Fred Williams
Brand Manager, Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off Road
Photographers:
Drew Hardin
The New, Larger '08 Toyota Tundra is storming the fullsize truck market, and the aftermarket isn't far behind with support for those of us who like to modify our 4x4s. We just returned from a trip to Arizona where we took a stock Tundra, added the new Old Man Emu 2.5-inch performance suspension at 4-Wheeler's Supply in Phoenix, and then hit the trails. This is a great low-lift suspension where performance is a priority over added height. Old Man Emu (OME) is the suspension division of ARB, and most OME suspensions focus less on ride height and more on quality springs and shock valving to optimally control the suspension. This ARB ideology originated in Australia due to the more stringent lift laws there than here in the U.S., and four-wheeling is primarily done on long outback touring trips where traveling hundreds and hundreds of miles across rough corrugated dirt roads is commonplace. Because of this, the OME suspensions are very livable for daily use, while still offering a stout ride and enough lift to clear a slightly taller tire.
We found that having the extra-cab truck with a short lift can require an attentive eye on the rocker panels when off road in technical wheeling situations, especially in a truck without locking differentials. The Tundra requires enough wheelspin to engage the factory traction control but without launching the truck into a waiting boulder. However, when rallying down mountain roads or crawling up twisty obstacles with steep side hills, having the low center of gravity makes for a secure driving experience. The 21/2-inch lift also doesn't make using the bed a struggle since it is only slightly taller than stock. We were very happy with the short lifted Tundra as it rode great, looked better than stock, and performed excellently off road. And though we're usually fans of big tires under our 4x4s, with the price of gasoline pushing $4 per gallon, we're sure the 33-inch Goodyears are a bit more economical than a larger, heavier tire.
