Leaf Spring Replacement - OME or OEM?

I'm in the same spot. I'm considering getting a full lift kit but nothing is in stock and I can't find anything anywhere.

 

I got tired of my '98 bottoming out with a load of firewood or camping gear, firewood, and water... somehow was directed to a local leaf spring shop which had me weigh the truck empty, put a load in the back and weigh it again. They made a leaf spring pack and included the struts which lifted it 4" (I wish I knew what struts they used).
For years, I thought I had spent too much and should have done a spring helper, but it rode better than the stock springs on or off-road, loaded or empty, and never bottomed out.
Now about 20 years later, I am close to getting another 1st Gen, and would like to have the same suspension I had on my '98. It is pricey, so understandably not the option for a college student, but I was wondering if that would be the best option on my next 1st Gen., as opposed to heavy duty spring pack, and I thought the 4" lift was good. I don't want it to ride around like a buckboard wagon when empty - the custom leaf pack I had didn't.

 

Thinking about some bilsteins up front... Once I can afford it. Truck only has 140k on it right now and it rides pretty well. I think my next mod will be a spare tire carrier bumper.

 

$60 less per spring? Hmmm...

 

I bought standard General Springs about 1.5 years ago. They work great without a camper shell on the back. The leaf springs maintain some positive arc, and pop the bed up a little bit. This was from last week:


I am also running Bilstein 5100s on front and rear, front is on the lowest setting.

You can see with my camper shell (~200 lbs) on, that the leaf springs are now flat. I have never bottomed out, and it feels so much safer on mountain roads. The pic below also has the front Bilsteins on the middle setting, which increased the rake quite a bit, so I lowered them down to the lowest setting eventually.



If I had to do it again, I would've considered the General Leaf HD, but I'm not totally sold. If, over time, the rear starts sagging with weight, I'll just add a leaf. The difference between the original leaf springs and the new General Leaf standard springs is night and day, along with new struts.

 

Absolutely beautiful truck. I'm planning on doing exactly what you have done, aside from the leaf packs. I just ordered General Spring Heavy Dutys for the truck. I run a bed cap almost always since I have a single cab, so the heavy duty leaf packs were essential

 

What tire size are you running?

 

thank you for posting, kind of what im looking for, have about 450 pounds in my bed with everything plus full tank of gas on both so its loaded down on stock springs, thing stock still does fine i just hate the current level and drive though with new bilstein yellow, dont wanna lift, rides like crap and is depressing to drive due to wrap..

 

235/85/16, and they are great!

 

How did your install come out and how do you like them after having driven with them for awhile?

I'm looking at buying them myself and wondering how they rode? I currently have the stock TRD springs in my 04 PreRunner with the Hellwig helpers on it and it rides real rough and bouncing without a load in it. Hoping the GS HD springs will ride a bit smoother but still be able to carry some added weight in the back???

 

The GS HDs do not ride to well without weight in the bed, but they can handle a lot more weight than stock. I can load my dirt bike and all riding gear into the back of the truck and it doesn't even squat. I've gotten used to the rough ride. It's not great, but I'll survive.

 

Heavy duty springs will ride rough without a load, it's the trade off for being able to carry more weight... Not much you can do to counter it except keep some weight in the bed to help soften it. But it beats having lighter weight leaf springs that ride on the bump stops when loaded down.

 

Said it better than I could myself lol

 

I was just curious how it rode because I currently have the stock springs with the Hellwig Helpers and it's so stiff in the back when I go over a decent bump the back of the truck damn near comes off the ground. Was hoping the GS HD springs rode a little better than that, LOL

I'm getting ready to swap out my rear springs and going to add the Firestone air bags for putting weight in the back for adding more weight and towing. My main reason for thinking about going with the HD springs was to give me 1-1.5 in of lift in the back because I am also going to be putting Blistein 5100's in the front and want to get at least an inch in the front because I put TRD Pro rims on my 04 Prerunner and they rub just a little bit and I just wanna make that go away...

 

Just purchased General Spring HD for my 2002 cab TRD. 120,000 miles on the truck. My front two bolts were seized. I cut them out. My shackles are in great shape and the bolts came out easily from them.
I have a set of Bilsteins coming as well.
I did purchase new bump stops. Ubolts looked to be in great shape, so I am re-using them.
I have some two part epoxy, so I coated everything. Planning to install tomorrow (the springs). Bilsteins are in shipping somewhere.
I wanted to have some extra carrying capacity in case I put a cap on.
Here's hoping it all works out!

 

Please don't re-use your u bolts, they're meant to be replaced with your new leaf pack.

 

I second not reusing your u bolts, they stretch easily when torqued. Those are the only things keeping your rear axle attached to the truck, you don't want them to fail

 

Interesting. I've heard it both ways. Yesterday, I went to our largest heavy truck spring and suspension place to purchase new bolts. I asked them about reusing the u-bolts. They said it was fine if they were in good shape.

 

I have a question, I recently got an 02 Tacoma Prerunner, 4 door, 2wd. I replaced the entire front suspension, and put Bilstein shocks all the way around, and it's lifted 3 inches in the front, and 2 in the back. Now, I'm getting axle wrap, and my leaf springs are perfectly straight, no curve left. The truck sits perfectly level.

Here's my question, actually two.
1. Since I just replaced my U bolts when I installed the blocks and shocks, about 3 months ago, do I need to replace them when I replace the leaf springs?
2. Will new leaf springs, oem replacements, left my truck back up? I'm wondering if it was sagging, and I corrected that by using a lift block that was an inch too tall.

It is lifted in the front, but with completely worn leaf springs, and the 2 inch blocks, it sitting level.

 

Alcan in Grand Junction CO. Have 100k/10-years on mine and they’re like new. USA made!