Well hell...

I'll get a measurement tonight, but mine haven't settled much after a month with my camper shell back on and some weight in the bed. I know I have a different Dakar spring than most (CS018R)

 

+1 you can help the process by adding weight. I usually load up one of the atvs for a few days

 

I just checked out the link you posted from Wheelers to the kit that you bought...those are the same exact springs I have but without the AAL. Looks like they use aftermarket greasable shackles, but they aren't lift shackles so those shouldn't be adding anything to the lift.

Thinking about it some more, maybe the fact that I have my bed rack and RTT on all the time kept mine from sitting so tall when I first installed them. The combo only weights about 200lbs but it may have been enough to prevent mine from being sky high at first...they do settle a bit though so you should see it come down some over the next few days. I had to add an AAL to mine because once I put my camping gear in the back, I was riding on my bumpstops. Dakars are a smooth riding spring but they do not hold a lot of weight well...if you plan on carrying 600lbs+ on trips then you might want to look at adding an AAL as well, but wait and see where these settle to.

 

Jump it, it will lower

 

When I lifted my 03 prerunner I started with the rear.

 

Better than starting with the front!

 

Ha!

After having my 5100s on for several years, it was again time to upgrade. However, I spent all my budget on ext travel Kings and UCAs, so the rear is still sporting 5100s, stock leafs, and extended shackles. Even after lowering the Kings a bit, it still sits low in the back, not too bad, though. This summer will be either Dakars or if I'm feeling spicy, Deavers.

 

Why not alcans lol

 

Feel spicy my friend !! Dakar’s are great , have them in my shortbed, but the Deavers IMO are even better! They ride smoother both on and offroad.
But to be honest I love the Dakar’s too

 

something about them being super stiff and having to remove leafs...

 

Yeah, definitely lean towards the Deavers... All-Pros are on the list, too...

 

Haha, attack the easiest first!

 

Leaf springs were a much more time-consuming and difficult job for me than doing the front coilovers...rear shocks were super easy though. The front coilovers literally just bolted right in for me, didn't have to fuss with it at all. Only difficult part was adjusting the ride height but that wasn't too bad.

The leaf springs were a giant pain in the ass for me because I had a hell of a time lining the shackle and hangar bolts up, not to mention the leafs themselves are just plain heavy and awkward to try and work with.

 

Part number of the leafs(feels weird to write ‘leaves’) installed on my truck are:

CS046RA & B

Pretty sure that’s the correct stuff. There’s no way I installed it incorrectly. They went together entirely too easy for the install to have been wrong. Won’t be driving the truck for a few more days. I’ll update you guys when I get the front end put together and back on the road. still waiting on my control arms to come back from a friends machine shop. They’re doing the energy suspension bushings for me! Saved myself all of that headache.

 

yeah you got the right part numbers. I think the difference between the two of us, like I mentioned a few posts up, is that my truck has the constant weight of the RTT and bed rack so I didn't see as much immediate lift out of them. Have they settled at all for you yet?

 

I’ve read where people recommend bolting the rear part of the leaf in first but I bolted the front in first. I figured that there was a lot more play in the shackles to work with as opposed to that single bolt on the front side. It worked out super well. I was also pretty fortunate that literally none of my bolts were rusted or seized on either the front or rear suspension.

Edit: still no settle because I haven’t driven the truck any farther than turning it around in the driveway to reset it on jacks. Then promptly started dismantling the entire front end.

 

Front is cake on these trucks. I did the front in like 20 min once I had the tires off. Rear isn't bad either about an hour per side. If it isn't seized or rusty, that's when it gets tricky. Rear I always start with front bolts, then get ubolt and axle pin lined up and finger tight , last are shackles. The key is not to tighten anything till you get everything on both sides

 

Quick update on this project:

Machine shop finally pulled through on my control arm bushings. I’m going to install everything on the truck tomorrow.

Wondering what upper control arm goes on each side? They seem so similar and I didn’t mark them. Do the little rubber plugs go on top, with the ball joint oriented to the left of center.

Also- I’ve read warnings about not buying the energy suspension bushings. I decided that I would try them out anyway just to see how it would turn out. I delegated that task before it ever began. The machine shop that did them said they would NEVER do any again. They wished they had turned my job down. Solid word of advice for future risk takers—avoid the energy suspension bushings control arm bushings all together. Steering rack were a piece of cake though. Whitelines control arm bushings would’ve been much easier and had me on the road a lot faster.

Anyway, Photo updates of front suspension coming tomorrow some time.

 

@eon_blue do you know off of the top of your head how to tell which UCA goes on what side? Before I install them backwards and have to fix it. I think there’s a rubber plug that should sit on top. This will orient the upper ball joint to the left of center? Idk. It may be obvious after I get back to the truck but thinking about it right now I’m having a hard time deciding.

 

I think they are labeled left and right