Towing With 2008 Tundra 5.7 - Rear Squat

[Lance B. Johnson]

This is exactly why I didn't install a leveling kit in my Titan.

[Wakesetter67]

I thought of doing some airbags on my Titan, I do get a little sag, it's not bad but that is with the bed empty, I have not tried it yet with a full load of camping gear, So if the OP has some sag now, might be worse loaded.

[rennis]

I thought of doing some airbags on my Titan, I do get a little sag, it's not bad but that is with the bed empty, I have not tried it yet with a full load of camping gear, So if the OP has some sag now, might be worse loaded.

FWIW, there really isn't much difference in mine loaded or not. I mean, I haven't tried to do a bed full of fill dirt and tow the boat at the same time, but a bed full of camping gear and so forth doesn't change it much, if at all.

I'm also leveled. The rear "lift" is only and inch but it's a spacer lift and no doubt that has a lot to do with the sagging.

It is just a lot worse with my 'Bu than with anything else I have towed, boat or otherwise.

[old skool malibu]

There you go Paul

[robtr8]

http://www.cadillacfaq.com/faq/answers/pdf/nivomat.pdf

Not sure if these are available for your application but, they work great on my XC90.

[rennis]

There you go Paul

interesting grill. What's the coating?

[nyryan2001]

Here is mine.... puts a TON of weight on the hitch.... you are looking at 4-6" of squat here. The swivel tongue jack barely can hold the boat up by itself, it bends out to the side like its about to snap off when unhooked from the truck. I will be sliding my bow stop back about 6" or so. Just gotta check to ensure nothing intereferes with the fins, prop or rudder.

Edited March 29, 2012 by nyryan2001

[saidainc]

Here is mine.... puts a TON of weight on the hitch.... you are looking at 4-6" of squat here. The swivel tongue jack barely can hold the boat up by itself, it bends out to the side like its about to snap off when unhooked from the truck. I will be sliding my bow stop back about 6" or so. Just gotta check to ensure nothing intereferes with the fins, prop or rudder.

Wow...you really cannot tell in pic1 but in pic2 it is very pronounced. I hate that, especially since I spent a fortune on my lift, wheels and tires for my 2010 TRD. I want it to look cool, you know?! haha.

But what about what SRINTX said about the height of the hitch?

[davidc22470]

I would buy a new truck. But that's just me.

Glad to see you took the time to share with all of us of your useless contribution to this post.

[Wakesetter67]

Heres a pic of mine, lot's of swats...Thats why i'm adding airbags...

Edited March 30, 2012 by Wakesetter67

[old skool malibu]

interesting grill. What's the coating?

Rino guard..aka box liner!

[old skool malibu]

Here is mine.... puts a TON of weight on the hitch.... you are looking at 4-6" of squat here. The swivel tongue jack barely can hold the boat up by itself, it bends out to the side like its about to snap off when unhooked from the truck. I will be sliding my bow stop back about 6" or so. Just gotta check to ensure nothing intereferes with the fins, prop or rudder.

4-6"...mine sags 2-3 inches max.

[rennis]

Rino guard..aka box liner!

hahaha! That's awesome! I wanted to black mine out too, and ordered a black grill & surround from Sparks...but your idea is cool too.

[TallRedRider]

I have a 1 inch leveling kit on the rear and 3 on the front. I had to turn my hitch upside down, so it is a 2 inch rise in order to ride close to level. I think the Extreme trailers ride pretty high, and pretty nose heavy. With the hitch in regular position, and without the boat hooked up is the correct height to keep it level. Then when you sag 4 inches, it is way too low, so I had to turn the hitch over.

If this were the truck I used on longer tows, I would put in airbags.

[davidc22470]

Well I decided to go with the airide airbags and new Bilstein 5100's monotube shocks to replace my original worn OEM shocks on my truck. I honestly thought the air bags would be super expensive but after inquiring I was able to get a good deal on a new set of Toyo MT's, the new upgraded shocks and the airbags installed all at once. Should be completed Tuesday after spending the day at the shop. I am looking forward to the adjustability/ride control and the good looks of always being able "level".

Thanks to all who posted to my inquiry, all of the info provided pointed in the right direction to do my research and spend my money wisely with the best result. I think that is what forums are all about (or at least should be)!

[Hammertime]

Well I decided to go with the airide airbags and new Bilstein 5100's monotube shocks to replace my original worn OEM shocks on my truck. I honestly thought the air bags would be super expensive but after inquiring I was able to get a good deal on a new set of Toyo MT's, the new upgraded shocks and the airbags installed all at once. Should be completed Tuesday after spending the day at the shop. I am looking forward to the adjustability/ride control and the good looks of always being able "level".

Thanks to all who posted to my inquiry, all of the info provided pointed in the right direction to do my research and spend my money wisely with the best result. I think that is what forums are all about (or at least should be)!

Glad to hear that you've decided on a fix. Please let us know how you like it and post some pics, cause we're all weird that way...

[Hammertime]

Hey David, I have a neighbor who has a 2011 Tundra, 2-wheel drive. I'm currently towing with a Chevy 1500 and don't like it, so he offered to let me hook the boat up to his truck & take it for a spin. We have an '03 23 LSV so I thought you might be interested. Our Chevy squats 1.5" and his Tundra squatted .75 " with the boat. I'd post a pic, but I haven't figured out how to do that now that the format has changed.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Hammertime

[davidc22470]

Hey David, I have a neighbor who has a 2011 Tundra, 2-wheel drive. I'm currently towing with a Chevy 1500 and don't like it, so he offered to let me hook the boat up to his truck & take it for a spin. We have an '03 23 LSV so I thought you might be interested. Our Chevy squats 1.5" and his Tundra squatted .75 " with the boat. I'd post a pic, but I haven't figured out how to do that now that the format has changed.

