Will an add a leaf be ok for now?

So here's the deal, I have a 17 tacoma trd offroad short bed, and I just ordered a camper shell for it, and I will also have a bike rack on the back 90% of the time (it weighs 80lbs without bikes). I know a new leaf pack would be best, but will the wheelers 2" add a leaf (WHE AAL32-KIT) maintain the factory ride height if I am running that much weight all the time? I am hoping to not need to install new shocks right away as well. I am also curious if anyone has some install knowledge. I want to see if installing it would be something I could tackle on my own. I have replaced full leaf packs before, but I have never taken one apart to install an aal. I haven't seen much on the wheelers aal with a consistent load of about 400lb, a 1/4 of it hanging off the hitch. Thanks people!

 

As always, I'll caveat my comments with "I'm no expert"...

If you're installing an AAL, you need new shocks. The factory shocks will bottom out with the additional leaf thickness and that's no bueno.

As far as the AAL themselves... I have the Icon progressive AAL and they're great. AAL's can be a great stop gap between true leaf replacements.

 

Totally fine and leave the overload in, it’ll help with the weight. (And new shocks like ^^^said)

 

I was thinking the opposite.. I would be worried about over extending (topping out) the stock shocks if I gain any lift at all. I want to lift my truck in the future but i don't have the funds to do what I want right now. Maybe i have to nut up or shut up and just do shocks as well.

 

I have the exact use scenario, though didn’t use specifically a wheelers add-a-leaf. My local spring shop added a leaf they make in-house, but I’m sure the result is the same. I have a 17 SB OR with a camper shell I use for bikes, with a hitch mounted bike rack (4-bike North Shore Racks)

I offer these comments:

-The add-a-leaf is a great solution and I’ve never wished I did something else. It’s been the perfect solution for me.

-I also replaced my stock Billsteins with inexpensive Billstein 5100s on all four corners, and that was a huge upgrade as well. No more smacking the bumpstops after an hour on the trails with the shocks overheating, and way less wallowy.

 

That's the kind of feed back I wanted! I'm waiting on a Recon rack, hopefully a couple more weeks. Now if someone could offer some help on install that would be great!

 

I think you're right... but all the same, you dont want the shock to be limiting extension.

 

Call around. It wasn’t very expensive to get the leaf added at a shop. I’m not a rich man, and it was in my cost-comfort zone from what I recall.

 

The add a leaf isn’t hard to install at all. I just did one on another guys truck. Super easy. Make sure you get a kit with new u bolts and longer spring bolt

I can walk you through it if you choose to do it.

 

That's kind of what I gathered but Ive seen a few threads that say you need to pull the pack apart to install the aal and that is what I'm hesitant about. Congratulations on your blues by the way... they straight up played better than my sharks and I was rooting for them in the final!

 

It's not that bad. Buy a decent set of c-clamps and its easy breezy.

 

Yeah you do need to pull them apart. But not off the truck. I did it on a lift which helped. But it’s not a huge job. Pretty straight forward with an impact and some sockets. Plus common sense.

Blues played well. Well. Binnington played well lol
Nice to have the cup for the first time in history.

 

This^

 

It goes between the leaf pack and the overload?

 

https://youtu.be/Eq9nv_3vU4Y

 

Thank you

 

I used that video for my Icon AAL install. While not exactly the same, all of the principles still apply.