Blocks or AAL ?

Im debating between blocks or AAL for the rear. What do you all think?

 

AAL, always.

Blocks will encourage axle wrap.

 

x2 on what was said above ^^^ A single AAL will also increase the payload a little bit. They cost about the same too. Only "con" of the AAL vs block is the install is a little more involved. I got mine from Wheelers Offroad for $78 and it's doing fantastic.

 

Blocks on a $35k vehicle.

 

The statements above pretty much provide what you need to know re blocks vs AAL.

Then the only question is which AAL. Longer leafs will ride better than shorter ones. And the 3 leaf progressive AAL by Wheelers/Headstrong/Icon/Toytec will ride best.

 

Thank you guys! So witch AAL longer or shorter?

 

3 leaf progressive > long leaf > short leaf

 

How high are you looking to lift the rear? Do you ever carry a load in the back?

 

I'm currently running 265/70/16 and I will like to go to 275/70/17 ... I don't carry a heavy load only my mountain bike and some campaign gear. Thanks

 

Go with the 3-leaf progressive AAL then. It'll give you a smoother ride, but if you remove the overload leaf as recommended (not required) your payload decreases by 10%, per the Icon Suspension sales rep.

 

full leaf pack FTW

 

I'm in the minority obviously. Add a leafs are junk IMO. They make the rear of the truck way too stiff, oftentimes like a dump truck. You read complaints about the stiffness on TW all the time. Also, the amount of lift you get varies.

Let's be real. A one or one and a half inch block is not going to cause axle wrap. My last ride, a Ford F-350 came STOCK with four inch rear blocks. I never had a problem with wrap, even when towing a 15k pound fifth wheel off road in the desert. Much more of a severe operation than a Tacoma will ever see. Now if you put a six or eight inch block in there, like was common in the 80s, I could see axle wrap being a problem.

A replacement spring pack would be best, followed by the block. The argument of putting a $50 block on a 40k truck is silly. Does every part on the truck have to be high priced for it to be good? Does Toyota use high priced billit parts? Hmmmm.

We used to have shade tree mechanics back in the day. Now we have keyboard mechanics. My first lifted truck was a 1979 Toyota Hilux. The first of many.

 

As mentioned above the 3 leaf progressive AAL are not stiff at all and actually improve the ride over stock. Yes, you can do it the wrong way and get a short AAL which will make your truck ride like an empty dump truck. The difference is doing your homework upfront and getting the right products for your use case.

It is a fact blocks cause axle wrap. An F-350s leaf pack could practically be used as a steel I-beam in a building structure. A Tacoma's leaf pack is lucky if it doesn't fold and break cycling under the weight of the composite bed. Not exactly the same comparison.