Should I RideRite, Dakar, or just leave alone?

Last weekend I installed a set of 5100s all around. I set the fronts at 1.75" and had a noticeable amount of Bro Lean. I also had a buttload of fishing/beach gear in the back, plus the decent amount of recovery equipment/tools under the rear seats and behind the seatbacks. The front shocks have settled a bit since then, and it feels a little more level.
I guess I'm curious if I should add the Ride Rite airbags, or a Dakar leaf pack minus the middle leaf spring. I don't want the lean, but I do appreciate the slightly higher ride. I have a huge road trip coming up next winter, and I guess the Ride Rite bags would help because a Pelfreybilt bumper is a part of that trip, but I wonder if I should just throw the OME Dakar leaf springs on before then and let the heavier bumper (plus Bestop Supertop and all my gear) level the truck out. Thoughts? Most of the weight I carry is during the summer, and in the winter I have a mostly empty bed with a few sandbags for traction during the snowy days.

 

What about an AAL from Icon or wheelers? The 3 leaf AAL i mean.

 

go all out, Dakar it (+1 extra load leaf).. never look back... but decide before hand if you want the extra leaf, which didn't raise much more but gave me few hundred more pounds of well worth it payload.... you could add the leaf later but pain in the ass.. NOTE: I'm running constant load of cap and 100lb tool box..

 

Depends how much he hauls. It'll ride like crap if he never hauls anything

 

I got the Dakar, does not ride like crap, I never haul anything. Best thing I've done to Yota. Ride better than the factory springs not harsh, I was amazed. I got the 3 inch lift springs, don't forget to get the shims as well. I don't have the carrier drop most people get. I've always used shims and never had a problem. I bought Dakars to replace the crappy factory springs that were already flatter than Iowa. Forget having them replaced with crappy factory springs, trust me you'll love the Dakar. I ordered the springs, shims, and longer u bolts from Toytec. FYI, I didn't even change shocks, still have the original bilstiens that came with my TRD double cab. I currently have 41k miles, and about 2k miles on the new Dakar springs.

 

It's true gotta consider the ride quality, but don't forget the Taco's stock suspension (as agreed by many) is overly soft and useless... When I installed everything, may 1st intention was HD suspension to haul stuff and tighten up the ride, 2nd was the height increase.. now it rides like a truck

 

Okay you need to get new shocks, Id be really surprised if your rear ones aren't blown..

I said no to Dakars for him for a few reasons:
1) if he never hauls anything many people complain about the ride being to stiff. I love my dakars but I also haul stuff and use them off road, I've also grown up with trucks and used to the ride.

2) he (and you if you don't) really should get extended brake lines which add more cost.. Your are limiting your stock ones which obviously isn't good, and if he never goes wheelin then he doesn't need the extra clearance..

3) costs more than twice as much as an AAL. Many people do great with them that don't haul weight, plus he can probably keep his trd bilsteins.

 

on factory shocks and brake lines??

I had the toytec AAL, lasted two winters before they broke in half...

 

Yes sir got my original lift which was just a Ready Lift coil spacer up front and blocks in the rear at 10k miles. Just upgraded the rear with the leaf springs and got rid of the blocks.

 

Well be surprised the rear shocks aren't blown...thing rides smooth as glass.

 

Time to change out those front spacers

 

The spacers up front need to be changed out? They are metal, I figured they last forever?

 

ya man them spacers are no good especially if springs get compressed more than 50%, bump stops are too short for heavy compression... there's no wear but you have to increase spring rate, travel and damping when you go up in height...

 

I may have to look into that, but honestly I see no reason for doing so. Truck runs fine right know. If its not broken why fix it.

 

So much misinformation in this thread. Love how people remember part of a post then just make the rest up & parrot it as fact.

 

lol...was just thinking the same thing.

 

There are so many options. To begin, I'd lower those front 5100's to .85

 

They severely weaken your front struts.

 

I like how some people hijacked the OP thread and didn't even bother to answer his question