Roadmaster Active suspension review

thanks for that. looks like it's the standard version unfortunately. wonder if i can still get 1-1.5" lift with this load with the setup

 

I should've took a before picture, but I did take measurements. This standard pack at the nickel setting netting me nearly 2" on the stock leaf pack over the sag I had. I was at 21" hub to fender and now I'm at nearly 23". I'm running about 500-600lbs on the bed with the camper and gear. Just took it for a quick test drive and everything felt more planted instead of bouncy. I already have 1.5-2" Bilstein 6112 lift in the front.

Any negatives to going with the nickel setting instead of dime or quarter? I off-road a decent amount and I'm hoping this won't affect articulation.


Edit: found a similar before picture, with less weight in the bed.

Before:


After:

 

Only 'negative' is that for some guys who are unloaded part of the time, the nickel setting provides a bit of 'rake or elevation' to the rear when comparing to an otherwise stock suspension... I'd imagine it may be a bit stiffer unloaded, but probably not enough to notice...

Regarding articulation, maybe @RainMan_PNW can chime in here as I believe he had his on during his trip to Sedona last year and did a bit of 'crawling'.

 

Good info thanks! The cool thing is right now I'm happy with the ride height and the bed is currently loaded for about 90% of my driving usage (fridge, some camping gear and recovery tools). The other 10% is a cooler of beer and the 80lb dog for road trips so I think this works out good. I technically will never be "unloaded"

 

You're welcome. Also, and from memory, I believe the instructions say that if you lose the white (1mm) and black (2mm) spacers, that using a dime and a nickel will work.

 

Yeah I ended up using a nickel. Impressed so far. Felt really good on the freeway this morning

 

So my stock leaf pack seems to be in decent shape. The RAS got me to the height/support I wanted. Why don't more people go this route over an entirely new leaf pack? I think it provides more benefits than just a new HD leaf pack. Even with a new leaf pack I think this is beneficial

 

This is an interesting observation. You’re probably correct. I have sumo springs, and really when i have them in i can feel less axle wrap. Not sure why but i suspect that with less load on my springs at ride height they can maintain their shape better.

 

Probably they don’t believe the people online who promote them. Everyone still seems to think air bags or sumo sprints or similar are the way to go because that’s the way it’s always been done.

I have the RAS HD and would never be without them at this point; day to day I’m mostly unloaded with maybe 200lb in the back at the most. Loaded up, I’m near max payload with family, cargo, and travel trailer. RAS HD just above the lowest setting, Dobinsons leaf spring pack, couldn’t be happier both on the Highway unloaded, forest or gravel roads, and towing. They just, simply, work.

 

Just installed mine today. Love the ride. I actually had my mechanic install them while doing an oil change and rotating tires. Used the white pick and it leveled the truck out. I have an are cx hd topper. I will probably tension is a bit more in the future but only after I put a good load in the bed and see how it does. However I immediately noticed the back doesn’t bounce like it did this morning. So that’s good. They said it would ride like a stage coach, they are all air bag folks but I told them to suck it and put it on anyway.
Great upgrade and I can do the front suspension in a few months. But it leveled the truck. I have 2 inches of lift on the front with a spacer for the moment. Going to do Eibach stage 2 in a few months.

 

Glad you gave it a shot too! That's the same thing I noticed immediately after driving it... No more bouncing and floating. But somehow it doesn't feel feel harsh and rough. Good product so far.

 

Regarding off-roading, I probably don’t do any more technical terrain than what most people do with a giant, fat, full-size. I'm mostly on forest service roads, and the term “road” is pretty generous because these are not maintained at all, and here in Tennessee there are plenty of washed out sections where you get off camber and twisted up pretty good.

As far as I can tell, the RAS has not affected this negatively at all. I’ll try to get a pic of fulll flex in the rear next time we’re out. My truck is still mostly able to keep both rear wheels on the ground.

Thats what’s so great about this: it acts like an anti sway bar on pavement but retains most articulation when off roading.

 

Received my order for a set of HDs yesterday, which was exactly 5 business days after placing the order. Package arrived in great shape, so far that's a 10 in my book for customer service and shipping.

I'll try to get this things throw on sometime next week and offer a little feedback; they'll be going on my otherwise stock '21 Pro....

