19+ TRD PRO Fox Stock Shocks Fading?
 

Tried searching. Have been happy with our TRD PRO but lately we have noticed a real change in ride quality. 2019.... bone stock with 265's on SCS Wheels. Just hitting 20K miles today. I know our roads in NY are total junk with holes and basically whoop sections for highways at 70+ so the pro isn't totally wasted. We do not get much trail time anymore.

Does anyone else have one and notice that the dampening has just gone right out the window? I remember loving it new and it felt tight but now if we go down highway this truck just sways all over the place. Body roll is insane on corners. Also really noticing how much front and rear doesn't balance. Rear feels like a pogo stick over small road bumps doing say 45 mph. It just bounces along. Not so bad the shock is blown out but enough you notice It doesn't just stop dead after passing the bump. Front is super soft with body roll also. Front dampens much better than rear. We run the truck empty weight 100% of time. Weekends I tend to use hitch to tow small trailer or dirt bike on hitch carrier. Or just loaded with 4 people and bags for a trip. Nothing changes it. I did airbags in rear which I loved in my FJ and old Runner.... Didn't help no matter what pressure I tested with.


Stock shocks known for breaking down? Can Fox do any service work to these or perhaps valve them a little more aggressive?

Getting real close to being that guy who has a TRD Pro and swaps suspension to something less. My last 5th gen with 5100's and OME coils rode simply perfect for 50K miles before I traded it in. Considering Dobinson Kit to keep lift height low as we don't need more clearance and happy with 265's. Keep Pro shocks in corner until trading in perhaps.

Ideas? Thanks.

This is disappointing to hear since I love how my 2020 TRDP drives.

I'd go to the dealer and test drive a new one back to back. Then you'll know if it's you or the car.

That's not been my experience. I have a 2019 and rides as new, and I did a fair amount of banging around off road this year.

I'd be back at the dealer. I'm pretty sure Toyota will do something if they have degraded that much in a year.

OP, I know you said you ride empty, but have you added weight to the truck since you bought it new?

I know that the addition of my steel MOLLE panels, steel shelf, and hatch ladder made my Pro ride differently. It porpoises a bit more now and I can definitely feel the weight. It's not a big change if it isn't also loaded with gear, but it's there.

Appreciate the insight but very familiar with weight, distribution and effects on handling. It’s my wife’s DD favorite truck since Tacomachanged and we use it as our everyday runner instead of my bigger truck when not needed. I am due for service. Read a lot about TRD pro clunking which we do have excessive noise from front shocks. Hoping something can come of that but every dealer is different. Will hope for best. Worst case it’s just new suspension time. I’m sure someone will love the take off shocks.

I mean, they cannot fade in New York. They could fail. Maybe they may need to be rebuilt? It would not be the first time a premium suspension has gone south for no apparent reason judging from the forum.

Is it possible that salt/cleaning agents got into the rear, destroying the seals? Sometimes crap trapped inside the boots can lead to that. But I am not sure what these rear shocks look like, what boot/protection do they use? Open shafts are popular here but there is no salt or such on the roads (still, exposed shafts can get chipped by rocks and that would eventually destroy the seals).

This.^^^

These shocks are high pressure charged monotube shocks.

If, for whatever reason including the above, you lose shock charge/ oil it will loose damping ability and ride like a worn out shock.

I do agree and yes here in NY our roads are probably worse than the dirt roads you guys gets to blast down in your rigs.... Yes we have salt, we try to keep it out all we can but I also am rigorous with washing after and undercarriage is all you can car about here in salt bands. It would be possible one or both are near blown in rear if I could give a vote. I am very experienced in suspnesion and how all internal valving works. That is why im scratching my head so much, for if these are not blown then this is just sad that the ride was tight to now a floaty mess. ]

As stated I am going to attempt to talk with dealer and see if they can "dealer verify" or what it takes to authorize new shocks. Front does clunk rattle and make all and some sounds others complain about. Some were resolved some not. Still love our Runner and not ashamed to rip out there factory stuff. Yes I over paid... yes my tail is between my legs, but screw it Dobinson kit is not far away.

All the suspension wear parts (bushings, etc) are going to fade and it will effect ride quality.

This is why I didn't go with coilovers. They are really better suited for racing applications where the suspension gets pulled and rebuilt often.

The US is obsessed with coilovers rn. It's a consumer trend that has very little to do with practically setting up a vehicle.

Now if you like to really boogie down offroad (you should have bought a raptor), you are designing a getaway vehicle, or you have they money/time/energy go with coilovers. The ride and control is superior no doubt. But, if you are just wandering trails and taking it in you don't need a fancy setup. I chose nitrochargers because I don't drive a prerunner race truck.

Probably the best post I have read on a forum to sum up coil-overs vs Nitro based strut suspension setups. Voice of reason. Either way can't wait to try out Dobinson. Either im bored and want to try something else. I have nothing else to loose and keep the stock shocks boxed up if ever needed in future.

LOL! There is nothing a paved road can offer, even in SE Michigan, that compares to anything in the desert, except a few select highly maintained dirt roads.

You cannot drive trails on a stock suspension above 15 without bottoming out and this is true on some dirt roads as well. And when you have a suspension that can go faster, then you can get to fly if you are not careful.

We are talking terrain that a regular car cannot drive at all in the first place, or very rough dirt roads where it would have to move at 5 mph. You will need a Subaru at the very least to just make it through. You need a truck with upgraded suspension to move at any decent speed.

These are the regular desert trails and dirt roads. The very smooth dirt roads as well as, on the other hand, the moderate and difficult 4x4 segments of trails are the exception. The rule is endless technically easy but very tough on the suspension terrain that is nothing at all like pavement.

That said, if you had another trim, yes, Dobinsons would be great but you paid for Fox bypass shocks so it is up to Toyota and Fox to get it working for you again.

^^This.