Thanks for the info- strange that the same model trucks are affected so differently to the same boats (or same weight I should say)....I am assuming a lot of this has to do with the different trailer manufacturers and design differences in trailers. I am in Northern California and cannot remember for the life of me whom my dealer said was my trailer manufacturer.

Anyhow, I dont see how my truck, though it has a lot of all highway miles, could be that much different than a newer truck, same model and have so much more squat due to the same boat on a trailer. I did not measure but I would say I was getting 3-4 inches of squat when I drove the demo boat a short mile or two to the dock for our demo prior to ordering the boat. Fairly similar to some of the pics in this thread actually, so I am not alone.

Regardless, my truck goes in tomorrow and will be perfectly level at all times and more than capable of towing the big new 23lsv, so I am happy. I would not have come to the conclusion I did without the help of this forum. Thanks everyone!

[bamabonners]

Hey David, I have a neighbor who has a 2011 Tundra, 2-wheel drive. I'm currently towing with a Chevy 1500 and don't like it, so he offered to let me hook the boat up to his truck & take it for a spin. We have an '03 23 LSV so I thought you might be interested. Our Chevy squats 1.5" and his Tundra squatted .75 " with the boat. I'd post a pic, but I haven't figured out how to do that now that the format has changed.

Which setup do you have on your 1500? Z71, z85? Which towing package?

I found that my new 2011 with 6.2 z71 4x4 with rancho shocks has very little squat while previous 2011 z71 4x2 with 5.3 and non rancho would squat more.

[FlatH20]

saidainc- I don't think it's the Vride trailers - I tow my Vride with my 11' tundra - I don't have any sag. my suburban on the other hand had quite a bit - airbags did the trick...

[Hammertime]

Which setup do you have on your 1500? Z71, z85? Which towing package?

I found that my new 2011 with 6.2 z71 4x4 with rancho shocks has very little squat while previous 2011 z71 4x2 with 5.3 and non rancho would squat more.

You might be on to something. Looks like a Z82 "TRAILERING PACKAGE(SPECIAL)(REESE TYPE HITCH) PROVISION FOR HD TRAILER EQUIP(Z82)", but it also has the Z60 "CHASSIS HIGH PERFORMANCE PACKAGE CHASSIS PERFORMANCE PKG". We just recently replaced the springs and all the shocks, still saggy. No Z71 or Z85 listed on this truck.

Thanks

[Hammertime]

Thanks for the info- strange that the same model trucks are affected so differently to the same boats (or same weight I should say)....I am assuming a lot of this has to do with the different trailer manufacturers and design differences in trailers. I am in Northern California and cannot remember for the life of me whom my dealer said was my trailer manufacturer.

Anyhow, I dont see how my truck, though it has a lot of all highway miles, could be that much different than a newer truck, same model and have so much more squat due to the same boat on a trailer. I did not measure but I would say I was getting 3-4 inches of squat when I drove the demo boat a short mile or two to the dock for our demo prior to ordering the boat. Fairly similar to some of the pics in this thread actually, so I am not alone.

Regardless, my truck goes in tomorrow and will be perfectly level at all times and more than capable of towing the big new 23lsv, so I am happy. I would not have come to the conclusion I did without the help of this forum. Thanks everyone!

Please let me know how it rides unloaded. I had the Firestone airbags and I hated the ride when the truck wasn't loaded.

Thanks

[Bake's Marine]

you running those crappy BFG's until they are bald or sumthin'?

:P

I am, it has some crappy radials on it right now... I usually tinker with my trucks a lot but this one has been left stock so far... Part of wants me to leave it because of how nice it drives right now but I'm sure missing a lifted / supercharged Toyota like I've had in the past

There you go Paul

Sweet looking Tundra! got the "crinkle" finished grill to match the G3 tower eh?!

-Paul

[bamabonners]

"crinkle" finish? LOL

[davidc22470]

Please let me know how it rides unloaded. I had the Firestone airbags and I hated the ride when the truck wasn't loaded.

Thanks

Picked up the tundra yesterday and drove it to work and back (about 60 miles round trip). The ride is definitely stiffer however the bags still had 12 lbs of air in them each. Remember, I also replaced the stock standard issue 2wd rear shocks with the heavy duty monotube shocks which I knew would stiffen the ride.

With that being said, I definetely lost some of the comfort evident in driving the truck in stock form. The truck has a very stiff feeling but I do understand that the OEM replacement shocks could have a big part in that as well.

So, I am going to lower the pressure in the airbags down to 5 lbs each and try it again today. Can't say I am overly pleased with the ride, but I also know once loaded with either the new lsv or a bed full of dirtbikes and camping gear, the ride will be much better. If the ride does not improve (in smoothmess) with the airbags down to 5 lbs. each, I would probably say i should have stuck with standard OEM rear shocks with the airbags, but it is what it is and I will adjust. Just thought I would share my thoughts on the results of the project.

Also got word that our build date has been pushed up about a week and we are now expecting to pick up the boat no later than May 16th! That will be the real test!