leaf spring question

[84toy]

I have an 84 4x4 toyota and I need to get new leaf springs. (The front ones are shaped like W's and the rear droops to the point it's about 1.5 inches from the bump stop.) I would love to head on down to deaver and get 4 new springs but unfortunately I'm just a po college kid. I figure my two options are some reasonably priced after market springs or head to a junk yard. If I go with the aftermarket springs, anyone have some advice on brands/performance. If I go with the junk yard should I look into toyota springs or should I go with another manufacture. I heard of people getting descent performance piecing together leaf packs from several manufactures, (any one have knowledge or experience doing this?). Any info would be great, Thanks.


Jason

 

[farmboy]

the real low budget route that works pretty well is to get a used set of stock main springs and millitary wraps that arn't all doubble U'ed out, and then peice together the rest of the pack. from my experience, stock tacoma and stock jeep wrangler springs work pretty well. but what you should do is get another job and scrimp and save to go for the deavers.

the faster you go the smoother it is

 

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

I know I am running this link into the ground but.......A swap to 1/2 ton chevy leafs on the rear is one option. I have them on the rear of my 2wd toyota.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/chevyswap/>http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/chevyswap/</A>

<font color=red>PAT KAPKO</font color=red>
<font color=yellow>Self appointed King of ghetto fab</font color=yellow>

 

[rdc]

check that pirate4x4 site pat is talking about, there is tons of toyota tech on there, my friend has a straight axle toyota with springs from a YJ, I'm sure a lot is possible for low bucks.
Jaron

 

[84toy]

Thanks for the info guys, What kind of shackle setup do you have?

Jason

 

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

after several different lengths for the right ride height. I am using an 8" eye to eye angle iron shackle. Will gusset / plate in near future.

<font color=red>PAT KAPKO</font color=red>
<font color=yellow>Self appointed King of ghetto fab</font color=yellow>

 

[drtdevil93]

i have seen that yj/ toyota spring swap, and i dont like it one bit. and dont forget the yj's are 2.5 wide and toyotas are 2 1/4 wide (approx.) that means the front hanger, ubolt plate, and shackles wont work. and dont immediately rule us out on price. we can make a prerunner pack out of your springs thatll work better than youd think possible, for a very reasonable price. this is the simplest way since there is no modification necessary to anything. all you do is put them in, (and get it realigned if you are real spiffy).

erik

 

[cleartoy]

For cheap, just get Downeys. Just dont run longer shackles on em or you will sag em out on the first desert trip.

85 Toyota xtracab 4x4(for sale)
94 Toyota stdcab 2x4
99 Yamaha YZ250

Got Sand??

 

[Jack]

The cheapest way to go is take the pack apart and one leaf at a time put them in a press and rearc them then put back together. Not real prety and wont last very long but it is cheap.

 

[84toy]

I actually striaghtened there front ones with a pipe bender but there is still a crease in front of and behind the spring perch so I figured it is time for something new. I looked around a bit now and I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the 1/2 ton leafs in back. Still not sure about the front yet though.

Jason

 

[orvacian]

I was getting almost 14" rear travel with Deaver's prerunner pack. You take your origional springs in and they build a kick ass pack with your stock main leaf and give em back! It is worth the money. There is no magical spring swap that you get from a junkyard and suddenly you have all this useable travel. You will just have longer crappy springs. Also, with a straight front axle the springs are difficult to get right. If you have too much axle wrap or they are too hard/soft it could damage your driveshaft or make the truck unstable.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by orvacian on 05/13/02 03:41 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

I agree. The 1/2 ton leafs I have are in need of a trip to Deaver. But they are a fine replacement for the worn stock leafs I had. And work fine on my POS until the finance deptartment (wife) lets me go to Deaver.

<font color=red>PAT KAPKO</font color=red>
<font color=yellow>Self appointed King of ghetto fab</font color=yellow>

 

[84toy]

Like I said I would love to go to deaver but my extra cash right now is boardering on zero so for now it's ghetto and home built all the way, I'll be down there at the end of the summer.

Jason

 

[ntsqd]

See if you can make either of these links work, they didn't for me just now. If they don't, PM me I may have that page saved on this HD somewhere.
Jay K pioneered the Mazda rear spring swap on Toyota's. Not as long as the Z-71 springs, but pretty flexy and they supposedly bolt in. One thing though, usually these springs require some sort of traction device as they will wrap far easier than the stock rear springs do. Jay built a single A arm mounted to the top and bottom of the housing and hooked it to the 'horsecollar' Xmember with a shackle.

http://www.netzone.com/~jayk/mods.htm

http://www.goodnet.com/~jayk1/mods.htm

I've heard of people doing the Mazda rear swap and then putting the stock rears in the front. This is supposed to move the front axle forward a bit which will help aliviate the rubbing on the firewall by 33's and bigger @ full bump.

TS

"Teach you all I know and you're still stupid"
-- Howdy Lee