Help on leaf install

Lowe's has a pretty good selection of grade 8 bolts, if you have one nearby.

 

Good call, thank you sir! Alright I should have everything I need now to finish her up. we shall see.

 

next time you need tools, use the walmart rental plan. go to walmart, buy the tool, use it once and repackage it. take it back and get a refund.

 

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Place socket on bolt ... place end of ratchet on top of hydraulic bottle jack plunger (level with rubber pad on top of jack plunger).

Gently jack up ratchet end and many nuts & bolts will pop loose and you have slow incremental control too.

Be careful of slippage ... don't want to loose your eyes or teeth. ...

This trick has saved my azz many times, especially in tight places ...
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I keep second guessing myself and thinking I may have put the leaf springs on backwards... longer end to the front or back?? My centering pin is like 6 inches too far back from where It should be

 

then it's backwards

long side back.

 

Yarp.

And make sure you get the side-specific leafs on the correct sides! They are different lengths!

 

Bc djbdjxhmx mm gun thanks guys... I do have the sides correct aye least

 

Even when you have everything on the right side and in the correct orientation, you may still need to persuade the axle foward a bit to seat the pin on the axle. Use a ratchet strap around the axle and attached somewhere forward on the frame.

 

x2, I was able to kick mine in place. Make sure the truck is securely on jack stands before doing this though

 

Alright guys I have another road block.... I can't get the plate that attaches to the shackle on the inside of the leaf spring on. The outside plate must have gotten bent one of the times I was taking the spring off or on... I tried bending it up with brute force but I can't get it close enough to get that both shackle bolts through there.... any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Here's a picture of my problem...
Also while I'm at it, is my yellow bushing on the wrong side?

 

They can be a bit of a pain if you are doing one leaf spring at a time (as opposed to lowering the entire axle, replacing both springs, then lifting entire axle). The articulation of one end of the axle hanging down puts the leaf at a slight angle compared to top of the shackle where it attaches to the frame. Lift the axle as high as you can to minimize this angle, and you should be able to get it on. Frankly, it may be better to get an extra pair of hands for this manuever. I remember swearing a lot and wished I had dropped the whole axle and done both sides at the same time.

Um, it sould be a 2-part bushing that looks like that on both sides, if I recall correctly. Each side has a flange.

 

These are the bushings that came with, 2 of each and also a metal tube lookin thing
I assumed the 2 short ones are for the shocks, do both of the long ones go in the leaf? The problem when I tried that is that they are too long and don't sit flush on the leaf. Also I'm not sure what the metal part is for.

 

Also I cut off the end of the bolt and still am struggling to get it out. I tried hammering it out or rotating it to break it free with no such luck... any tips? First time having to cut out a bolt...

 

Wait, which bolt? the front hanger pin (bolt)? I thought you already had the leafs on backward once?

You need to cut the bolt in two places to free it form the hanger bracket. After that, it doesn't mater if it is seized in the old leaf, which you are throwing away...
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/55486-1st-gen-suspension-install.html#post1004441


And if you still haven't got the front hanger pins out, you shouldn't be trygin to install the rear shackles yet. Front first, rear last.

I'm not sure why your bushings stick out. Those are leaf bushings, not shock bushings.

Did you read any write-ups about this before you dove in? You get an A for enthusiasm, at least...

 

I did read the write ups, (not the one you linked though, will take a look) I had wishful thinking I wouldn't have to cut anything out but was wrong, and a few of the other hitches i've hit haven't been addressed in any write ups. The front hanger pin I couldn't get out was on the driver side and I was doing one side at a time. the passenger leaf was on backwards.

 

Ah, OK, gotcha. Yeah, all the writeups vary on detail. I got lucky and did not have to cut. Hopefully, the one writeup I linked to clarified how to cut the front bolt.

What brand leaf/bushings are these? Maybe the vendor can clarify on the fit of bushings and sleeves. I believe the metal sleeve should fit over the bolt, and the bushings should slip over the sleeve. Why the bushings are too wide I can't tell you, unless they sent the wrong ones.

 

Dude It really does not matter what way you put the bushings in, just put them the way that everything feels tight.

And like Scott said, you need to cut the front hanger bolt in 2 places, between the leaf spring and the actual hanger that is welded to the frame. You will end up with a section of bolt still in the leaf spring, and 2 little pieces of bolt that will fall out of the hanger. Be careful not to cut into the hanger, hope you got a cutoff wheel for that grinder and not a grinding wheel.