Anyone have the Wheeler's OR AAL?

I am going to be towing a trailer so want to put on a single AAL. Just got the new TSB from Toyota just as a reference. I dont need anything crazy so was thinking about that Wheeler's leaf. Most important is something that doesnt require new U bolt .

Anyone running this? Feedback?

 

are you looking for a lift or more support?

if the later, airbags.

I had horrible axle wrap with a single AAL.

 

Support so the rear end doesn't sag as much with weight on it.

Really no cheaper option than airbags? I'm not towing stuff or loading the bed too much

 

I have the wheeler's HD springs and I'm pretty happy with them.
They defiantly brought up the rear to a normal looking position and made the truck feel new again.

 

Just chiming in because from reading your post, and apologies if I misinterpreted it but I've read that u-bolts shouldn't be re-used once they have already been torqued down because the threads are stretched.

That being said, I bought some used Wheeler's AAL and ordered new u-bolts from them.

 

I didnt know that. How much were the u bolts?

 

Around $45 for me. PM @Wheeler's Off-Road Inc for their guidance and quote. They are very responsive and easy to deal with!

 

I have the TSB springs with the wheelers AAL. I’ve used this setup for hauling and towing quite a bit.

FWIW, I also more often than not have a Leer shell on the back of the truck, and a cut-to-fit stall mat back there, so there’s a constant weight of probably a few hundred pounds. Also, for the first 100k or so of having my truck, the vast majority of those miles were pulling a trailer weighing between 3000-3500 lbs, and more stuff in the bed.
Before I had the AAL, it sagged a hair unloaded, and depressingly when loaded, and I was starting to develop axle wrap.

after the AAL, which was super easy to install, I got my factory rake back when unloaded, which I prefer to level or saggy bottom truck. It greatly helped keep things higher up back there when loaded and pulling a trailer too. It also eliminated the axle wrap....at first. After a while I swear I still feel a bit of axle wrap now and again.
I am overall pleased with this setup, especially for the price and ease of install. It is not the be all end all for someone who hauls and tows regularly like I do, but does the job well enough that I feel like airbags, while the next step, are more of a want than a need for me.
I never feel unsafe with this setup and I push the limits (or so) of our supposed capacities from time to time.

If money weren’t tight I’d get airbags for curiosity, just to see how much it improved.

 

This is what I was wondering. Regularly I have no more than a couple hundred pounds. Towing will he a 3500-4000 lb trailer but not often at all. Just the occasional x-country trip.

Did you get new u-bolts when installing the AAL?

 

Thanks!

 

No I reused the old ones, I hadn’t heard about that, but a couple years of use later Ive had no issues and have checked the torque a couple times just to see, and it was right where it was supposed to be. So that’s good.

 

Don’t get me wrong it’s not going to eliminate any sagging at all, it’ll still sag some especially if you’ve got a lot of tongue weight, but its way better than the TSB springs on their own, and wayyy better than the sorry excuse for a leaf pack the truck came with.

 

Here’s me weighing in with 1600lbs of crushed limestone in the bed...granted by the time I got home it looked more tired than that ha

To display its limitations here’s 3600 pounds of tractor on a trailer that weighs I don’t know what, plus probably 3-400 pounds in the bed including the cap. I should have loaded the tractor back a bit to relieve some tongue weight in hindsight but it was my first time loading it up, it pulled fine.

 

Each of these bales is probably 900-1000#, 4on the trailer, one in the bed. Not too shabby.

 

Thanks a bunch for those pix. That's not bad at all. I just need something that will keep it reasonable for when I pull this traile .

How is the ride when unloaded?

 

A local spring shop should be able to make a set for around $30

 

I’d say the ride is fine, if anything I’m still annoyed with the body roll the truck has had the whole time owning it, I wish it rode a bit stiffer but that’s more a front springs thing. I’ll upgrade those someday. I’m cheap for now. If you’re worried about it riding harsh, i wouldn’t worry.

 

I think it’s an easy and inexpensive enough option to start with that you should go for it, and if it doesn’t please you (I’d be surprised if it didn’t. Especially with the weight you’re planning) then the AAL will probably pair nicely with some ride rite airbags.

 

I remember hauling some wood pre-AAL I was bouncing along on the bump stops, scary business. After AAL I haven’t felt contact with the bump stops a single time.

 

Awesome. I also have some bilstein 5100's back there so they can take the lift

FWIW I replaced my front Sport struts with a new set from a 2018 truck here and it rides great. 1 inch lift and stiff but comfortable ride