Ive been researching add-a-leafs vs. leaf packs for my 90 P/U. Ive searched but havent found much on aals. Do aals give the amount of lift they advertise? or do they eventually sag?

I am about to install bj spacers and dont't know wether to get 2in aals or 3in packs. The aals are cheaper but I dont have any experience with them and dont know if it is worth the extra $100 for packs since im on a budget! lol

 

I rather replace the springs themselves.

AALs will sag over time and ride like poop.

 

new leaf packs and new shocks are the route that im going

 

My buddy runs the Ranch Soft-Ride AALs an his '94:
- http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/hottoy/west/

They were used before he got them and are still working great. They are a good AAL, one long, thin leaf and one shorter, slightly thicker leaf that you can mix-n-match into the existing pack to get the ride height and quality you want:
- http://www.gorancho.com/

Avoid the one-leaf AALs that just use a short, thick leaf. Those can cause the existing leaves to kink/bend at the end of the AAL leaf.

 

Thanks I just read that thread earlier hes got a pretty sweet setup, not to mention the purple sliders.

Do you happen to know how much lift he gained in the rear after the install??

 

I wore out some 2" lift blocks, then went with what I could afford at the time, 2" Tuff Country aals. When I put them on they were stiffer than sh...., and they actually gave me about a 1/4" more than 2". Somewhere around 1k miles they settled down to right at 2" and the ride is softer. I still can't wait till they're gone. Get lift springs. Or, at least don't get the ones I got, which are the single (short&thick) leaf design.

 

Not sure, we installed 2" longer than stock shackles at the same time and only one of the two leaves, so maybe 1.5" or so combined lift. He is planning to add the 2nd AAL when he gets a new rear bumper/tire carrier built and installed. All depends on how you add the leaves, you can swap one stock leaf for one or both Rancho leaves or you can add them under all the stock leaves, so at least 3 combinations possible, probably anywhere from 1/2" up to 2" of lift depending on how you install them, how badly sagged the stock springs are and howmuch load you have on the rear end.

 

I bought some 24$ helper coils from autozone and welded them to my bumpstop got my truck back to level. they are a bit bouncy I will have to get used to them but it dose seem to ride better they are only temporary until I can afford new rear leaf packs.

 

Thanks for the info if anyone else has anything to add keep it coming!

 

depends on your current springs, but if they're still good... AAL is right for the budget. i'm sure you saw how expensive a whole new pack can cost.

 

i found full packs for $200 and rancho aals for $135 are the rancho aals worth the extra for the money or would a long leaf aal do the same?

 

I'm very satisfied with my AAL. It was the cheapest way to fix the sagging rear, and it gave me a spring rate that I like. It rides fine to me, not overly stiff. I like the support it gives, it won't sag no matter how much crap I put in the back or what I tow. I'm also not in need of tons of flex, so the stiffer spring rate is not a hindrance for me there. In hindsight, the rancho aal would have been better, but it's also twice as much as what I paid for mine.

 

I had them on my 95 pickup and I liked them they worked well and I was satisfied.

Aaron

 

The best thing to do is do a progressive AAL for the rear, its what I am doing to my T100 sooner or later. The progressive AAL means it works better, has better flex and isnt as stiff than one large AAL.

 

Just clarifying when you say progressive you mean the long thin springs not the short thick aals correct?