An often overlooked game-changer for your Toyota Tacoma or any vehicle for that matter is bump stops.
Bump stops for the Tacoma are often underestimated but they shouldn’t be. These small but mighty bump stops are essential for maintaining a smooth ride, optimizing, and prolonging the life of your suspension. Whether you're an off-roading enthusiast or frequently haul heavy loads, bump stops are your secret weapon and should always be considered in your build.
Bump stops help to avoid vehicle sway, enhance roll stability, and greatly improve the comfort of your Tacoma on any terrain. Unfortunately, the factory bump stops for the Toyota Tacoma (regardless of generation, but specifically the 3rd generation) are less than ideal, especially if you like to hit the trails.
What are Bump Stops?
Bump Stops are ingenious devices specifically designed to provide shock absorption and cushioning to keep your suspension in optimal condition for the long run. Bump stops prevent metal on metal wear by acting as a barrier to prevent and limit upward movement of your Tacoma’s axel. This means your tires won’t be making unnecessary contact with your fenders and overly compressing your suspension. With bump stops, you can enjoy a smoother and more controlled ride, even on the most challenging terrains.
Additionally, bump stops offer Toyota Tacoma owners the exciting opportunity to enhance your suspension capabilities, allowing for improved off-road performance and an even more comfortable ride. Without bump stops, your Tacoma's suspension system and shock absorbers are at risk of bottoming out, which can lead to significant damage (and costly repairs).
With high quality bump stops in place, you can rest easy knowing that any potential damage from bottoming out will be mitigated, safeguarding both your Tacoma and its expensive suspension. Depending on the material and your price range, bump stops can offer peace of mind and a better experience on the trail.
What are Bump Stops made of?
Historically, bump stops are made of a tampered block of rubber that acts as the final barrier of protection before your suspension bottoms out. More often than not, factory bump stops are made of some form of rubber or microcellular foam. Speaking specifically to the 3rd Gen Toyota Tacoma, you can clearly tell the difference between the stock bump stops and the Perry Parts bump stops below. The stock bump stops for the Tacoma are significantly smaller than the Perry Parts bump stops and by feel alone you can tell they’re far less forgiving - more on that later!
How Do Bump Stops Work?
As mentioned previously, Tacoma bump stops are meant to limit the travel of the suspension to a certain extent by preventing the metal frame from smashing down on the metal axle. Bump stops act as a barrier to prevent and limit upward and downward mobility.
Who needs Bump Stops?
At the end of the day, different strokes for different folks so this is more an opinion than anything else. As someone who offroads their 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad, I’m frequently stretching and compressing my suspension to overcome obstacles at both high and low speeds. While the terrain varies by season and destination, upgrading my suspension system went beyond a lift kit with adaleafs and upper control arms. If you want to prolong the life of your suspension and improve its capabilities you’ll want to invest in Tacoma bump stops. The difference is notable if you’re frequently hitting trails or even unexpected potholes while you daily ride your vehicle.
Stock Bump Stops for the Tacoma
The stock bump stops for the Toyota Tacoma completely suck - I’ll say it. They don’t really provide the support your costly suspension deserves and they are no savior when it comes to ride quality. When you upgrade you’ll notice the difference right away. This isn’t to say the stock bump stops for the Tacoma are not perfectly fine for the average Tacoma owner. If you’re just driving it on roads as a daily driver then there may not be a big need to upgrade. However, if you upgraded your suspension and invested a lot of time and money I’d recommend going the extra quarter mile for aftermarket Tacoma bump stops.
How to Tell If You Need to Replace Your Bump Stops
For Tacoma owners who regularly haul heavy loads or hit the trails frequently, bump stops are even more critical. Bump stops help to absorb the weight and prevent your vehicle from bottoming out, ensuring optimal suspension performance. If you notice your rear or front suspensions deflecting lower than they should under heavy loads, it's time to inspect your bump stops for damage.
Maintaining proper weight distribution is essential for your safety and the longevity of your vehicle. Bump stops play a vital role in achieving this balance, improving steering, reducing tire and brake wear, and keeping your Tacoma level. If you notice your vehicle leaning excessively on curves and corners, it's important to check your bump stops immediately to rule out any issues.
Even if you don't frequently encounter uneven surfaces or haul heavy loads, it's still crucial to include checking your bump stops in your routine maintenance checks - consider a quick check after completing the Tacoma oil change process.
Prevention is key to avoiding any potential issues and ensuring your Toyota Tacoma performs at its best.
If you're considering replacing your bump stops, upgrading to a superior brand like Perry Parts can provide unparalleled protection for your Toyota Tacoma. With compression dampening technology for both high and low speeds, Perry Parts bump stops offer a progressive spring rate for multiple ride heights and vehicle models (more on them soon).
Don't overlook the importance of your Tacoma's bump stops. By ensuring they are in optimal condition or upgrading to a superior brand like Perry Parts, you can enhance the safety, comfort, and performance of your Tacoma.
How to Install or Replace Your Tacoma’s Bump Stops
This is how I replaced my stock bump stops with my Perry Parts bump stops for my Tacoma. There’s a couple different ways to do it, but this is the route I went:
Starting with the rear, I removed my rear tires to reveal the leaf springs and the bump stops. I did this so I had plenty of room to work. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to completely take off the existing bump stop assembly, just loosen the 17mm bolts (for the 3rd gen Tacoma) or 22mm bolts (2nd gen Tacoma) to remove the stock bump stop then slide in the Perry Parts bump stops and tighten to the proper torque spec. If you want to see the quick install guide, checkout the YouTube video I put together below.
