Suspension Upgrades - No lift wanted

OK, so you have new Bilstein COs up front which is now higher so the rear, even with new stock leaf springs, is lower than the front?

If that is the case, you either [add a leaf] AAL to your existing leaf springs or replace them with Deavers [like I did] or other aftermarket springs that will add lift.

 

Yeah, this is the look that I intended. You have a load in the bed too, and no drooping or sagging in the truck bed! How would I AAL? Where can I get Deavers?

 

Did you see where he said "Squatting just a couple inches" < Just making sure. No, it's not bottomed out, but Deavers will sag under load more than say, standard HD springs if you carry loads often. Everything's a compromise somewhere.

 

I have a toolbox mounted on the driver side, glass rack in the bed. Often I do transport loads, but I'm surprised in his pic the bed isn't compressed and angled with a load. Mine is w/o load. When I open the door (either side) seconds later, wham, it shuts cuz the bed is sloped.

 

I have an "08" DBLCB TRD offroad. The truck would bottom out going over railroad tracks. Pretty sad really... I changed the shocks on it. The shocks I took off were the factory shocks. and they had no life left in them. Still bottomed out after I finished. but not nearly as bad. Toyota dropped the ball on the leafs they used on this vehicle. I got my airbags in the other day and finally started the install this afternoon. It's pretty straight forward. I have one side done already. I'm going to start on the Passenger side first thing in the morning. Providing it isn't raining of course.
It shouldn't have taken me as long as it did on the driver side. but it was a learning process and I kept going back to watch the video.
One thing I did do that helped on the driver side. was I put a jackstand under the axle at it's lowest point (with the wheel removed) then used the jack to lift the at the connection point.. where the leaf spring connects to the frame at the rear of the truck. The reason for this was to create enough space between the axle and the frame to slide the airbag in. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to do it due to not enough room.

 

Link on Wheelers to the J59 Deaver,

 

I've got a 2004 Regular cab 4X4 and I want to get the J59 Deaver's. Does anyone know if being a regular cab the Deaver's will raise the back end and give it the "stink bug" look? I don't want any lift but I guess i could put up with 1.5 inches. I also have a shell on the back and most probably will throw some sand bags in the back for the ice driving that isn't very far off. Can I remove a leaf from the Deaver J59's to reduce the lift if I want to and which leaf would I need to remove. My truck has the factory springs on it now and they are worn out. Even at that it still sits level. My guess is that the front springs are worn out as well.

 

Verify if the J59 is a constant or progressive rate design. I don't think you want to add or remove a leaf on a progressive without screwing up the spring.

But a 1.5" lift could disappear with a shell and sandbags anyway.

Just remember the truck won't be level even with stock replacement (no lift) rear springs if the fronts are corrected. You have to raise the front to actually level it when all's said and done.

 

Ok. Thanks. I just ordered the Deaver's from Wheeler's and some greasable shackles. The old springs on mine need to be replaced now. I'll deal with everything else down the road. From what I understand the Deaver's are a progressive and I don't want to remove anything from them so I won't. I'll just replace everything else to make it all work with the Deaver's. I have the same problem everyone else has with the ass end wanting to come around whenever I hit anything similar to washboard. A rough patch of road at 75 mph makes it jump around as well. Since we have ice here in the winter and the speed limit is 80mph I'd rather not hit something rough slippery at night like that because I don't know it's there. Even when slowing down to 50mph or slower due to conditions. I'm planning on Icons front and rear as well but these Deavers can only improve the entire situation no matter how I look at it. It will be nice to see how much of a difference they make without changing anything else.

 

I put deavers and greasable shackles on mine and it definitely raised the back end. I'm rolling like a stink bug until I have enough money to do the fronts. But, even with the jacked up back end it handles much much better over bumps at speed. It no longer feels like it's going to swap ends or leap into the next lane.

 

I can live with that for a while. I'll just put 400 lbs of sand in the back for a while or however much it takes to bring it down. Thanks for the pic.

 

Don't forget to adjust your headlights once you've decided on your bed load. Right now mine are way too low to do much good on a dark road.

 

Good point. I do drive on pitch black roads from time to time but I'll probably level the truck out with sand for a while. That'll help squish the springs down to where they will take their set quicker.

 

Had they settled yet when that was taken, or does that represent the ~1.5" lift they're supposed to have?

 

I've had them a month or so and haven't carried any significant weight yet. There's probably 150lbs of stuff in the back if I count the softopper.

 

I'd bet they settle down a little more as they get worn in. That looks like a little more than 1.5 inches but a pic doesn't tell all.

 

And why greasable shackles? I'm all for the ability to do that but is it necessary? I've never had my OEM shackles squeak, and they don't cost $100 or whatever.

 

Mine were really rusty and I figured "what the hell?"

 

The winters are rough where I live and my thought was why not be able to grease the shackles?. If I lived in Florida or Arizona or somewhere else down south I wouldn't worry about it. I suspect shackles that move freely will enhance the movement of the suspension as well.