Hello all, please give me your advice on this idea I have. My truck is an '83, all stock, including wheels and tire size, but excluding some KYB shocks that I selected to be less stiff than the "Mountain Ryders" that were on it when I got it. It rides really freaking stiff. My old '80 did too but not this stiff! This '83 is my daily driver and I'm tired of bouncing around over potholes and minor bumps. It's amazing what passed for ride and handling tuning at Toyota back then. I think the only solution is to drop the spring rate. My first inclination is to simply pull the bottom leaf out of the front packs and see how it improves the ride but I know this will drop the truck. We all know how the front springs are already flat if not arched the wrong way to begin with.

So my second idea is to remove all but one or two of the leaves and replace the shocks with some coilover assemblies that can be dialed in for a softer ride. The remaining leaves will keep the axle located properly and provide some spring rate while the coilovers will do most of the work. I know that putting springs in a spot not intended for them will require preparation but assuming that I can get the shock mounts adequately reinforced, is this a reasonable idea with some chance of success?

 

If your going to splurge on coilovers, why not get rid of the leafs all together and just link the front end?
Theoretically your idea might work.. But just sounds like of backwards.

 

Why don't you take the cheaper method, and hit up the junkyard for some well used high mileage spring packs that are the same length?
Then, make your own packs and dial them into what you want.
Heckuva lot cheaper than linking, and coilovers.

 

Well, messing with spring packs is a game of guessing, hoping, trial, error, probably more error, time, effort, and chance. I like your idea of scrapping things together for sure and I love crawling through parts yards but I want something with a clearer path to success. It seems like buying some coilovers with a known rate is that path.

I definitely don't want to link the front! I'm not going to be using this truck as a trail rig or anything even close and I don't care about articulation. It would be cool to have that but it looks like a ton of work.

 

Well i honestly cant see a coilver helping with anything..
Unless you know the rate of the leafsprings..
It would probably help if we knew if your truck was lifted, and how..
Cuz if it's one of those lifts from like, skyjacker, then it'll be stiff.
If it's like an Add a leaf, then it'll be stiff, too.

 

You got the wrong truck for a nice street ride. You'd probably be better off getting a different vehicle if you don't intend on off roading.