Moving into the front, you will not need to remove the tires but you will need to turn your wheel aggressively to either side to reveal the stock bump stop for the Tacoma. I recommend using a monkey wrench to break it initially and continue to use it as needed. Once the stock Tacoma bump stop has been removed, place in your aftermarket bump stops for the Tacoma.
Different Bump Stops for the Tacoma
The Tacoma bump stops can either be hydraulic or rubber but today we’re going to be focused in on the rubber versions.
The third generation Toyota Tacoma has a variety of options for aftermarket modifications! When looking at bump stops for the Tacoma, the best options that come to mind are the following:
- Perry Parts
- Timbren
- Duro Bumps
At the end of the day, all of these brands offer high quality bump stops but let’s dive into each specific brand.
Perry Parts Tacoma Bump Stops
Perry Parts claims that they’ve reinvented the bump stops and they certainly have the testimonials, testing, materials and methodology to back their claims. Not only does Perry Parts technology set them apart from competitors, but they cater to a wide array of different vehicles of different needs.
Perry Parts bump stops offer compression dampening for high or low speeds which is ideal for offroading as well as daily usage. Their bump stops offer superior bottom out protection with a multi-layered architecture that ensures their patent pending AeroBumps are soft and comfortable but supportive when pushed to the limit.
Perry Parts is the only manufacturer of front bump stops that offer multiple heights to ensure vehicles are perfectly matched with their wheel travel. Perry Parts bump stops protects from unwanted bottom-out and ensures travel is properly limited by focusing on the specificity of YOUR vehicle. As if it couldn’t get any better, Perry Parts offer a 2 year warranty on all their products - if you break their part they genuinely want to know, hear about it, and receive the product to further improve their product line.
Timbren Bump Stops
Timbren Industries has been around for 55 years and have always carefully researched and designed each product to meet the highest engineering standards. It’s no wonder they’re well known in the industry and a go-to bump stop for Tacoma owners. Since 1968, Timbren has had a mission that suspensions should perform better, and with their bump stops they certainly do. Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with Timbren bump stops however their pricing reflects their tenure in the industry. With that tenure, comes the backing of a lifetime warranty so you know you’re covered if push comes to shove.
Duro Bump Stops
Another well known brand and a common option for Toyota Tacoma owners is the Duro Bump Stops. Duro Bump Stops never intended to be a business, but with a love and passion for offroading they knew as friends became customers there was room to grow. Understanding that off-road the OEM bump stops were inadequate for most vehicles, they set out in search for optimal performance.
The Duro Bumps utilize their patent pending dual durometer rubber to achieve smooth, progressive dampening similar to a coil spring. Their bump stops are made of solid rubber to provide a smooth and reliable performance whether on or off road. It’s also important to note Durobump stops offer a U Bolt flip kit in the product line which is an option many offroaders opt for.
Which Bump Stop is best for the Toyota Tacoma?
All the above mentioned options are going to be a massive upgrade from the OEM bump stops that come from the factory. If you’re planning to tow, haul, or offroad in any capacity it’d be wise to upgrade your bump stops accordingly. That said, there is a level of subjectivity for each individual's build - we all have different goals and use cases for our Tacoma.
Tacoma Vibe Build: My Tacoma Bump Stops of choice
For my 2019 Toyota Tacoma build, I chose to rock the Perry Parts bump stops. There were a variety of factors but I’ll break it down briefly while remaining concise.
I’m a big fan of data and I love how Perry Parts consistently tests and models the performance of their product. For example, I found myself staring at the stark difference between OEM and Perry Parts bump stops performance:
Another factor that I found intriguing was the 3D printing process and their materials in comparison to their competitors. Perry Parts polymer is approximately 20% stronger than traditional molded polyurethane, leaving you with a more reliable and comfortable ride for the long run. As someone who offroads as often as possible, I need every ounce of additional strength available!
Most folks think that they could simply 3D print their own bump stops, and while that’s theoretically possible, there’s several things that set Perry Parts apart from traditional 3D printing. Instead of using 3D printing filament, they use specialty machines that directly 3D print from injection molding materials, which ensures the absolute best in material toughness.
They’re also the only bump stop manufacturer to do extensive testing using a suspension dyno to ensure everything they make is durable, and provides the damping that they’re known for. Each product is tested out to 100,000 cycles of full-compression, and then run at a high speed and low speed to study the dynamic, active nature of the bump stop.
Lastly, and most importantly, Perry Parts is a New England company run by an X Apple Engineer named Pat.
Pat started Perry Parts in his garage in late 2022, and the business has continued to grow since then. What started out as sharing his project for affordable bump stops, has evolved into a full-fledged business with a mission of furthering 3D printing as a technology, building the highest performing bump stop on the market, and innovating in more and more product categories. Pat left Apple and California in 2023 to move home to New Hampshire, and focus completely on Perry Parts. Pat says the wheeling in New England is better than out west - because it is.
So why does all the prior matter? Well, most of the offroad companies I’ve encountered yield from the West since that’s where a lot of the iconic trails are. As a New England native with a love for the outdoors and overlanding, I do my best to support local businesses. Pat and Perry Parts as a whole are not only outdoor stewards in New England but are helping to build the overlanding scene here. To me, that’s incredible and something I needed to support.
Closing Thoughts on Tacoma Bump Stops
Regardless of which brand you choose to sport on your Tacoma, any aftermarket Tacoma bump stops will be significantly better than the OEM bump stops that come from the factory. Whether you’re towing, hauling, offroading, or daily driving - upgrading your bump stops on your Tacoma is a low cost high yield performance upgrade that improves the longevity of your vehicle.
🔧 Interested in more DIY projects for your Toyota Tacoma? Here's a couple easy modifications that prolong the life and integrity of your Taco!🛠