Rear Add-A-Leaf Thoughts/Input

Hey yall, I was just wondering what people's input is on add-a-leafs as it seems I have seen some mixed reviews. I recently ordered new shocks and am halfway through with my install, meaning I installed the easy back two, and am now contemplating an add-a-leaf kit in the back. With my new shocks and lift/leveling it should raise the front of my truck about 1.5 inches while keeping the back relatively stock apart from the minor change just from new shocks. I have a couple of big boxes in the back I use for camping, road-tripping, and for work tools and such that are in there probably 90% of the time. Because of this, there is always about a 400-pound load on the back, meaning it drops my suspension about an inch in the rear. So I would like to raise the back and an add-a-leaf seems like it would do the best job at it for what I need it to. Currently looking just at the ToyTec rear add-a-leafs, the TAC-ALs. Does anyone have experience with these or new leafs in general?

 

It’s been a long time since I had a 1st gen, but back when I had my 2000 I had Bilstein 5100s in the front @2.5” and toytec AAL in the rear for 1.5” and I was very happy with it.

 

That thing looks pretty slick. I'd miss it if I were you And good to hear you were happy with them! Think I am going to order them, was just surprised it's only 90$ for the pair especially from Toytec which seems to be a pretty reliable brand

 

I really do miss it. I had installed a locker, headers and true dual SLP loudmouths with an H pipe. It sounded like a nascar and would climb up anything lol. The paint and body were flawless. It’s one vehicle I wish I never sold. As for the toytec leafs I looked in my emails and in 2013 I paid 84.99 for mine so it’s nice to see the price hasn’t really gone up on those.

 

A locker is the one big and main mod I want for my truck, just am concerned about how it affects the vehicle because I have seen a lot of things online about how it messes with daily driving and such, and I still want to use my gas guzzler to get around in. And yea the price is still the same, and even better with the 5% discount code we get from Toytec just for being on the forum.

 

You mean an actual locker or the LSD unit?

 

I had a Powertrax No-Slip in mine and it had pretty good road manners once it was broken in. A little noise here and there but overall not bad. It was a hoot to drive on wet roads. It was like Tokyo drift in a tundra lol. If you drove it responsibly though it had more grip taking off on wet roads than before and was more confidence inspiring pulling into traffic.

 

An actual locker.

 

Wouldn't do anything to your daily driving type stuff.

 

My advice would be to replace your 21 year old leaf springs instead. I did the ICON AAL and regret it.

 

I was flipping through @MrDirtjumper 's thread a little bit ago and noticed he went with the Hellwig kit. Maybe it's interesting.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/06-dc-daily-driver-2wd-to-4wd-conversion.48447/#post-1259886

 

Hey @Shifty and @FirstGenVol ! Flipping though old threads here wondering if I should go with an AAL or just replace the old springs. I bought it with a 1.5 ish spacer and would like to maintain the lift if not increase. The Hellwig kit is tempting for the price (been putting alot of $ into this new truck). What would you recommend? pretty sure ive got stock springs on my 03'. Ideas on a HD spring pack?

 

I would replace personally. If you want to see what your truck would look like raised in the rear you can get a block kit for temporary use only. I'm looking around to replace the blocks I put in the silver truck when I stole the leaf springs for it for crackie.

 

Did you have any angled shims that go between the axle and leafs? Or straight leaf to axle?

 

On the V6 it was axle to leafs. On crackie there was a caster wedge. If you search for it on my thread you'll find it when I was rushed through that install...

 

Are you using original leaf springs with that camper in the bed? That is amazing honestly.

Do NOT waste any money on an add a leaf. This is an option but it's expensive.

https://archivegarage.com/explore-archive/ols/products/archive-shackleton-springs

@FrenchToasty is that what you have?

 

Yeah that’s what I have, the HD version

 

I'm personally torn between the medium duty and heavy duty. How did you decide? I would definitely recommend @Erik1989 go with the HD option.

 

So far I like it, and not shedding weight anytime soon, I still need to test it out loaded and see what I think

 

Go HD. That's my next move. My father in law went with the HD version in his 2006 GMC from general springs and they are great. Not too stiff with lots of load capacity. His 16' trailer with the side by side loaded up front doesn't take him past level. He added some Timbrens at the same time and I don't think the axle has ever touched them.

 

Yeah sounds like I should replace. Thanks for the rec but that's unfortunately over my budget for now. Let the search for quality/cheaper HD leaf springs begin.

 

Cheaper options are ATS and General. I think people have had good results with both.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/hd-leaf-springs-from-ats.119405/

 

I used the ATS HD version and was very happy with them. I called ATS and spoke to a real live person who was very helpful. I debated HD or non, but I only had a camper shell and random stuff in the back. The HD was planted but not overly harsh even unloaded. For your application I'd definitely go HD. I got about 1.5 lift out of them.

Before I broke down and replaced the leafs, I did the toytec 3 piece AAL, the hellwig rear sway bar and the the hellwig spring helper on top of that.

If I were in your shoes, I'd replace the leafs with HD and then if you have sagging add some airbags. I think I'm in the minority here, but the rear sway bar didn't seem to do much.

I don't remember the details on your truck. What suspension do you have in the front?

 

I went with airbags....because I'm cheap.

And they work.

 

Thanks for the info everyone! I thought about airbags, sumosprings, add a leaf, sway bar, etc but at the end of the day I think I just need nice HD leaf springs. The ATS are about 500 shipped. A friend gets deals on Old Man Emu but not sure they make a leaf kit for first gens.

 

Sadly they don't make leafs for the 1st gen, but I used their rear shocks and really liked them. Be careful if you use OME coils on the font, the advertised lift is usually lower than what you actually get. I tried the 2885 that's supposed to net 2.5 lift and I got over 4 inches (too much for our poor ball joints and basically everything else)

 

Looking at upgrading my leaf pack to a newer one. $1,100 is a lot for me right now... are you guys happy with general/ATS still? Do you guys do any offroading/articulation?

 

I responded in your other thread, but I have taken it to moab a few times and they have been great.

 

I'm generally happy with mine, but have yet to hammer them offroad the way I suspect others may be doing.