Possible to add a leaf to HD springs?

2000 2.4L 5 lug.

I have some heavy duty springs on the way. They are being manufactured and the tech said that he can only build one extra leaf into the leaf pack before the geometry doesn’t work in the truck. I didn’t think to ask any more and just left it at that.

Ive been reading some of your reviews on various HD springs and it seems the consensus is that they are only marginally better than stock springs in terms of ride height and time before they start to sag.

my goal is to have about 1.5 inches lift for heavy loads (a bit over 1200lbs) I often find myself hauling. By the sounds of it, the HD springs will help with the load capacity but only just. It also sounds like they provide around .75 to 1 inch lift. They’re getting installed with 5100s.

Before I realized I needed new leaf springs in the first place, I ordered ICON add a leaf.
If it came down to it, is it possible to add the ICON kit to heavy duty springs or would it be the same restrictions as what the manufacturer is dealing with? Should I just return the add a leaf kit?

Im not sure how difficult it will be to see if they fit when I install the new leafs. Id hate to go through all the work only to have to undo it all just to remove the kit that doesn’t fit.

 

Have you looked into airbags? Pretty sure I see people mention the Firestone ones going for like $200. Seems like that's the move for your circumstances. Then you can just return the add-a-leaf

 

Hmmm I’ll Take a look into it. I probably have preconceived notions about airbags but I feel like they're a bit over the top for my 250k km 24 year old work truck. But I guess if they do the job…

 

looks like one individual air shock or whatever it’s called is more than 200 and the Firestone kit is 650$ for the best Price I’ve seen.

regardless, of all the kits I’ve been looking through, it doesn’t look like any of them work on a 5 lug. All the lower brackets are made to bolt around the leaf spring which is meant to be on top for these kits to work

 

Interesting. Are there maybe any cheaper universal kits that can be adapted? I didn't realize that the leafs on the 5-lug trucks were under the axle. That might make an airbag kit install pretty tricky

 

could try the torque kit-

$300 TORQUE Airbag Air Bag Suspension Kit for 1995-2004 Toyota Tacoma 4WD and Prerunner 2WD Rear Helper Bag Spring Towing 5000 lbs (Replaces Firestone Ride Rite 2304) (TR2304)

https://www.amazon.com/Suspension-1995-2004-Prerunner-Replaces-Firestone/dp/B0CQ161SRS

I don’t know if it’s the same for first gens, but for second gen they licensed the design from Firestone so it’s the same. Apparently the bags are actually thicker rubber

kits are cheap now, partially due to the exchange rate, they are made in turkey and the Turkish lira is in the toilet right now

 

I just installed new HD leafs (after replacing them 2 years ago...) along with new shocks and an airbag set up. 10/10 recommend air bags, they are awesome. You might be able to find a used pair for cheaper? My pops had some lying around that were for a chevy 2500 and I retrofitted them to fit the Tacoma.

 

Somebody must have been thinking about you - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-custom-rear-airbags.757735/

 

yea the problem is that theirs is a 6 lug, mine is a 5 lug. My spring is under the axle so the bottom brackets on all the kits I’ve seen so far don’t fit

 

I wonder can you get someone to weld a small perch on top of your axle that you could mount an airbag too?

 

Although also a 6 lug Scott built a perch for his - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/scott-b-s-2015-ac-build-expo-style.368814/page-12#post-19167175. Hopefully will help with some design ideas.

 

Did you use a kit for the sua or was it custom?

 

All 5 lug Tacomas are spring under from the factory

 

I think the geometry issues thatve been mentioned are because of pinion angle relative to the driveshaft. Ive got some 2* axle shims (also called castor wedges) on the way to deal with the vibration i now have after rebuilding my leafs with chevy 2500 springs cut down to my liking