Removing 3rd leaf from Dakar leaf pack?

Hey all, I am getting my Old Man Emu Dakar leaf pack installed tomorrow morning and had a question about something I read online about them. I was told that by removing the 3rd leaf down for "the plushest ride", will it actually improve ride quality rather than if you were to leave all seven in. Is there any truth to this? Should I just have them install it as is? I've got icon coil overs and icon rear shocks if that helps.

thanks!

 

I have it as is, I'm fine with it.. I hear taking leaf packs apart is a pain in the ass

 

I left mine the way they came. Disassembling leaf packs can indeed be a pain in the ass as Oreo said... I personally don't mind the ride at all. They flex when I need them to, support weight like a boss, and in my opinion ride better than stock. Maybe a little stiffer but hardly noticeable.

 

I would leave it as is. My truck rides great. not harsh at all

 

Leave it alone. I was very worried about a stiffer ride when going dakars over stock but honestly its maybe only 15% stiffer feeling in the old keester.

 

Keep in mind there are now three different 2nd gen dakar spring part numbers. C prefix(very recently discontinued), and two EL prefixs. The EL095R is the lighter version of them all.

Either way, I would keep the spring in.

 

The new 95R leafs I have I didn't need to remove the 3rd leaf, it was plush enough of a ride

 

I'd leave it alone. My ACLB rides like it should have from the factory with the Dakars, and as mentioned above, carries the weight when you need to.

 

I just ordered those along with the AAL.

 

Great choice

 

Leave it in. The engineers designed it this way. It does ride a bit stiffer, it's a truck with leaf springs so it rides as expected. By the way the leafs May squeeking (mine certainly do). There is no "plush ride" in the Tacoma when upgrading to the Dakars, it's a truck and it rides like one, especially when you add load range E tires.

 

The full packs would give you up to 3" of lift, are your rear shocks long enough to accommodate that?

 

You can use them either way. It depends on your application. Per the instructions, you can leave them all in or remove the third leaf for 15% less spring rate and 15mm less lift. I installed them with all seven leafs in and drove it that way for several months. My bed is empty 95% of the time so I removed the third leaf recently to soften it up a bit and to lower the rear just a little. It has worked great for me. But please don't let anyone misinform you and say they weren't made to do that. That is one of the benefits of the Dakars...they're convertible!

Also, I have the older 047 pack and not the newer 095. I believe the newer ones have the option to purchase them with the third leaf already removed but I'm not sure on that. Either way, I like them and they can be modified to suit your needs if your usage changes in the future. IMHO, if you drive around empty all the time, you may enjoy the ride a little better with the third leaf removed.

 

I guess this answers my question on the 95R leafs. If that's the way you received them it looks like you only have six leafs. Four regulars and two overloads. That means they already removed the third leaf at the factory. Interesting.

 

13 page thread here in Headstrong's forum with lots of details and RFIs. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/new-ome-dakar-leaf-pack-review.489540/

Edit: The consensus is that the 95 pack + the AAL equals(minus some pads) the 96 pack which is equivalent to the older dakars.

 

For those who think removing (or adding) a leaf on Daks is a pita, wtf? It's maybe a 10 minute job. C clamp, center pin, and two retain clip bolts. If you haven't done it, don't mislead others who are trying to learn.

 

I've done AALs on just about all of my trucks and it is a little bit more than a 10 minute job. Still, it is a pretty easy job and not a pain in the ass. Easier than rotating tires.

 

If they are not already installed, as the OP is buying new ones, it is cake. Maybe 10 minutes a side.

Now if you choose to chamfer the tips on each leaf, spray the down both sides of each leaf with dry moly lube, and replace the inevitably broken spring clip liners with new ones (available for free under warranty from OEM if you call and ask), yes, maybe a bit more than 10 minutes a side.

 

did u get extended u bolts for the 95s? im not sure if mine are long enough.

 

Agree 100%. Why limit yourself? I tried it removing the 3rd leaf, put it back in and tried it without overload leaf, etc. Have some fun.

Edit: U-bolts aren't made to be reused over and over tho. I buy new ones every couple torque/loosen cycles.