How to install an Add-a-Leaf kit - Toyota Tacoma Icon 3-leaf AAL Install
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Check out the method I used to install my add-a-leaf and hopefully it can help you avoid making the mistakes I made!
Add-a-Leaf systems can provide lift and a better ride quality both on and off-road.
In this video, I'm installing an Icon 3-leaf AAL on a 2019 Toyota Tacoma.
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great video, but am I the only one that noticed you put your factory toyota axle shim back in in the wrong direction!! the skinny side should be forward not back. In the beginning of the video during disassembly it was skinny side forward! I did the same dam thing!!
Wow I didn’t realize! Thanks for pointing that out. I didn’t notice it was a shim & one side was thicker.
I actually have some vibration & ordered 2 degree shims to fix this, but I haven’t gotten around to doing it lol maybe that’s contributing to it
Where can I get the shim ? Might have thrown mine away lol
Nevermind no shims to speak of that's weird there was a flat one on the overload spring but nothing else no angled one like yours
When I remove the OEM pin, I chase it through with a long bolt, that helps keep the holes aligned to reinsert the AAL pin quicker.
Smart!!
Thanks for posting, just finished this up installing the TRD lift kit and was very helpful for my first time. Finished the 2nd side in 26 minutes.
Glad it helped!
Informative vid. But two things I took away from this. Leaf springs are not rocket science nor impossible for the weekend home mechanic...but they are a pain in the ass. This I'll take in to my mechanic. Thank you for the heads up!
Glad it helped! Honestly this was the first time I did any significant mechanical/suspension work on a vehicle so I made the video for that exact reason - to show that it's doable without much experience and to help others avoid the mistakes I made doing it.
If I were to do this again, it would go A LOT smoother since I'm more experienced working on my truck haha
Thanks for watching! 🤙🏼
Always Always use jack stands, do not trust just the jack. Good video always learn something. Thanks
Yep the truck was on jack stands! You actually need them for this install because you need to be able to raise/lower the axle independent of the truck cab. So you need jack stands to hold the cab up while you use the jack to raise/lower the axle.
Thanks for watching!
Never cut with a grinding wheel and never grind with a cutting wheel. I thought I'd leave you a pro tip in return for the help with the springs. God bless and carry on.
Good call! Thanks for watching.
Clean install! Next time invest in an impact gun, 1/2” impacts have plenty enough torque to help rip those nuts off and back on, saving you a hour of ratcheting.
ABDdrummer for sure lol I debated it before the install but wanted to see if I could do it without. Have one now!
Great video. Good content, keep it up 👍
Magnus Prime E1 thanks for watching 🤙🏼
Bro, FYI the angled shims in the bottom were put backwards.
Haha yeah I noticed it months later and made this video about it:
ua-cam.com/video/U05C9nlBkpM/v-deo.html
Doesnt look that easy. Great job, very smooth and graceful.
Not too bad but the second side is definitely easier once you know how to do it!
Thanks for the video! How do you like the ride with Eibach lift and add a leaf? Have you done a diff drop, any vibrations?
Nick Papa love the lift so far. Really makes the truck feel solid and stable and gets rid of the body roll when cornering and braking. It’s stiffer than stock but in a good way.
I do have some slight vibration between 10-30mph but I believe a cb drop will fix that and really I’ve already gotten used to it.
knightacoma what’s a cb drop? How has your alignment been?
@@akb-661 he means carrier bearing drop kit you can pick one up from old man emu
Cannon Purpura Thanks!
knightacoma did you ever get around to doing a cb drop? I’m running the exact same lift as you and have that small vibration between 10-30mph. Nothing serious but if you solved it I’d love to know how.
Good video thanks! Just wondering if you did do diff drop and carrier bearing drop also. Because some threads I’ve read they suggested to to that aswell
I did not do a diff drop. I experimented with a CB drop to fix some vibrations, but it didn't work and ended up being a different issue:
ua-cam.com/video/U05C9nlBkpM/v-deo.html
Could you not put the break line bracket on the aal bracket just pull the bolt out slide it on the bolt then out the bolt back threw
Just went under the truck and looked. I think that MIGHT work. However, I think I might have tried to do that and the angle of the bracket didn't match up well enough with it. Worth a shot though.
Good video! Keep it up 👍
Thank you! Definitely fun to mess around with the editor and try new things
Idk every video that i see seems to deviate from the instructions. It states that you would only use the over load and the top leaf. Your supposed to replace the 2 center springs.
Don't really think there were instructions at the time this video was created haha
The only part that concerned me was the cutting the piece holding the leads together. Was that difficult? How did you get the piece out?
Are you referring to the metal bracket/ retainer that goes around the leaf pack? It’s a little tricky to do. You essentially have to grind it down until the rivet is flat and/or punch it out. This is necessary because the add a leaf has a bracket that needs to go in the same spot.
