broper3

Ok guys I just finished welding my spider gears and trussing my rear axle, time to throw it back under the truck. The previous owner had retarded 3in blocks on the rear and had the torsion bars cranked all the way up in the front. I'm getting new leaf springs and wanted to see what yal had to say. I'm thinking allpros or trail gear springs with atleast a 3in lift . But they are saying go 2 in taller in the rear than the front to level the truck out I'm doing the front later on though with a solid axle swap. Let me know
Thanks

rattlewagon

I think the TG and All pro springs require moving or getting new hangers. Both are fine options, but I think the general internet conses is to go with the all pros. The chevy 63 swap could also be a good option for you. Or turn down the t bars and take the blocks out, then lift both when you solid axle swap.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

IMO if you know you're doing a SAS, then save your money and do it right all at one time. why do you currently "need" 3" of lift?

broper3

I wanted to just knock out the rear while I have it all torn apart, where do you relocate the hangars and shackles ? Doesn't look like I have much room left on the frame to work with. I could weld a piece of angle on the rear to extend the frame a little but I don't want it going out past the bed.

rattlewagon

Do some googlin' and read ALL the stickies at the top of the forums. These questions have been asked a million times.

Heres TGs instructions for their rear lift, taken straight off their web site: https://www.trail-gear.com/TG/prodIn...0033-1-INS.pdf

Heres all the info youll need for the chevy springs: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyot...-swap-faq.html

muddpigg

iTrader: (1)

I built mine in stages like this. Allpro 4" rear then Allpro 4" SAS as the TG 3" front springs used different mount locations so would need to redo hangars so swap to larger springs. Plus the TG 3" front springs had mixed reviews at the time.

Rear sits a bit lower than I wanted but the down side of building in stages.

RedRockWarrior

just get an all out lift lol

HappyCamper

There's nothing wrong with building in stages. It's a lot easier to find the time and money that way. I've been working on my current 4runner for 3 years already and am still making changes! But I only have a weekend/month if I'm lucky since I have a family. I say go for it, lift the back now and do the front when you can. Of course, your rear will be much taller for a while, but that's okay.

Regarding the leaf springs, you should know the TG and AP springs have different spring rates. TG's are reportedly 235 lbs/in while AP has two different options, the regular 250 lbs/in and the "super flex" 200 lbs/in.

However what they don't tell you is the spring rates differ between the different lift options. The more arched springs have lower spring rates. They don't advertise the rates for each but a good guideline is to assume the advertised rate is for the middle lift option, then expect the taller/shorter springs to be 20-25 lbs/in softer/stiffer respectively. I would call and ask if you want to be accurate.

You'll have to weld on new spring and shackle hangers but if you don't weld, then you can prep the frame, place the new hangers, tack weld in place, double check, redo if needed, then call a local portable welder to come out to your home. In my area, it costs $75/hr. You can try to fill the hour by doing some other projects at the same time or having a buddy come over to have his bumper welded on and share the cost.

Besides welding on new hangers, you'll also need new shock mounts. I personally like the lower shock mounts that go low, behind the axle (e.g. Ruffstuff's), and a upper crossmember mount bar that arches up (e.g. Dave'z), so you can push it up as high as possible towards the bed. Then mount the shocks as close to vertical as you can. The lower shock eye bolt must be parallel to the frame.

A lot of folks with pickups do the same lift in the front as the back and seem to be level, but if you carry a lot of gear or have a camper shell, then yes maybe going an inch (not two) taller in the rear would be right. The only folks going two inches taller in the back are 4runners (like me); I don't recall any trucks needing the same but I could be wrong. You can also use stiffer springs in the back (I use TG in front, AP in back). You can always mix/match leaves later to adjust a bit.

I would lift the minimum though, not just for stability but because your drive shaft will live longer with the lower operating angle. Tall lifts pretty much require a DC driveshaft if it's your DD, which would require redoing your spring perches. If you're going tall, then add those to the list. 4crawler has an excellent write up on drive shafts. In short, you'll need to rotate the pinion to point at the transfer case, rather than having them parallel as they are now with your stock U-joint drive shaft. A new DC drive shaft is about $500 from Davez, only $100 more than a U-joint drive shaft.

However your project will be complicated by the fact that when you lift the front, the t-case flange angles will change. For that reason, I suggest just sticking with your U-joint drive shaft for now and install shims on the rear leaf pack as necessary. If your t-case flange is pointing 5-deg up, then your differential flange must point 5-deg down! Most write-ups assume your t-case is horizontal but I found that tidbit in Billavista's in-depth article on PBB (IIRC). Use bolt-on shims for now rather than welding them to the leaf perch, since it's temporary until you do your SAS. You can also lower your t-case (e.g. 1") using solid spacers between the frame and crossmember (Summit has them); just don't use a stack of washers, they'll act like a spring and compromise the strength of the threads.