Tacoma Spring refurbishing

Less ARC / thicker leafs = load capacity+

 

So right now as my truck sits it has the stock leaves, the progressive AAL and the overload.

My goal is to turn the frown upside down, remove the overload, while keeping the AAL (since I already paid for them) and achieve an additional 1in of lift for a total of 2.5 total over stock (AAL plus new chevy/ford spring) while having good flex and being able to tow a boat during the summer for tuna fishing. Since I am keeping the AAL, do you think for all this it would be best to replace the 2nd and 3rd leaf of the stock spring or would only replacing the 3rd spring with one that has a little more arc and thicker be enough? I'm fairly new to leaf springs.

 

Is it a single AAL ? & I need to see so get me a couple pics of springs...

 

It is the wheelers 3 leaf AAL.

 

Here's a different angle. Big sure why I am unable to post the pics all on one reply.

 

So after driving around a few days on the bastard packs I put together HERE, I'm really thinking they ride nice.
I need to check the flex, but I suspect they'll flex really well.

While they didn't provide me with any additional lift (above what I already had with an aal), I'm considering using the longer springs that I haven't already used and removing the 2nd stock tacoma leaf.

I'm wondering what purpose, if any, that bend on the front of the second stock leaf is supposed to serve.

Also, how important will it be to fab up a spring clamp after cutting off the one that holds the second leaf to the top leaf?

 

The wheelers progressive is good but like most progressives dont hold up for long, if I was to rebuild your leafs it'd be with 3 donors per side leaving the wheelers out of the build...

The secondary spring on the OEM packs is a flimsy attempt of a mil. bushing wrap & doesn't do much if anything, I guess its supposed to keep main from bending under heavy loads (which we already know how they behave under load, not very well)

If you clamp anything, put 2 clamps per side about 10" in front of & behind centerpin, this will catch the whole leafpack

 

Here's a link to some quick spring clamp MOD if anyone's interested...


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

 

Thanks Doug for the info doug! I will be going to the JY soon to hopefully find myself a nice pair of donors.

 

Same, thanks Doug

 

No worries guys, glad to help....

 

Brett and I are using ALL the implements of destruction and making quite the mess.




Our first attempt was to just remove the aal and the overload and slap on the bottom three leaves of the donor pack.
That essentially put me back to where I was -~1/4". It rode and flexed nice enough that now what I'm doing is adding the top two of the donor leaves (cut slightly to fit).

Our current dilemma is that the donor leaves have too small of a hole for the centering pins and we destroyed our compliment of 3/8" drill bits the last time. So I sent Brett to Home Depot for some more drill bits and another stripping disk for the grinder.

 

Assembled!
As soon as the paint dries we'll put them back on the truck and see what's what.

 

Purdy!

 

Psyched!
Exactly what I wanted.





The final test will come on the trail, but man I think these are perfect.
I got some rake back, they seem to ride great and I think they'll flex nicely.

Doug, you the man for posting all this information and having the idea.
I'm going to need the application for "Junior OMD modder"

 

Doug I got the third spring installed on Saturday with my overload leaf this time.

Before with just two tacoma leafs and two leafs you sent
After with two tacoma leafs, three leafs you sent and over load leaf

 

Looks good to me.

 

Yep yep I'm happy with the outcome of 5 leafs and a overload. Around 1 inch over the front.

 

What's your setup? I would like similar. So you have the 2 toyota main leafs and 3 donors? And the front?

Looked at your build. I'm doin exactly what you did, 885s in 5100s and rear donor leafs.

 

Without a camper shell you may not need as many. Or you could leave the overload out. I'm curious to see how high the rear sits when I take the shell off. I had a 2 inch aal before I put the shell on. The shell dropped the rear 1.5 inches.