Had no idea what forum to put this question in since everything is year specific.

I'm here to find out if you guys have done a 4x4 leaf swap / mod onto your 5 lugs so you can go lower without buying aftermarket Belltech leafs and still run on 2 leafs and overload instead of the common 1 leaf setup when removing from a 5-lug pack...?

Do pre 95 4x4's come with 3 leafs and overload? I'd have to check my salvage yard, or spot one running around.

I've done a million Taco drops and have them down to a science. However, I have a question for you guys....I know you guys are lucky and have Belltech drop leafs available. Us Taco owners only had Chassistech 3" drop leafs, and were a lot like Belltech's, meaning they came with 2 leafs and you don't use a overload. Chassistech quit making them, forcing guys to do 1 of 2 options....

Option #1.

Pull a leaf from their 5-lug pack, giving drop and not costing anything, but not a ideal setup since you're left with 1 leaf doing all the work, and also creating a shear point where that 1 leaf comes off the overload, running the risk of failure in the future.

Option #2.

Finding 4x4 leafs that come with 3 leafs and overload, unlike the 5-lug leafs that have 2 leafs and overload. This mod allows the use of the 4x4 leafs in stock form and drops the truck about 1.5", or you can slide the 2nd leaf out and get a 3" drop and still be left riding on 2 leafs and overload. My truck is like this and runs 4" blocks.

I know for Tacoma's, the year span is as follows...95.5-97 are about 4" shorter than 98-04, so us Taco dude's need to make sure we're using leafs that are the correct length. The 95.5-97 are about 51" eye to eye, and I've often wondered if that's what the pre 95 trucks are too. If so, 95.5-97 Taco owners could probably use Belltech leafs, but that's a whole different topic...

I just worked on Al's truck, but he had a aftermarket leaf pack on his 4x4.

 

i think i get what your after...

ill sum up...

in your experience: with taco's, 4x4 leafs are stiffer then 2wd, so a repacked 4x4 leaf set will work better then a 2wd leaf set cuz of the stronger spring rate.



and your curious if the older pre-taco has the same rule of thumb.


the short answer is yes...

ALL solid axl 4x4 including 4runners, are rated at 1 ton.

IFS 4x4's are rated @ 1/2 ton or better if specified for trucks only.



eye to eye, the main leaf is the same on pre-taco's for 2wd and 4wd. imhe, the solid axl 4x4's have a bit of a lift to them, so the arch is greater on the spring then the 2wd. the main leaf is also thicker then a comparable 2wd weight rating. older 2wd's came in .25, .5, .75 and 1ton, with little to no badging to tell the difference cept for number of leafs. pretty sure weight rating was a dealer option, main's always look the same but the packs vary.

so id think that a 4wd main on a 2wd would handle a bit more abuse then a 2wd mono setup, but the longer leaf could have odd shackle issues.


if i misunderstood what your after, and you want to build a pack with a 2wd main and some 4x4 packs. go for it, trick is proper cutting. i bet a 2wd main with a couple 4wd leafs is a bit stiffer, then the stock 2wd.



right now ive got this stupid crazy idea.

im gonna build a inverted spring pack, so the spring pack is the drop block with the main on the bottom, pack on top, then the axl. i think really long leafs are the key. a progressive stack but the top leaf will be only like 8in shorter then the main.

 

I been thinking this idea through as well, just never had a chance to measure out the leafs. I think its almost a direct swap too. I was thinking if you could run 4wd leafs you could probably run mono leaf, or main and overload with a block. Let us know what you find out. If i come across a set ill measure them out.

 

I have stock set of 2x4 leafs from my belltech upgrade. I will take a messurement for you brian. The guy next to me has a 4x4 so maybe I can messure his. This would be nice to know cause I'm building my little bro a truck and would save us both money.

 

So let me see if I can get this straight. Since I have a 97 Tacoma and my leafs are 4 inches shorter that the 98s and up I cant run chassis tech leafs. I would have to have my leafs de-arched to go even lower. Currently Im running my stock leafs middle leaf removed and never had issues. So if these belltechs are the same length eye to eye than I could get belltechs or run a 4x4 leaf from a pretaco or a 4runner? I think Im asking this right?

