2002 Tacoma, leaf spring HELP! please!

I have a 2002 tacoma 4x4. I had a leaf spring break the other day, trying to purchase a kit of dakar leaf pack that has the 2.5 lift. Im not certain all, what are all the parts i need and how to get them. Where do i find a kit that has all the parts i need, im getting stressed out. I need to get this fixed asap, but how can i do that if there are no KITS, please help, ive searched all over and find this part or that part or this and that. Some more expensive, some cheaper, just seems like a rip off. I need the 2.25 lift leaf pack for both sides, new u bolts, new shackles, axle shims, new bushings, new bolts for front and back mounting, etc. Possible brake line extender and exhaust mount.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP, im getting frustrated.

sean d.

slc UTAH

 

This is my daily driver, i have no second vehicle, i need to get a full kit and go from there so i can tear it down and have it put back together before monday work day.

 

I'm pretty sure you can buy just a new leaf pack and longer u bolts. http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/tacoma/deaver.html

Or have you though about a junkyard to snatch some off a tacoma as a temp fix

 

Talk to the folks at Wheelers Offroad. They will make sure you get everything you need. That's where I bought my stuff. Very helpful with questions I had.

 

A junk yard would be a hassle and stress to do just for a week. I want the 2 inch lift so now is the time to do it. Seems like I would need more than just the leaf pack and u bolts. Shims, shackles, bushings, etc.

 

I don't think you'll be able to get it fixed by Monday unless you go with the shitty original leaf packs. Shipping on anything will be at least a few days.

Borrow a friends car for a week if you can take a bus hitch a ride or something but don't rush to get any pack get a good one and you'll be happier in the long run.

 

In regards to the lift you may have to swap out the shocks as overextending shocks may dAmage them

 

It kinda depends what you need once you get in there. When I replaced my old with new I used the stock shackles, unless your looking for more lift then you can go with longer shackles. Extended shocks for the added height. New U-bolts are necessary. Extended brake line if your taking it off road (I found this out the hard way). New bushings. Then it all depends how rusted things are. If you can get the main mounting bolts (@front of leafs where the leaf meets the frame and where leafs meet the shackles on the rear end) out and reuse them. I can't remember if the new leafs came with new mounting bolts? Call wheelers or ToyTec and they can answer all kinds of question on what you need to order exactly. This list I laid out is from my memory and may be a little off.

Anyway, good luck and have fun with the new ride!

If your wanting more or will want more, you can go with the expo leafs and they give you roughly 3-4"s of lift. The DAKARS are great and I love mine but there are time I wish I would have gone with a leaf pack that would have given me close to 4"

 

Here is my list of supplies that I got for my rear:

Dakar leafs
u-bolts (do not reuse original)
main eye bolt (cut mine out, 235K on original, bought new ones at NAPA) Try ACE hardware as well.

OME greaseable shackles (you don't need this but you will need new rear spring bushings) May need new bolts for this as well

You don't need a new breakline to get it fixed but it will be as tight as a banjo string when you replace the leafs. Spray some penatration lube on everything starting today!

As people above said talk to Wheelers, they know their stuff.

 

Thanks a lot. So i plan to call and speak with wheelers.

ill get the Dakars 2.25 springs, new grease-able shackles, extended brake line, new u bolts, bushings.
--I cant seem to find shims on there site, ill have to ask them about that.

So now future questions, can i add some blocks int he front to level out the truck, ive heard bad things about blocks. I have belestein 5100 shocks, so im at 2.5 lift in front already, can i put a block on there as well? if i did 2-3 blocks on top of the springs, what would happen?

Also, in the future can i add a leaf to those dakars? or will i be set at 2.25?

thanks for all the help.

sean

 

i have new belestein 5100 hundreds i put on, are those extended or am i going to have to buy again?

