Pics of my rear leafs. Can anyone confirm or deny if I need new ones?

Here are some pics of my right rear leaf spring. The other side is identical. Im doing like 3k miles worth of driving this summer with multiple motorcycles in the back and i need to know if im going to get this wheelers 4-leaf pack or not.

 

They look pretty flat. I think they need to be arched.

 

I would look into a new set man. Looks to be getting ready to get it's frown on. haha

 

Yeah they are definitely arching in the wrong direction. Bad for hauling anything.

 

That would be a yes.

 

alright. Thanks just wanted to be sure before i put the cash down. wasn't sure if i could afford to wait.

 

re-arching? What's the pros and cons of that vs brand new springs?

 

Good question^^^

 

FYI, I just replaced mine with Wheeler's Alcan 5-packs.

Well, allegedly, the original Tacoma springs were improperly annealed in Mexico. I am not sure if this is a fact, but they are notoriously weak. Frankly, the ride on mine terrified me (well, the shocks were also shot), and they might have been a little less frowny than yours. I found that the new pack I have is surprisngly less arched than I thought it would be, but the ride is incredibly more controlled and solid, especially with regard to body roll. The way Toyta designed the attachement points just makes for an odd angle.

So I don't think you would want to invest the time, money, and labor into trying to re-arch an already substandard component. It likely would not last long, and then you are back to square one. And it is too late for an AAL, which gives a harsh ride anyway.

Another alternative is to look into having Alcan build you a custom set specifically for your needs, especially if you do not want to lift the truck, and if you carry a heavy load like bikes. In fact, you may have trouble not getting a bit of a lift just to get enough leaf metal in there for your needs.

BTW, it looks like your shocks may be shot, too, Is that oil leaking down them?

 

how would you know if the shocks are shot? There was a bit of dirt and grease on the shock so a weak ago I sprayed it with wd-40 and wiped most of it off. That's why the shock looks that way.

But how could i tell if it is shot? guess ill have my mechanic look at them when i put int he new leafs.

 

Clean the shocks and check them in a few days for fresh oil leaking out where the rod goes into the body. Those leafs look a little tired too.

 

scocar - how much lift did you get with the 881's & Wheeler 5?

 

Wheeler's 5-leaf and 5100s FTW!!

I replaced my leafs and shocks (and front coils) through the group buy that scocar organized. Worth every penny. The fact that you plan on hauling bikes seals the deal, extra weight plus worn out suspension can be dangerous.

 

yeah mine suck pretty bad too. i have a shock out and the way i could tell is when i had a four wheeler in the back goin down the interstate the whole truck rocked side to side when i hit a bump. best thing to do is get a mechanic to look at it i wanna get wheelers leafs and 5100s but those leaf springs are sooo expensive. we need to have a huge grup buy

 

A reputable spring shop can build you a nice pack for about $350. Just another option people forget about.

 

Yeah, the springs are expensive. We did recently have a pretty big group buy on the Wheeler's leaf springs made by alcan. Thats how I got mine.

 

when i was inspecting mine before buying, I did the standard one-bounce and return test. It seemed OK. But apparently that test is not adequately reavealing. The shocks keep the tires in contact with the road surface. If they can't push the wheels back down quickly (instantly), the tires are in the air, denying you of control. If potholes and cat eyes redirect your truck in a new direction and it feels like the truck needs constant attention to stay in a lane (say on bumpy interstate curves at high speed), they are shot. In the same scenario, if the rear end keeps feeling like it would rather be in the next lane to your outside, they are shot. Especially the front, which you may not even be considering, but they were a huge factor for me. Inspect the fronts for leakage. Hell, cut the plastic covers off the top and yank them out to get a good look at them.

How many miles do you have on it, and are they original (looks like they are). I at least 75K miles and original, probably shot.

Rear 1.5 and front about 1.75, just like Yotadan said. I did not want to lift. I just wanted to eliminate axle wrap and just be comfortable and in control. I chose the 5 leaf as extra assurance of a stiffer leaf to reduce axle wrap. I also have a cap on the back (~200 lb?). That led to OMEs 881s (rather than just Bilstein 5100 lift on orignal coils--which are also crap--which would have been too excessive on the top setting and given a harsh ride).

Yes, it really is a safety issue. It is actually shocking how much more stable and solid the truck is now.

If you are interested in a group buy, check out our thread, which was freaking epic. It can get complicated as people try to figure out what they really need, what they can afford, and educate themselves on the issues, if they can they intall it themselves or have to pay someone else, etc. It was not easy to pull it together, and I will gladly let someone else have the honors. But YotaDan would likely be up for it. Just contact him.

Here is the thread: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/gr...heelers-offroad-1st-gen-leaf-replacement.html

I will give you this advice: the OME 881 coils combined with the Wheeler Alcan-built 5-pack is tried and true. Many folks on this site have gone this route. You can use Bilstein 5100s set on zero, or you can buy the OME Nitrochargers, which are more expensive, but tuned to the 881s spring rate and have the correct height.

This is not a cheap alternative, but it is a quality minor lift that will provide long-term value. As always, you get what you pay for.

 

Mine were much worse. They were flat, after lugging around some tile, they were arched the opposite way. I put a 1.5" AAL lift on and they feel brand new (~$100 with the new U-Bolts). The truck originally got a 3" lift on the back, but it settled down to where it doesnt look retarded (~1-2” in the back).

When I get rich (never), Ill look into some Bilstiens to level out…

 

tell me about it...leaf pack $450...new front and rear shocks $310...coils $160...

 

Im gonna bring the truck into my mechanic tomorrow to have him check it out and tell me exactly what i need and then i'll see where i go from there.

But incase i do end up doing a complete suspension overall. as in rear leafs, 4 shocks, and front coils you're saying i should go for OME 881s? who has the best price on those? Im lookin at the wheeler leaf page right now I see on that page they are advertising the nitro 9000s. Are those the nitro chargers you're talking about?

what about the billistein 5100s? i've heard a lot of people bring them up. but i think someone mention they're back ordered. not sure.

Im all new to the truck suspension world but im on a budget and need something by next week. I don't want to get bogged down in too many options but want to make the right purchase.