@@KnightWheelsMedia yeah that was it! Thanks man and thanks for the info in the video. This is the kit I'm looking to put In. Now that you have had it for a bit how so you like it?
Jonathan Padro no problem!
Still loving the kit. It was great on stock tires but got pretty stiff when I got bigger tires, but nothing unmanageable. It does everything I need it to do 👍🏼
Some people on the forums recommend leaving the overload spring as opposed to removing it per IVD's instructions. What is your take on that?
fartknocker0308 I was planning on leaving it in but doing so would require cutting off a bracket on each overload spring and I was too lazy/ didn’t have enough time to do it. Honestly I’d only leave it in if you tow/ haul frequently because the ride is pretty rough without it & is worse with it in
@@KnightWheelsMedia Thanks! Just installed the rear portion of an IVD stage 3 kit relying heavily on this video as a guide. I have one question though. What did you end up doing with the brackets on the brake lines?
fartknocker0308 I ended up zip tying them to the AAL bracket/retainer per the recommendation of someone on TacomaWorld. Seems to be holding up at the moment.
Would you keep the factory over load on the very bottom ?
I guess you really can’t
How did you attach your electronic emergency brake. Didn't see anywhere to rebolt?
Right now I just have it ziptied. I'll likely fab something up in the future but seems to be working okay in the meantime.
People are using a barrel washer from the local hardware store.
Did you have Jack stands to hold the frame so you can use the Jack to drop the axle a little to get the blot out?
Yes the front was on jack stands & the rear was just held up with the jack on the diff so I could go up/down as needed
What did you do to reattach the ebrake bracket?
Just a zip tie or two I think haha
Is it easier to just install a full new leaf pack?
I haven't done it so I'm not 100% sure, but I'd say its about the same or easier to do a full leaf pack.
If you were to do this again, would you still do the add a leaf or would you go with a full new leaf pack? Regarding installation what do you think would be less work, because it seems like a lot if work for the add a leaf compared to the new leaf pack but I haven’t done it so I’m not sure. What’s your opinion? Thank you.
I would definitely go full leaf pack if I did it again. However, I'm not sure if installation is any easier or harder. I've heard that the bushings are hard to work with so maybe that's where the complexity lies.
@@KnightWheelsMedia what do you think is the big difference with a new leaf pack compared to an add a leaf? I mean is it a big difference?
@@DirtRoad_Chronicles I think so. The stock Tacoma leaf pack is terrible, so adding an add a leaf is more like a bandaid rather than solving the problem. Especially if you're going to have extra weight in the back (bed rack, tent, etc.) it's definitely better to get a full leaf pack or HD leaf pack
Hi. I want to lift my truck 1in on the back. What's better the blocks or a leaf spring?
An add a leaf or full replacement leaf pack will be better than blocks. The blocks will be a stiffer ride than the add a leaf as they're completely relying on the stock Tacoma leaf pack, which sucks.
Can someone explain to me what this does to the truck?
The add a leaf is used to lift the rear end of the truck
@@KnightWheelsMedia will it increase my payload though? I bought a tacoma for light work but also realized it has only about 1k payload. So I wanted to see how I can go about increasing this so I can load it up and carry the weight safely
@@ivancespedes4624 Technically, no. Payload ratings are deeper than just suspension. Other factors include engine, drivetrain, axle size, etc.
You can get components like this to help reduce sag when carrying load, but there's still a risk of other components failing if you exceed payload.
Do you leave the helper springs off
Yes. You can leave them in but it's a little extra work. You have to cut off another retainer on the overload springs.
Did you have to cut any of the pins on the factory leaf pack to add the icon one
Not sure exactly what you mean by pins. If you're referring to the centering pin, you have to use & trim the one that comes with the AAL so that the bump stop will fit over (See 7:22). That and the brackets on the original leaf pack were the only things I had to cut.
KnighT4CO I guess I am talking about the c clamps on the factory leafs that go around the 3 leafs on each end of the leaf pack . Or is there enough distance between that you didn’t have to remove them .
@@jameshoward3071 yes you'll need to cut off the rear retainers (c clamps) on the stock leaf pack for the AAL to fit. The front retainers clear fine.
Does your truck sit level in the rear after this install? I have lift block now and sit 1” lower on my driver side rear. Im trying to figure out what will be the best way to level it out wether its this kit or having 1 lift block taller than the other
Max Smith I’m not sure why there would be such a big difference between the sides. With the Tacoma there’s a thing called the “taco lean” which will make the driver side lower. That could be the cause. Typically this is fixed with a 1/4” spacer on the driver side front suspension.
KnighT4CO yes im aware, currently trying to find the best method to fix mine. Someone told me that the spacer for the front strut will also fix the height difference in the rear. That makes no sense though. But
Max Smith yeah not sure how that works exactly but it’s worth a shot! Probably the cheapest option.
