The Helper Springs… FROM HELL

2003 Tundra - RWD/RCLB Base

My truck has had a bit of honky tonk bidonka donk somewhere in the rear suspension since purchasing used over a year ago. Slightly embarrassed that it has taken me up until now to solve this mystery. The rear clunk has been a lesser priority to the front clunk, which I have now diagnosed as inner/outer tie rods. I’ll post a link to a more comprehensive thread I have going about restoring my 1st gen to her prime.

Long story short she was a fleet truck for a flooring company for the first 200k and I’m guessing had ‘helper springs’ installed to carry heavier loads or a utility shell. Maybe for towing. Hard to say if these have been on from the start or at what point they were added. Original leaf springs, if indeed original, seem to be in good enough health for a 2003.

Yesterday I came across a thread on this forum where someone had solved a rear clunk by replacing the plastic dampeners that run between the leaf springs, so I went to check the condition / existence of the dampeners on my truck. They’re all still in place, but…

Quickly realized my springs don’t look like the other guys, so I google imaged stock leaf set ups and they run 3+1 leaf. I have an extra 3 leafs shackled above the stock springs. 7 leaf total. I’ve seen the type of add-a-leaf that runs the length of the stock springs but these are individual packs that are installed both front and rear of the axel. After going around all sides of the rear, it’s clear to see the ‘helper springs’ have all shifted out of place and are grinding on parts of the frame.

This explains both the incredibly stiff rear suspension and the hard knocking that I can feel all the way in the front floor board when driving over cracks and speed bumps. I tweaked my back crawling around under there before I could start pulling anything apart but managed to get some photos to share here.

No question these need to at least be moved back into place, but I’m leaning towards removing them completely. Am I wrong to think I can just slowly loosen all the u-bolts holding them to stock springs without having to lift the truck? It seems pretty straightforward.

Also curious if these rear shocks are stock or aftermarket, as a lot of photos show struts without coils. The bilstein replacement for this model come without springs for example. Eventually would like to throw on new shocks all the way around but want to see how she rides without these ‘helpers’. Does it look like these shocks were added to support larger loads? Can’t imagine these were standard on the base models. If they’re upgraded then I would feel better about removing these ‘helpers’ and softening the suspension. I don’t tow trailers, rarely carry much weight in the bed, fiberglass hi top camper shell stays on year round. Photos are with a set of tires in the bed so slightly compressed.

Here’s a pic of the hell-per front of passenger side. You can see the original riveted spring clamp has been chopped to allow the helper to sit on it.


Here’s where I noticed the hell-per front passenger side is grinding on the frame



Inside shot of how these are mounted on with u-bolts on either side of axel.


Rear passenger side hell-per mounting hardware grinding into the frame.


Rear driver side hardware slipping under the stock suspension.


front driver side frame grinding


Notice how the rear driver side pack has slipped all the way forward with the u-bolt butting up to the axel. Passenger side having a 6” gap there.


Basically all 4 of the hell-pers have shimmied away from the axel and into the frame, aside from rear driver side which moved toward the axel.

 

Yes those helper leafs have slid into a position where they are contacting the frame
Yes you can loosen the u-bolts to remove them, they are not really under any serious spring tension, they are meant to resist additional flex of the spring when loaded down.
Those rear shocks are not normal either, those are an additional coil-over to also aid in weight capacity to keep it from sagging.
Not sure of the spring rate of them but i would suspect they would be much better removed and replaced for some OEM style shocks.
With those helpers and the coil-over shock removed, and a new set of rear shocks you should ride MUCH smoother and get rid of all the metal to metal clunking from those additional spring packs hitting your rear spring mount.

 

I don't think they're helping.

No bumpstops either.

 

Definitely not helping. Bumpstops are in place but out of view in that last photo, blocked by the lil’ helper buddies.

 

Good lord. What in the world were they hauling with that truck?

 

A space shuttle.
I've never seen anything like it!

 

I'd say it's probably time to ditch the helpers and the leaf pack for new HD leaf packs and new shocks.

 

Hilarious because I’ve always thought my truck looks like a space shuttle….

 

Thanks for the input! I will likely go through and replace the shocks / leaf springs all the way around, eventually, but curious to see how she rides without these helpers. Should be a night and day improvement without them on there.

 

That's a cool topper.

 

Forget your helper springs, I need a thread with pics of the topper

 

It is a very cool looking topper.
I think that's one of those space toppers or something. Mars topper? I can't remember, but they had a name that had something to do with space or moon rover or something. Fitting that the space shuttle was mentioned.

 

that is a very heavy duty unit aint it

 

Topper? I hardly know her.

Jk, I actually know her quite well, I’ve spent many a night under this topper, purchased used on market place, from a traveling rodeo cowboy who used as his mobile roadhouse. Smelled like hay and leather and cowshit when I bought it so she has a very authentic western charm to her. No doubt the ultimate love shack with the sides flipped up anywhere with a view at sunset. Lived out of it for several months last year working a job in the desert, incredibly stealth, disregarded as a utility rig both around town and on public land. Looks official almost, like I’m just out checking the power lines when I’m actually posted up for the night drinking beers or out on a hike.

I’ll link a more comprehensive post over in the main thread I have going about this truck detailing my topper journey….

 

One of my AC tundras came with helper springs out back. It didn’t seem to make the ride any worse so i simply left them in place. That tundra also came with a heave contractor canopy and undoubtedly carried a bunch of tools in the bed.

 

Remember to get new U-bolts if you're taking these off