 

Yes you can add a leaf later if you wanted to, or add longer shackles depending what your needing the extra height for (added weight or just higher stance)

As for blocks... I wouldn't put blocks under your new leafs (once DAKARS are in). Either do the AAL or shackles.

For the front, since you already have the Bilsteins set at 2.5" you could get some lift coils (EIBACH's) and set the Bilsteins to the 0" setting because the coil does the full 3"-3.25" of lifting.
Or
You shouldn't add a spacer to the Bilsteins/ stock coils since the spacers are on the 2.5" setting. You can add a spacer if you move the Bilstein setting down to zero but it defeats the purpose of having adjustable lift shocks.

 

but if i take the shocks to 0, the spring will go to 3, and ill be right back to where i started from wont i?

 

Honestly, im sort of over it. Ive stopped by 2 shops and no one can give me a strait answer, whats good whats bad, its all contradicting and makes no sense. I say "what do i do" and i get 10 answers, sort of hard to plan both time, project and financially when i cant get a strait, This is how you do it.

 

You should not get disappointed Continue to search TW and educate yourself and make a informed decision. At least you live in SLC and not BFE, if you need something when working on your truck just run out and grab it.

In your first post you said that your rear leaf broke. In post #10 you listed the things that would get your truck on the road, and give you a ride back to work. This should be your first focus. Worry about the front later! Also I think Cruiser Outfitters is located in SLC so that could be a local chose for parts. Best of luck!

 

I understand feeling overwhelmed with different options. Plus most shops know more about jeeps than they do tacomas (atleast in my area). But like ^ said... Research and educate yourself as much as you can so you know what your options are.

Most options are based on price... And you get what you pay for!

-CHEAPEST. = spacer on front, blocks on rear or body lift entire truck.
-CHEAP. = Adjustable lift shocks on front (stock coils), Add A Leaf on rear
-MID $ RANGE = lift Coils w/ extended shocks on front, new leaf pack on rear
-MID $ RANGE = PreRunner spindle lift (3-4")
-HIGH $ RANGE = Coilover (Icon, king, fox, etc...) on front, new leaf pack on rear

These options are just based on what it seems your interested in by the questions you have asked. If your wanting more than 3" of lift then it's may cost more $ than typical lift coils or Coilovers.

More than 3" of lift options...
-Drop Bracket lift
-SAS = spring and shackle

Long travel is a whole different story.

These are things I remember from my research and what I typically read about when on TW. This forum really helps so use it to your advantage.

 

I've read and read and asked. I sit almost level right now with the beilstein leveling 5100 in front and beilstein 5100 in rear and the broken worn out oem leafs. So if I go 2.25 in back how do I get another 2.25 in front? That would mean I'm truelly closer to 5 inches in front and 2 in back. That's the issue, and yes I plan to handle re back this weekend if I can get all the parts, but I'm worried about what I can do in the front so I'm not raked forward a ton. I don't want to just piece here piece there and or demolish factory geometry, I'm not looking to ruin parts, it's not a true off roarer yet, it's still my daily driver

 

Hutch 84

I don't have a second vehicle, that's where the problem starts. I can't go get parts once I've started tear down, I need all parts to go from start to finish.

 

Are you sure your at the 2.5" setting on the front Bilsteins? Because if your on stock springs and have a 2.5" lift up front then I would suspect you have a bit of bro lean going on, meaning the front sits higher than the back. Check that first. If you say your truck sits about level then I suspect the front shocks are on the 1.5"-1.75" setting.

On my truck I have the adjustable Bilsteins on the lowest setting because the EIBACH coils are providing the 3" lift. For the rear I have the Dakar 2.25" leaf springs. After I put those on I realized my front sat just a tad higher than the back so I had to use 1.5" lift shackles to add more height in the back. With the weight I have in the bed I'm now sitting just a tad higher on the rear.

So long story short, with 2.5" of lift up front and 2.25" of rear lift you should be sitting about .5" rear high once the new springs are in.

 

I understand the problem. Best of luck!