Tacoma Spring refurbishing

great thanks for the heads up guys!

 

Doug, is my pack worth saving? Not the greatest pic but the only one I have.
I'm looking for 2.5-3 inches out back to go with the billies/eibachs i'll be ordering for the front.

Was gonna go with a dakar pack for the rear but for the price of a refurb I've gotta give it a try. If my pack is good to refurbish then does it matter what model chevy to get them from? Do I keep my main and replace the others or just add chevy springs to my whole pack? Some of these might have been answered in here already so I apologize.

 

Went to the junkyard today to take a look around. Took some pics to make sure I'm on the right track before I buy something. How do these look? All are chevy springs. First 3 are 1/2-3/4 ton trucks and the last is an s10.

On a side note how do I embed pics so they are big and you don't have to click them?

 

from what ive been hearing in this thread, you dont want 3/4 ton leafs because the ride will be way too stiff. the 1/2 will probably be a little too stiff also, but the s10 should work good.

 

I used a leaf out of a '76 3/4 ton cut to 33"s and the ride is excellent, much better than stock. Got 2.25" of lift as well

 

Also the only S-10 pack referenced in this thread are the old 1 TON Spring under axle Dually that they used to make...

 

^^This. Everyone interested in doing this mod to your leaf packs needs to take the time to read this entire thread. Almost every question has been answered in some form or fashion, from the trucks to look for at the junkyard, lengths to cut your donors, installation tricks and tips, etc. If you still have a question after reading everything, someone on here will be glad to try to help.

 

Sorry for slow response Jacob, from what I see your stock pack is rebuildable, You can use either 1/2 or 3/4 ton springs as long as they're equal or very near same thickness, a little steel goes a long way.

see above...

you get a dbl thumb....

Exactly Chris, I tout the commercial 1 ton S-10 SUA as being the holy graille of OEM springs, still do but in the 2+ years I've been doing this I have only found 1 & i spend a fair amount of time in wrecking yards looking...

 

Awesome! I'll be ordering my lift soon so I guess that means I'll be back in the junkyard too

 

Thanks Brad, I know this thread has some nonsense & fooling around in it but I truly do try to address all the issues around this MOD so it turns out as successfully for others as it has for me, again this MOD isn't for everyone (i.e; those who do not have the skills/tools/place to do it etc

Its for those who (like me) think outside the box, have the skills/tools etc; but lack the financial resources to buy over -the-counter springs although at this point, this MOD meet or exceeds name brand springs achieving the objective & performance desired, there are alternatives to upgrading your suspension & this is one of them....

 

Last time I was home I actually saw 2 or 3 of the 1 ton s-10's on the road...

 

Just tore apart my set of 94 Chevy 3/4 ton springs today and got em all prettied up. Pulled out my stock springs and I'm gonna be doin some cutting and adding of 2, possibly 3 Chevy springs to my Toyota pack tomorrow. I think I'm going to keep the two top Toyota springs, and I'm wondering if anyone can give me any advice on how long to make the new lowers. I have a first Gen, so I know about offset. Would I be ok to simply measure the second Toyota spring, then make added springs consecutively 4 inches shorter front and back than the above spring. Read pretty much every post on this forum, and pictures and its not quite clearing this up for me. Thanks

 

I don't wanna hear it Chris !!.. Next time you're in Okla. bring some back for me I'll pay the $$$$...

I've addressed this a couple times in thread but I don't expect anyone to know where in thread its mentioned (hell I don't remember) But yeah, thats what you want to do, cut them symetrically with the existing...

 

Thanks Doug, and mad respect for this entire thread.

 

Finished my springs over the weekend. I put the second stock toyota leaf back in and added 3 leafs. One at 34, one at 24, and one at 16. I also put the stock overload back in so that i could bolt up my E-Brake cable. All added leafs were diamond cut and a new center pin was added. The ride is much better than my first try at the refurbish.

I was also able to find a used set of OME springs for a good deal that i will be testing side by side with my stock refurbished springs.

 

Doug, mines are squeeking real bad! Any ideas?

 

break it down and put bike inner tube or thicker rubber between the leafs...

 

Hi Derek, I found the other half of the wheelbarrow radial tire I was using for pads on other springs, I'll cut you some pads out of it & send your way probably the end of this week, I got a kit going to Kodiak, Alaska for member USCG2008, so I'll send then.....

You just remember to snag those S-10's for me dude....

 

would you give thought to building a sua LT leaf pack?

 

Very nice Scott !!!... Yeah sometimes ya gotta fine tune the MOD, the good thing about that I've found is the more I tweak it , the better the results, keep me posted with pics & results too, we ALL learn how this could be done better....