How to: Install an Add A Leaf (W/ Pics)

[hoosiertaco]

great job Eric. One of my favorite rides around!!

[Bellis]

ok so im in no way trying to be rude, because in asking out of ignorance, i was told that add a leaf is unreliable, meaning i was told the aals break easy, only asking cuz i wanna lift my truck that way i think its cool

[RelentlessTaco]

Originally Posted by Bellis

ok so im in no way trying to be rude, because in asking out of ignorance, i was told that add a leaf is unreliable, meaning i was told the aals break easy, only asking cuz i wanna lift my truck that way i think its cool

Well, I've heard of some AAL's breaking, mainly the short style ones and under trucks that have been modified for extra flex thereby stressing them more than most vehicles do. My new one is a long style AAL and they tend to be more reliable and give a better ride than the short AAL's.

[Bellis]

thats great to know this thread will help me install my first lift then, nice, this pleases me

[redraider]

subscribing

[Mrobi]

how much does it pick up the back, im debating if i should pick up my back bc i just put a 3" leveling kit on the front but i dont want the back to be higher again

[RelentlessTaco]

Mrobi, It depends on the AAL; Some are 1.5", some are 2", some even 2.5". You just have to find one that fits what you want. A 1.5" with the 3" should make it about perfectly level by wheel well measurement. Looks to me like your truck can really use a bit of rear lift with the front 3".

[Mrobi]

Originally Posted by RelentlessTaco

Mrobi, It depends on the AAL; Some are 1.5", some are 2", some even 2.5". You just have to find one that fits what you want. A 1.5" with the 3" should make it about perfectly level by wheel well measurement. Looks to me like your truck can really use a bit of rear lift with the front 3".

alright i kinda like my lean, but the higher the better thanks

[mxracer16]

Originally Posted by RelentlessTaco

Alright guys, I got the rear suspension TSB in november and since then the back of my truck has been too low(IMO) because my old leaf pack had an AAL in it along with my 1" block. Thursday I went down to Wheeler's Off Road in Grants Pass, OR and picked up a new AAL from them to get the back of my truck back where I wanted it. They didnt have one that would fit my TSB pack perfectly, but that wasnt a big deal. They gave me a 1.5" AAL for a Tundra and all I had to do was trim about an inch off one end and reinstall the antifriction pad for it to fit. Here is how to install an AAL under your Tacoma (that doesnt require modification as mine did):

**Please note that I am not liable for any damage you cause to yourself or your truck while following my installation guide or after installation. If you aren't mechanically inclined, don't have all of the necessary tools, or just don't feel comfortable working on your suspension HAVE A PROFESSIONAL DO THE JOB INSTEAD.**

Necessary tools:

-Floor jack
- (2) jack stands
-1/2" ratchet drive
-Torque wrench
-1/2" drive sockets in: 21mm (lug nuts), 17mm (lower shock mounts), 14mm deep (leaf pack centering pin), 19mm deep (U-bolt nuts)
-17mm wrench
-1/2" drive breaker bar and 'cheater bar'
-heavy duty 'Quick grip' or large 'C-clamp'
-Pry bar
-4" angle grinder w/cutoff wheel
Optional but helpful:
-Creeper
-Pneumatic, or electric impact wrench

Disassembly:
1. Park the truck on a hard level surface, set the parking brake and block in front and behind the front tires.
2. Jack up underneath each each side of the axle and remove the tire, once tire is off set a low jack stand under axle right behind the brake drum.

3. Remove the lower shock bolt and swing shock free of it's lower mount

4. Unbolt the U-bolts on each side of the axle and set the U-bolt plate and bump stop under the axle, or elsewhere out of the way. It may take some work to get the U-bolts off depending on their condition. Mine were dirty and rusty and required lubing and working them back and forth a bit with more lube before they would come off. One of them snapped, thus I will install new U-bolts at the end.

5. Remove the bolt holding the bracket that holds brake lines to the axle on the driver's side to ensure you don't put too much strain on the lines if you happen to jack up a tad too high. Jack up under the receiver hitch until there is about 3" of clearance between the leaf pack and the spring perch. This will give clearance to install the AAL into the pack.

6. Clamp the leaf pack and then loosen and remove the centering pin. Slowly release the clamp to loosen the tension in the leaf pack.


Installation and assembly:
7. Put some marine, or other thick grease on the antifriction pads before installing into the pack. place the new centering pin through the factory overload spring, then through the centering pin hole in the AAL. If the AAL has one end that is longer, that end should face the rear of the truck. Next, slip the centering pin up through the rest of the leaves and spin on the nut. Align all the leaves and tighten down the nut.

8. Cut off the excess threads of the centering pin with the angle grinder so that the bump stop will fit back over it over it. If you are also installing a small block, place it centered in the pin hole on the axle pad.

9. Ease the jack so the axle lightly contacts the leaf springs. Manipulate the axle/leaf springs so that the centering pin drops into the centering hole on the leaf perch on the axle. *Make sure it goes into the centing hole, not one of the other open spaces*

10. Lower the jack the rest of the way. Reinstall and torque the factory U-bolts to factory spec(I guesstimated to 100ft-lbs or so), or longer U-bolts if also installing a small block as I was.

11. Reinstall and torque the lower shock bolts

12. Jack up under each end of the axle to reinstall the tires and remove the jack stands. Torque the lug nuts to approx. 80-90 ft-lbs

13. Set the truck back on the ground an enjoy your new AAL!


**NOTE**
You should re-check the torque of the of the U-bolts after driving the truck a bit, maybe 25-50 miles, allowing things to settle into place.

dnag that bumper is nice.
where did you get it and how much or did you built it ?

