Does this sound normal?

Hey guys,

I'm planning to order some suspension parts soon for an upgraded repair. I want to lift her up just a few with 5100's and AAL, but i got a few questions regarding the truck as it sits:

I'm familiar with taco lean, but mine is BAD. as in, the measurements from the top of my 31x10.50s to center wheel well arch is like this.

front/driver: 5.5" front/passenger: 7.0"

rear/driver: 6.5" rear/passenger: 7.3"

The truck was in an accident when my brother ran off in a ditch and rode the shoulder, caught a boulder and ripped the front driver wheel off. Also over-articulated the rear suspension.

1. There is a new toyota leaf spring on pass. side, and a pretty badly frowning stock spring on drivers.

2. I think the shop (crooked backwoods shop) put a pick-a-part strut/spring in the driver front.

3. They claimed there was minor frame damage, but I've never been able to locate it in four years.

My question is....

I plan to replace the driver's leaf spring, add fab-tech 1.5" AAL's (for lift and towing my 2k lb boat), and replace the front struts/springs with stock replacement coils on bilstein 5100's. likely set on 1.75" and hope it is pretty close to leveled out.

Does anyone see anything that screams my truck will still be jacked up or that alignment will be impossible? It's had stiff-steering issues since the accident, and the alignment isn't right as it is now, but i think thats my fault after replacing the steering rack. I know 2-2.5" is the general max for stock parts when lifting, so that's why ill shoot for 1.75. If i need to set the 5100's higher, I'll give it a shot.

All thoughts and ideas welcome! Just looking to discuss what I've got planned with some fellow Taco owners.. most everything i find through searches is for 2nd Gens

 

Kind hard to hear whats going on when there's no audio/video provided. There probably is frame damage but can't tell.

 

It sounds like you probably do have some frame damage, but I'm no expert there.

That taco lean sounds like more than average, but not horrible. If the shop only replaced the pass. side leaf spring, that is likely causing a lot of your problems with lean. When you replace the driver side leaf spring it should hopefully make that lean a lot less noticeable.

 

The boulder gave it away for me.

 

Sounds like my first step really should be a frame inspection before i go doing much else. Best to know for sure before i throw money at a problem that's deeper than just new springs

 

I'll try to get some on my lunch break

 

What's your budget? I would really pony up for a set of new leafs all around. You could even go with a Dakar pack and remove a leaf or overload spring and bring that down a little since you're not looking for too much lift. How many miles do you have on the "new" passenger side spring? As for the front, there's a plethora of options wither you go with OME 800 series or 5100's. I'm really not too familiar with aftermarket options that retain stock ride hide (other than Toyota OEM of course) so someone else might chime in with more info.

 

Don't know how much these help, but here they are. Yes, the ground is level and that's how much the truck actually leans.

AK, the truck itself has only 77.5K miles on it. The newer leaf has maybe 20K? I'm not 100%. Budget is roughly $500. I don't do serious off roading, just the occasional drive through fields/woods and a rough red-clay area near a local dam, that kind of thing. It's my DD. I only want to stay minimal on the lift because I really don't want an impossible to align truck nor to buy UCA's. I can handle wheel bearing and ball joint wear, maintenance is no issue but i can't justify 600+ on UCA's for a mostly street 2WD non-TRD truck..

I don't mind spending money to get the truck as close to the condition it should have been without the wreck, as I've had it since 35K miles and there isn't another around this low, but if I hate anything it's disappointment after modding something. I went cheap about a year ago and attempted a 3" spacer/block lift and couldnt get my strut back in with the spacer...ended up taking the rear lift back off and sending it all back. Man was i bummed. Looking to do it a little more appropriately this time around.

 

Yeah you've got negative arch on the driver's side leaf and neutral on the pax side... Without weight in the bed ...that's says old and tired.

It also seems that there is some bend in the frame, cause your bump stop is Def not aligned with frame... But that could be the angle of the picture?

If you just want stock, I don't see an issue with a new set of OEM springs

 

I'm going over the frame tonight with a flashlight and hawk eye, I'll pay attention to those bump stops. I would like to lift really, but just want to keep it reasonable so I don't wind up dumping hundreds more than planned or can't get an alignment. leveled out ~2" lift and some wheel spacers is the look I'm going for.

Would you say both leafs need to be replaced? Like i said, I'm planning to go with Fabtech 1.5" AAL and Billie 5100s/New OEM coils if it is plausible.

Hell, if there is some bending in the frame my resale is f*ked so i might as well lift it regardless. She should still have 250K left on the drivetrain if i keep up maintenance.

 

Yes, detailed pic's of the driver side would be nice, front to back.

I don't think leaf springs are suppose to be flat like that right?

 

If you throw in an AAL, you'll still have lean... It's just gonna be higher you know... I think new springs would be a good bet.

If there is a bend, it's in the c channel and may be able to be corrected with a little effort. Don't fret yet, I'm not 100% on that

 

Not when there's no weight in the back!

 

Damn, no weight on mine but those leaf springs are flat. Yeah def not a good sign about PO doing any maintenance or not following the max capacity limit of the truck.

 

I'm not too worried right now, but I just like to be prepared and well planned. My last attempt at lifting royally pissed me off, but then again i tried to cheap-out.

I hope my excess taco lean is just caused by good up pressure from the passenger leaf pressing down on the old, worn, presumably pick-a-part front driver coil and the old driver leaf sagging.

I've had a hella time finding out how the rear leafs should look, general consensus is that tacoma leaf springs suck but no one really said they should be smiling or flat. Best i found is close to flat is generally normal...

Usually no weight in my truck, but I did trade a motorcycle for a 16.5' '77 bowrider w/ 70hp johnson outboard, hence the new reese hitch. Calculated weight from the internet shouldn't exceed 2,000lbs, so well within tow ratings.

 

When one spring is out of spec it will affect how the others sit. The front drivers side is the biggest issue right now. Looks like the shop replaced it with an unmatched set to the passenger side. Is is so weak that it is causing the drives side leaf to compensate. I would change the front springs and put 5100s and an aal and 5100s for the rear. You should be good after that.

 

trying to get a price quote, do the bilsteins come with bushings?

 

They don't come with bushings. If your going to get everything, then you should just get them pre assembled. Wheelers or Downsouth will do this for you. If you want to stay close to stock then Ome 880 or 881 coil will work. Talk to them on the phone and they will set you up. I've had great customer service from Wheelers off road.

 

Yeah I think I'll give them a call when the times right. I'm just trying to get a ball pack figure so I can save up.