AAL install gone wrong...where did I screw up?

So I got my Toytec AAL from FedEx today earlier than expected and decided to go home and install it using the three DIY's I found for 2nd gen AAL install.

Following Eric's (RelentlessTaco) write up, I got the truck in the air, supported the axle, took off the wheels, shock, brake line bracket, U-bolts and bracket (front U-bolts came off BY HAND ) and bump stop.

I got a c-clamp around the 3 leafs (non-TSB), and proceeded to remove the centering pin. It seemed it kept spinning and spinning and spinning with no progress, until finally, the nut just backed off the threaded pin. Now what? I loosened the C-clamp, and the springs settled further down the pin, but never came off. I tried raising the truck with a floor jack under the receiver hitch to bow the springs, but no success.

How does the pin come off? Is there a bottom piece I need to hold and undo the top nut? Does the whole thing just back out the top of the leaf and come out? I was very confused, so I took some photos, put the nut back on as far as it will go, and put everything back together. Truck is driving fine, but the nut on the centering pin did not go back down all the way. It will only get halfway through the nut, and then just keep spinning the together with the pin and not tighten.

Regardless, I'm taking my truck to my friend's shop tomorrow since he has a lift and can drop the axle easier.

Here's the write up I followed. Not much detail on how to remove the pin.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/31118-how-install-add-leaf-w-pics.html

Any tips or directions are greatly appreciated

Pics:

This is as far as I could lift the truck with the axle on stands. My 7000lb jack was completely topped out.



This is the nut that came off the top of the centering pin, and the pin itself poking through the top leaf. This was as far out as the pin got.

 

u need new center pin. looks like someone force that nut on by the looks of it.

 

The AAL kit came with longer centering pins, so I'm not worried about the old ones being broken. I'm just trying to figure out how to remove it so I can put the new leafs in and tighten the thing back up.

 

oh if thats the case lift the spring up or drop the axle and hit the pin out

 

The pin needs to be removed from the bottom of the leaf pack just lower the axle housing and pull it out from the bottom.

 

hey man is your truck on stands? ALso is your axle on a stand or at least being lifted up and down by a floor jack on the diff? Your whole leaf pack is pretty hanging free from your rear axle. You needed to clamp the leaf on both sides, get something to hold the bolt and then take off the nut, if not, like you said it'll keep spinning, once the nut is removed you don't loosen the c claps yet but knock out the bolt, and then slowly let the pressure off the c clamps. The bolt goes through the bottom.

 

Jack up your truck as high as it can go, set jack stands, undo u bolts, droop the axle and then loosten the top nut that holds the leafs together. The nut should drop out. Then use a crowbar to get the aal.in, clamp the leafs, set the new extended screw, tighten it down and then reconect the leafs to the axle.

 

This

 

You can see a jack stand in the first pic.

 

Ok wow makes much more sense now that I know it comes out of the bottom...none of the DIY's mentioned that.

I'll give it another try tomorrow at the shop, we'll have the truck on a lift and he's got some high lift jackstands we can lower the axle with.

Thanks for all the help guys, much appreciated!

 

I went through the same thing. It's a learning process and you're learning something new. Enjoy!

 

Pay attention to the plumbing that is connected to the axle from the body of the truck, you lower it too much and that shit will get fucked up fast.

 

Looks like my friend's shop doesn't have any openings until Monday, so I'll try this again this afternoon.

I think my problem is that my jackstands holding up the axle are too high, even at the lowest setting. Can I use the floor jack to lower the axle by positioning it directly under the differential? That way I can (hopefully) lower axle far enough so it separates from the spring perch.

Also, do I need to undo both sides at the same time for this to work, or can I just undo one side at a time and install? Thanks again.

 

Support the body with jack stands as high as it will go, bring the axle down with the jack.

 

^Exactly. The problem I had was that the stands didn't hold the truck up high enough. I ended up taking the whole leaf pack off and doing it that way.

 

When we do AAL's we do it just that way and one side at a time. just set the frame on jack stands and disconnect all the Ubolts with a floor jack under the diff. Then you can lower the jack until you can remove the pin just watch for the brake lines on the driver side and the slip yoke of the drive line can fall out but it just slips right back in.

 

12 ton jack stands are the best for this i don't use anything smaller for an AAL install.

 

I definitely don't have 12 ton jackstands...they're rated for 4000lb each I believe. Where do you put the jackstands under the frame? Just under the rear doors, or somewhere behind the rear wheel wells along the frame rails?

I did remove the lower shock bolt as per the DIY, but I did not remove the top one. It was definitely free from the axle.

Lots of great info here, thanks again!

 

I given props to ya for giving the install a try!!!
There are far too many people paying shops to do the install, just my opinion. Even if you don't have the tools, you may well have purchased them for the cost of the shops install. And these same tools would be available for future projects. You'll learn so much more about your truck by attempting installs/basic vehicle upkeep just like this one. Keep up the efforts and congrats on learning something new about your rig!
Let us know how the final install goes.

 

Position the jack stands on the frame in front of the axle where the frame flattens out.

If your jack stands are too short, a couple pieces of 2x12 as blocking can be used. Use solid pieces instead of multiple smaller pieces to help reduce the risk of the stands overturning. Also make sure your front tires are chocked well.

I put the jack under the rear diff, jacked as high as I could, placed the stands under the frame, then lowered the jack. That should allow you plenty of droop to remove the centering pin and install the AAL. Make sure to keep some slight pressure on the jack to keep the axle supported once free of the leaf pack and watch the center brake lines. Don't overstretch these! You can undo the bolt holding them to the axle for a little more room to work with.