Bed Bounce Treatment: The Willybar
Jason Lancaster | Aug 11, 2008 | Comments 32
As we’ve mentioned before, some Tundra owners have trouble with “bed bounce.” While it’s a problem that effects only a small percentage of Tundra owners, it’s a big deal for the people it does effect. To be clear, bed bounce is NOT bed flex that you can see out your rear-view mirror as you’re driving down the road. Bed flex is normal – every truck bed “floats” separate of the cab by design. True bed bounce is not just seen but actually felt. SO, if you aren’t feeling it, then you don’t have a problem.
This video from Willybar demonstrates their product pretty nicely, but it also demonstrates real bed bounce quite well.
We haven’t reviewed the product, but this video makes a compelling case for checking it out. Here’s a link to Willybar’s website.
Filed Under: Tundra Recalls
I actually have a willybar installed in my 2007 Toyota Tundra DC. It did improve the bed bounce that I was suffering from. It works better than the sandbags and bladders others have used since it allows the use of your bed still. My wife and daughter hated riding in the truck and since the willybar, they have no issues. I say it cut the bed bounce in half.
BigMeeks – That sounds good. Do you think it’s worth the money? Willybar says it costs $650.
Well I think for what I use my truck for its worth everypenny. It works better than sand bags or bladders since I constantly haul motorcycles and lots of other gear in the bed. I dont have to constantly drain/fill a bladder, install it/remove it, or lug around gravel or sand tubes. I read somewhere a truck owner who used the water bladder and sand bags only to come out to his truck to find a mud pit in his bed. It also looks clean especially since I already had my truck line x’d. I think its no different than the AMP powersteps I put on my truck. I could’ve bought $100 tube steps off ebay that would do the same thing as the Amp steps. And we all know the Amp steps are a pretty penny. It didn’t eliminate the bounce but it reduced it significantly. I think the elimination of the bounce should come from Toyota and I am still waiting to here back regarding my formal complaint on this issue. Im local to WillyBar so I didn’t have to pay shipping but overall it works for me and would do it again.
Big Meeks how’s your MPG’s with that on/off? AMP in my opinion is too expensive for the product.
BigMeeks – Thanks for the input – good points.
Well Mickey, I agree the AMP steps are a bit pricey, but so is the RBP grill I have on my truck. Could’ve went with a cheaper mod but I want my truck to be different. The AMP step are different than all the OEM steps/boards out there, and do what they are supposed to but also look good doing it. Its the same as the willybar. It reduced the bed bounce that I had but looks way better than sandbags/waterbladders in my bed. Others might not think its worth it but IMO it is. I have always averaged 16-17 mpg since owning my truck and that hasn’t changed since the installation of the Willybar. Just think of the Willybar as if you have a 300lb woman tied up in the back of your truck bed, just better looking.
I agree with you Big Meeks on the willybar just wanted to know what mpg’s were. I’ll wait for the price to come down when he gets competition. So the mpg’s are good. I just didn’t want to lose what I gained. Don’t get me wrong about the AMP. Seeing that guy on the front part of the step and watching it flex would worry me. That besides the price turns me away. I do like the action it has. It will definitely make your truck different than the rest. I will wait to see for awhile before I really make up my mind on this jsut to see if any problems exist.
I had gotten the sulastic rubber spring in my 2008 crew max and i did not feel nothing different on the ride and they promised it would help but it really didn’t. So i really dont know if i really want to waist any more money . ( is this product really worth the money)
I’m assuming this footage was shot in the California area correct? Has anyone thought of reproducing that run but with Toyota’s competitors as well and then submitting the video to Toyota as proof of the bounce issue? I would think that with footage like this, Toyota would have no choice but to correct the issue. Just a thought.
the Willybar will work, it’s the same thing as puting sand bags in the back of the truck but replaced with steel plates. I dont know what a steel plates goes for but im prety sure you can get a local metal shop to provide something similar but cheaper. I give them credit for the simple and efective solution but its not something that i personally would pay $650.
[…] on this site. Do a search on it. Some members say putting sandbags in the bed reduces it. Also a company makes something (which is basically nothing more than sheets of steel) that when put in the bed dramatically […]
If you have the Willybar with 300 pounds of weight, how high do the plates add up to? Do they get in the way when you load or unload things? I hate spending money trying to reduce this problem. Toyota should fix it. I have a 2008 SR5 DBL CAB with the 5.7 engine..
i personally dont think toyota is going to fix the problem, they might redisign the new tundras to reduce or eliminate the problem but the curent ones will probably no get a fix unless something drastic hapens. This will probably be due to the fact that the would probaly need to change the springs and the shocks of all tundra, wich with parts and labor would hurt them quite a bit.
i bought a toolbox for my 07 and it work good.
i just got the willy bar. and it really works. like the other guy said it cuts the bed bounce in half. I am really happy that i got the willy bar i recommend it to every one that suffers from bed bounce “trust me”
Sounds good Mario. But still Toyota needs to do something to alleviate this issue.
that is true but i think it going to take them a long time until they do something about it.
