lift block or shackle flip for lifting Toyota truck with camper?

[FireAce]

Hi all, hoping for some feedback from those who may have tried or know about the effects of flipped shackles and how they handle the weight of a camper, especially when it comes to moderate/aggressive off-roading.

The Toyota truck in question is an unusual beast, it's a JDM Toyota Dyna:


The max payload for the truck is rated at 1.25 tons (3100kg GVWR) and my camper weighs about 750lbs empty. (I'm often in the neighborhood of 2800-3000kg when fully loaded)
I'm trying to decide what the best approach for lifting the rear approximately 2" is. A new leaf pack would be the best option however would be full custom and is out of my budget for the time being so I'm exploring other options. I have been debating flipping the shackles as the stock brackets allow for easy flipping with no modifications required. My concern is going from a shackle in compression (leaf eye above the shackle mount) to a shackle in tension and how this may (or may not) handle my camper weight and the demads of offroading.

The other option would be to go with a 1" lift block and an add a leaf and leave the shackles as-is.
I drive the truck daily for work so both on and off road comfort are important.

Any recommendations as to the best path ahead?

 

[beef tits]

Overloading springs is a great way to F things up. Been there done that. I would personally stop driving it until you can afford to set it up properly to carry the weight. Look into airbag kits. I have a set on my Tundra and love them.

 

[toastyjosh]

I would agree with the above post that airbag would be the way to go. However I totally understand your on a budget. Check out the zuk mod super cheap way to lift and add some weight handling to the back of yotas.

Zuk Mod - YotaTech Forums

Off Road Enhancements - Zuk Mod - After being a fan of the site for quite some time and reading others successful stories, decided to do a zuk mod on my 86 4runner SR5. When i bought my truck it had 3 blocks in the back and the torsion bars cranked up to fit 35's under it. I previously added the...

www.yotatech.com

 

[FireAce]

Thanks for the feedback, to clarify, I'm looking for a lift in the rear to match the front lift. I'm not wanting a lift to compensate for load/squat.
With a 3100kg GVWR and 1250kg payload rating the springs are not in danger of being overloaded yet, more looking for the most effective way to lift the vehicle and not create a weak point (such as tension shackles in compression). The lift is not to compensate for the weight on the back but rather overall clearance.

Air bags would certainly help with leveling the truck when fully loaded with gear and they're not out of the question but from my understanding, air bags should also not be used to gain 'lift' height but rather to support added load at a specified ride height.

I have ordered an Icon 3-leaf expansion pack designed for a Tundra that I'm hoping I can make fit. I'll use this as a starting point and then decide if I want more lift or not. The expansion pack itself is about 3/4" thick and claims about a 1.5" total lift when replacing the factory overload spring. My plan is to install on top of the overload spring which should give me up to 2.25" of lift depending on how much the springs compress.

 

[JCMatthews]

There are kits for both GM and Tundras where the shackle is flipped. The reports are that the trucks ride better than before. I think you could flip the shackle and be fine. Archive Garage has the shackle flip for the tundra.

 

[bkg]

Does it currently have blocks?

RoughCountry makes a pretty affordable 2" block kit. I think with blocks and ubolts it was <$75 for my tacoma.

I'm not a fan of blocks, but there are times they make good sense. I'd probably do them in this case as to not change the geometry of the leaf springs, which may impact load/ride. Plus, it may help avoid other modifications like moving bumpstops.

 

[FireAce]

Currently no blocks, they're definitely an option. Not a huge fan of blocks either but may be the best option. I'll see how much the expansion leaf pack AAL adds to height, if I still want a bit more I could even go with a 1" block which I assum would have pretty minimal effect on driveability.

 

[Sooper Camper]

My concern is going from a shackle in compression (leaf eye above the shackle mount) to a shackle in tension and how this may (or may not) handle my camper weight and the demads of offroading.

Lots of trucks are setup either way and work well, it really comes down to the relation of the shackle to the spring line more than anything. You can screw up either configuration...ask me how I know.

I'd be more concerned about changing the pinion angle afterwards than anything else, that usually involves a lot more invasive work to correct.

The mini-pack is a good setup to start out with. If you add a block, it would be a good idea to cycle and make sure that the added height won't allow the springs to go negative. If they go negative, you'll want to add a bump stop spacer as well to counter that.

Cool truck!