alternative suspension assist to helper leafs

I don't think it was super dickish. I think it was on point. Good info too.

 

I agree, I didn't take it as anything but sincere advice trying to help and I appreciate all the input here, I want to make the most sensible decision on this

my uneducated observations told me that it didn't look like the aal I am familiar with would act as helper springs so at least someone confirmed that my thinking was correct there. I just didn't see how something fastened to the springs that didn't move could act as a true helper spring.

we are never too old to learn, maybe too hard headed to listen lol, but never too old to learn.

as to the quality of the springs im sure you are right and they are not going to be that good a quality and I doubt they have anything near the strength of true coil suspension springs but then they are just helper springs so they "might" have all the strength they need to do that job, for $20 I might try just to see while i keep looking for a better option.

I don't expect to ever be hauling anything in my truck so at best the 100 lbs from the trailer tongue would be all it needs to support and maybe just help the empty truck sit up a little higher. I cant help but to think even a cheap spring should be up to that job?

@ StAndrew I don't have a "fear" of air bags, I just know I wont maintain them so why put air bags if you aren't going to keep the right amount of air in them and that is the reason I dismiss them. not from a quality or reliability standpoint but from knowing I wont take proper care of them, hell I haven't washed any of my trucks ever! unless you count driving in the rain lol. I do the oils and filters and belts for the engine and put air in the tires because I can see when they are low but the rest goes as-is for the life of the truck and I can see me riding around with uninflated air bags all the time.

what coil spring helper springs do you feel are decent enough quality to do the job and last a long time? I really don't want air, its not fear its just a common sense selection for my needs.

 

This is a helper spring and I'm assuming what you are equating as an AAL. I could be wrong:



An AAL is just another leaf added to the leaf pack to increase the overall weight carrying capacity. Would be a better option than the spring you have posted IMO.

Hope that helps

 

ok what you have pictured is what i was referring to when saying aal so my terminology was wrong. I consider that helper spring in the picture to be something that just preloads the spring to lift the ride height and make a stiffer ride but adds nothing to increase the suspension support carrying capacity and will put undo stress on the leafs. it would not work on mine anyway because my axle is in the way, my leafs are under my axle.


aal is probably the best solution then where a true extra leaf is added so there is nothing binding like the contraption preloading the leafs in the picture.

i have the 2wd 5 lugger in the axle over setup riding at car height level so what would i be looking for in an add a leaf kit? i don't want a stiff ride i just want and extra 700-800 lbs total spring capacity so 400 for each side and each leaf added. as you can see i don't need or want much, just a little assist for towing the boat

 

Ok glad we cleared all that up. I've never seen a "helper spring" like that so I can see why you weren't interested in that lol.

As was said already. An aal is just another leaf which you add to the leaf pack, usually between the overload and the rest of the pack if I recall correctly.

I don't have any 5 lug experience but I'm sure there's info about them on here somewhere.

 

First thing that came up on google when I searched "aal for 5 lug tacoma"

http://4x4.fatbobsgarage.com/mobile...-add-a-leaf-lift-kit-2wd-1995-2014-p7921.aspx

Might be more lift than you want but there are probably many other options too.

 

ya i had it all mixed up lol

i don't want to assume anything but i hope there are different weight aal kits for different needs.

i would think the lbs rating on the leaf packs is all that you need to know and im sure i have the lightest wimpiest one because i have the two leaf plus the big support leaf so i guess they call it the 3 leaf pack

 

http://riderite.com/Work-Rite Detail Page

Same as the ride rite air bags but these are work-rite. they do not require air and are better than spring helpers

 

that looks good but just found a link that says the work rites don't fit tacomas, oh well

 

point taken and site bookmarked

I would assume these are oem match leafs correct? because some were saying they were for the wheelers leaf packs

also are they location sensitive? I was reading some springs have to go on the drivers side

also if im doing all this I think I need new bushings for the leaf packs (what I can see of mine are full of cracks) so whats the best choice to replace those? I don't want a squeaky truck after

and where do you get those rubber pads for the springs, if im doing this im doing it all new that I can and repainting the springs before reinstalling

 

Poly bushings. Wheelers should be able to set you up with those.


Aal Shouldn't be side specific, and are designed for Oem leaf packs

 

ok link to cheap coil spring deleted

new 1.5 aal it is along with new leaf bushing kits and shackle to frame bushing kit but I don't see anything showing the little rubber discs for the ends of the leafs, seams shade tree to not replace those while im at it, I mean they cant be more then a few dollars more, just need to find them or is that going to be a factory part?

 

anybody know a source for the rubber pads on the stock leafs? is this a dealer item or something you don't really need?

 

No pads that I can find. Try this:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/98055-diy-squeaky-leaf-fix.html

Carefull, I don't think 6 lug AAL's (IE the ICON AAL) are compatable with the 5 lug.

You can hit up a junk yard if you want a cheap AAL:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/194386-tacoma-spring-refurbishing.html

You can pick and chooset he spring lenght, etc... to try to limit lift on the truck. 2" of lift on the rear will look rediculous without a front lift. And a stiff AAL can make your ride a bit uncomfortable without weight in the back.

 

according to the email I got back from wheelers today they can throw in a couple extra abrasion pads for the leafs but they may or may not fit the stock springs.

he also said the 1.5 lift add a leafs will add somewhere between 200-400 lbs of extra support to the springs so that is less then I would have thought but is still more then enough for what I was looking for and should be just the ticket for carrying around an extra 200 lbs without sagging.

just wish I had planned all this out when I removed my trucks lowering kit because I had the frame all jacked up and axle completely loose on blocks and hanging free on top of the leafs but I didn't know at the time I needed a little extra lift to it until I got it sitting up at stock level where it should be. the damn back bumper was like 3" off of the ground lol, damn kids and the stupid stuff they do.

its about an inch and a half higher in the back the way it sits now so it doesn't need any sort of lift to it at all so if I get the 1 1/2 leafs it will be 3" high and that's too much so is there an add a leaf that doesn't lift it higher or would I have to get a leaf pack for that?


I might have to reconsider getting the cheap coil spring helper spring after all because I cant afford to spend several hundred dollars for brand new leaf packs when there is nothing wrong with the leaf springs I have now