Tacoma Spring refurbishing

If you can anchor the leaf set down you could pry them up enough to remove the main, hopefully it'll stay in place...

I've cut a few off in a manner to re weld back on , but I am by no means a welder.....

 

You'll need some new center leaf pack bolts with nylon locking nuts. I think they're pretty much a one size fits all, butbyou might want to check just so there are no surprises on saturday.

 

You are very welcome Rick & glad your expectations/needs were met doing this MOD...

I know it sounds corny but I get giddy as a school girl on prom night when results such as yours take place, from the beginning all I wanted was for members like myself that don't have the $$$$ to go after "name brand" springs to get or exceed "name brand" performance at a fraction of the cost & this is about as close as I can get while maintaining low out-of-pocket cost....

 

Yep, 3/8" thread size on centerpins & yeah have your ducks in a row as to ext. brakelines/ext. shocks/new Ubolts if neccessary/BPV relocation bracket (1st gen) & 3/4" spacers for carrier bearing drop if a vibe developes...

 

Doug,

I ended up buying doughnuts for my Toyota service manager to get the TSB springs. I bought my buddy, that helped install my extra leaf, a McDonalds lunch. Two new leaf springs and center pins. I reused the nearly new TSB U-bolts. So about $130 total for a 5 leaf spring pack and $300 for the Bilsteins. WHAT A RIDE.

 

Just standard socket cap (round head) grade 8 from the hardware store? Not looking to get new shocks, I'll play with the leafs if need be.

 

Your 2nd gen so ext. isn't as critical as with 1st gens & yeah, grade 5 or better, the stock pins (& even 3rd party) aren't as hardened as people think..

 

What's a good length on the center bolt?

 

About 4" , you'll trim a little off when your leafpack is complete to clear bumpstops...

 

That's what I was thinking but the longest Lowe's had was 3" so I got it. I'll go to Home Depot and see.

 

Is there anything I can do with my 1.5" Deavers? I've never been happy with them even after adding Icon 2.0 resis'. Sick of the bottoming out in basic neighborhood dips! HELP!

 

If I get rid of my overload and add two chevy leafs I should be around 4" right? And will I need a longer break line then?

 

If you dump the overload, won't be an issue, depending how many leafs you have total you may STILL be ok with 3"...

I'm not going to bash but I don't even use them for donors of any kind, send me a couple pics of your current set up & I'll evaluate...

Depending how many leafs are already there you'd be adding to, with a stock pack (with or without TSB) 2-nicely ARC'd springs can yield anywhere from 2.5"-3.5", if you work off just the main leaf, adding 3 springs (possibly 4) as described above you'll def. get 4" but you'll probably hit the limit on shackles, you'll want ext. brakelines & ext. shocks

 

If I take out the overload, and just replace the two springs, would I need to extend any brake lines? Shim the axle to the correct angle?

 

Current OMD spring users.....

So far there are these members running my springs:

1 myself 1st gen

2 Recklesstaco (matt)- 2nd gen

3 taco_me_elmo (micah) 1st gen

4 00taco00 (Reagan) 1st gen

5 CSJUMPER2003 (chris) 2nd gen 4x

6 Gregero (Greg) -2nd gen.

7 Donnod - 2nd gen (out of Las Vegas)

8 S.B. (Sean)-2nd gen. is getting ready to do this MOD also

9 Tmectaco79 (Adam) -2nd gen is pending

10 Fiddynut- 1st gen. he just did this

11 Enduromatic (matt) 1st gen (Oregon)

12 goufcustom (michael) 2nd gen

13 Res4cue (John) 2nd gen

14 Yotakid62 (Forrest) 1st gen (North Dakota)

15 PT_LAW (Steve) 1st gen. (Mass.)

16 01Tac0ma (Chad) 1st gen (SC)

17 TRd7 1st gen (SC)

18. Jdaniel1274 (1st gen.) (L.A.)

19. dad32509 2nd gen. (Dave)

20. Strohski (Chris) 2nd. gen. (Norcal) building his this week

21. Sportsterchop200 1st gen. (central Florida)

22. DWRECK (Derek) 2nd gen. Las Vegas

23. Leoffensive (Leo) 2nd gen.

24. LazyMF (Canada)

25. cayucostacoma 2nd gen. Chris

26. gdry06 (gary) 2nd. gen

27. Wareagle1 (Brad) 2nd gen

28. socaltaco65 (Erik) 2nd gen

29. White Toy Taco (Gian) 1st gen. Albuquerque, New Mexico

30. Tmectaco79 (Adam) 2nd gen.

31. Wolftree (Rick) 2nd gen single cab 4x Ohio

32.Sandman614 2nd gen. Boone,NC

I'm still missing some...

 

If lifting just an inch or so I'd say no big deal but if going up 2"+ its just good measure to extend brakelines (you'll have to most likely) Brakelines make lousy limit straps...

& as far as shimming the axle that would be last resort to correct if vibrations occur, out of all on list (& some not on list) I have not had one comment or complaint as to vibrations after doing this MOD, like I've said before, the only truck that DID get a vibe afterwards was mine...

& it was easily corrected by adding 2- 3/4" spacers under the carrier bearing, this corrected driveline angle

 

3" bolts were fine. Initial measurements and pics to come tomorrow.

 

Nice !!...

You better get some pics up tomorrow, I already added you to the list ....

 

Replaced the secondary Toyota leaf with a 50" 1976 Chevy 3/4 ton leaf cut to size. From front to Center 23 3/4, from center to rear 22 1/2.

Rear Driver:................Rear Passenger:
Stock - 21 3/4".........21 3/8"
Before(Factory1 + Factory2 + 1.5" 3 leaf AAL) - 23 1/8".........Before - 23 3/8"
After(Factory1 + Chevy + 1.5" 3 leaf AAL) - 23 3/8"...........After - 23 3/4"

New Leafs


Comparing new and old. Cut off one side of the "guards" and had to twist the leaf to get it off the main.


My buddy doing the diamond cut


Cut, painted and drying


Diamond cut, used Engine Enamel and a heat gun to dry


Stacking the leafs, the driver side is harder. Got the one ratchet strap set to the max length of the Brake lines.


After

 

With lifting around 2-3 in the back how much will I need to lift the front to level or a little less?