1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Sagging Alcan 8-Leaf pack? Opinions wanted

Discussion in 'Suspension' started by Dr. Sleep, Mar 22, 2011.

  1. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:17 PM
    #1
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    About a year ago, I installed a pair of 8-leaf Alcans on my 2007 Double cab that I bought from Wheelers. Gradually, I've noticed that the rear seems to be sagging. I haven't abused the springs, and only load the bed down occasionally for skiing trips or whatever. When I installed them new, I measured from the center of the wheel directly up to the center of the fender flares (bed empty). Drivers side was: 23" and Passengers side was 23.5". Now, the measurements are (bed empty): drivers side: 21.25" and passenger side: 22". I'll attach some photos, and stock photos for comparison.

    Alcans with empty bed (you can see distance between timbren and frame in photo):

    Timbren_157e91e1afda148ae5b92211091ddec8abc0cb7a.jpg


    Another shot of sagging/Alcans (empty bed):

    IMG_0225_3c75d7fae45c3a352d46a662056eaf6a22fbc7a7.jpg


    shot of stock spring:

    stock1_08ba4bb2480e6caeeec1cf58047b57f9275eb1ee.jpg

    another shot stock spring:

    stock2_e32242b0a4f209fefee1623128ee32d8320ac17d.jpg
     
  2. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:18 PM
    #2
    crf69

    crf69 scraping my emblems off my plasti-dip

    Joined:
    May 18, 2010
    Member:
    #37348
    Messages:
    3,578
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    Ohio
    Vehicle:
    06 TRD OR BSP cab'n 1/2
    ummm yeah
  3. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:29 PM
    #3
    97yota4wd

    97yota4wd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    Member:
    #42280
    Messages:
    12,846
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Eric
    Mesa, AZ
    Vehicle:
    alot of metal, small engine, decent travel.
    caged, camburg long travel, 50t leafpack (soon to be installed) light rack over cab, 5pt harnesses etc
    wow): im sorry... i heard someone saying you can take it somewhere and they will reheat them and let them cool where they are supposed to be? can someone chim in on this and help out
     
  4. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:33 PM
    #4
    MAXTacoma

    MAXTacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2007
    Member:
    #917
    Messages:
    4,338
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    Lexus GS 350
    I was interested in these as I tow a lot and need a somewhat stiff rear suspension. Sorry your having trouble, but thanks for the info. I dont want to be in your situation in a year. Are you bottoming out now?
     
  5. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:43 PM
    #5
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    If the bed is empty, I don't bottom out. If I have even a couple hundred pounds of stuff in the bed, I will easily bottom out when going over bump/dip.

    I've contacted Charles at Alcan and Jason at Wheelers, and sent them the pictures you see. Jason asked for some more pictures, which I sent him. We'll see if they can offer any solution. Charles didn't think there was anything wrong with the pictures I sent him. I said a negative arch was normal. But I don't remember any negative arch to my stock springs.

    Perhaps, a single add a leaf in the middle somewhere would solve my problem--creating a 9-leaf pack. :)
     
  6. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:46 PM
    #6
    achirdo

    achirdo I Weld!

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2010
    Member:
    #34819
    Messages:
    10,267
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Adam
    North DFW
    Vehicle:
    06 dodge ram 3500 5.9 cummins
    negative arch on any leafs isnt "normal" unless you have weight in the bed or towinig.
     
  7. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:52 PM
    #7
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    That's what I thought . . . but Charles at Alcan said it was normal on our trucks. Let me quote the email he sent, "
    Hi Shane You need to go through Wheelers and they well contact me about them. Since you did not send a full side view I do not know how the truck is setting. The springs well have a little reverse arch which does not heart them. "
     
  8. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:56 PM
    #8
    MAXTacoma

    MAXTacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2007
    Member:
    #917
    Messages:
    4,338
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    Lexus GS 350
    I currently have the non-TSB w/ a Toytec 2" AAL. I've had it for about a year also and its starting to lose strenght. I created a thread but still really haven't found a leaf pack that will do what I want it to.