 

I think he's saying that early tacos can use certain early taco 4x4 leafs (minus the center leaf) to achieve a bigger drop with more saftey, and was wondering if pre-taco trucks could do the same.

 

from what I know....

a 4wd main leaf has more rate than a 2wd main leaf


so if i have the 2wd main and overload, and swap to a 4wd main, I could be the same height or lower, with more rate?

 

my "1ton" has 5 or 6 leaves in its pack.

 

Take the leaf pack out and have it De-Arched. Keeps the normal ride quality but lowers the truck in the process. If you want it lower and stiffer, still get it de-arched but add a extra leaf in the pack. That will stiffen it up.

 

This is mine after it was de-arched, 3.5" of drop total, same ride, stock leaf pack.

 

I know my post was pretty long, so sorry for that.

Quick sum up....I mainly wanted to know if you pre 95 guys are doing what us 95.5 - 04 guys are doing and finding 4x4 leafs to use on your 5 lug so you can remove one of the 3 leafs (the one under the top main one) and get drop and also still have 2 leafs and overload. Making for a better and safer leaf pack compared to removing a leaf from the 5 lug pack and being left with 1 leaf and overload (not the ideal setup) Basically, an alternative to buying aftermarket drop leafs, which you guys are still lucky enough to have access to.

I'm not asking about stiffness, as I already know once the leaf is removed from a 4x4 pack that pack will not be as firm as it was when the leaf was in it, making for a nice ride but not the greatest for carrying stuff. (less load capacity when the leaf is removed) I completely forgot about those 1 ton trucks back then too.

I use a 98-04 4x4 pack on my 99 with leaf removed and 4" blocks (7" rear drop) a total of 2 leafs and overload, and I carry stuff every day, but it does squat a bit. So this thread isn't about stiffness or capacity, just wondering if you guys do the 4x4 leaf mod on your 5-lugs instead of removing a leaf from the 5-lug pack and be left mono leafing it. (with overload)

 

I had actually never thought about doing that! Every time I look at Belltech's leaves, I cringe at the price some people are asking for them. I want a drop on the cheap, to hold me over to 4 link time. I'd LOVE some info on this, I can find 4x4 packs everywhere!

 

wait ... the normal truck only has 3 total leaves?... drop city when I get it running again.

 

my 94 xcab has main, 2nd, overload.

 

I need to find me a 84-88 4wd and measure the leafs out to see if they will work. this has always been on my mind.

 

bump

 

So i looked at my old stock 2wd springs and the messure 71.5 inches center eye to center eye. Anyone have a 4x4 set to messure?

 

A few years back I broke the main leaf spring on my 91. A friend had an extra set off an 84-88 & they wouldnt work. The 84-88 were too short.

I know the 89-95.5 4x4 leaf springs will work on the 2wd trucks cause Im running a 94 model 4wd main leaf on my truck now. Also the 4x4 leaf spring allows the rear of my truck to sit about 1/2 lower because of the way it curves at the front hanger mount. If I had a 2wd leaf (main) spring I could take pics of them & show you the difference.

 

Yep. The 4x4 Taco leafs will drop the 5 lug Taco about 1.5" with all 3 leafs (stock form) since the main one is different on the ends compared to the 5 lug main leaf. Then remove the 2nd leaf in the 4x4 pack and you'll net 3" or so and still be riding on 2 leafs and overload. (the main one and the one with the clamps on it)

Let me ask you this...you're running just the 4x4 main leaf on your 5 lug pack? For a total of 2 leafs and overload? You just replaced your 5 lug main leaf with a 4x4 main leaf for that 1/2" drop you mentioned?

 

Yep, thats correct sir. I just swapped out the main 2wd leaf with the 4wd leaf. At first I was running the main & overload spring, but took the overload out cause it was actually keeping my air shocks from compressing all the way down.