I THOUGHT I understood leaf springs… what am I missing?

I was thinking about replacing the suspension on my new (but very old) Taco. I’ve done suspension work before—did my 3rd Gen 4Runner front end, and I’ve done front and rear leaf springs on my ‘91 Wrangler, so I wasn’t too worried…

Until I started pricing parts…

A pair of springs for the Tacoma costs about as much as the entire suspension on my Jeep!

Am I missing something here? This is my first pickup truck, so maybe it’s just more expensive? Do people just not replace rear springs on pickups?

What brand of springs are you looking at?

Reese said:
What brand of springs are you looking at?

Yeah, this! The leafs I got for my truck were $300. But keep in mind: 1. Prices have gone up since 2019 2. Toyota tax is a real thing…

Reese said:
What brand of springs are you looking at?

Honestly, anything. Even the cheapest no-name Chinese stuff on eBay is like $250 each. For the Jeep, comparable springs (again, the cheapo option I wouldn’t actually use) are about $350… for a set of 4.

I guess it’s just how it is, but I’m surprised there’s THAT much of a price difference. Or maybe it’s just that Toyota tax you mentioned.

@Remy
Under $100 each is a solid deal. Did you check RockAuto?

Jensen said:
@Remy
Under $100 each is a solid deal. Did you check RockAuto?

Yeah, RockAuto has a few decent options. Still over $100, but not enough to make my head hurt.

Their website is super old-school, but I actually like it. It’s easy to find exactly what you need without giving them all your info or accepting a ton of cookies.

General Spring makes solid leafs for a lot less than OEM or most aftermarket brands.

I got the General HD (about 1” over stock) for $520 shipped.

Here’s a link.

@Grayer
This looks promising. Thanks a ton!!!

Remy said:
@Grayer
This looks promising. Thanks a ton!!!

That price includes shackles too.

Good luck with the build!

Icon RXT leafs are reasonably priced, and being able to adjust them is a nice bonus.

Leaf springs for Tacomas are crazy expensive. I had the same leaf in each pack break on both sides of my truck, and I ended up getting a spring shop to make replacement leaves for each side instead of replacing the whole pack. It would’ve cost over $2k for a full set.

Prices are just ridiculous these days.

@Teegan
$2k for leaf packs? I just got Icon RXT packs for $679.

Zya said:
@Teegan
$2k for leaf packs? I just got Icon RXT packs for $679.

$2k for both packs… Should’ve clarified. Welcome to Canada, where everything’s stupid expensive, if you can even get it.

@Teegan
Wow, that’s insane. Those prices are out of control.

Zya said:
@Teegan
Wow, that’s insane. Those prices are out of control.

That’s wild. I got a 2-pack of Old Man Emu leafs for $550 earlier this year.

Do you need to lift the front of the Tacoma with the Icon RXT, or is it fine with the stock setup? Can these springs be adjusted while installed if option one isn’t enough?

You’ve got a Tacoma, my friend. That automatically means a 200% markup on parts. People love customizing these trucks, and shops know they’ll pay a premium. Not saying that’s your goal, but it’s the reason for the price hikes.

Check out your local truck suspension shops. They usually have good quality leafs on hand and can add a leaf or re-arch your existing springs to boost height and load capacity. I had it done last year for $500 CAD.