 

When I saw the $80 off sale, online, I called them. I wanted to try and determine if there were any anticipated further discounts, like for Memorial Day, The 4th, etc. Shawn (IIRC) said "No, nothing anticipated before Black Friday." He took my order over the phone, and quicker than I could have entered it online. I was pleasantly surprised to see it shipped (actually tendered to UPS) a few hours later, and out of the Dallas area. Yes, packaging was great and so was the phone experience.

I have yet to install, as I plan to install Eibach 2Rs, and Fuel - Blitz at the same time. (I've not done shocks before; never in my life. And Ima gonna try. ) Then it's off to get new shoes and alignment. In the meantime, I'm researching TPMS, as I've no idea if the Craig's List Fuels I got have them or not. (I'd like to leave my stock wheels, shoes (22,000 miles) and TPMS assembled to sell.) Too, since I got 5 Fuels, I'm thinking a TPMS in the spare, which I'll put into my rotations, and I'm not confident on how that'll work.

 

this might help
https://www.tundras.com/threads/201...re-tire-to-instrument-cluster-display.130845/

 

Great Googlie Mooglie! I've been searching and searching and not found that one. Thank you!!!

 

You'll have to re-program at each rotation so the computer knows which tire is where after the rotation; doesn't take long but tire shop will need to re-scan or you'll have to buy the tool...

I'd get w/whoever is doing your tires and wheel install, explain your plans and have them work w/you on doing your rotations and updating the sensors as needed

 

Just ordered a set now. I’ll throw them on this weekend. Excited to see how they ride, got a 1600 mile trip in a couple weeks to test them on.

 

This is what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience. I think this will work out well for me

 

Any idea what tension setting would be good for a short bed topper and occasionally towing a 2500-3500 trailer?

Seems white might still allow a little sag with topper and trailer, but black would have my ass in the air with just the topper!

 

White will probably sag a bit but only while pulling trailer but it will be significantly less than without the ras.
You could use 2 dimes. That will give you essentially, 2 white pics instead of the black and white.
The white one leveled my truck with topper. Just a thought. Good thing is you can install it and if you don’t like it you can adjust it to drop the back down until happy and it’s fairly easy.

 

I use feeler gauge to set my right in the middle of the black and white shims.

 

Only one way to find out... I'm pretty sure you can make the adjustment while they're on the truck by adjusting the jam nuts; maybe someone can chime in here that's tried it

 

So a follow up. Shipping company sent a semi when they were supposed to send a small box truck to deliver tile for our client. I had to meet truck and transport tile to clients house. Tile weighed about 900lbs and didn’t look like the bed sagged a bit.

also, I noticed that the bed did rise up a tad after driving so articulating the suspension seems like it settled everything in. Love the ride. But also loved that my truck didn’t drag its booty with tile in the bed. This is definitely an improvement from the last several times I carried the same amount and weight of tile.
Wish I had done this a few years ago.

 

Are you guys all buying the HD kit, or the SD kit? It seems the HD kit has all the reviews, but according to the website I "should" be getting the SD kit.

 

HD. I called RAS and discussed what I should get. He said basically everyone should get the HD. There is a difference in the spring used and the hd can be dialed down to match the standard spring but the HD has more strength than the standard spring. I can remember exactly but he said there are only a few applications where they suggest the standard but the tundra is not one of them. There is no price difference so get the HD.

 

That's exactly what I figured! The Hd can be dialed down, but the SD can only be dialed up so far.

I wonder how these kits hold up over time?

 

I've read the same, and I called RAS too. Yep, the HD goes with the Tundra like bread and butter. As far as dialing down an HD to a SD level? I don't know. Seems to me, a HD at its lowest setting would still be more oooomph than a SD at its lowest setting. The SD is normally priced $50 less than the HD. Also, I think someone above in this tread is a mechanic/owner of a shop that's been doing RAS installs for like for a decade, or more, and IIRC they've had no issues with longevity.

Edit: here ya go https://www.tundras.com/threads/roadmaster-active-suspension-review.103453/page-7#post-3356862

 

HD...

If you need more, it's there; if you don't, dial it back a bit... If you get an SD now and then want/need HD benefits you're buying another kit

At least that's my logic

 

RAS is easier to install and adjust, I got super spring on my taco and it is a pain and dangerous to adjust with a C clamp.