DIY: squeaky leaf fix

this is awesomei was just getting on here to ask a question about a squeak i just developed. and this might be the fix...

but let me ask just incase its something more severe. i haven't had any issues with squeaking ever (truck is 3 years old)....and i went mudding a couples weeks ago and after that i had this squeak.

Do you guys think it was from that? how do you think the squeak came about from that? i hope i didnt break anything?

it squeaks even when i get and out...do you think its the leafs or something else>?

 

should be added to cheap free mods section as well

 

Don't know, but I can tell you I've never taken my Tacoma mudding, and I have it. Mine showed up between 45,000 and 50,000 miles.

That said, while I don't intentionally get my truck into the mud, it does happen on occasion, but nothing serious by any means.

 

My leafs squeek after every trip I make to Ocotillo Wells or just driving offroad in super dusty conditions. My reliable fix is to use a wheel cleaning brush and some wheel/tire cleaner and briskly scrub the leafs after washing the truck. After word I use a can of Teflon spray that resists new dirt sticking to it and becoming sludge. Works until my next offroading session. Than ofcourse it comes back. The rubber in between the leafs seems like a more permanent fix though. Very clever!

 

Thanks for this DIY! I installed rubber inner tubes last night - quick and easy and cheap. Easier than wasting time with the dealer, too.

 

this'll give you a 5mm lift too! SICK

 

Nice one OP!

 

I had this problem with my 1947 Plymouth, and I solved it about the same way, but instead of using rubber I used plastic strips cut from old oil bottles. This seemed to work very well, and the bottles are, of course, free, when you buy the oil.

I remember switching from Penzoil to Havoline, because I thought the black plastic was less obvious than the yellow Penzoil bottles.

 

I am going to give it a shot this wknd. My driver side leaf pack is driving me nuts. Every time I get out of the truck it squeaks, and I am not a big guy either.

 

a "wally world" innertube will not last long as a buffer in between the leafs of a truck that is really offroaded. Should last longer for the street queen trucks which never go offroad, especially if they do not haul or use the truck for its intended purposes. I would like to hear if you gained more miles before squeaks with the Tube vs Lube long term?

 

i did less offroad and loaded trips with the lube (about 1 week) before the squeak came back than i did with the tube. ive had the tubes in for a few weeks and played on the beach then drove 8 hours with them in and still no squeak.

 

I think i'm gonna go with the plastic from the oil bottles instead...I would think it would last much longer then the rubber from the inner tube

Thanks for all the great info..

 

This shall be the first thing I do in the morning. Thanx!!

 

This didn't work for me. It decreased the amount of noise, but there are still more places where the leafs rub.

Edit: figured out that I had so much grime in there that I had to power-wash the leafs as well.

 

i'm doing this sometime in the very near future! mine squeak like a bitch!!! over every bump, around every corner...squeak....squeak....squeak aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

I just noticed my 05 Tacoma already has the nylon spacers between the leafs from the factory

Their is already a small gap between the leafs from the factory spacers so I guess I won't be doing this mod

 

Well I did the fix to the fronts first, let the truck back down and the squeak was still there so I did some more investigation and my squeak was the back on the leafs, there is also a factory pad in the back also. Once I did the backs, my squeaks are solved, thanks for this GREAT thread as I was going NUTS, just bought the truck (2006) and was worried I would have to listen to this for the rest of my ownership days. Just have to install a set of the Timbren SES since I do not have hte TSB on my leafs done. Thanks again

 

Creak in the rear left suspension was driving me nuts...Toyota dealer told me $227 (200 labor and 27 parts) to replace spring pads....so glad i decided to do some research. found this forum and thread. Just finished cleaning the leafs w/ some WD40 and then added a piece of tire tube and no more creakin!!!! F'n A!

Note: on the way over to work to grab a crowbar from the garage this morning, a rock hit my windshield. there are now two 8" cracks running side by side from the top on the passenger side. Eff! There went my savings!

 

That doesn't sound like "savings." That sounds like "spendings." Savings is something you don't touch. If you ever want to have savings, I would steer clear of this place! You have been warned!

 

HAHA so true, this is a money pit!