[RelentlessTaco]

Originally Posted by mxracer16

dnag that bumper is nice.
where did you get it and how much or did you built it ?

Thanks. Actually, yes, I did build it. I'm going to be adding a 2" reciever mount and doing a little more finishing work on it and then painting it white to match the truck in the next few weeks.

[Evil Monkey]

Thanks for the post. I did mine this weekend after seeing how easy it was.

[Brunes]

I'm glad I found this post...I was going to go to an auto hobby shop-but I think I can get this done in the driveway...We'll see tho.

The shop has a lift...and they can compress the front springs there and everything...

We'll see. Either way-Great write up!!

[RelentlessTaco]

Originally Posted by Evil Monkey

Thanks for the post. I did mine this weekend after seeing how easy it was.

No problem man- That's what I did it for! I always see people paying to have easy stuff like this done so I just wanted to help some people out that have the skills but didn't know it was this easy.

[Ry1984]

im assuming this write up would pretty much be the same for a first gen? any major differences anyone know of?

[raiser1]

Can anyone tell me what part number or model number AAL I need? I have the stock 2007 leafs and am out of warranty, so no TSB My neighbor is a mechanic and offered to help me install any suspension parts. I am trying to keep costs down. The dealer wants $1500 to do the TSB out of warranty.

So a couple of AAL's cost $70 or are they $70 each?
Do I need just 1 AAL per side since I am not planning to haul more than 1000lbs in the bed?
And Bilstein 5100s are about $350 all around, or is there a better price on those somewhere?

Sorry I can't seem to find much info on pricing and availability, just the different brands that people are using. Suspension is NOT my forte.

[RelentlessTaco]

Originally Posted by raiser1

Can anyone tell me what part number or model number AAL I need? I have the stock 2007 leafs and am out of warranty, so no TSB My neighbor is a mechanic and offered to help me install any suspension parts. I am trying to keep costs down. The dealer wants $1500 to do the TSB out of warranty.

So a couple of AAL's cost $70 or are they $70 each?
Do I need just 1 AAL per side since I am not planning to haul more than 1000lbs in the bed?
And Bilstein 5100s are about $350 all around, or is there a better price on those somewhere?

Sorry I can't seem to find much info on pricing and availability, just the different brands that people are using. Suspension is NOT my forte.

Yeah, the AAL's will come as a pair, you wouldnt want to stack AAL's. All you need is one set, for that I recommend Wheeler's Offroad, a set will be about $77.50 for a single leaf kit. They also have a special 3 leaf progressive AAL mini pack thats a bit more at $150. Give em a call((541) 474-2879) and they'll set you in the right direction. As for the 5100's, you can price check with wheeler's(should be a bit less than 350), or call up Sonny at Down South Motorsports, I think he sells them for less than 300 a set to Tacoma World Members. Both Wheeler's and DSM are also vendors on here as well if you want to contact them other ways like email.

[raiser1]

Originally Posted by RelentlessTaco

Yeah, the AAL's will come as a pair, you wouldnt want to stack AAL's. All you need is one set, for that I recommend Wheeler's Offroad, a set will be about $77.50 for a single leaf kit. They also have a special 3 leaf progressive AAL mini pack thats a bit more at $150. Give em a call((541) 474-2879) and they'll set you in the right direction. As for the 5100's, you can price check with wheeler's(should be a bit less than 350), or call up Sonny at Down South Motorsports, I think he sells them for less than 300 a set to Tacoma World Members. Both Wheeler's and DSM are also vendors on here as well if you want to contact them other ways like email.

Thanks for the info, I logged into Wheelers and started an online chat. I ended up getting the front and rear shocks as well as the AAL for $400 shipped! I mentioned the current $300 price at DSMS. I am extremely happy with the price and your recommendation to try them. It's not quite ebay prices, but better than any of the other places I found and 1-stop shopping.

They recommended that the single AAL for $77.50 adds ~400lbs capacity. He said that the 3-leaf $150 kit would reduce capacity and offer a smoother ride. This seemed kind of counter-intuitive to me, but I opted for the single leaf kit due to his recommendation.

[RelentlessTaco]

Originally Posted by raiser1

Thanks for the info, I logged into Wheelers and started an online chat. I ended up getting the front and rear shocks as well as the AAL for $400 shipped! I mentioned the current $300 price at DSMS. I am extremely happy with the price and your recommendation to try them. It's not quite ebay prices, but better than any of the other places I found and 1-stop shopping.

They recommended that the single AAL for $77.50 adds ~400lbs capacity. He said that the 3-leaf $150 kit would reduce capacity and offer a smoother ride. This seemed kind of counter-intuitive to me, but I opted for the single leaf kit due to his recommendation.

enjoy the new lift!

[db67fm]

Thanks for this guide.

Installing a toytec 1.5 AAL this weekend...

[RelentlessTaco]

Originally Posted by db67fm

Thanks for this guide.

Installing a toytec 1.5 AAL this weekend...

Alright man, good luck. Some people seem to have issues with this method, probably due to different sized jacks and jackstands. Some have claimed that jacking up the rear end and pulling the tires off, then throwing jackstands under frame under the rear of the cab to support the rear end, and then lowering each end of the axle with the jack to install each aal is best. I'll leave it up to you. This method has worked for me several times though. I've never tried the other way.