1st Gen Suspension Friends!

All this talk of leafs has me thinking.




We’ll see how the cap affects the rear height. May add a leaf from a Tacoma leaf pack.

 

No..

 

Hmm? They’re the same width. And I have about 4 sets. I’m just talking take a leaf out and adding it to the stock pack.

 

No I'm just messing with you because of my bad luck with AAL's. If you've already got paid for sets you might as well try them.

 

I think this thread has pushed me to get my head working on my rear suspension. I already have the shocks and I don't know if I'll use my factory axle or what yet. I think I'm going with a custom leaf pack or I'm building a bastard pack. Let's see spend close to $1k on custom leafs or do it cheap and dirty and have more money for long tubes? We'll see.

 

Paid? Na. Recall on tacos. I scrap the old leafs.

 

Cheap n dirty is a nice place to start. If you don’t like it, go expensive

 

That's what I was thinking. The shock setup will be the same anyway.

 

So, general spring hd leafs and bilstein 5100's added...
Today I drove the truck around after torquing everything down.
Initial impressions (which consist of 15 miles road driving and 2 miles of washboards and holed out dirt roads...more to come),
The rear end is much firmer, not stiff or uncomfortable, but firmer in a good way. I feel like I could load it down with another 400 lbs and it would ride great...Ill soon test that as well. The back seems to track better and overall it is much more controlled than before. On washboards the rear end would wander and skip around but now it seems like that has been almost completely eliminated; planted. Rebound is much better controlled. Before it would take an extra bounce or two to settle the back.
Compression from the leafs feels solid and stable and again not harsh.

The only thing I can say now is that the front end doesnt match and feels extra vague and soft which is soon to be remedied!

Bear in mind that this is coming off of some old tired leafs and shocks that were up to the task to handle the rebound anymore.

 

What's your hub to fender measurement? Wondering how much lift you actually got from the HD leaf pack?

 

Just ordered custom leaves through deaver. They made the archive garage overlander pack I believe and I’m getting something the same or identical because I carry a camper too and shell. It should give an inch or so if height with more droop due to the progressive pack. They could custom anything to your preference and they’re damn good at it. It might be worth getting a quote. Mine wasn’t as expensive as everyone said. I also ordered the bilstein 6112, 5160 rear combo to go with it. I’ll post as soon as it’s in and tested.

 

Do you mind if I ask where the cost ended up? I'm super amped to get my 6112 / 5160 set too!

 

Of the Deaver leaf spring or the shocks? Or both? Lol

 

I paid in the 800’s for the Deavers and 900s for the shocks.

 

The bilstein 6112 5160 combo just went on sale on bilsteinlifts.com if that helps anyone.

 

That's reasonable and deaver makes quality stuff. Just look at all the desert stuff that runs their leafs. Their f67 and f55 (if I recall) pack for the pre tacos is almost legendary. Guys were getting 18-19" of travel and not going into negative arc. That's impressive for a leaf spring. I'd be happy with 14-16" of well tuned rear travel myself.

Keep us posted on axle wrap/ wheel hop. That's my only big concern with any leaf spring setup. I don't think a 3 link is coming this year with the baby on the way, but if I get another vehicle that can hold a couple car seats who knows.

 

Yeah I’ll take plenty of pics and post it all.

 

How did those Deavers and bilsteins turn out? I am in the market for some new leaf springs, looking at either the Archive Garage Shackletons, Alcans or Deavers. I am shooting for a 2" lift with 500# of extra weight, including my topper, bed liner and a rear bumper with swingout in the future. I currently have 5100 on all fours with ICON AAL. I keep getting a strange pop noise in the rear when I hit a speed bump at an angle or turn into a drive at an angle. I am kind of leaning toward Achieve Garage since he actually designed, built and tested this on the 1st gen Tundra.