Guys im SOOOO sorry you have to deal with this. This is unacceptable, but hey you look good being a wobble head with 387 hp. I wonder if the Tundra is going to follow the Titan?
Nice try Rich but it won’t happen. You have less than 3% of the trucks sold having this issue and out of those 3% you’re lucky to have 40% of them file a complaint with NHTSA or ODI. Until that happens then it will be business as usual. I don’t have the shake, rattle, and roll with my 07 Crewmax.
Its nice to see…, or maybe not, that other people are experiencing this crazy bounce. I have been telling all my friends that this problem exists and they all think I’m nuts. I have been a staunch Toyota fan since my first celica 5 speed in 1979. I have had two trucks since then, a two wheel drive and a four wheel drive Tacoma…both great trucks. I’ve owned a Camry(10 years) and currently also own a 2004 Rav4 my wife drives and never had any serious problems. I was so excited when the Tundra first came out because I had had bad experiences with both Ford and GMC full size trucks. The first time I got behind the wheel of my 2007 SR5 double cab I felt the problem even at slow speeds, but I just fluffed it off thinking it was nothing. After driving the truck for about two months everyone I knew wanted to kill me cause I would not shut up about the odd bounce. I tried e-mailing Toyota directly only to get the usual lame brain excuse, ” It’s a truck it is supposed to ride like that” , what? Same reponse from the dealer who acctually replaced the shocks in the rear, to no avail. I am so fed up at this point that I might just invest in this product…hell we all know Toyota is not going to do sh%%.
I know they recommend running 300lbs for the willybar in the DCs- does anyone know if theres any benefit in running the 400lbs willybar? will it smooth out the ride a bit more?
Steve I wish I could tell you but I don’t have that issue with the bed bounce here in Jax florida. Mostly asphalt and the cement is fairly new and don’t have the lips on them. From what I read what was recommended fix the problem.
Steve – I’m thinking that Willybar has tested the setup and found that 300 works best, but I don’t know for sure. They can probably answer that question best unless anyone with the Willybar wants to comment?
TAMPA, FL (AP) — A new national study says Florida’s roads are better than most states.
The survey from The Road Information Program and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials places Florida third in the nation for the quality of its roads, tied with Montana.
It’s outranked only by Georgia and Nevada.
A researcher who performed the study says the absence of widespread freeze and thaw cycles in Florida gives it an advantage over many other states.
It didn’t state the other states where the roads have the bed bounce is high at
In response to your comment Jason, we have definitely conducted enough research and found the 300 lbs is sufficient for most Toyota Tundra 1/2 ton models, including the Double Cab. However, the Crew Max has seen the bounce effectively reduce with 400 lbs.
Also, check out our new website. Will you be able to also update the video on your blog Jason? Here’s the link just in case: https://www.willybar.com/View_Demo.html
Please let us know if anyone has any further questions?
Thank you!
The Willybar Team
This is my first Toyota(2007 SR5 double cab TRO) and it’s been a bad experience due to bed bounce.
Hi everyone!
We just launched the Willybar 2.0 website. Here’s the link to the video demonstrating how the Willybar can be a solution to this bed bounce, especially on the Toyota Tundra.
https://www.willybar.com/Demo.html
Please contact us at the Willybar team if you have any questions?
Sincerely,
The Willybar Team
email: info@willybar.com
tel: 877-338-3222
I just purchased a 2010 Tundra Double Cab and the bed bounce is just as bad if not worse than my 1997 Dodge Ram. It happens that I ride one of the worst freeways in California everyday, so for me am desperate for a fix. Would have thought Toyota would have come up with something a little better riding than what they have now.
I just used a horse stall mat from tractor supply ($50) and it solved the problem. Plus it add some bed protection, gives anti slip to stuff in the back, and better traction in the winter without sand bags rolling around. Great year round and cheap!
degraff – Great idea!
[…] on this same section of this freeway. This is an option for ya that you could use… Bed Bounce Treatment: The Willybar | Tundra Headquarters For me? I just don't drive with an open coke down that section of road haha. […]
Really? Fix your damn road…that bar will clip the heads off everyone in cab if rearended. That will stop Jr’s head bob…..you clearly bought your truck for use as a car….get a real job and put tools in that “car”.