The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

Presume it’ll be the expedition grade stage 3 springs. Just to be on the safe side. Damn, that means I am half way to being in the cali club, just need to pony up for kings and some total chaos uppers and 35’s!!.

 

This sounds very equation like to me. But clearly I'm clueless. The best I've got is some Stata code and noone here (rightly so) wants that.

 

Appreciate the update, as I envision things playing out very similarly for me. Sounds like custom Deavers may be in my future.

Good luck, and please continue to keep us posted.

 

Apologies, I didn't;t realize I was getting equationy. I will go drink a few beers and come back to my usual rambles of a mad man.

Steve

 

These HD leaf packs are getting good reviews...

 

Christy,

OME BP-51’s:

Old Man Emu/ ARB BP-51 shocks. Internal bypass. No opinion on them since I’ve never run them.

OME HD leaf pack with an extra AAL:

Old Man Emu Heavy Duty leaf springs with an “add-leaf”, or extra leaf. They work OK, but see @jberry813 ’s post for accurate information on leaf springs.

I have Alcans that are spec’d For a Fourwheel camper. Way too much spring for a Drifter. Once my interior is complete, I will definitely have to modify my pack to adjust. Mine are less thicker leaves, compared to the Deavers with more thinner leaves. There are advantages to both.

The one thing I’ve recommended to customers is a good bump stop. I have the Wheelers Super Bumps. @snwbrdr852 mentioned a decent ride height, but bottoming out when the rear dips. I experienced the same with the old Flippac on Ironman springs. Superbumps are progressive and cushion that hit. If you end up replacing springs, the Superbumps stay. So you’re not wasting money on bumps. Some of the other bumps act as a crutch by supporting the vehicle weight, but I have no experience with them. I’m not going to even mention hydro-bumps...

Just my opinion. YMMV.

 

Aaen, No apologies necessary whatsoever needed here! For some reason my two-dimensional brain has a hard time with three dimensional things, and apparently with new terminology as well. :0)

Phil, thanks for the additional detail. -C

 

Me too. I like the bump stop idea. I need to weigh my truck empty and then with the drifter (after pickup) and some wiggle room for a build out. Maybe I can get ALCANS installed on my way home.

 

btw here is more Drifter porn from Baja

 

I have The HD pack with the extra leaf aswell and am still sitting a little higher in the rear.. but my set up might be lighter than yours. They are fairly new but so far they have been good. Time will tell I guess. I had also considered adding another 3rd leaf if ever needed. I doubt ARB recomends that but I do t see why it wouldnt work since they are the same leafs.

 

I have bags and cradles on my set up. I only use the bags when I have my motorcycle on a hitch rack on the bumper adding another 250lbs off the back. Other than that I leave about 5 lbs in the bags and they have worked pretty well as a bump stop.

I have considered adding superbumps to the back as well since they have worked so well on the front.

 

I’ve run the OME HD leafs and they worked when I didn’t have anything on the truck. They sagged quickly and rode on bad leafs for way too long.

I now run Deaver Stage III and they work great. The truck is level, fully loaded and camp ready.

 

I put OME HD leafs on post Drifter, and wished I had gone with Deavers. They arc differently, and either they are already bad or they just have a w appearance. It requires a lot of elbow grease for OME to work with BAMF shackles, just know that those two are not otherwise compatible if you go that route. I'm gonna wheel the sh*t out of them because they are on there, but Deavers are inevitable. Dreading that red loctite now.

 

I’m assuming the Daystar cradles? Those sound perfect for your application. I was going to go that route with the 4wc setup, but decided to never take it off...
For towing or using a hitch- mount motorcycle carrier, it looks like it would work really well.

https://youtu.be/_MH4rE7GB_Q

Not a Tacoma, but a little faster and less air in the bags.

https://youtu.be/r4QBG3izhyA

 

I saw yours at the shop earlier this week, looked great! I'll have to check it out when I get back to Seattle

 

I too run OME Dakars and have not been impressed...I think it might time for a new set. I am talking to Alcan right now per Phils suggestion.

 

ugh, so much for quality and constant weight springs from OME, to many people having these issues. Worst part is the truck never really squatted when we put the camper on, so this means they flattened out without the camper on the truck on gravel roads.

From talking with the dealer sounds like they are going to take care of me on the springs, now it is getting my front shocks warranties which are leaking and probably the source of some of the squeaking on the truck.[/QUOTE]

 

Deavers or gtfo

 

BP-51's leaking? What a shock...

*Everyone I know with BP-51s for an extended length of time has had them leak.