Advice on selecting an AAL kit.

Hello everyone. I am looking for some advice on AAL kits from people that are running them. I've searched and searched and everyone opinion varies with really no great information that I'm particularly looking for. I have a few kits in mind, but as always I question everything before making a decision lol. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Lets start with what I drive and what I'm going to be doing in the "wild".
The Truck: 2021 SR5 CM 4x4 stock (Soon to be 2.5 inch front lift and 34inch tires)
What I Majority will be doing: I haul a travel trailer camper that is about 4k lbs and will be doing some light off-roading(no real rock crawling) with a RTT and extra camping gear.

The kits I have in mind so far, but open to suggestions too.
Icon 1.5 expansion pack: Toytec Progressive 3 Leaf Add-A-Leaf Pack: Deaver 3 Leaf Overload Replacement: Here
Note: I have also, seen where you just add in a single leaf in the stock leaf pack, but I cant really find much information on that for Tundra's. all the information I can find is for Tacoma's.

With that I'm really looking at a 1.5 inch lift in the rear to not sag while towing and when I'm not towing and doing the light off-roading I usually have a 140lb RTT with a little extra weight for gear. I've seen a lot of people to say stay clear from blocks. I've seen people with shackles but it seems not ideal for towing, so I've mostly settled on AAL Kits.

Now the end goal would be to get a full leaf pack replacement, but is way later down the road (unless you know of a decent one for less than $500).

Thank you for reading my book of a post and for your future advice!

 

Welcome

 

If you are looking to lift 1.5-2 inches in the rear, I wouldn't over think this. Just slap a add a leaf in the rear and your done. (50 bucks). I'm running an add a leaf, blocks and shackles! lol, no issues.

 

I have the toytec leaf pack thingy you posted above, it was a bit rough for the first few days, but it smoothed out. So the toytec add a leaf pack are Deaver leafs.
What I like about the toytec is you don’t have to modify your current stock leaf springs, just take the u bolts out, lift the rear until the axle drops off the leafs, bolt the leaf pack to the stock leafs, install the longer center pin, chop off about a half inch off the top once it is all tight, and back together it goes.
What I did to make it easier, I used a big C clamp to pull the leafs back together once I had the new center pin in. That way you can use a hammer and tap each leaf to line it back up for the pin. I also unbolted the front of the leaf springs and used a ratchet strap to pull the leaf pack back

I don’t pull a big trailer but I have 1500-2000+ pounds in my bed at least once a week, I can tell you it made a difference hauling. But at the end of the day, I still want bags for when I get around that 2000 pound mark

 

Out of all those three you are viewing at, I high would suggest you stay away from the Deaver F85 AAL especially if you are going to be towing. I have the Deaver AAL and because it replaces the overload spring... you towing and/or run an RTT it will sag and get that leafspring negative really quick. I only have it for offroad use and to get a little bit of a more nicer ride from stock.

Out of all the three I would IMO go with the toytec AAL just because you still use the overload spring from it's description. Or you can just save all the way up for some Deaver U748 leafpacks instead and do it once right.

 

Thank you so much! Ah okay there is not much description on their site that say they are Deaver, unless I’m blind. Lol I appreciate the tips for installation too.

 

Perfect! Thank you so much for your help! Also I would love to get a full leaf replacement right now, but I’ve got a couple of trips coming up real quick and not enough time to save and get it. So I’ve got to skimp somewhere unfortunately.

 

I have a wheelers single add a leaf. Have about an inch of lift and I kept the overload.

 

the Icon has good reviews too.

 

Love the truck. what the lift specs you got? is it this one here ? do you use your factory ubolts for this?

 

Yep that’s the leaf I used. I did have to get new u bolts. In the front is 5100s on the top setting with 1 shim. So around 2 3/4 lift. The tires are 285/75r18 so like a 34.5x11.5

 

Nice! okay ill take a look at that one too. did you have to do a differential drop kit on yours?

 

I am running a rough country 4" lift in the front. This is the part I dont know what I have exactly, but I ordered my lift from a local shop that a good buddy of mine owns. When I ordered the lift I told him I wanted rough country to include a leaf instead of the blocks because I did not want blocks in the rear. However he told me I could just have a set of extra leafs, because he has a large amount of them laying around from other truck model lift kits he has purchased and just installed the lift blocks on. The leaf's are universal. The extra leaf did give me about 1.5" of lift. I haul a tandem trailer that weighs about 2500lb and my tractor that I haul on it weighs about 8-9000lb. I did not see any benefit to the extra leaf being installed for hauling. I did end up adding air bags and on board air for the setup. That was an extra $700 the ride with hauling extra weight is great now, and I also use the bags to finish up the lift in the rear to make it set level.

 

I did do a diff drop also, its a mixed bag people saying you need it or don’t. I ran one on my last truck so I figured I’d do the same on this one.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice! i ended up going with the toytec progessive 3pack kit.

 

Post a follow up how it rides when there done getting installed.

 

Hey @Ebeast - What is your feedback? I am also eyeing the AAL.

 

I've used an AAL in the stock pack and it was perfectly fine. I didn't tow much except for a few trips with a UHaul. The lift was around 1.5" from an advertised 2" with the kit I bought.



That being said, I think you'd get all you need from an RAS setup.

 

I've had AALs before -- one was good, one was stiff as hell. Dumb Q but are new shocks required?

 

I apologize for not getting back to everyone sooner.

the ride seems good, but not buttery smooth if that is what you are hoping. I would say it’s a little bit stiffer but that’s okay with me. I did it for the lift / better payload capabilities; which feels really solid now. I did leave in my overload spring.

For the lift it gave about 1.5 inch lift but I’d say it settled down to 1.25 as advised. I highly recommended the 3 leaf over the single.

seemed simple to installed as I did it with a buddy of mine and we decided to do both at the same time. BIG NO NO without the proper support. Finally got it back lined up though after many of hours of struggle. So doing one at a time would be way better.

Let me know if anyone has any other questions. I’d be happy to answer!