Stinkbug scenario: T-bars, shocks, springs, spacers, or what?

[Get outside]

Like the above line says I was staring at my truck couple days ago and it looks very goofy with front lower - Dissent bumper - than rear - unloaded/no rear bumper yet -

I measured and my numbers are all over the place around the 4 corners!

Once drawers and gear gets in there the rear starts to look like a kids loaded diaper! While getting things tackled at a slow pace I have been thinking of the long july trip coming up with the pop up trailer hooked behind it and can only imagine how it will go loaded for almost 4 weeks with whole family plus everything needed!

I guess my main question here is: can you deal with the sagging bits at a time? Do I have to plan to go full blown suspension overhaul/lift? If so my budget can't handled it until the end of the year. I'm reading around and searching for small batches that may help without going kamikaze into it!

I'm sure lots have been at the same situation so I welcome suggestions/opinions on the matter.
Thanks

 

[DirtDawg]

I would honestly just crank your TBars to gain a good height in the front and to compensate for the bumper. Then I would buy a heavier load spring for the rear. You can run a 1" coil in the rear with OEM shocks. So I would keep your OEM shocks, crank your TBars, buy heavier load springs (in the 1" or 2.5" flavor), and drive the piss out of it. That way the only expense will be new rear springs, which I would definitely recommend considering all the weight your planning on carrying/hauling.

Edit: Does your Dissent have a winch in it?

 

[TXLX100]

Crank the TBs, install some new springs and/or airbags and drive it until you can make it how you want.

 

[Get outside]

I would honestly just crank your TBars to gain a good height in the front and to compensate for the bumper. Then I would buy a heavier load spring for the rear. You can run a 1" coil in the rear with OEM shocks. So I would keep your OEM shocks, crank your TBars, buy heavier load springs (in the 1" or 2.5" flavor), and drive the piss out of it. That way the only expense will be new rear springs, which I would definitely recommend considering all the weight your planning on carrying/hauling.

Edit: Does your Dissent have a winch in it?

Crank the TBs, install some new springs and/or airbags and drive it until you can make it how you want.

That was honestly my very first thought on how to handle it, crank T bars and a set of "not so high" rear springs. Then I started second guessing myself and wondering about running out of shock travel and so on.

I do not have a winch in my front bumper.

Now, how much can you realistic gain up front by cranking the T bars without reaching the limit? About an inch? As for the rears i'm not sure where to start, maybe 860 or 863s?!?

 

[TXLX100]

Are you trying to lift it on the cheap now or just get it level and good enough until you can get the parts on it you want?

I think you could get at least and inch out of the front, but not sure how much more you should go with stock shocks, and Cranked TBs might make ride a bit stiff.

 

[therealdutch]

all the suggestions re: torsion bars. i checked his signature line and it looks like he's got an '06 which means it probably has AHC. now i'm fairly new to this stuff, but as i understand, adjusting the torsion bars on the AHC equipped 100's doesn't affect height so much as ride.

my suggestion would be to check AHC fluid level in the reservoir under the hood, if this happened right after adding your bumper, the system may have had to pull more fluid to the globes to keep it as close to level as possible, thus throwing out any 'reserve' fluid for adjusting the rears globes to make up for the added weight when the back is loaded.

 

[therealdutch]

also, if what i mentioned turns out to be the problem, it might just mean buying a $60 can of AHC fluid at the local toyota parts dept.

 

[DirtDawg]

all the suggestions re: torsion bars. i checked his signature line and it looks like he's got an '06 which means it probably has AHC. now i'm fairly new to this stuff, but as i understand, adjusting the torsion bars on the AHC equipped 100's doesn't affect height so much as ride.

my suggestion would be to check AHC fluid level in the reservoir under the hood, if this happened right after adding your bumper, the system may have had to pull more fluid to the globes to keep it as close to level as possible, thus throwing out any 'reserve' fluid for adjusting the rears globes to make up for the added weight when the back is loaded.

also, if what i mentioned turns out to be the problem, it might just mean buying a $60 can of AHC fluid at the local toyota parts dept.

I think OP might have a non ahc rig. AHC self levels so it wouldn't sag, and he is worried about sagging. Also he should be level in the front if running ahc, which he claims he's not. Once again, OP chime in if I'm wrong.

 

[therealdutch]

true it may not be AHC equipped. But if it is and his fluid levels were already low, it could have stayed in spec prior to adding bumper, but after bumper there may not have been enough to accommodate for the additional weight of the bumper.

but you're right, i've posted elsewhere, i just had my dissent put on, with a winch and lights, and i can't tell any difference in height. that said, when we bought the truck late last year, the AHC fluid was way low (barely any in the reservoir) so i had to add some to get it to an adequate amount of reserve in the reservoir.

 

[Manhattan]

Plenty of non-AHC '06s out there... and one in my garage. That Dissent bumper - with no winch - will likely not cause the front to drop at all - maybe 1/4". The Dissent bumper adds about 30 pounds over stock. That's about 1/4 the weight of a full tank of gas. And, it's not like these trucks collapse as we gas'em up.

Post a side view of the truck.

 

[Get outside]

Thanks guys! So it's a 06 with NO ahc. 149k on the clock. DD
2 adults + 3 kids at around 475lbs total
Dissent is around 85lbs bare and 115 with full guard.
Dual battery up front
Gamiviti full expo on top
Home brew drawers at around 150lbs
RTT I believe is also around 150lbs. When I have both RTT and drawers it really sinks down!

Very soon adding ARB 63 @ 60lbs
Then you add food, water and gear; now we got the tent trailer at about 3k loaded for some of our trips.
I'm thinking I have to change the trailer set up because it's tongue heavy with dual deep cycle and dual 20lb propane right there!

Are you trying to lift it on the cheap now or just get it level and good enough until you can get the parts on it you want?

I think you could get at least and inch out of the front, but not sure how much more you should go with stock shocks, and Cranked TBs might make ride a bit stiff.

I'm not trying to be on the cheap, want to get it leveled with a bit of height gain that won't create immediate problems. Like I said, I can't go crazy lift swap r now so that's why I'm looking for simpler options. After budget changes things can change too.

How does the spring progression goes as for load/lift? Less to More?

860 being the lesser side , 863, 864, 865 and 866 as the highest/heavy load? Is this correct? I guess we are talking OME here.

I'm assuming if just cranking the front then I should first put the rear springs on so I'm leveling at the end with the rears loaded, correct? Would the 63s be the right choice for this picture?

Thanks again for the input, I do appreciate it.

 

[bluecruiser]

http://www.arbusa.com/Uploads/PDF/onlineManualsGuides/OME_Guide_current.pdf

This link has the OME catalog, coil guide/descriptions. It can help you decipher the numbering. They are not necessarily named so that the highest number is for the most weight/height.

 

[Get outside]

Thanks Chris, that's good info!

 

[SR.GRINGO]

Plan on picking up a 30mm socket for the T-bars.

 

[Get outside]

Plan on picking up a 30mm socket for the T-bars.

Already have it!
$20 socket

 

[SALTY METHODS]

Cranking the T-bars to get it to have a slightly Cali lift will make it ride like s***. Trust me, i drove it around like that for a couple of days. I had to bring it just under level for it to be comfortable again. It looked badass though when i had them cranked.

 

[lrowe_csp]

Also consider airbags in the rear if you are pulling a trailer semi-regularly. This will allow you to get your rake back for best handling when trailering, while still having good ride and handling when you do not have the trailer hooked up. There are several threads by forum members who have done this mod.