Safety Recall E02, 2005 - 2011 leaf springs

Ideally I would like dealer to reinstall the AAL on to the new recall springs, assuming they get me the correct springs.

 

I highly doubt the dealer will install the AAL.

Your best bet is to remove the AAL, get the updated springs installed by the dealer and then reinstall the AAL yourself. However, that's a lot of work.

Another option would be to have the dealer throw the new leaf pack in your bed. I don't remember for what, but I had my truck at the dealership for something and the service advisor called to ask if they could swap the springs. I told him that he had better not as I had already replaced with the OME Dakar pack. He then asked if he could just put them in the bed so that they could show the work had been performed on my truck.

 

Yeah I would hate to replace the TSB springs with the recall springs and later find they are inferior.

 

I had to cut off the rivet and remove the clip from stock spring to make room for the clip that is on the AAL. So if I removed the AAL there would be no clip keeping the back half of the leaf pack aligned.

But I like your idea of talking the dealer into just giving me the recall springs.

 

Call and ask service advisor if they will do that.

Otherwise, you could always zip tie it for the ride to the dealership

 

The recall is to address a lack of spring clips that created a chance that a leaf within the pack could rotate and puncture the fuel tank. Based on that is there much reason for you to get them? The AALs may add new clips that achieve the same thing. If so, is the potential headache worth a new set of mediocre springs?

If you can keep your old ones and they just give you a new set of 3-leafs with the extra clips, then I would disassemble both yours and the new set, stick in the extra leaf from your 4-leaf TSB into the new 3-leaf set and add on the AALs. But if they won't just give you a set, or at least give you back your old set, I wouldn't personally bother.

 

That's why I've been putting it off since my setup is working well for me. But I keep getting the recall notice for this.

 

Regarding the recall springs, does the 34304 (regular) have 3 leaves and the 34404 (TSB or heavy duty) have 4 leaves like the TSB spring?

 

The underlying reason is important. But if you've got enough spring clips now with the AALs (assuming that is true), then you're not risking anything. At least no more so than anyone running OME or any other non-OEM pack.

 

The recall wants 6 clips but I still have 3 clips including the one from the AAL.

 

I think there are two sets of recall springs. It's supposed to replace like springs with like, which IIRC they reference as Canadian and Mexican springs, which are all the 4-leaf TSB springs were.

 

It's 6 clips on the stock packs, it's really about where they are. Dakar springs don't have 6 clips but where they are located makes it difficult for a leaf to slip out.

If you got the recall springs with 6 clips would all 6 clips even still work with the AAL or are you considering eliminating the AALs?

 

If the 34304 has 3 leaves and the 34404 has 4 leaves, then I can spot the physical difference easily in case the dealer gave me the wrong pack. But if the 34304 is also a 4 leaf pack, although weaker, it would be harder for me to spot.

 

This I don't know.

I would install the AAL back after, if I got the recall done.

 

Leave it. The tsb you had done is fine. I had the current tsb done with the right parts and it sagged and wished I kept the the previous TSB.

 

That I couldn't tell you. I don't know if Toyota would build two packs of the same configuration but with different leaf thicknesses to intentionally soften one. Maybe they do, I dunno.

 

That's not exactly how I understood the recall.

I'm going off memory here, but what I recall was something in the manufacturing process caused a weakness in at least one of the leafs. With time, the leaf would break and the damage done by the broken piece included - but was not limited to - puncturing the fuel tank.

Google "Broken Tacoma Leaf Spring" and you will find pics of leafs that broke in half.

Mine broke. I went to Toyota well before the recall and was told that I could purchase another set of leafs from Toyota to the tune of $1800. I could then submit for reimbursement *IF* Toyota decided that a recall would be issued. I figured for less than $1800 I could lift the truck and get a leaf pack that was worth a darn and not have to swap them twice or hope that Toyota would reimburse me. In the end, I settled on the Dakar leaf pack for about $500 and picked them up locally at Toyota of Dallas (TRDParts4U).

 

Worth note, my leaf pack that broke was the TSB 4-leaf pack.

No heavy loading or hauling. No abuse off-road.

 

Attached the E02 recall.

"The subject vehicles’ rear suspension system contains leaf springs that are constructed of either three or four leaves. There is a possibility that a leaf could fracture due to stress and corrosion. If this occurs and the vehicle continues to be operated, the broken leaf could move out of position and contact surrounding components, including the fuel tank. If the broken leaf contacts the fuel tank repeatedly, it could puncture the tank and cause a fuel leak. In the presence of an ignition source, this could result in a fire."

I ended up with Dakar springs after but had the recall springs done before putting them on just to have a set of free springs.

The extra spring clips are a band-aid but the same thing can happen to any leaf springs. I broke a set of springs on the Rubicon in 2008, sheared 3 of them at the spring perch. Had to weld the main back together (since it was the only one I had that fit eye-to-eye), stuck whatever random extra springs I could scrounge on top and bottom and clamped the whole thing back together to get home.

Took out the shock when it broke but luckily it was on the opposite side of the fuel tank on that truck.

 

That is what I was afraid of. It sucks that Toyota cheapened the 34404 recall springs over the original TSB 4 leaf springs.

My 10 year old TSB springs with the Icon has not sagged yet and still rides quite nice. I haul heavy loads once in a while.

I'm also concerned if I don't get the recall done and there is some accident, someone can blame me for not having the recall done.