tacoma lean

well i herd alot of talk that the taco lean is normal for 2nd gen. I dont, i got the rear tsb done and now my truck leand to the driver side whenever i have a full tank of gas, thats not normal the truck should have no problem handling a full tank. the lean is 1'1/4 to the driver side. i called the dealer and i scheduled to take the truck in tomorrow what do you guys think the dealer will tell me? my argument is if it leans with a full tank what about a full load thats something toyota has to fix!
whats your guys imput has anyone done this before and what results has the dealer given.

 

Good luck with that. I don't think they are going to be able to do anything for you...

 

I know its a long shot but we will see

 

Toyota does not consider the "Taco Lean" a defect or problem.

The only known remedy would be to insert a 10mm spacer to your front drivers-side shock assembly. This is NOT a dealer sanctioned remedy, rather a common practice adopted by aftermarket suspension suppliers - developed for their customers that wanted an even sitting truck.

Why Toyota would design a vehicle that leans slightly to one side with a full tank is beyond me? But they did. And it does.

BTW- with a stiffer aftermarket suspension the lean usually disappears entirely or is significantly diminished (even without adding a spacer to level things out).

 

Ya I just installed a Pro Comp stg II on mine and it came with a 1/4" spacer for the driverside coilover. Hell it might even be a lil thicker than that! so x2 on the above! I was actualysuprised to see it is to be installed on adjustable CO....i guess cause if you change the spring position you change the ride on that side.

 

Its going to be a long shot but we will see

 

I have OME all around and still have a lean even with a trim packer.

 

i FRIKKIN hate LEAN ON A VEHICLE! Luckily mine's level but I've had more than my share of that lean crap. It can fuk up a guy's mind and cause a nervous tick lol see that dude there walking with a limp and his head's cocked sideways and tongue sticking out one side of his mouth-he's got taco-lean!

 

I don't consider 1.25" to be a "slight lean" and while it may not harm the truck's performance, it still looks like sh*t. I hate the lean and while I understand that it is common based on the design, it shouldn't be acceptable. Since Toyota knows it exists, it would be a simple fix (slightly stiffer springs on d/s). Like anything else, only us auto enthusiasts will notice/give a crap about this type of thing and only a small percentage of us will ask Toyota to fix it (similar to the issue with the crappy rear leaf-springs). The rest will live with it or fix it ourselves- this is what Toyota is banking on- less complaints and strong truck sales so they can ignore that the problem exists. My .02

 

the tacoma's are designed with this problem in mind, as the leaf springs on the left side have a slightly higher arch than the ones on the right.

6 Lug leaf packs:


the left spring is in the middle, right spring is on the left. the third spring to your right is a stock 5-lug leaf with a greater arch than the 6 lug leafs.

the front coils springs are also side specific, with the left side slightly taller then the right.

taco lean is completley normal, and it does vary truck by truck. Toyota's aren't the only ones affected by this problem, chevy coloroado's and the canyons have this problem as well, it's just a simple fact that when you, the battery and the gas tank sit on one side, that side is not going to be level with the other.

 

That's what I'm saying toyota needs to adress this proplem that's why I'm taking the truck to the dealer to complain. If more and more people do this then toyota will have to fix this problem just like the rear tsb. I don't think its right to buy a truck and have to fix a problem it has yourself.

 

mine only leans about .5" on the driver's side when the tanks full. It's barely even noticeable. Have you checked to see if your passenger side rear wheel sticks out farther than the driver side?

 

Short of putting the fuel tank along the centerline (reducing ground clearance) or using self-leveling shocks ($$), how do you prevent the truck from leaning when there's an uneven load?

 

i wonder if air bags in the rear would help the overall lean? say 1-2 more PSI on the the drivers side?

 

mine only leans in the front driver side. So a small spacer inserted in that side usually fixes the issue.

 

Perhaps they need to compensate a bit more. Mine is off by about an 1". This platform is used by the Hilux which has right-hand drive. I bet those sit level. Perhaps they should swap all the components rather than just the steering components. The point is, proper engineering can fix the problem which is why the majority of other trucks and cars on the road don't have this problem.

By simply evening out the load. If we can level it, so can Toyota. They can stiffen the d/side springs a bit more; add their own spacer; redistribute heavy components, etc. This should be checked and fixed during gthe quality assurance inspection- over 1/2" shouldn't be acceptable.

 

The problem is that you 2nd gen guys not only have more curb weight to your truck, but also you have only two leafs and a helper-so when you haul stuff, you overload the springs. My 2001 is lighter yet has 3 leafs and a helper-the idea that they would skimp on the most important part of a truck that is intended to haul stuff is frustrating.

 

That would be true if I had 3 leaf springs but I got 4 (rear TSB done ) and I have 1"1/4 lean and that's without me in the truck.

 

same..5100's all 4 corners, Eibach springs up front and a Toytec lean spacer on the drivers side....didn't change the lean at all...and that's without me in the truck adding to the weight.

 

I bet you're right, never thought of that... since these trucks are the american version of the Hilux sold throughout the world with the driver on the other side.. it was engineered to disperse the load - but when you swap a well-fed american driver onto the same side as the battery and fuel tank with very little to counterbalance on the other side, you get Taco lean folks. Sounds like a plausible reason for how/why it's there and wasn't engineered that way.