Is this the stock leaf pack?

Hello All,

New forum member here and I'm trying to make my truck a little easier to drive. I've noticed that the rear of the truck bounces over every single small bump in the road. As a precaution, I'm putting new bilsteins in all around (123k miles, it was time anyways).

However, I've noticed what looks like an unusual amount of lift in the rear. I found that the OEM parts diagram from Camelback toyota shows 3 springs, rather than 4. Can anybody confirm if there is an added leaf in here? If so, how do I go about removing it?

Thanks!

 

Looks like the short one is an add a leaf or maybe a leaf someone cut down. Maybe a 3/4 ton leaf.
Also....someone correct me if I'm wrong...but is the overload spring upside down?

 

Removing it is simple.
Get 2 C clamps and tighten em down on either side of the center pin. About 12 inches or or near the end of the aal.
Remove the bolt that holds the center pin/pack in place.
Loosen 4 U bolts enough to slide out the AAL.
Make certain that overload spring isn't upside down.
If so, flip it.
Make sure the leaf pack is aligned. Tighten the center pin/pack nut.
Tighten the u bolts.

If it is an aal, the previous owner might have installed a center pin with longer threads. You may have to trim that to get it to seat correct because you're going to have extra length on it from removing a leaf.

 

You even have air bags in the rear

 

Good eye. Previous owner must have used it on a daily to haul stuff. Maybe mulch or construction stuff.

 

Also stock I think we have only 2 leafs. I have an short aal and including that i have 3 leafs

 

Here is a stock photo i found

 

Yeah, previous owner said that it was used for hauling stuff occasionally, the back end literally jumps over bumps and it's killing my back/head. Said owner was a dipshit and wouldn't surprise me if it was in fact, upside down.

I took a pic of the other side of the full leaf pack for y'all:

 

yeah you got alot of extra stuff going on there. All easily removable without having to get new stuff other then short shocks which would be cheap

 

This is what my rear end looks like with just a single short AAL

 

Thanks Sperrunner, I actually have a set of 4600 Bilsteins showing up today that should help smooth out this ride a bit.

 

Just in case the U-Bolts are toast, anybody know what brick and mortar shops would carry them?

 

1/2x3.5x7 round is the size you should need I believe. You can check an auto part store or goto http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/u-bolt-by-measurement-for-leaf-springs and they can make you some.

 

Btw with those AAl on your truck it will have lifted the rear meanin stock size shock will not work probably. They will be to far extended and will be prone to toping out when going over big bumps which will damage them.

 

So be sure to remove the added leaf before putting the new shocks on? That makes sense, i'm wondering if I should take off the airbags and put on the bump stops too. What do you think?

 

If you plan to hual anything then sure keep them, but thats if they are in good condition, after awhile those bags break down and tear. Also is there already on board air to fill them. I personally would just go back to stockand use bump stops

 

Nah, it's the stock sealed system that you get from Amazon. I'm personally not a huge fan of them and nothing heavier than a dirt bike would ever go in the back anyways. Fortunately I found the bump stops underneath the rear passenger compartment when I was cleaning. I'll see how it feels after ditching the leaf and stock shocks; if I still dont like it i'll probably take the bags off.

 

The bags arnt probably really providing any comfort or discomfort they are just there.

 

Removed the overload, threw new bilsteins on, and it rides better (Albeit still kinda like shit). Anybody got any suggestions for what else could possible be the issue?

 

You forgot to tell him about removing the leaf pack from the truck and how much fun that is to do. Lol