Truck not level(left-to-right)

[KodeRush]

I have been noticing that, from the rear, my truck is visually not level on a level ground with the driver side lower by about 3/4"(didn't measure, eyeballed). The truck has ICON 2" lift spring (52700) in the rear. I know the gas tank and BudBuilt full gas tank skid plate make the driver side heavier. I just wonder if lots of people have the same observation and just live with it or my case is special, maybe my spring sagged.:noidea:

 

[marshal]

Since you don't have KDSS it sounds like a spring issue. The skid plate and fuel tank wouldn't cause that degree of sag on one side. How many miles do you have on the springs?

 

[cbielat]

WHAT DID YOU DO!? Kidding. You can just throw in a spacer on top of that spring to even it out.

 

[Blue15]

Was my understanding from reading about this on the forum is that the 1/2" Toyota lean was a standard thing on our trucks, and that lift kits don't correct the lean, unless we specifically address the extra issue when lift or leveling.

Front Top Plate Spacer (One - 1/4")

My 2015 trail has a 1/2 inch driver side lean, I've been told add a 1/4" TOYTEC spacer to correct, or since I plan on adding Bilstein 5100 adjustable in front I can take the driver side up an extra setting from the passenger side.

 

[KodeRush]

Thanks guys for the replies. I did some measurement:

<b>Left rear </b>    fender 39.37"    tire 32.60"
<b>Right rear</b>    fender 38.78"    tire 32.28"

I double checked the tires pressure are same and the ground is level. The spring and tire are kind of proportionally compressed. Looks like the weight is a factor. I may have to take out the spring one day and see if one has sagged.

 

[Jhalko]

Sounds Normal, Measure with a full tank of gas versus almost empty to verify.

 

[4everunner]

I have da same “problem”.

 

[SKP-4R]

May have a similar issue. I have also noticed under normal driving a booming noise coming from the rear. Handling seems unaffected but I was wondering if this could be a symptom of a rear spring not seated properly?

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

Ahhhh the Toyota Lean has created another thread.

Completely normal. You should see my lean with the tank skid and the tire being on the drivers side, major lean.

 

[Okki]

Thanks guys for the replies. I did some measurement:

<b>Left rear </b>    fender 39.37"    tire 32.60"
<b>Right rear</b>    fender 38.78"    tire 32.28"

I double checked the tires pressure are same and the ground is level. The spring and tire are kind of proportionally compressed. Looks like the weight is a factor. I may have to take out the spring one day and see if one has sagged.

View attachment 165874

Determine the center point on the rims and measure to that. If you measure straight up to the fender from there you will not have any impact of tire pressure in your measurement. You do want to be on level surface in order to minimize impact of lean induced by the angle of the vehicle.

There is a write up about this in my build thread.
Okki

 

[Jetboy]

I think it's a heritage thing. Toyota's have leaned since the very first land cruisers. Just consider it a Land Cruiser feature that's being passed down to the 5th gen 4runners.

On a more serious note: the issue likely is a result of how far inboard the rear springs are. They are quite narrow in spacing. This means any weight off to the sides has a greater impact on "lean" than it would on other vehicles with wider rear spring spacing. So the gas tank for example is almost 100% outboard of the rear spring.

Many people fix by adjusting the front springs to compensate because it's easier. And it works. The downside is it probably is less than optimal for driving characteristics. You end up with the left front and right rear tires carrying more load than they should. A better fix is probably to use a small spacer on the rear spring on one side.

In a perfect world we could move the springs outboard. The downside is then you lose articulation for a given spring travel, so you'd have to have longer springs and more complex suspension work to get back to similar travel range.

 

[KodeRush]

Many people fix by adjusting the front springs to compensate because it's easier. And it works. The downside is it probably is less than optimal for driving characteristics. You end up with the left front and right rear tires carrying more load than they should.

This is exactly the reason I bring this up this time.

Let me share a bit more story on this matter. I had some lean in the front, so I adjusted my left coil-over further down to make it level. This resulted in the left spring was stiffer to support more weight. Then when I drove on an entrance ramp to a freeway(it's like making a big right turn) around 40 m/h, the ABS autumatically kicked in and scared the crap out of me, twice! I was confused at first then realized that maybe the right wheel was off the ground because my left spring was harder and kind of "locked" the sway bar and "lifted" the right wheel. So I re-adjusted my left coil-over and make sure the left spring and right spring have the same tension, and lived with the lean(which keeps bothering me). ABS never kicked in again in similar scenario since.

I guess it's probably safer to live with the lean, or use a spacer to compensate than adjusting the spring.

 

[Bevo]

Many people fix by adjusting the front springs to compensate because it's easier. And it works. The downside is it probably is less than optimal for driving characteristics. You end up with the left front and right rear tires carrying more load than they should. A better fix is probably to use a small spacer on the rear spring on one side.

In a perfect world we could move the springs outboard. The downside is then you lose articulation for a given spring travel, so you'd have to have longer springs and more complex suspension work to get back to similar travel range.

Toyota decide to fix it with the front coilovers on the Pro. The spring perch is set at a higher notch on the driver's side.

I don't know if the springs are different for each side, but Toyota didn't think it would be a problem.

 

[Blue15]

Sounds Normal, Measure with a full tank of gas versus almost empty to verify.

Just tried that, Full tank, checked tire pressure, level garage. To my amazement with a full tank of gas and correct pressure:

Both fronts 19 1/2
Both rear 21 7/8

Wow! checked it twice, will do it again this weekend to make sure I wasn't dreaming.