    Here is my thread I created if you have any insight.
    http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/145791-body-roll-sloppy-suspension.html
     
  9. Mar 22, 2011 at 12:57 PM
    #9
    rjclemen

    rjclemen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2009
    Member:
    #21254
    Messages:
    391
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Riley
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    07 Pre Runner The good looking Blue
    Tint, Bed Cover, HIDs, stubby antenna, double din system, debagded, All Terrain bedside stickers.
    I don't trust anyone who cannot spell four letter words correctly. heart =/= hurt. This guy is obviously a moron.
     
  10. Mar 22, 2011 at 1:00 PM
    #10
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    Well, Charles at Alcan seems to be a pretty well respected guy. Jason from Wheelers had this to say about him/Alcan:

    "The springs do not have a positive arch like a domestic truck. You can verify this by going to your local Toyota dealer and looking at a stock truck. Charles builds a good leaf pack and we have the least amount of issues in comparison to Deavers or Icons."

    Granted hurt does not = heart ;)
     
  11. Mar 22, 2011 at 1:17 PM
    #11
    rjclemen

    rjclemen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2009
    Member:
    #21254
    Messages:
    391
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Riley
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    07 Pre Runner The good looking Blue
    Tint, Bed Cover, HIDs, stubby antenna, double din system, debagded, All Terrain bedside stickers.
    Sorry I have been proof-reading contracts all day. I sometimes wonder how people can function in life on a daily basis.
     
  12. Mar 22, 2011 at 1:41 PM
    #12
    macgyver

    macgyver Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2009
    Member:
    #21173
    Messages:
    3,577
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Brad
    Canton, GA
    Vehicle:
    '13 Tundra double cab SR5 4x4
    I wonder the same thing.

    There are people I work with who have bachelor's degrees and I wonder how they even made it past the 9th grade...much less graduated college.

    Oh wait, they have degrees from a Diploma mill....cough cough *Strayer** cough cough.
     
  13. Mar 23, 2011 at 9:01 AM
    #13
    raycie

    raycie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2008
    Member:
    #5205
    Messages:
    3,419
    Gender:
    Male
    Oahu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2013 DCLB / 2016 4R Trail
    In need of $$$
    Ummmm.... Did you install the timbrens?

    When installed, they are supposed to be 1" from the frame (bed unloaded).. So, technically you are not bottoming out, you are using the timbrens to cushion the load. Did this problem start after or before the timbrens? If the timbrens are more than 1" unloaded, you ay need to call timbrens to send you the correct size spacer so they will be 1"... Some go 3/4"....

    Op.. Measure from the top of the leaf springs to the frame... What you got?

    As for your springs... I have no idea, but corrected timbrens may help what you experience as bottoming out...
     
  14. Mar 23, 2011 at 11:14 AM
    #14
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    ^^^ not sure what the distance is supposed to be between timbrens and frame . . . no where in their literature do they state it should be 3/4" to 1".

    Regardless . . . the leaf springs used to be between 1" and 2" higher than they are now, and they appear to be sagging with some negative arch to them when the bed is completely unloaded. And my truck now has a reverse rake to how it sits.
     
  15. Mar 23, 2011 at 11:52 AM
    #15
    singlefin

    singlefin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2009
    Member:
    #27961
    Messages:
    900
    Gender:
    Male
    Hood River, OR
    Vehicle:
    Syncro
    Find a local shop that can re-arch the springs that will get you some extra life on them. I had my springs recently re-arched. FWIW it cost me $180 to have them pull the leafs and re-arch them.
     
  16. Mar 23, 2011 at 12:06 PM
    #16
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    Good idea, but these leaf springs are barely more than a year old. Surely, if it only takes a year for them to sag, if I had them heated and rearched, they'd be sagging again in a year.

    I think my solution will involve 1 or more additional leaves to the leaf pack.
     
  17. Mar 23, 2011 at 2:34 PM
    #17
    raycie

    raycie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2008
    Member:
    #5205
    Messages:
    3,419
    Gender:
    Male
    Oahu, HI
    Vehicle:
    2013 DCLB / 2016 4R Trail
    In need of $$$
    Not sure if adding a leaf to an already shot set will last. I know the OME full leaf set has an aal that you can add for heavier loads, but looking at the leafs that you have, not sure where in the pack it would need to be placed...maybe somewhere in the middle...

