Are my leaf springs shot?!!!

[kberger]

Hi,
Rear is sagging on my '99 tacoma 4x4... Dealer said on the phone " yeah, it's the leaf springs, nothing to do but replace em, $400 or $500". I wish I was a mechanic instead of a carpenter. What can I do? What's the fix? Please help clueless chick who needs her truck running strong. Thank you.

[tacoma man.]

i would say they will need replacing. do you haul
a lot of heavy stuff....wood, supplys...ect?
i d go to a salvage yard and try to find a good
used set. you might get lucky and find a set
cheap. good luck.

[kberger]

I do haul some stuff ( tools, lumber) but nothing over 300lbs or so. I also have a shell but so do a lot of other tacomas and their asses look fine. Is it the springs or the install that's the bulk of the price? Could I add-a-leaf? I've read a lot of the postings in the form; the cliche is true... Guys DO know their cars. ANY info would do. I feel like I go to work just to pay my mechanic.

[mjgjr72]

have notice a lot of toyota pickups with cracked springs, you would be better off getting new ones as a used set would probably crack soon after install. the bulk of the price is the springs. add a leaf usually involves unbolting axle from springs and inserting extra leaf, at this point it is only the shackle bolts on front and back of srings left and you can just change the whole spring pack. so the labor to add a leaf and change springs would be almost the same, may want to add a leaf when changing springs to give you a little more capacity.

[kberger]

Good to know... Do you think this will fix the sag problem? I got new shocks a couple of weeks ago cuz they were shot, so that's not the source of my sag. Any clue? Thanks for the sound advice. -Kristin

[mjgjr72]

new springs will probably fix you sag problem, and keep from blowing out your new shocks.

[Snobrdrblinkchik]

since you constantly put a load on your rear, you can look into aftermarket springs like Alcan...they can custom build you a set to your specifications...and it's cheaper than stock springs from the dealers

[OBATDDSD]

springs could be just worn out due overloading or just because. You can do aal or whole spring packs. Depending on how soft or hard a ride you want. Stock height or lifted. try wheelersoffroad.com No sales tax on online orders. Talked to Gary the owner. They have them on the shelf. The early tacomas are prone to breaking rear leafs.
Jeff/ 95.5 Tacoma 2.7

[postcoke2]

just got one fixed, it was 209 bucks to fix the back left leaf.