Refurbishing old washed up suspension....

Last week I picked up 2013 SR5 Access Cab 4x4 with 83000 miles. It's great to be back in a tacoma again! I missed my old one. Anyways, it appears to have the weaker 2 leaf springs which are sagging under it's heavy are cap. The front also sits way lower than it should. I'm thinking the coil springs are just old and sagged. They also look like original parts.

current heights:
LF 19 3/4
RF 20
LR 21
RR 21 1/2

These number all look far lower than they should. My suspension must be beat!!! Although, it doesn't seem to ride bad, at least on pavement.

I need to replace everything, but wanted to verify a few things first:

After extensive use of the search feature, it looks like 3g leaf springs will bolt right up to 2g with no problems..

I'm thinking of this for a quick solution:

Purchase some used 2020 TRD offroad oem leaf springs (takeoffs from someone's lift) and combining with bilstein 5100's. For a quick fix now, replace front struts with autozone kyb strut-plus for the 2013 trd . I know, I know -- it's only a quick fix that's cheap. I'm broke after buying the truck.

However, after reading extensive posts I believe this should do the following:

Definitely raise my front end to whatever the 2013 stock trds sat at due to kyb oem replacement struts. The 2020 trd springs will probably be about an inch higher than the stock 2013 trd springs. The weight of my cap and crap i put into the bed should offset this though....

I think the rear will still sit slightly higher still for some sleight rake.. If not, then the icon aal should do it. And, I should see dramatic height improvement overall. 265/75R16 master craft cxts should fit with no rub or other problems. I have a set from my last truck with only 1500 miles.

Since I am basically only replacing with stock or oem parts I shouldn't have any problems with vibrations or alignments. I should end with basically just a stock TRD suspension so NO PROBLEMS with anything I would think.

Can anyone confirm if what I'm thinking is true? Or should I just get stock 2013 sr5 replacements.... I'd rather sit higher with the trd parts ... If it matters, i do some minor offroading, but mostly logging and seasonal roads - especially in the winter...


Thanks for any help or insight.

 

I might be wrong but I thought the leaf springs have a recall, mine is an 05 and I got the updated springs when they did the frame replacement, might want to search before buying anything

 

So you can use the suspension from a 3rd gen tacoma. And you can buy a complete suspension set for about $250-$350. At least here in Cali.

the front shocks and springs will give you about an inch lift.

rear leaf spring will work. I’m running a 3rd gen leaf pack on my 2nd gen. And then I added icon add a leaf.
Sounds like you have a great plan

 

Good. So it would appear that I'm not wrong in what I was thinking. That doesn't happen often. I live in the middle of nowhere (western new york) - no one around me has any takeoffs for sale . Due to the high salt use around here, no junk yards have any decent suspension parts. What a difference in pricing from Cali to here! The closest I have seen is some springs that are about a 7 hour drive away, one way. Complete suspension sets don't seem to exist, especially at those prices.

Which is why I figured I'd do it this way - get some decent springs and shocks now, and replace the other parts as cheaply as possible until next year. I know my existing suspension is old and beat up. I just want a decent riding vehicle while I decide which way to go with it .

 

If you are keeping your original 2 leaf rear springs then you already have your AAL. When I swapped out for the TSB 3-spring up date; I cut down my original springs and made my own "custom" rear leaf pack. For the price of a $15 harbor Freight 4 1/2" grinder, longer U-bolts and a leaf pin set you can create several options. Not for everybody but worked for me.

 

When I bought my truck with 88k my front measurements were the same as yours and they weren't beat.

 

Keep checking Craigslist & here for someone selling their stock leafs. I got a set for $50 but that was in Denver. That’s how I replaced mine & then added aal

 

Custom leaf pack - that's an interesting idea.... I wish I knew more about leaf springs. That would definitely save me some money. I can see a crash course in leaf spring dynamics in my future.

So my measurements aren't as low as I thought. My suspension currently does ok on pavement, but anything off-pavement is horrible. Washboard roads are, well, rather interesting. I think my rear springs just have to much give in them right now, and my front is bouncing rather bad. I'll just say, thank goodness for the bump stops!


My previous tacoma (standard cab, 5sp stick, 4cyl, 4x4, 08 or 09 believe) had problems in snow. The front skid would just keep shoving it along and piling it up until the front end would come off the ground. Even a short run of 50' to get out of my driveway would do this - especially in 12 -15 inches of crusted over snow. I don't like to shovel!!! Other than that, I loved that truck! Unfortunately it was eaten by animals about 9 years ago - over 400 splices in various wiring harnesses (transmission, engine compartment, rear wiring harness) since insurance wouldn't pay for new ones. i live in a high salt use, with many freeze/thaw cycles, area. I sold that truck before the inevitable problems started. It doesn't matter how good the splices were, with that many, there will always be problems - at least in my experience...

My main goal is maximize ground clearance as much as possible while keeping as close to stock as I can to avoid any issues. I routinely drive on unplowed seasonal roads and logging trails in the winter - even an extra 1/2 inch can make a difference.

When did toyota move the oil filter? I see it's now upside down and on top of the engine. Easier for oil changes, but I didn't mind the old location - removing the skid to access the filter kept the skid bolts from freezing up. It just seems weird to have the filter upside down like that....

I have been searching for stock leaves near me- they exist, but not at those prices! A pair of springs for $200 is the closest I could find.