This truck's biggest headline? That would be the suspension. Camburg Engineering, Deaver Spring, and Sway-A-Way combine to produce bump control that's desert-worthy, without invading the truck's bed and engine bay. The Camburg frontend boasts beefy boxed lower control arms and tubular upper control arms with an integrated uniball pivot. The Camburg arms are Sway-A-Way shocked and 'bumped for 13 inches of controlled off-road travel. Ryan's Tundra is two-wheel drive, but 4x4 Tundra's can use the Camburg long-travel kit and retain 4x4 using custom axleshafts. In the truck's aft section, a 10-leaf Deaver spring pack bolts into the stock Tundra mounting points. Ryan's rear suspension package is almost bolt-on. The "almost" comes from custom rear shock mounts fabricated by 4XFlyin' Off-Road Solutions of Chatsworth, California. A pair of 10-inch-stroke, 2-1/2-inch-diameter Sway-A-Way Racerunners spans the custom upper rear shock mounts and relocated stock mounts on the axlehousing. Shimp could easily have bolted a pair of SAWs to the stock Tundra mounts, but the Deaver spring pack is capable of more travel than the stock shock mounts will allow.
Is the truck done? We'll just categorically say no. Any true off-roader has a big checklist of upgrades just waiting for the right time or the right funds. As it sits now, Ryan's Tundra strikes harmonious chords between style, utility, and go-fast substance. This truck looks good from afar, but it's that much better up close.
New-School Suspension
Before companies such as Camburg Engineering introduced suspension systems capable of bringing IFS systems to new levels of bump-absorbing performance, the best a truck owner could do was install a stackety-bracket drop-down lift that retained the stock control arms and used OEM-configuration shocks. The center of gravity was raised and tire clearance was achieved, but not much more could be said for real off-road performance. Bracket lift suspension systems are useful in gaining clearance for bigger tires, but can actually structurally weaken a truck's chassis by placing more leverage on the OEM mounting points. It must also be noted that bracket lift systems are considerably less expensive than real off-road performance systems such as Camburg's long-travel Tundra system. Camburg's control arms are considerably stronger than stock and widen the Tundra's stance by about 7 inches. The added suspension travel and track width increase off-road prowess through better bump control and increased cornering stability. Sway-A-Way bumpstops and Beard limit straps round out the Camburg long-travel system.