Yabo

I'm going to post in OT forum too, but you guys seem to post a lot quicker, so i was just hoping maybe someone here has some experience with leaf springs..

My mom has a 95 toyota tacoma, and on both rear leafs, the middle one broke. So today or early tomorrow i have to have gotten the leaf out so i can bring it to this spring place that will make a new one by this weekend. My dads paying me to tod this because its going to cost 500-700 for the shop to do it, and obvioulsy hes going to give me a lot less. :P

My plan is to jack up the chassi till the wheels lift off the ground. then jack under the differential until there is little tension on the leafs. (not sure how ill know tha theres no tension, but im going to try. and then there is clips holding the 3 leafs together. After taking off these clips, the leafs should come right out, i think, (besides the main one that goes to the harnesses).

Is there any advice, of what to look out for, specifics on jacking, anything more i need to do ?

Thanks, please let me know asap. I gotta go out and do this in an hour or two.

PJXJ

I'm not sure what you mean by "clips". If you mean U-bolts(around axle), then you can count on them being a bit of a pain 'cause of rust and whatnot. Also, the springs should also be attached to the chassis with bolt/nut combo, and they're usually pretty damn rusted. So, good luck with them, and maybe count on having to replace them. An impact gun and some penetrant should do the trick.

Stan944

I don't know much about Tacoma, but I attempted a similar job on 1992 Jeep Cherokee. Got new leafs from a junk yard. Didn't manage to complete the job because I broke the welds: the bolts holding the ends of the springs screw into nuts that are welded into brackets attached to the frame. Unfortunately, there is no room to hold these nuts with a wrench, and I broke the welds while unbolting. Had to take the truck to a shop, as I don't have welding equipment.
The moral is if Tacoma's design is similar, and the bolts are REALLY hard to unbolt, they need to be heated with a torch. Just be careful not to blow the gas tank!
Good luck, Stan

Yabo

thanks for the info.. oh boy, sounds like i have a fun vacation day ahead of me...

ttwirz

I have a Tacoma, never removed the springs but I have a repair book. I will check it when I get home to see if they list the removal procedure.

Yabo

thank you

M758

That is pretty easy. Installed my lift in my 98 cherokee and the rear was quite easy.

Procedure.

Lift back end by rear axle until the tire clear plus a little bit. Place LARGE jack stands under the rear frame rails one on each side. Lower to jack stands. While suspension is compressed remove rear tires. Then allow rear suspension to hang free.

Then go to one side and place jack under the rear axle near the spring. Crank it so the jack has some load on it. Then remove the ubolts. Slowly lower the jack and the axle will come with it. Once axle is free from spring place 3rd jack stand under the axle to support. Then remove front and rear bolts on the leaf spring. Leaf spring should be free. It will not have much spring in it at this point. Take the spring off the truck and work with it on the ground.


Next do the same thing for the otherside.

Yabo

that'll do it m758... thanks for taking the time to help. now out to the shop.

PorscheDoc

I just replaced the front leafs on a wrangler, all you have to do is jack up the frame and put a jack stand on it, then use the jack under the leaf spring itself on the axle and jack until there is no tension. You need to unbolt the front and rear mounting bolts, and then the U clamps around the axle. Should be a direct replaced. Those clips you are talking about i am guessing are the ones that hold the all 3 leafs together....those will be left on, the leaf shop will take those off and replace the leaf that is broken. It may take a bit of wiggling to get it positioned right when you put it back on, but a with a little patience, it shouldn't be too bad. Oh and use lots of rust penetrator on those bolts, they get pretty rusty.

Yabo

Hmm.. well i got the broken leafs out. Is it a bad thing that i removed the clips that hold the leafs together? i didnt know i shouldnt, and i didnt want to take off the main leaf that is held on teh front and back mounts, so i figured i couild just take them off. i just kind of bent the clip/tabs to get them off, so now i have the two bottom leafs off (one of the two are the broken ones). So i diud the same on both sides. Am i not going to be able to put new clips on when we get them? or is it strictly a shop must do it?

Well at least i got today's work done. so what do i need to do here?

PorscheDoc

Well, it would have been easier to just remove the whole thing, but you should be able to get them back on i guess. I dont know how long they will last with the clips being bent open and closed though. I take it the shop is just making 1 single leaf for you, and you are putting that in? I am sure you can get it done the way you are doing it.

Yabo

yeap , thats what i am doing. i imagine they can give me new clips. i've seen easier designs. if you check the thread in off topic forum, somone showed a picture (just a few min ago). the ones in that pic look easier. i'm sure i can get them anywehre, as theyi must be a generic part.