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My Tacoma lift experience!

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by 2011TacoSport4x4, Sep 18, 2010.

  1. Sep 18, 2010 at 4:43 PM
    #1
    2011TacoSport4x4

    2011TacoSport4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Clyde
    Offutt AFB, Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2011 TRD Sport DC 4x4 OME 3" lift
    OME 3" lift, Flowmaster exhaust, K&N Intake, bestop, ARB Locker, 4:56 gears, ARB Deluxe bumper, Warn 8000lb winch, Synthetic line, Rock sliders, exhaust relocation done, All Pro standard 3" leaf packs, Timbren Bump stops, Extended brake lines, Pioneer dual din DVD, Pioneer door speakers, Ultra Gauge, BAMF Lower LCA Skids.
    So I lifted my 2011 Taco about 2 weeks ago, love the look. BUT I had a small vibration and it seemed to be getting worse everyday! I took it to a local mechanic who said the drive line angle was fine...so where is the vibration coming from???

    ANSWER- It is coming from the leaf springs (2" aal from toytec) the aal is not sitting flush with the rest of the springs causing a vibration! The aal looked like a roller coaster, removed the aal and vib was gone!

    So I am going to put a 1" block in the rear as my mechanic suggested! He told me a block under 2" is totally fine and hurts nothing. He actually prefers them as they maintain factory ride quality and have a built in 3 degree bevel.

    Anyone else have a wavy rear aal??? with or without a vibration?
     
  2. Sep 18, 2010 at 4:48 PM
    #2
    brutalguyracing

    brutalguyracing BIG DADDY

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    F.U> GUYZ
    broken mods
    dont take this the wrong way ...but your mechanic is:rasta:
     
  3. Sep 18, 2010 at 6:01 PM
    #3
    Bsly862

    Bsly862 Well-Known Member

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    Nate
    Denver, CO
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    3in lift
    Plenty of people on here run AAL on their trucks myself included... I personally have never had an issue with the AAL and I cant ever recall hearing about this problem from the AAL itself. It is usually caused by the angle of the drive shaft. Shims and/or a CB drop should help fix that problem.
     
  4. Sep 18, 2010 at 6:03 PM
    #4
    Incognito

    Incognito No better friend, no worse enemy

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    Spacer lift, bumper stickers, ejector seat, etc.
    AAL would be better than a block though...
     
  5. Sep 18, 2010 at 6:05 PM
    #5
    paintdiddy

    paintdiddy Machine gun shits

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    everybody gets the shudder from a different spot. some people find it and some never do. glad you were able to fix your problem. people are going to bash the block (not me) but if it works for you,cool
     
  6. Sep 19, 2010 at 6:35 AM
    #6
    2011TacoSport4x4

    2011TacoSport4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    First Name:
    Clyde
    Offutt AFB, Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2011 TRD Sport DC 4x4 OME 3" lift
    OME 3" lift, Flowmaster exhaust, K&N Intake, bestop, ARB Locker, 4:56 gears, ARB Deluxe bumper, Warn 8000lb winch, Synthetic line, Rock sliders, exhaust relocation done, All Pro standard 3" leaf packs, Timbren Bump stops, Extended brake lines, Pioneer dual din DVD, Pioneer door speakers, Ultra Gauge, BAMF Lower LCA Skids.
    Can anyone explain why a lift block is bad??? Everyone says "There Horrible!" Please tell me why? I have researched and found that the lift block's only problem is that they "could" fall out. It is extremely difficult for the block to actually fall out, the u-bolts would have to be so lose that you'd have a serious clunking noise. I am tack welding mine to the spring perch.

    Truth about lift blocks-They have the same size perch as stock, so the springs have the same contact points as they did on the stock perches. The blocks don't require shims, they have a built in bevel-shims fall out and break more than a lift block ever will. If you have an aal, with a shim you essentially have a small lift block and your spring pin is only set inside the perch about an 1/8 of an inch. I would personally feel better about the lift block having a full 3/8 of an inch in the perches...imo.

    As for my mechanic Brutal might be right...LOL but he at least has facts to back him up, and works is a Toyota factory service tech. He also said a lift block under 2" only.

    I am not new to 4x4's I've lifted and owned many, my Taco is the only truck I've ever had vibrate with such a minor lift. I also never had an aal not sit flush with the rest of the springs. Toyota sets the specs very tight on their vehicles, which is a good thing! Just means you need to be careful when changing anything from stock.

    Anyone else look at their aal and have it look really wavy? I mean the aal was only making contact ant the tips and where it was held down at the pin?

