Tacoma Spring refurbishing

Marlin has a shackle flip & I think allpro sells them

 

Hey Doug, I found another Chevy leaf pack at the JY this weekend that looks pretty good. The width of the leaves is only 2 1/4" Can they still be used as donors? I know if they're too wide I could grind them down to fit the u-bolts, didn't know about not wide enough, even by just a little.

 

Very nice Brad !! put up a couple pics of springs if ya can....

As far as being narrower it could be a problem keeping the leafs bundled together but with a little thought you could make a compression clamp that'd probably grip them together enough to prevent side-to-side movement

 

Thanks Doug. I think I can come up with something. I'll post pics of the leaf packs when I get them. Still haven't put mine on. Had a problem with a 3 ton jack handle going thru the back windshield this Saturday. Oh yeah, it was awesome.

 

I misread that. My bad...

 

Jack handles thru glass are never condusive to a good day....

Yes,yes , bad Chris, baaaaad uninformed Chris !!.. it's off to the gallows for you mate.....

 

Hi Gramps good to see you are awake and in a good mood.

 

Hi buddy !!.. Yeah another day above ground sucking air is a good thing...

 

Old Man Dave, you are making some mean spring packs. Thanks for all the info and the ideas. Now I have to build me a HD Chevy pack instead of going the Dakar route.

 

Mmmm, OMD'd leafs, still making me happy in my pants when I go offroading, just got back from an outting and looking for the gold stuff...
Damn Doug these still work like a charm. I took sometime lastnight to do some undercarraige maintenance and look over everything for possible damage as we tiddered a few big boulders on the frame and skids. Leafs are in fantastic shape, no change in height, no sagging, very consistent the drive into work is still very comfy and plush like day 1.

Oh btw, good morning.

 

I know you keep using a old wheel barrel tire and others use tire inner tubes or something but how do you fasten them to the springs to not make them not just come right out? What do spring manufactures use and how are they attached?

 

I need to go to a dang junkyard..

 

Who the hell is oldman Dave ????.....

I know an oLdMaN Doug...... No problem & your welcome & thanks for the compliment on my springs, ....

I encourage anyone who's looking to upgrade their suspension to at least consider rebuilding there own, the results of this MOD is nothing less than a success & you'll save so much $$$$ that you'll have money for other MODS.......

Hi Erik good morning back at ya & where da hell ya been !!??

those springs are going to look the same a year from now

Yeah I know, it's hillbilly but they work awesome.... What you need to do is raise the back of your truck to take weight off the springs, just to where your tires are about to come off the ground, then get a couple good , sturdy pry bars so you can pry the leaf ends open enough to put a little contact cement on the leaf ends, then get your rubber pad set in place, then release the spring you've got spread & presto !!! You have a quiet,sqeak free leaf pack, most spring manuf. drill a hole in leafs & insert pads

A note on spreading the leaf ends: BE VERY CAREFUL while spreading leaf ends, pry bars can slip, leaving your now crushed,useless finger to become a anti squeak pad

Well shit son, what ya waiting for ???

 

Its Gold season, out making this Jap truck earns its wages...Tehee. I have to knock the rust off these Junkyard rust bucket leafs...

BTW, my Leafs don't make any noise even after mud, dust, sand and water, yup those wheel barrel inner tubes work well.

 

can i have some jew gold?

 

So..... Any suggestions?

FYI - I finally took some measurements. Front= 23", back = 22.5"
This is with the TSB spring in the rear. Ideally, I want the rear to sit at 23"-23.5"

 

I'd put 1 mildly ARC'd spring under your existing leafs & call it a day........

 

Leave the TSB spring on & just add another Chevy spring? Or take off the TSB spring and add a Chevy spring?
What length should I cut the donor spring?

Sorry man. I've never worked on rear suspension before.

 

Well Doug sure has..... Captain Hanger spreader...

 

I won't ask.