dromomaniac

Hi all,

my '94 truck has been sitting under a tarp for a few months while I waited for a chance to rebuild it after an accident. Well, it's time to start and I have a couple quick questions about the process.

First, the passenger-side leaf springs (rear, she has IFS) are bent. Someone has offered to heat them and straighten them out using the driver's side set as a guide, for free. To what extent will this impact the strength of the springs? What are the chances that the springs will settle at different heights? I'll probably replace both sides around January, but I need the truck running over the next month.

Second, the frame rails to the rear of the final cross member are bent and torn where bolts ripped out. Any advice on best approach to replacing these sections? Should I leave this portion of the frame open rather than boxed in? (it seems to me that the 'give' in the rear frame might be a good thing in the case of significant rear impact)

That's it. Thanks again, yotatech!

...I'm also going to sneak in a non-tech question: how much would you pay for a 89-95 bed? I can't find one in the area for under $450, and that seems like a lot to me.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Replace springs. They are not meant to be heated.

Straighten, fix the frame via a body shop/frame straightener. If you don't get it right nothing else will be.

:wabbit2:

dromomaniac

OK, wabbit, will do! I have seen stock racers carry out reheating/bending, but I wasn't very comfortable with it being done on the Toyota. There's a set of matching leaf springs on craigslist here.

In regards the frame, the bent portion is only the distance (like 9-10 inches or whatever) that is not boxed in. The bolts for the bumper brackets left some warping gouges in this section so pulling on it is not going to produce clean, straight lines. In addition, I will not be able to mount a stock bumper without replacing (or at least adding more) steel. I'm pretty confident that the rest of the frame is straight.

I am likely buying a pickup bed today. So to anyone out there that has access and/or knowledge, how will a '88 bed line up on my '94 truck? Is the top to bottom measurement of the side wall the same for beds of these years? The 88 bed is 80% cheaper than the '94.

john4wd

This is the opposite of your bed replacement, I put 89-94 bed on 84-88 truck and almost all the bolts worked but last the 2 bolted right by tailgate, too bad you don't live near Danville IL, pick n pull place has a faded red 89 to 94 bed for $75 bucks, does have quarter size rust spot above exhaust. A 89-94 bed looks good on a 84-88 and the body seams line up decent and there is a white 79-83 truck running around Lafayette Indiana that has a 84-88 bed on it and it looks good, Just do some search's and see if you can find a pic of what you want to do, Good luck!!!!

dromomaniac

Crap. $75. And my truck is the exact same color (like those ugly, under ripe tomatoes you see in grocery stores these days). My options here are $500 for a 89-95 bed that includes gate and bumper, and $100 for (edit: it's an '84) bed of unknown condition (an extra $100 for the tailgate, but I guess I don't need that too badly right now). I've been calling yards for two days...

john4wd

Yep, tailgate is crap, and no tail lights lenses, it's a midwestern bed, I bet down there there worth more in your area, not as much rust if any... Take a road trip, it's in danville IL ;} It's way in the back so doesn't get noticed as much, it's been there for over a year, and that's as long as I have been going there, still on the truck though has to be removed, cost more if they do the removal...