AAL's and Capacity

Hey Guys-

Question on adding a 3 Leaf AAL for a 1.5" lift. I keep hearing varied opinions on this. Will it increase, or decrease the payload capacity and towing of the stock truck? If decreases, is it bad? I don't haul anything heavy nor tow at this point, but I would like the option to in the future. Or AT LEAST be close to the stock capacities the truck has now.

Wouldn't want to throw a few empty cardboard boxes in the back and have the rear end sag like grandmas goodies... know what I mean?

 

The truck has payload capacity of X (depends on your model).

Any extra weight is counted against that X. So if the AAL package weighs 50lbs, your official payload capacity is X-50.

That said, the extra stiffness will help your truck handle more weight. Say 200lbs more (random, made up number). So that means you can put an extra 200lbs in the truck and the suspension will be able to handle it without deforming.

Keep in mind that suspension is only a part of the picture. The extra weight also affects your frame, brakes, engine, etc. These other components may not be too happy with the extra weight.

Beefed up suspension also does not affect your legal GVWR, unless you go through official channels to get the truck tested & re-certified.

Your truck will not suffer anything serious from an extra couple hundred pounds of weight. But there are many, many "overland" truck on here which are easily a few thousand pounds over the GVWR, and that's not a good thing.

For reference, I recently got the chance to weigh my own truck:
- '16 TRD sport, double cab, long bed
- 4.88 gears w/ ARB locker; no air compressor right now
- ICON 2.5 w/ RR + tubular UCAs up front
- ICON 2.0 w/ RR in the rear
- OME HD + AAL leaf springs; archive garage hammer hangers
- 34x10.5 KO2s on stock sport wheels (5 of them)
- about 100lbs of sound deadening
- dual battery system
- front three skid plates (3/16 steel)
- sliders
- decked system with about 100lbs of gear in it
- 150lb aluminum canopy
- me, at 200lbs

Anyone care to guess what my truck weighed in at?

700lbs OVER GVWR. That's minimal mods, a full tank of gas and me in it. No camping equipment. No spare water/fuel. No tents, fridges or slides. No dog or passengers. Empty bed.

Excess weight is your enemy and it adds up very quick.

 

Wow, thanks for the detailed response. Guess I just hear people say "if you're not worried about sagging or towing a lot, then the AAL is good". Guess I'm wondering WHY that is said if it doesn't decrease the payload capacity or squat. Sounds like it strengthens it.

 

I installed a 2" AAL at 5k miles, towed and hauled a handful of times and ripped out the stock leaf packs with the AAL and swapped in HD Dakars at 8k miles. MUCH happier and rides better than the AAL.

AAL are useless if you want to put ANYTHING in the bed. The stock leafs are junk and should be thrown away. My .02.

 

Short of redesigning the whole truck, you cannot add payload capacity. It was built and certified by Toyota and whatever numbers they state is the max. You can reduce payload easily by adding weight. Every skid, bumper, spring, etc will reduce payload. Payload is more than springs. It is the braking system, the drivetrain, the gearing, the gear ratios, etc all designed together to safely carry a load.
It sounds like you are more concerned with looks more than anything. I have put a lot more than empty boxes back there and it handled the sag just fine. A few weeks ago I pulled a trailer that had 600 lb tongue weight and it did just fine. I have hauled to capacity with no issues.

 

So with this logic, adding leafs makes it less capable? This is the part I don't understand. Seems it would strengthen it up.

 

Towing and hauling now with HD Dakar packs there is no sag or bro lean when hauling and towing the same items as previous when I had just the AAL.

 

Oh, and I guess I'm talking about with the overload removed... if that helps.

 

Overload removed with AAL or with a new, full leaf pack?

 

Icon suggests to remove the overload when installing. This will make the rear a little softer and it can sag more under load. You have the option to keep the overload, increasing overall stiffness, removing it, or adding something like the sumosprings or similar to compensate for heavy loads. I did the latter as have a few others on here.

 

OK but you're talking about the stock leafs that you didn't like either. My original question is how the AAL compares to just stock. Even if the stock sucks. Is it an improvement with sag, or worse? I don't have the cheddar for Dakars at this point.

 

Thanks... this is what I was wondering. How much of a difference is it with AAL and OL removed compared to just stock? In terms of sag. If its still plenty capable I'm fine with it.

 

It rode fine and didn't sag with an empty and not towing anything. As soon as I hooked up the family boat once, it sagged badly.

 

Stock it did too, I imagine?

 

My guess with the AAL installed and the stock overload removed, it would sag. It would flex pretty good offroad, but it would be for shit to tow or haul anything.

 

Yes.

 

But if I kept the overload in... that would prob help.

 

Still trying to figure out the reason why with this. You add more leafs... so wouldn't it sag less? I'm a noob with suspension and leafs obviously...

 

I wouldn't run a stock pack without the overload and just an AAL.

Start here:

http://www.tacomahq.com/66/tacoma-leveling-lift-kit/

 

There is more to leaf springs than just the number of leaves. Leaf thickness, type of metal, the way it was made, the curvature, the order of the leaves, it all plays a role. Some people want stiff suspension to carry more weight, others want soft & flexible to be more comfortable on and off road.

If you add AAL and take out the stock overload leaf, you may have more sag because that overload leaf would have acted to minimize said sag when the truck was heavily loaded.

If you add AAL and leave the stock overload leaf, you will certainly increase overall capacity and not have any more sag than before, but the day to day ride may be stiffer than you'd like.