is $225. A bag replacement is about $100. They are well worth the $225-cheap is better if they are in good shape.

I believe that you can get the mounting instruction from Ride-Rite for your TV as-well. Mounting varies slightly from vehicle to vehicle, but no drilling of holes is required.

I removed a set of Ride-Rites from an '08 Sierra and wanted to put the on a 2013 Silverado. Basically the same bodies. However, the part numbers did not match, so I ordered a set for the Silverado. When the new ones arrived, I compared them with those from the Sierra. The only difference was that the top mounting hole was oval on the new ones and round on the older set. The new set would fit the '08 Sierra and the '13 Silverado, but the older set hole would have to be made oval and the would have fit. Had I known that, I could have saved some money and just reamed the holes oval by a quarter inch.

appreciate it... good info & thanks for the website.
we both have titan cc
his an '08 mine a '12
website shows that '04-'15 Titans are all the same...
he wants $150 for the firestones & a 5th wheel pin-tripod support.

[tmfaulksr]

Originally Posted by john5646

Tm,
Here's a pic of fire stones on 2006 Nissan crew.Attachment 96842Attachment 96843
The Tacoma mods, very nice, air bags are awesome.

are those stock shocks??
they look like bilsteins or something like that....

[john5646]

Rancho shocks

[tmfaulksr]

Originally Posted by john5646

Rancho shocks

ok great checked out their site...
thanks

[HONDAMAN174]

Since you are all talking about mods for towing, just bought an AFE exhaust from Amazon for daughters boyfriend for his new to him 14 taco. Was 395. Not huge power gain but sounds nice.


2014 Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra "Clifford"

[Ken K.]

Just had to take a sawsall to the jounce stop. I also had to drill some 5/16" holes for the fill valves. Other wise it was a straight forward bolt on set.
Here's the to a video of an installation on a similar truck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjeFJiD2Hus&sns=em

[Ken K.]

Originally Posted by youroo

Nice Towing Mod's! Can you lower the Tailgate while hooked up? Youroo!!

lol No!

[Ken K.]

Originally Posted by bareftn

I see you have leaf springs what not just go to a truck spring shop and have them add a leaf or two to each side ?

I didn't want to have a stiff ride all the time. The air bags allow me to stiffen the suspension when I need it, and then go back to the soft stock ride when I'm not towing.