How To: OME Dakar Overload Flip

What: The leaf pack is made of a main leaf (with eyes) full length leafs, and two short overload leafs. These overload leafs don't do anything beyond giving you a slight 1/2" lift until you load the truck with weight. When the weight compresses the pack it flattens out and engages the overload to increase capacity. This allows for a leaf pack that is soft unloaded and stronger when loaded.

Why: By flipping the first (upper) overload you decrease the amount compression needed to engage the overload... i.e. Less sag with load then before. This does affect the rate of compression and therefore articulation profile of the pack.

Tools: it's been a while since I did this, and it was done off the truck during initial instal, so adjust fire as needed. If your packs are old, you'll need new center pins.

An impact with a 13mm deep.

Four quick clamps, c-clamps, or c-vice grips.

How:

Place two clamps on the main pack just outboard the overload leafs. And two a bit out from the center pin, but enough room to fit your impact.



Loosen the pin nut and set aside.



Remove the pin from the pack, and insert from the other direction (main leaf down).



Loosen/remove the two INNER clamps and set aside.

Slide the pin back out just enough the clear the two overload leafs.



Slip the primary overload leaf (2nd from the bottom) out rotate about the longitudinal axis and slip it back in. The rotation, not a flip, is required as the leaf is directional.



Reposition the leaf's hole and push the center pin all the way through both overloads to ensure proper alignment.



Replace the inner clamps, remove the pin, reinsert in proper orientation, and reinstall/torque the center pin nut.



~fin

 

Nope.


Hope it came across well... typed while half asleep and doped outta my goard on Percocet.

 

How is the ride? Hub to fender measurements? Have the OME AAL also? I have moderate weight (big shell, platform, tools, drawer, HC steel rear bumper... but no cans out back, no swing out, no extra large spare tire) but getting another inch or so would be nice when fully loaded during long trips in the desert. I'm at 24" hub to fender when totally unloaded

 

This gives no lift, and no change in spring to bump measurements. It just allows the primary overload to engage with less compression of the spring... earlier in the stroke if you will.

I measure from the 6 o’clock on my rims. Here are my stock->OME->full camping load with habitat->

$75 d29xl old man emu dakar extra leaf spring

d29xl AAL.



I removed the AAL because dude quailify with no load sucked. Bagging it.

 

@corprin , excellent, thanks! I don't want any lift when unloaded, but I also don't want to loose much when I'm loaded with fuel, water, food, and gear for trips. I may try the flip and see how I like it. Any adverse affect on flex or daily driving? Thanks for the input
KH

 

I never noticed any adverse ride quality, but the hab adds about 300lbs of constant weight to the bed. Running with the

$75 d29xl old man emu dakar extra leaf spring

d29xl AAL it was really stiff and raked with just the hab. I pulled them after my last trip. I also have been using inverted timbrens as back ups which carry a ton of weight you know they are back there on speed bumps.

I’m bagging as soon as I can get an afternoon to install the kit. After that I might pull the extra leaf from the pack and offset that loss of capacity with the bags.

 

@kylehorvath

Here is OME Dakar, overload flipped, with the hab and maybe 100lbs of stuff.

 

By flipping the larger overload leaf, did you loose 1/2 in lift?

 

You don’t loose any lift, the first overload just engages higher in the suspension compression.

 

By flipping the leaf, did it make for a rougher ride? (Since you're engaging the overload leaf "quicker")

 

The only change is when I’m the stroke the overload engages. If you are unloaded, you won’t see any change since you’ll be well off the leaf. I guess you’d limit your articulation by a small amount.

This flip is for those who carry a constant load and are on their first overload already, you just get more rear end lift with an equal load.