Wheelers 3 Leaf AAL

Alright, enlighten me. Right now I have a set of OEM replacement leaf springs from SD truck springs paired with a 1.5" lift shackle from Maxtrac and 5100's. I was bored tonight and stumbled across the wheelers 3 leaf AAL kit and was rather intrigued. Would it be worth my time to throw my original shackles back on and pick up this AAL pack? I would like to keep my 1.5" of lift so these seem like they would work. I'm just wandering if the ride quality suffers and if I can carry any extra weight, as I know that the overload spring would have to go. The only reason I'm asking this is because I've read about the downsides to a shackle lift and I'm wandering if that can be fixed by the wheelers set up.

 

I have the Wheeler's AAL on my Taco and I love them. I had 2" blocks but got rid of them after about two weeks and the overload spring. I got the same amount of lift as with the block and overload spring setup but the ride isn't as harsh. As for heavier payload, I haven't really loaded the bed of my truck with anything real heavy.
Without the overload spring I had enough thread leftover on my stock u-bolts to put the AAL on and everything bolted up nicely and held the torque values. When I had the lift blocks the cheap u-bolts that came with them stretched and lost torque, even after I blue loctited them!
There is a good example on Youtube where a guy used lift blocks and was wheeling and shot his blocks out trying to go through a rut with his truck, I guess he never checked the torque on his u-bolts or used blue loctite on them. After I saw that I said that these blocks have got to go! Springs are the only way to go!

 

Hmmm I may end up doing this in the summer

 

add-a-leafs will more than likely make the ride a bit stiffer, so yeah, you can likely carry heavier loads, but it's not like Tacomas are known for their load carrying capacity anyway...

If your springs are worn out, an add-a-leaf is just a band-aid fix, and you should really just get all new leafs. Once you go to whole new leaf packs, that opens up a lot more options, where you could get a leaf pack designed from the ground up for your application, not adding/subtracting leafs from the OE pack.

I've been running a 1" or 1.5" (don't remember exactly) lift shackle for like 6 years now, and it works, but my OEM springs are also worn out, so I'll be getting entirely new springs hopefully soon. I'll likely get All-Pro or Deaver if I can find a sale, then see how my longer shackles work for the new geometry (I likely want a little more lift than what the All-Pros and Deavers give anyway, unless I go full custom leafs, that is...

 

Alcan leafs if you want to go full custom... http://www.alcanspring.com/

 

Oh my leafs are brand new, but they are an aftermarket OEM replacement. I was just reading about how extended shackles can increase axle wrap and was looking for alternatives. That and I was driving my dads old rig (see avatar) for 2 years which has an add a leaf so I got used to the stiff ride. I want my truck to ride like it so this Wheelers 3 pack seems to be the ticket.
Honestly, I wish I had read up more before I made my choices for lifting my truck. The moog coils I put up front just aren't doing it for me so I will likely throw some OME 880's on when I get this AAL kit. If I could go back in time, I would've just ordered the whole OME kit with the Dakars from Low Range or Headstrong. But I've gotta work with what I have. On the plus side though, I am glad I went with 5100's and not the cheap ass Rancho Shocks I almost talked myself into.

 

I had the Headstrong 3 leaf AAL (they're all pretty much the same) up until I switched to Dakars this past weekend, but it served me well for the 1.5 years I had it on. I got 2.5" of lift out of them because I kept my overload spring in, if you take out the overload you'll get closer to 1.5" (unless the Wheelers packs are different somehow).

I had no real complaints except like @jbrandt said, AALs do stiffen up your ride. Once I upgraded from 5100s to Kings/Icons, I knew I had to upgrade my leaf pack too otherwise that was what was still limiting my ride capability. But with an OME or 5100 setup, the 3 leaf AAls are fine. Mine rode even better with the weight of my RTT on the back, only problem was that they didn't hold much more weight than that without sagging pretty bad. But mine may have been a little worn.

 

I read that the Headstrong kit gives 2" and the Wheelers/Icon kit gives 1.5". I saw yours for sale and wanted to get them, but I see your across the country from me.

 

Yeah I was going to link them to you but saw your location as well...I haven't looked into shipping but I bet it would be pretty killer. I shipped some shocks/coils to a guy in Georgia last year that weighed about 50lbs and I remember it being about $40, so the leaf springs would be at least double that. Most vendors offer free shipping though so that's a good bonus

 

Yeah I dont think I could swing the shipping. That and I would have to sell the aftermarket springs I already have, so I'll just buy new. I may end up with the headstrong version, just because I have a cap on my bed. They may do better than the wheelers, if they trully are different and give an additional .5" of lift. I guess I'll just have to call and find out.

 

Yeah they definitely gave me 2.5" lift. Maybe even a tad over that when they were brand new. I was surprised but happy with the result in the end. The Dakars I just put on are advertised to provide 2.5" of lift and looking at my truck, you can't tell any difference in ride height from them versus the HS 3 leaf AALs I had on prior.

 

you have Kings and Icons? Which do you have front/rear? I have Kings in front, and I'm trying to figure out what shocks to get for the rear. Currently 5100s and stock springs with a shackle. With the different valving btwn the king and icons, currious you thoughts on the ride.

 

I was worried about that too at first, but everyone I talked to on here put me at ease saying you don't notice anything negative about the difference in valving. And I haven't since putting them on, it's a much better ride than my previous setup anyway. Smoother all around on rough terrain at any speed. I imagine for someone that drives/races professionally they could probably pinpoint a flaw in the concept but I'm more than happy with the way it feels....and most importantly I saved a few hundred bucks over going with rear Kings lol. The RR Icon 2.0s are a good deal.

They do heat up faster than the 2.5 Kings do but that's to be expected for a 2.0 vs a 2.5 shock, but I like to think that the reservoirs help make up for that.

 

I contacted Wheelers and Headstrong. Looks like I'm gonna get the wheelers 3 leaf pack and leave the overload spring in. He said it should put me at 2" or slightly under. Marie at headstrong told me I'd be looking at 2" or over with theirs.

 

Sounds spot on according to what I got with mine (overload spring in). You doing the install yourself?

 

Yeah, I figured since I just put new leafs in 2ish months ago it should go pretty smoothly. I put new hardware in everywhere I could. Just gotta put some cash aside, hopefully I can do this by the end of next month.

 

Let me know how it goes, I might have to add an AAL to my new Dakars and wondering how straightforward it is to do so. I installed them myself last weekend and it was a bitch to get those packs in (lining everything up was the hard part)...hoping it doesn't involve having to completely remove the springs to do so.

 

The only thing that I can think of that was a pain in my ass last time was my rear brake line, but I plan on getting an extended one and installing it at the same time. I'm hoping this should be a one day job.

 

yeah I picked up a SS extended brake line and was going to do it when I installed the Dakars, but those took me 7 hours to do so I said F-it on the brake line until I get another free weekend, lol. It really was just a bolt on process but you don't really realize how much a slightly crooked driveway screws everything up with jobs like that...

anyhow congrats on the new 3 leaf packs, post some pics when it's all said and done

 

My Wheelers AAL gave me 2" but I am sure they will settle to 1.5".