    Thanks everyone
     
  7. Sep 19, 2010 at 7:12 AM
    #7
    allrsdup

    allrsdup Well-Known Member

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    nothing wrong with a small block your mechanic is correct. as a matter of fact my 2005 ford f150 came with a 2 inch block factory.
     
  8. Sep 19, 2010 at 8:13 AM
    #8
    moelov

    moelov Well-Known Member

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    09 PreRunner SR5 Lifted
    Removed the Mud Flaps, Rock Deflectors and Head Rest. Limo Tint, I had 3" Toytec Lift, Procomp Nitrogen ES6000 shocks and Struts. AllPro UCA, AFE Pro Dry drop in filter, WeatherTecs. Now I have LR UCA's, Maxtrac Spindles, Eibach's, 5100's up front, Expos, 5160 for the rear, U Bolt Flip Kit, and Extended Brake lines.
    2011 you said your AAL are not sitting flush. Does it look like the pictures below?

    Im also not happy with my Toytec Lift. Getting squeaks in the front and in the rear. Toytec said the AAL are not sitting flush because the factory leafs are sagging. The AAL does look like a roller coaster ride. Up down up down up, looks like a wave.
    In the front I cant find where the squeak is coming from.

    All in all Im not satisfied and going to try to see if I can return them. Switch to a spindle lift or even a 6" lift.

    Let me know.

    AAL.jpg
    AAL (2).jpg
    AAL (3).jpg
    AAL (4).jpg
     
  9. Sep 19, 2010 at 8:18 AM
    #9
    JLee

    JLee The Man! Vendor

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    I lost track thousands of dollars ago.


    Your leaf pack is shot if put on correctly it will sit flush. I recommend buying a new leaf pack.

    Edit: I didn't see that you have an 09 it should not be setting like that you need to get that checked out your leaf pack should be fine with and 09
     
  10. Sep 19, 2010 at 8:19 AM
    #10
    TRDKenE

    TRDKenE DAMN GOOD DEAL!!

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    TRD CAI, GrillCraft.
    Hmm..perhaps I will just go ahead and get the TSB spring instead of this AAL.
     
  11. Sep 19, 2010 at 8:23 AM
    #11
    toyo freak

    toyo freak Another Toyota Enthusiast

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    5100s at 2.5, Wheeler 3 leaf progressive AAL, Weathertech liners, yellow wire mod, toyota OEM bed mat, cup holder mod, afe pro dry s air filter, UWS low pro toolbox, Escort radar detector
    Yea many trucks come stock with rear lift blocks. They should be fine when <2" i think the issue is when people start getting 6" lifts, and putting 4" or so blocks
    My dads F350 comes with 2" rear blocks and a 6 leaf pack. He has 150,000 miles on it, and has notice no spring sag or problems
     
  12. Sep 19, 2010 at 8:24 AM
    #12
    toyo freak

    toyo freak Another Toyota Enthusiast

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    5100s at 2.5, Wheeler 3 leaf progressive AAL, Weathertech liners, yellow wire mod, toyota OEM bed mat, cup holder mod, afe pro dry s air filter, UWS low pro toolbox, Escort radar detector
    I would get tsb, and add 1" block if necessary. A 1" block wont kill you and you should get right at or above 2" of lift
     
  13. Sep 19, 2010 at 8:30 AM
    #13
    moelov

    moelov Well-Known Member

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    USA
    Vehicle:
    09 PreRunner SR5 Lifted
    Removed the Mud Flaps, Rock Deflectors and Head Rest. Limo Tint, I had 3" Toytec Lift, Procomp Nitrogen ES6000 shocks and Struts. AllPro UCA, AFE Pro Dry drop in filter, WeatherTecs. Now I have LR UCA's, Maxtrac Spindles, Eibach's, 5100's up front, Expos, 5160 for the rear, U Bolt Flip Kit, and Extended Brake lines.
    Well you would think so. I went twice to the dealership with the TSB print out in hand and for some reason they insist its ok. Mechanics talked to me and geve me this B.S> "That if they pull the springs and there was nothing wrong they would charge me."

    Then I had them speak to Toytec. Toytec said sagging leaf, Toyota said Sag from factory nothing wrong.

    All I know its not suppose to look like that.
     
  14. Sep 19, 2010 at 9:30 AM
    #14
    2011TacoSport4x4

    2011TacoSport4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Clyde
    Offutt AFB, Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2011 TRD Sport DC 4x4 OME 3" lift
    OME 3" lift, Flowmaster exhaust, K&N Intake, bestop, ARB Locker, 4:56 gears, ARB Deluxe bumper, Warn 8000lb winch, Synthetic line, Rock sliders, exhaust relocation done, All Pro standard 3" leaf packs, Timbren Bump stops, Extended brake lines, Pioneer dual din DVD, Pioneer door speakers, Ultra Gauge, BAMF Lower LCA Skids.

