Installed medium duty Dakars..meh. Could use some input.

OK, a couple of months back I was debating Dakars (medium duty) vs airbags for my '14 TRD Offroad. I had a stock setup with 1" spacers, and just wanted an extra 1"of lift to level it back out with the ARE shell on the back. After hearing all the glowing reviews, I finally bought the medium duty dakars from Headstrong (great buying experience BTW) and have had them on a couple of hundred miles now.

Ouch. WAY stiffer than I would have imagined. Not bone crushing or anything, but definitely not the smooth ride everyone was suggesting. I really liked the stock ride, and just wanted a little lift. Not bashing the Dakars at all, but I'm not really sure I'll be keeping this route.

So...If I go back to the original setup (Stock leafs with a 1" spacer) and bags, can I get the extra 1" from bags, and if so, how would you guys that have bags say the ride is? Or, have any of you with the dakars yanked a leaf out of the pack out and seen any improvement?

Again, not a slam on OME or Headstrong, just looking to tweek it back closer to what I had before, but keep at least 2" of lift over box-stock.

 

Fyi the bags stiffen the ride some. Just a little less than Dakars.

 

Take 3rd leaf out, to drop about 3/4 and it will soften up too.. It's what I have read here many times. I might do it on mine...

 

Or throw sand bags in the back

 

Here’s what you do, yank them out and swap with me for my stock pack plus 3 leaf AAL. Win win haha.

 

I've heard to take it out if you have the heavy-duty pack (EL096 or the original OME pack). Haven't heard that on the EL095. May give that a try. Thanks!

 

Following up - OP, did you pull the 3rd leaf on your mediums?

This thread is my fear. What’s between stock and the Dakar mediums?

Getting a snugtop installed and only have the stock 2-leaf TRD OR pack. Don’t think Just an AAL is viable for me. Buying a new stock 4-leaf and AAL seems silly.

 

I have medium Dakars AND air bags.


To answer your question though, if you were looking to get the 1" of lift just from your air bags, I would pass. Air bags work really well at maintaining ride height and ride quality as the load increases, but the ride quality would likely suffer/stiffen greatly if the bags were preloaded to the point of providing the lift. Additionally, my bags require weekly adjustment (elevation change, temperature change, and mine do leak a bit which all affects pressure) and unless you go for the compressor/manifold/gauge route so you can maintain that ride height easily, you might find they're not worth the hassle.

 

Doesn’t work on the new style Dakar medium pack. You’ll fuck it up.

 

I agree. Too stiff for me and I have aftermarket rear plate bumper, sliders and now Leer camper.

 

I have full underside trail armor on my rig, with sliders, no plate bumpers. So I was overloading the stock suspension.

I found the Dakar MD pack really improved the ride on my truck. The back end feels way more planted and less bouncy. I noticed a great ride improvement over the squashed stock suspension I had on.

 

naw you could pull the 3rd leaf even on the medium pack without issue.


That stated, I have mediums on my truck, kinda wish they had more arch to them, unloaded with no cap nothing in the back they ride great and smooth, smoother than my 3+1 stock pack with a single 2in AAL.

 

Do yourself a favor buy a full leaf pack. Honestly if I had a snugtop installed on my truck id probably go with the heavy's.

 

Whats a leaf pack alternative to the Dakars? Seems everyone talks about stock + AAL or Dakar Med/HD.

A few mention other leaf packs. Which are worth exploring? I’m not convinced I need the Dakar set if I’m only adding a cap and nothing else. Road trip warrior so maybe 300 lbs of cargo plus a passenger, max.

 

Do you want a lift?

If yes, DONT BOTHER with an AAL. I spent a few years chasing driveline vibrations / axle wrap issues with my stock shitty noodle of a leaf pack (3+1 with a single 2in AAL)... I even had a weld on budbuilt traction bar to help and all of that isnt nearly as good as my dakar mediums.


If you dont want a lift, airbags. You will still have to deal with atrocious axle wrap / wheel hop of the stock leaf packs, but there really isnt anything out there that will keep stock ride height and add weight carrying capabilities as far as a replacement pack.

 

I would like a lift. 2” max. Planning to install 6112/5160 combo on either “2” or “3”. Looking to pair it with a new leaf pack which will give me a factory rake.

 

All pro 3 inch lift. im sure you could pull a leaf out of it if need be...