Tacoma Spring refurbishing

Oh, sorry man. I've been super busy lately. PM incoming...

 

Went through the entire junkyard, only found 2.5" width

If we used a 2.5" width, is it possible to use without having to grind on the entire edge uniformly? Seems like only grinding down 0.0625" on each side just next to the U bolt wouldn't make a huge difference (the edges are rounded anyway)

Those of you using Ford Blazer and Chevy S10's for 1st gen Tacomas, are you actually finding 2 3/8" or are you just grinding both sides of every single leaf spring down uniformly?

 

I used 2.5" width leafs and had no problems at all. I thought i might have to grind at the areas where my u bolts were but nope, it fit fine. You can just barely tell if you look really close. Thats for a 2013 now, i cant say for all yrs.

 

Mine is an 01 3.4L double cab. Not sure if there is a difference in widths?

Just got back from junkyard #2 and still no luck All 2.5" even with several older Ford and Chevy trucks. Strange. ...come on craigslist!

 

I have 2.5 wide on mine… no fitment issues at all, no grinding, just bolted em all together and hung them under the truck. Look at my previous posts to see how they fit. Your leaf spring clamps will fit over them fine, just a little tight. Mines a 97… should be the same from 96 - 01 at least, maybe to 2004 but don't quote me on that.

 

'97 & earlier are about 2" shorter in length, & glad you guys are having success with the 2.5" but I'd highly suggest that you grind them down a little where the U bolts flip over into the perch, if you look carefully you may find that they're not completely seated squarely across the top, if ya are great, if not break out the grinder & hit the inside & outside edges

 

Look what I found on CL! A 76 Chevy 1 ton leaf pack ...only something doesn't look right. One pack has 8 springs and one has 7! Anyone else come across this?!?

 

Maybe drivers side/pass side?

 

Not normal but under that surface rust I see some pretty good donors

 

OK, out of the LEFT side pack, this is the one you want to use probably, from what i see theres more uniformity to the leafs/less stress, the other side look at it, I see gaps in the ends

EDIT: Also I'm suspect about it, I think its been taken apart

 

Any 2nd gen have stock measurements for rear? I can't find my old ones. Am pulling the leafs out tomorrow and see what happens.

 

Which ones you want ?? total length? Length from eyelett to secondary leaf ??

 

I meant height. eyeballing it isn't gonna help in the mountains never know what is level what is not.

 

From hub to fender

 

All bets off for that, everyones is different, I'm about to hand you the keys to the city...are you ready ??

 

You want to determine height in your case correct ?? Simple, take a stock 2nd gen leafpack & flip it on its eyeletts, measure from the ground to the bottom of main spring as close to centerpin as possible, for stock spring you should have roughly 7.5"-7.75" Now keep that measurement in mind as you start adding/removing leafs doesn't matter which way you do it but any accurate measurement of gain or loss will have to be made with the leafpack assembled & tightened centerpin, then flip it on its eyeletts & re measure, this is the gain or loss you'll have will be the difference in the original measurement..

 

Doug how much would removing the factory over load take away for me 2nd gen?

I found my old measurements and that one leaf I put in gave me 3" of lift in the rear. And then the other one gave me 2". Wondering if I take the bottom two out which is the factory overload and the 3" if that will leave me with a 3 leaf pack and no over load.

 

Wouldn't it just be the thickness of the overload?

 

That was my question I've only lifted my truck 3 times now. Yet to lower it lol. I couldn't remember if the front and read were same. Where in front 1.5 in of lift gives you 3". Where as the .25 thickness or however thick the overload is gives .5 or double the actual thickness. Follow me?

 

Well, yes and no. Look, we get a boost lift for each leaf we put on, like little lift blocks. In addition, if we have more arc, then the spring will follow the new arc of the stronger leaf when they are bolted together. More arc = more lift.

The overload is either completely flat or has an arc away from the spring arc. It doesn't contribute to the arc at all. So with out it, it should differ the lift by just the thickness of that leaf.

That's how I understand it anyway.