    YES, that's exactly the way mine looked! Mechanic said that the vibration was due to the fact that the aal was hitting on the ends and not riding on the pads as it should.

    JLee- my truck is a 2011 and has 1500 miles on it, I would think my leaf pack is good. I have lifted other vehicles and never had an aal look like this before.:cool: Can you post a pic of your aal?

    I am going to do the 1" block with tsb=1.75" of lift in the rear, according to my Toyota service tech.
     
  15. Sep 19, 2010 at 9:36 AM
    #15
    2011TacoSport4x4

    2011TacoSport4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Messages:
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    First Name:
    Clyde
    Offutt AFB, Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2011 TRD Sport DC 4x4 OME 3" lift
    OME 3" lift, Flowmaster exhaust, K&N Intake, bestop, ARB Locker, 4:56 gears, ARB Deluxe bumper, Warn 8000lb winch, Synthetic line, Rock sliders, exhaust relocation done, All Pro standard 3" leaf packs, Timbren Bump stops, Extended brake lines, Pioneer dual din DVD, Pioneer door speakers, Ultra Gauge, BAMF Lower LCA Skids.
    If you look carefully at your pictures you can actually see where your leafs are hitting together and not making even contact while compressing! I also had a metal on metal sound when going through anything that caused the rear end to flex. Mechanic told me to remove the aal immediately to avoid damaging the leaf pack. You can see where your aal ends are hitting the leafs, and that is where all your trucks weight is riding. Long story short-your leafs are not performing correctly! Do you have any vibration?
     
  16. Sep 20, 2010 at 6:43 PM
    #16
    moelov

    moelov Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    09 PreRunner SR5 Lifted
    Removed the Mud Flaps, Rock Deflectors and Head Rest. Limo Tint, I had 3" Toytec Lift, Procomp Nitrogen ES6000 shocks and Struts. AllPro UCA, AFE Pro Dry drop in filter, WeatherTecs. Now I have LR UCA's, Maxtrac Spindles, Eibach's, 5100's up front, Expos, 5160 for the rear, U Bolt Flip Kit, and Extended Brake lines.
    I am feeling some vibration but up front. Right now I am riding on the stock steelies with the 245 that came from factory. It didn't have the vibration until I got the lift. and Yes I had an alignment done. Truck tracks straight and doesn't drift. Tires are wearing even and have lots of life left. Again I never had this problem till I had the lift installed.
    The kit was installed by myself and a certified mechanic.
     
  17. Sep 24, 2010 at 8:01 PM
    #17
    JLaScala

    JLaScala Super White is gonna treat you right.

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    Secondary air filter removal, K&N drop in, Removed front mud flaps, Toyota all weather matts, skid plate, bug guard. Bilstein 5100's all around fronts set at 2.5", OME add a leaf, Goodyear Wrangler Authority 265/70/17, stubby 6.5" antenna, smoked tail lights, blacked out badges.
    Trash that add a leaf, and get the TSB. Something is obviously not right with your leaf pack, and the 09's are included in the TSB. If I got mine done, so can you.:cool:
     
  18. Sep 25, 2010 at 3:33 PM
    #18
    moelov

    moelov Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    09 PreRunner SR5 Lifted
    Removed the Mud Flaps, Rock Deflectors and Head Rest. Limo Tint, I had 3" Toytec Lift, Procomp Nitrogen ES6000 shocks and Struts. AllPro UCA, AFE Pro Dry drop in filter, WeatherTecs. Now I have LR UCA's, Maxtrac Spindles, Eibach's, 5100's up front, Expos, 5160 for the rear, U Bolt Flip Kit, and Extended Brake lines.
    Good advise. Too bad Toytec wont take it back.

    I would have saved me some $$$ if I had only purchased the front spacers and done the TSB.

    Thanks.
     
  19. Sep 25, 2010 at 3:43 PM
    #19
    JasonJump

    JasonJump Well-Known Member

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    Billy 5100's set at 2.5, iPhone innerface, TRD Sport wheels powdercoated Anthracite grey wrapped in 265/70/17 Duratracs, Custom Sliders
    Blocks suck balls, I had them in and just switched to an AAL and the ride is MUCH better, smoother.... and all around a better option, IMO
     
  20. Sep 25, 2010 at 3:47 PM
    #20
    JasonJump

    JasonJump Well-Known Member

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    Billy 5100's set at 2.5, iPhone innerface, TRD Sport wheels powdercoated Anthracite grey wrapped in 265/70/17 Duratracs, Custom Sliders
    AGREED!! What I thought I had was axle rap, and its totally gone after going from a block to AAL
     

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