My leaf spring weak. It's look straight / sagging even without load. Can i use AAL? Or replace 1 set leaf spring? Help me.
an add a leaf will help a little but if it's sagging bad, you may want to do a full leaf pack replacement
what jack stand and floor jack weight are you using?
dylan yap 3 ton low profile jack & 3 ton jack stands
hi, I did the same add a leaf, my question is do your rear suspension squick?.
I haven’t noticed any squeaking so far.
@@KnightWheelsMedia tighten the u.bolts!
They come loose after a few miles. You MUST RETORQUE THEM 73 FT/LBS
M JOHN yes you should retighten everything to spec after a couple hundred miles
You need to replace you leaf spring bushings with some polyurethane ones.
Is there a lift kit for the 2002 Tacoma Prerunner and how much am I looking for it the brand of shark you're selling
I'm not sure if Eibach makes them for the 2002 Tacomas. I'd say join Tacomaworld and ask on there about what the best setup is for your Tacoma.
Is it leveled ? Or slightly higher in the back .
Emmanuel C it’s just about level in the back since I took the overload leaf out. If you leave it in it’ll be about 1” higher in the back than the front
Did the same u bolt fit or do you need extended ones?
I was able to use the stock u bolts since I took the overload out. However I’ll switch to the extended ones when I go to add shims
how many inch lift was this or did the AAL give you ? what Eibach kit is that ?
It was around 2" in the rear. The Eibach kit should be linked in the video description I think 👍🏼
Is it bad not to get an AAL if I installed the same Eibach lift kit? I’m not too familiar with the whole AAL thing. Thanks!
So it kinda depends on what you wanna do with the truck. With the Eibach kit, you'll need some sort of lift in the rear or your front end will sit higher. The rear Eibach shock alone doesn't provide any lift, just extra length for travel.
Cheapest way to get rear lift is with a spacer block. You can do a 1-2" block and be fine, but you're then utilizing the stock spring back (which isn't great) and will likely be a rougher ride. This is fine for normal street driving and the occasional off road trip.
Some people go with a single AAL, but I've heard it's better/smoother of a ride with a 3-leaf setup. This is good if you wanna do some off roading or carrying some weight in the rear.
The final option is to do a full leaf pack replacement, which is what I wish I did up front. If you plan on regularly carrying any weight in the back (bed rack, roof top tent, towing/hauling, etc.) then I'd recommend getting a heavy duty leaf pack. This will be the smoothest option and have the least sag when loaded down.
Hope that helps!
Were you able to reuse the u-bolts?
Yes I was. However I'm going to go back and install some shims soon so I'll end up switching to the ones that came with the AAL.
NEVER do that, they stretch!
Icon add a leaf pack comes with new U bolts
What is the settings on your suspension? 3 inch front 2 inch back?
Hotdog Man front was about 2.5” when I put it on but it’s settled down to about 2”. Back is about even with the front
How much rear lift did the add a leaf add ?
Around 1.5"
knightacoma I noticed you had to remove the first what looked like a leaf to install the add a leaf. That’s strange, remove one to add one ???
Correct that’s the overload leaf. The kit is designed for use without it but if you keep it in you’ll get an extra 1/2” or so of lift. However your ride will be stiffer.
knightacoma So I am able to keep it in if I prefer? It’s not critical to remove ? Thank you for your information by the way I appreciate it.
Terry Osowski no worries! Kinda depends on the kit you get but you should be able to leave it in. However, it’ll require some extra cutting with the grinder to fit with the AAL.
You’ll have to grind off the brackets on the overload spring.
How many inch will it lift?
The one I got was about 2" lift: amzn.to/2NER5U5
How many inches did you gain in the rear?
Just about 2”. Left the overload out so if you leave it in it’ll probably add a 1/2” or so.
I'm new to all this. My question is, why was the thicker lower original leaf spring left out? I'm going to do the same exact set up soon. Thanks!
That is the overload spring. It'll add about .75"-1" of height and make the ride a bit rougher. Requires a bit more cutting/work to put in so I didn't bother. I would only put it back in if you are towing or have heavy payload frequently
Dude.... you and every other person making these videos need to show the END RESULT!! Why not do before and after clip of the side and rear of the truck?
Tons of pictures on the Tacoma forums for that my man.
For me, I didn’t post before/after because I ended up doing the front & rear lift about a week and a half apart so I didn’t get a good opportunity to do before & after.
Invest in a better grinder. You'll never regret it.
for sure. Thanks for watching!
What where the specs ?
Specs for what?
@@KnightWheelsMedia torque specs
Wow you really just forced us to watch you take out each and every lug nut?
I didn’t force you to watch anything bro you can skip ahead lol thanks for watching
I’d like a refund on my 9 minutes please.
Thanks for watching! Have a great day.