I've very much enjoyed my Alcan leaf springs. The first set I had was near as perfect as I could ask, and working with Lew - the new owner in 2020 - on the second set was a pleasure, even if the end result wasn't as perfect as I could…
17 CommentsMods and Maintenance: Suspension
September 1, 2022. Note: There is an important update below. It was more than three years and 120K miles ago that I installed SPC UCAs on the Tacoma. Shortly after installation, SPC came out with an improved design that was a single forged piece of material, with an entirely new…
14 CommentsIf I've learned one thing over the last several years, it's that bumpy roads are a lot of fun. The problem - as anyone who knows them can attest - is that in time, all good things get destroyed by bumpy roads. It is a conundrum. The key of course,…
10 CommentsTL;DR - I had to cut my trip short when another leaf - this time the main leaf - broke on the first day of a 4 day adventure. I've now replaced the leaf springs, solving the problem. For the second time in six months, a leaf spring broke. In…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - The top, military wrap half-leaf on the driver side broke in two places. I'm not sure what I'm going to do as far as replacement goes, but I have two options. A couple days into the Last Minute Rush trip, I discovered that a new clanking sound from…
Leave a CommentOctober 16, 2021. It's been nearly three years since I installed my ADS suspension on all four corners of the Tacoma. I did the rears first - twice, actually - relocating them for more travel. The fronts were installed not long after, and of course I've been battling the spherical…
2 CommentsTL;DR - Replacing my LCA bushings didn't resolve my squeaks. Time to start thinking about UCAs and rear leaf spring bushings. After replacing the LCA bushings, I thought a bunch of the squeaking that I have as the truck bounces over rough terrain might be fixed. It wasn't. There are…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - All the new bushings I installed recently seem to be doing great. It was a bunch of work, but replacing the LCA bushings, front diff bushings, steering rack bushings, and front bump stops (see Replacing All the Bushings) was definitely worth it. My alignment with the new LCA…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - The stainless steel bushings seem to be doing a bit better, but I'm not ready to say that they are the right way to go. Yet. So far, I have just over 16K miles on the FKSSX10T-F1 spherical bearings. The passenger side is still "OK," driver side is…
Leave a CommentSqueaky bushings annoy a lot of people. I am not one of those people. And so, as my bushings have squeaked over the years, I've just let them do their thing - usually until I next wash the truck at which point the squeaking stops. And so, my bushings have…
8 CommentsI've replaced the spherical bearings on my ADS coilovers several times now. I only really mentioned it the first and second times, but its become regular maintenance every 10,000 miles or so - generally about 3-4 trips and ~2 oil changes. I chalked it up to normal maintenance required on…
4 CommentsTL;DR - I'm trying something new. I've installed stainless steel spherical bearings this time, hopefully to prolong their life. So, for anyone following along, my spherical bearings have been an ongoing issue. I've replaced them again, this time with stainless steel versions from FK. Specifically with FKSSX10T-F1 bearings. Time will…
Leave a CommentI've done a lot of work to the suspension on the Tacoma - with good reason since it is what helps to make our trips more comfortable, and what helps to isolate most of the truck from the harsh terrain over which we travel. In doing that work, one of…
13 CommentsTL;DR - The spherical bearings were completely shot again. And, it happened after only 10,000 miles this time. I've replaced the spherical bearings several times now, so I'm getting good at it. This time, though they lasted 4 months and 5 trips, they lasted only 10,000 miles. I'd taken a…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - why didn't I install limit straps earlier. These things make the suspension so much more enjoyable. After the trip to Colorado, I installed some Kartek limit straps, to protect my shock towers from the enormous changes in force I knew they were experiencing when my suspension fully unloaded…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - I need limit straps to prevent the shocks from over-extending, which can lead to shock tower failure. Ever since I installed the ADS Coilovers, I've liked them. They've been higher maintenance than previous setups I've used, but their performance has outweighed that maintenance in my opinion. One of…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - The spherical bearings are doing OK, but I think that's temporary. With a new set of spherical bearings from ADS installed just before the first Owyhee trip, the bearings seemed to do just fine through the two trips. However, after chatting with a few folks, I'm convinced that…
Leave a CommentIt seems like just a few weeks ago that I replaced the spherical bearings on my ADS coilovers for the first time, though it turns out, it was actually a few (4) months ago. Prior to that, I'd put some 27K miles on the new ADS suspension (see installation) -…
Leave a CommentTL;DR - I think I need to replace the spherical bearings again. Already. They are squeaky and I've only put 14K miles on the new set. From the moment we set out on this trip, I could hear the front suspension. In the past, I've thought this might be the…
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