wannakracka Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Hello all, I have a leaning Toyota Motorhome and have been doing some research to replace the rear leaf springs to fix the problem. I was under the truck looking for a part number and saw that there was a sticker on the top leaf that said Alcan Springs. Which mean I do not have OEM springs on my rig. That said I have a few questions: Did the body builder (Odyssey) replace the springs when they put the camper on? Or where the springs replaced by an owner due to failure or aftermarket improvements? Does anybody know the OEM part number for the rr springs? The trucks is a factory 1986 1 Ton 4X4 with a 22RTE. Does anyone have any suggestions for replacement springs? Note I do have Firestone Ride Rite helper bags on the back Thanks in advance for any feedback! Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Hmm well for starters Odyssey never made a 4x4 motorhome in 1986. No record of them making a 4x4 until 1989 when the V6 became available. Could we see some pics of your whole rig? And let us see the rear axle hubs too. Dually or single wheels in the back. Alcan makes custom springs. Can you see that one spring is bad? I see a phone number there and if they support their work maybe they will help Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannakracka Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Attached is a picture of the RV. It is the 6-lug dually in the rear (I assume the 5-lug was replaced due to the recall). I would be surpised to hear that Odyssey did not make this rig, as I have all the original papers for the RV. That said, they could be the papers from a transplant... Linda, you said that Odyssey made a 4X4 in 1989, do you know if they used the factory springs or did they swap out the springs when they put the camper on? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Wow. I have no idea what that is. The smallest models NADA shows for the Odyssey in 1986 are 20 feet long and yours is no bigger than my 18 foot Sunrader. I am rarely so stumped. I believe Odyssey used the original Toyota axles on their 4x4's. They also only had single rear wheels. Here's a pic of one of our members Odyssey 4x4. This is the Newport model which also came with the rear dinette like yours but as you can see it's bigger than yours http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uujH1VzyI8A/VQeG4K1_JSI/AAAAAAAAAYs/l3vf_aS3vbI/s1600/IMG_0377.jpg Ya know now that I look closer maybe not so much bigger. Yours is longer from the back of the cab to the rear wheels than mine. Wheel base has been extended I think. My Sunrader is on an unaltered 112 inch wheel base. When you get back to it measure yours too. Wonder if Odyssey made a few 4x4's earlier and then decided not to continue. It's possible Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannakracka Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 None of the springs look bad, i.e. a broken leaf. When I measure LH to RH there is a definte difference. My assumption is that the LH spring has yielded. I considered calling Alcan, but was hesitant as obvisouly there is a problem with their product on my truck. Not to say the problem was there fault instead of an application error. I would probably prefer to run the OEM spring (or a direct replacement) if that is how Odyssey built their 4X4's. if so, do you know of a OEM spring part number? Maybe the memeber with the other 4X4 Odyssey can share a spring part number from their RV??? I'll measure the wheel base when I get back. If my memory serves me correctly, Bumper to back of cab on mine was 19'. Also, I have notice some plates welded onto the frame, but have't looked to close. I'll check and see If I see an extension welded in when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmowrey Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 We had the leaf springs on our 85 Dolphin re-arched. They also added one new spring to each side. It made a huge difference, not just for the leaning problem, but to the overall ride. It cost $600, but I think it was well worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I'm thinking they got custom springs to give it a 4x4 lift cause your camper started life as a 2wd. Do you have 14 inch wheels front and back? I see 5 lugs in the front and there's probably an adapter underneath that to fit it to the hub. Looks like a reversed dually there but not the 6 lug ones found on 87 and up Toyota motorhome front wheels. You need to do some careful measuring of the springs but I think Jim's idea of getting the ones you have fixed is the right thing to do. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Is Yakima Wa close enough for you to get to. 5Toyota knew about this place and it sounds like a good bet for getting your springs fixed. White Front Shop. Do all kind of spring work and been in business since 1915. They do heavy duty truck bus and RV work and even blacksmithing. https://plus.google.com/101730630582182943351/about?gl=us&hl=en Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Really want to know if yours is a 4x4 conversion or started life as a 4x4. Just check your vin. Could you give me the first 6 digits? That's all you need to tell if this was camper put on a 4x4 after market or a factory built 4x4 or a 2wd with an aftermarket conversion to 4x4. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannakracka Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Thanks for all the feedback! Lidia you have are on to something. I looked underneath at the frame and it has been extended. Meaured at about 142" wheel base. Also uncoded the VIN JT4RN6... Factory 2WD... I always assumed it was factory 4X4, whoever converted it did a good job! Makes a little more sense now, as I have been misguided a few times getting parts for the rig when assuming factory 4X4. Looks like I'll keep with custom springs! I'm local to Portland Oregon and have heard great things about Benz spring. I'll drop by there and see what they have for ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Toyota never made a rear spring pack adequate to carry the full time weight of an RV on its back. So even if you bought new springs – you’d need to add leafs to each pack or they’d just lose their arch. As I recall the 4WD spring packs have the same amount and order of leafs (as 2WD) but with a slightly higher arch than the 2WD trucks. If you want to beef up your springs – I suggest you add some new leaf stock with the proper arch. The OEM 4WD pack late 80s usually has 3 primary leafs and one secondary “overload” leaf. Of course – with a motorhome body sitting on the back – even new springs will be sitting on that overload leaf all the time unless you add some leafs to the stack. Toyota has an odd-ball leaf size so the leafs are not common. 2 3/8” wide instead of 2 ½” wide like most other small trucks. Check and see if your leafs are 5/16” thick or 3/8” thick and then get some add-on leafs to beef up each stack. You can also get what you have re-arched but now-days – that is often a waste of time and money since most shops are doing “cold-arching” that does not last. If you can find a shop that actually rearches and re-temper the springs – that’s a different story. Not many places do it anymore. Not cost-effective since brand new springs are often just as cheap or cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Thanks for all the feedback! Lidia you have are on to something. I looked underneath at the frame and it has been extended. Meaured at about 142" wheel base. Also uncoded the VIN JT4RN6... Factory 2WD... I always assumed it was factory 4X4, whoever converted it did a good job! Makes a little more sense now, as I have been misguided a few times getting parts for the rig when assuming factory 4X4. Looks like I'll keep with custom springs! I'm local to Portland Oregon and have heard great things about Benz spring. I'll drop by there and see what they have for ideas. JT4RN6 is a 4x4 truck. Not a 2wd cab and chassis. You might really have a rare custom order 4x4 Odyssey from the factory. Sunrader put their 4x4's on truck chassis' too but didn't upgrade the axles. Fascinating. Your rig might be the only one of it's kind Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannakracka Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Oh your right. Again... I read some bad info off the internet (Or maybe some post 1996 vin info). I just plugged the VIN into a free online vin Decoder and sure enough 4X4. the guy I bought it from did say something about it being the only one of its kind, but I thought he was eluding to the fact that it is the 22RTE, not 4X4 in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Oh your right. Again... I read some bad info off the internet (Or maybe some post 1996 vin info). I just plugged the VIN into a free online vin Decoder and sure enough 4X4. the guy I bought it from did say something about it being the only one of its kind, but I thought he was eluding to the fact that it is the 22RTE, not 4X4 in general. The whole deal is unique. The only pre-V6 Odyssey 4x4, plus the turbo engine plus the correct rear axle. what size are your wheels? All 15 inch" or 14. Looks like some kind of adapter on the front Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannakracka Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 They are all 15's. 6 lug rear, 5 lug front. It would be nice if they were all the same pattern so I could carry one spare and be covered. I think I remember the guy that sold it to me saying it originally came with the 5 lug (non-floating) rear diff and at some point it got converted. I'm going to look through my original Odyssey documentation and see if there is any mention of 4X4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am still stumped. A 4x4 would have come with 6 lugs front and back. The Odyssey plant was close to the wheel place that made most of these wheels so they could have had them made there. I have seen front wheels like yours before on Diesel85's Sunrader 4x4 . Man I would love to see this in person. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannakracka Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Well this may shed some light on the mystery. Looks like it was transferred from a Burt Toyota of Englewood, CO in 1986. Odometer reading 1.3k. Description 'Motorhome 4X4". Seems like it could have been some rare one off. See picture. You are always welcome to come take a look. I am out of Portland Oregon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Having those documents is also extremely cool. Yup I think you have a one of a kind. There was a time when you could go to a factory and order exactly what you wanted. Makes perfect sense that someone in Colorado would want a 4x4 and the turbo to get some extra power in the mountains. You are one lucky guy Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Diesel Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I am still stumped. A 4x4 would have come with 6 lugs front and back. The Odyssey plant was close to the wheel place that made most of these wheels so they could have had them made there. I have seen front wheels like yours before on Diesel85's Sunrader 4x4 . Man I would love to see this in person. Linda S My front rims are 15" 6 lug, interchangeable with the rears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 My front rims are 15" 6 lug, interchangeable with the rears. But you both have the only Toyota 4x4's with dually wheels that I know of with adapters to mount reversed duallies on the front wheels. Since all your wheels and the adapters had to be custom made it does seem strange they would make his fronts with only 5 lugs. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Diesel Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Yeah that is weird. What's the point of having a custom rim and adapter in the front if the rim doesn't even work in the back? Why not just use a stock rim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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