Bastard leaf packs? or no?

Bump. We need measurements and pictures. Did you cut any of the leafs?
Asking for a friend.

 

Update: I settled on a bastard pack (for each side) that included 1 main spring, and the 2 longest intermediate springs from each pack, (original '00 AC springs and original '05 DC springs) so totalling in 5 leafs, and ditched the overloads. I wanted alot of flex without too much lift, and that was working best for me.
To answer your question; I did not have to cut them because the '05 DC leafs were longer, besides the main leaf
It gave around 2" of lift, so I started looking for shocks around 2" longer. Long story - short, I kinda stumbled onto a nice discovery; the rear shocks for later gen tundras mount the same (post/stud on top with an eye on bottom) and are roughly 2" longer at both compressed and extended lengths. I got a set from a 2019 tundra and while the length was perfect, they were shit off road, and now shit on the road. If you don't abuse your truck the way I do, and just want to lift the rear an inch or two, and keep it on pavement, then later gen rear shocks will indeed work for your 1st gen. I know that wasn't your question, but worth noting nonetheless

 

I take it the intermediate springs were different lengths from AC to DC then?
I know comparing my 03 2wd and 06 4wd leaf packs, the intermediate springs were different lengths.


Note the Crocs, just for you.

 

theres a little bit of difference. The '06 AC has longer intermediate leafs than the '06 DC leafs. Cant fairly compare to the '02-'03 AC leafs i have, since they've been taken apart.

 

Definitely looks like making bastard packs just got easier. I previously expected to have to cut leafs down to size, like @des2mtn mentioned doing on his bastard packs.

 

So, quick question of the rhetorical sort, why do you have a bottom half of a microwave wall mount bracket just laying around?

 

Possibly, just trial and error. I'd expect to use a grinder on this job at some point on this job, even if not for the leafs, but to cut u-bolts or centering pins. That's not a big deal though. I probably could have gotten away with throwing donor leafs somewhere in the main pack without cutting leafs themselves, but happy with my results.

Adding to your original pack will still require cutting the clamps to allow a donor leaf in the main pack. If you use the donor leaf with the clamp, the clamp has to come off it. Just swapping in leafs that are longer in another part of the pack to avoid cutting leafs may result in lifting the truck too high for stock length shocks, but lots of variables such as condition of the leafs, and weight regularly carried.

 

I keep thinking we could make some decent leaf packs by taking the pack with the longer intermediate leafs, and sandwiching the slightly shorter middle leaf from another pack between those intermediate leafs, and then either do progressive AAL, or smaller bottom leaf (depending on desired lift and stiffness). No overloads, for more flex.

 

you dont? The hoard provides.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mEfQY14bVQ

 

PFA, i know it would break a main leaf before adding any extra load capacity.


according to google a whole leg is about 17% of body weight, and at 210lbs thats 70lbs for both legs. I know my thigh weight is included, but when i sit on a single top leaf (on top of an i beam for minimum sliding friction) the 140+ lbs squats a leaf about 3/4". So would that equal roughly 186lb/in? Havent grown the huevos to try & stand on the leaf & measure squat (rounded ends), but maybe after a few beers i'll try.

 

What's the ibeam weigh? Set it on the leaf?

 

Take a few measurements with a tape and find out…

https://suspensionmaxx.com/leaf-spring-rate-calculator

 

this video makes making a bastard pack seems entirely too easy.

Since i have a dc. I would need a AC pack, longer leaf pack bolt and u-bolts. And that’s it???

 

calc says this single leaf is 71.4 lbs/in

 

Sounds about right if you are talking about the primary leaf. Second Gen tundra is about the same on the primary.

 

Its the longest leaf that isnt the main leaf. But sitting on it, i didnt squat it an inch, and had to be more than 70 lbs on it.

but thats a cool tool. Guess i'll have to add 2 leafs to each side.

 

So, one thing that isn’t spelled out in the tool is what length should be used for each leaf. Some formulas I’ve seen use L = half the overall leaf length (from the shackle to the tire, basically). This changes the spring rate drastically if it is the case with calculators as well. I am looking for more clarification online. The total spring rate of Gen 2 springs is like 400 lbs/in without the overload, but I suppose if there are two sets of leaf springs. That’s 800 lbs/inch with a static spring load set at ~3” of spring compression once on the vehicle. That makes for about 2400 lbs of design load on the springs with an empty truck, which jives with the back end weight of an empty truck. So maybe the calculators are correct even with how low that spring force seems.