Tacoma Spring refurbishing

Depends on how you go about doing your leafs, are you keeping the mains & building off them or are you just adding to the existing leaf packs ?

 

Thats a decent price too

 

Probably going to just add to mine existing packs and ditch the overload (depending on what height I end up with). What were the lengths I needed to cut them to again? I know that the center pin isn't in the center too.

 

From the bottom leaf (not overload) You'll want to cut the donor spring 3.5" shorter on each end, repeating for each donor added

 

Okay, time for my contribution

I originally bought my truck with a 2" block in the rear and leveling bags (ones mounted in front of axle). I quickly changed out the block for a AAL. All was good.. now fast forward about a year..

A month ago I started getting a creak and feeling of axle wrap like the stock leafs are notorious for. I searched and found this thread.. I actually did read all 72 pages and figured out what I needed.

Well this morning I headed out to the junkyard and found some good leafs off of a 1996 Chevy 1/2ton 4x4. They are three leafs and a overload. Picked them up for $47.25 with tax and I grabbed a 6leaf spring for good measure as well. They were 2.5" wide and 1/4" thick so they looked like they would work.

I bought them home and cleaned them up and decided I was gonna use two leafs on either side. I backed my truck in and got to work... I pulled my leveling bags out, but took measurements with them @ 50psi and deflated (i'll post those measurements). About 8hrs later I had my hybrid packs installed back on the truck.

I used:
Main Toyota
Smaller Chevy (out of the 3leaf pack)
Longer Chevy (out of the 3leaf pack cut to 36.5" total length)
AAL (I kept it at its original length, with the long side to the rear)

My measurements before:
Driver (bags @ 50): 40 3/4"
Pass (bags @ 50): 41"
Driver (bags deflated): 39 3/4"
Pass (bags deflated): 40"

The completed pack was the same thickness as my non TSB pack with AAL and overload (1 3/4")

After measurements:
Driver: 41 5/8"
Pass: 41 7/8"

I haven't driven it yet, as I just finished 10min ago @ 1am, but will tomorrow and will report back my findings.

Here are the pics I did take:




DROOOOP


Anyway, I'm $60 dollars into it and a day of my life.. right now, can't say it was a loss!

 

Looks good man !! You're going to get some decent lift out of that & pretty sure the ride will be better than expected..well done..

Yeah make sure to post up your results/opinion

 

Good hardware for the clamps, position looks pretty good.. Did you tighten them down so they just warp over the leafs ?

 

How are you making the clamps and how do they stay in that position?

 

Tyler from PelfreyBilt Fabrications does mine, Then get some 3/8" thread bolts /with nuts about 4" long & position roughly 10" on either side of the centerpins, ya want to tighten them just enough to warp over the leafs

 

Heres a link to how I was doing it....

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/220579-1-hour-spring-clamps.html

 

The clamps were made with 1/4"x2 flat stock, cut @ 4'' lengths. I used 5/8" GR8 bolts and locking nuts w/ flat washers to hold everything together.

I drove around and put 20 miles on. Rides great. But I'm still getting a slight creak. It's only apparent from a stop and only in forward drive. Not in reverse, at speed or stationary jumping on the bumper. Im going to grease my driveline and retorque all my rear suspension bolts and see if it changes.

Im sitting kinda raked now.. looks like I'm gonna have to buy some UCAs and coilovers now!

 

Doug, did you ever use springs from 90s chevys? I don't recall you ever mentioning it.

 

Gotcha! And how do you do your diamond cuts? I have a torch but that would need a lot of cleanup with a grinder. I imagine it would take quite a few cutoff wheels to do it too.

 

I did not. Maybe I should? The creak was there before as well. I'll look into it this weekend.

 

I didnt even use 1 cutoff disc to dog ear 4 leafs.

 

Dang, I thought it would take a couple. What type of disk did you use? I haven't used cutoffs on anything but a dremel.

 

Just pick up a real angle grinder and any 'ol cutting wheel. I bought 3 at lowes and didn't hardly use one wheel. Where are you at, I could give you a hand.

 

I've got an angle grinder and an air tool with a cutoff (both my dad's), just never used them. And I'm about 40 minutes north of Winston Salem. I should be able to handle it, just trying to plan everything out before I start since this is my dd and can't be down for more than a weekend. Going to do 5100's and OMD leafs all at once. Eibachs are out of stock at toytec though

 

The only '90's series springs I think I've used is the 1 ton S-10, the 70's - thru mid 80's Chevy springs have gotten the best results for me anyway..

Don't use a torch, the best way would be a water jet, but I don't have one, I use cut off wheels & it doesn't take many 2 or 3, about $1.00 each

 

My dad has one of these too, I forgot about it. Might try it but idk how well it would work cutting at an angle other than 90*.