    As for your timbrens, I haven't received mine in the mail, so don't know what the "actual" instruction say, but everything I've read so far ( even on their website) says 1"...

    From the website....Q. I installed a rear kit on my pickup truck and it's almost touching the axle. The installation instructions indicate that I need a 1" gap. What should I do?
    A. Remove the spacer supplied in the assembly. If you have already done this or if there is no spacer in the kit then take the vehicle out for a test drive. Often with a vehicle having a partial load, or a vehicle having an older suspension, the rubber spring may be in contact with the axle with no adverse ride quality. If ride quality does appear to be poor, contact Timbren Customer Service.
    *
    Q. I installed a rear kit on my pickup truck and there is more than 3 inches of gap between the rubber spring and the axle. Is this OK?
    A. Ideally, you want to adjust the rubber spring to within a gap of about 1 inch. In most cases this can be done with a spacer included in the suspension enhancement system. If you have already installed everything included with the kit, contact the seller of the product (your Timbren Dealer) or Timbren customer service for a quick solution to this issue.
     
  18. Mar 23, 2011 at 2:53 PM
    #18
    Digiratus

    Digiratus Adventurer

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #34006
    Messages:
    22,948
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Roaming the PNW
    Vehicle:
    The RedHead
    2002 XtraCab TRD 4x4 SCv6 AutoTrans With Lots of Mods ADS COs w/Compression Adjusters Camburg Uniball UCAs Whiteline Lower Control Arm Bushings Kartek 7" Limit Straps Plastics Guy Front Bumpstops Custom Alcan Springs +800 lbs +3" ADS 10" Stroke Triple Bypass w/Resi Rear Shocks Custom Rear Shock Relocate All-Pro U-bolt Flip w/Timbren Bumpstops 4.88 Nitro Gears ARB Front Locker ARB Twin Compressor Black 17x8 Konig Countersteer Type X 285/70r17 Falken A/T3w Gunmetal 16x8 SCS Ray10s 255/85r16 Maxxis Bighorns Limited Edition (Relentless) Elite Front Bumper Smittybilt X2O 10K Winch Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport Selective Yellow Fog Lights in the Bumper Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro 4,000 Kelvin SAE Driving Lights with Clear Lenses on the Bumper Morimoto D2S Projectors XB35 Ballasts + 4300K Bulbs Badland Sliders FrankenFab Tire Carrier Swingout bumper w/kitchen BudBuilt Front & Bellypan Skids BAMF Rear Diff Skid Dometic CFX 55im Fridge/Freezer Alpha II Hardshell RTT Badland Custom Bed Rack Denso 210-0461 105 amp alternator Dual Northstar 24F AGM batteries BlueSea 7622 ML-ACR Battery controller Peak DBI Dual Battery Voltage Monitor Magnuson MP62 Supercharger w/2.37" Pulley Haltech Elite 2000 Standalone ECU Denso 650cc Fuel Injectors Doug Thorley Headers Aeromotive Stealth 340 Fuel Pump TransGo A340F Reprogramming Shift Kit Magnaflow Hi-Flow CAT, Magnaflow 18" Muffler w/Vibrant Resonator 13WL Brake Calipers Braided Steel Brake Lines ScanGauge II OBDII Scanner Kenwood TM-71A Dual Band Ham Radio Larson 70CM/2M Antenna Uniden 520xl CB radio 3' Firestik Adjustable tip antenna Pioneer DEH-P9400BH HU Alpine Amps & Type R components (F) and coaxials (R) Wet Okole Seat Covers Weathertech Digital Liners Deck Plate Mod 1" Diff Drop Carrier Bearing Drop
    x2
     
  19. Mar 23, 2011 at 3:07 PM
    #19
    04LTtacoma

    04LTtacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2010
    Member:
    #37190
    Messages:
    11,268
    Gender:
    Male
    Oregon
    Looks like it's time to get a new leaf spring kit!:D
     
  20. Mar 24, 2011 at 8:42 AM
    #20
    Dr. Sleep

    Dr. Sleep [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2009
    Member:
    #16977
    Messages:
    345
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Shane
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    07 DoubleCab SR5 4X4
    I hope not. . . . I'll post my solution, once I've got it.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top