Comparing Jounce-Style and Air Bag Enhancements for Off-Road Camping in a 2010 Toyota Tacoma  

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Expert Reply:

Hey Paul, thanks for reaching out again!

Looking into suspension enhancements can be exhausting and overwhelming, especially when you've found a solution that works for you but it seems like there is a better alternative out there. You've stumbled upon the exact dilemma that faces everyone wanting to upgrade from jounce-style to air bag enhancement and there's nothing wrong with your thinking - or with either solution.

The jounce-style you currently use are designed to be more cost-effective and have absolutely no maintenance so it's an "install it and forget about it" kind of deal, which is great for a lot of people and it sounds like it might be the better option for you since you'll be in remote places fairly frequently. Timbrens can ride a little harsh but it sounds like you've been happy with their performance so far so I recommend going with a direct replacement by using either the 3K # TTORTUN4L or 6K # TTORTUN4 kit, depending on what you currently have.

Air bag kits are the cream of the crop because you can adjust them on the fly and even install an on-board compressor that doubles as a filling station for your tires and any accessories you might take camping (like a blow-up mattress). The trade-offs are having to check the connections and bags periodically to ensure they are still working properly, spending a bit more for the air bag kit alone, and then in your case you'll have that bit of worry in the back of your mind while you're out camping.

The end-all-be-all solution would be to install air bags AND a leaf spring helper like a Hellwig kit just in case you get into a position where the air bags were to fail, but that's way overkill when it comes to pricing and you probably won't need to use the Hellwig kit in all reality since air bags are pretty reliable as long as you keep up on maintenance. Unless you are really unhappy with the performance of the Timbren kit or there is something really enticing about the air bags (like a quality of life upgrade) then the best choice for you is to stick with the Timbrens so you can enjoy your camping trips without the constant worry of the air bags having any kind of fails.

expert reply by: Jon G

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Paul G.

3/11/2024

Thank you Jon! I very much appreciate your time. I will buy the 3K. Can you recommend a set of shocks for my application? Mine shocks are also worn out.

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Jon G.

3/11/2024

@PaulG If you're needing to replace your OEM shocks then you'll need to reach out to an auto shop for that. We have some aftermarket parts for vehicles but we unfortunately don't have any factory replacement parts for your vehicle.

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