OME Dakar HD Leaf Pack

Hows it going everyone? I hope you are all doing well and in good health given this Covid issue. So while dealing with my bordem from Quarantine, I noticed my stock springs on my 2018 tacoma TRD off road DCLB are beginning to flatten out due to the weight of my Leitner ACS forged rack, gear pods, rotopax and the gear i store inside the gear pods. Im planning on adding a high clearance rear bumper and a rooftop tent (that will not be on the truck 24/7). Im looking at ordering the OME HD leaf springs but im trying to get some input as I have received a lot of mixed reviews. I will eventually be pairing them with kings ext travel. Anyone out there hav this particular setup? or know anyone with this setup? I would like to know how the performance is, how the ride quality feels, and are these truly capable of carrying the weight my truck will be carrying? Thank you in advance

 

Yo!

I just put the HD leaf in my pack after running the medium set for about a year. I upgraded because I added a fiberglass canopy, a 225lb RTT, and a HC w/ a swing out: 2 jerry cans w/ a full size spare. The ride is great, on and off road. I also do not keep my tent on 24/7.

Just be ready for the squeaks because they will come around eventually. Nothing wrong, just noisy and annoying.

Good luck!

 

cool! thanks for the response! does the regular greasing of the bushings do any good for the notorious squeak?

 

All the posts I found had me checking the discs in the springs, bushings, etc.

My noise comes from here.




Hit that with a squirt of silicone every few months and I have no noises.

 

Get the Dobinsons leaf pack extra heavy duty pack instead. Hd dakar is garbage. I run the HD’s now and they look flat already. And I added a leaf and they still look kinda flat now.

 

I would do the Icon RXT on option 3 with new shackles. Drill hole in shackle, add zerc and grease whenever you want. You can also add Dobinsons greasable zerc bolt to the upper mount if you choose. I did, it was worth it. I had Dakars before the Icon leaf pack (mind you, the leaf pack is the only thing I would buy branded Icon) and I hated my Dakars after a while because the ride was harsh with little flex and not even close to the RXTs quality in ride and build. The little extra cost is far worth it for the long run. The Dakars were great at first, but flattened out pretty quickly after some camping trips. Just trying to help someone not do the same thing I did.

 

After going through 2 sets of AP leaf packs I run these below.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...2-sizes-now-available-made-in-the-usa.539958/

I have the 5+1 HD pack. They are awesome. They support the weight, ride great and are flexy.

 

Started a new thread since that is closed. +1 though OP much better than Dakar
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-best-aftermarket-leaf-packs.659052/

 

My HD Dakars haven't squeaked since I put them on over a year ago. Handle bumps well and definitely stiffen up the ride and control body roll with a heavy load. Their biggest downfall is also their greatest asset. They hold weight well but that means they don't flex very well. Off-roading I still get decent articulation but they definitely limit how much articulation I get. The shocks don't come close to bottoming or topping out.

 

I have the MD Dakars, and will need to add the leaf to upgrade them to the HD version once I add a cap and keep my RTT on full time. If I was to do it over again, I would get anything but the Dakars. They don't hold up any weight, and squeak as much as everyone on here says they do. I'd definitely recommend looking for alternatives.

 

I have the med pack. Wish I ordered the HD now since I have a lot more weight and I'm getting lower in the back.

But in all honesty, my biggest issue with the dakar is how the leaf pack has sort of a "w" from day one of install. Seen it on lots of dakars so I know it's not just me. It doesnt have that "U" shape like most others. And I hate that cause it always makes me feel like my leaf pack is sagged

 

Yeah mine dont squeak either. Not at all. And it's been just about a year

 

Same here on both accounts. Wish I went MD, but also wish I had gone another route entirely.

 

Yeah I think I would've went Alllpro if I knew then what I know now

 

My experience with them has been pretty poor. I run the HDs. Need the extra weight support for all the gear etc. My leaf pack developed squeaks and cracking noises pretty dang quick. Did everything I could to get rid of the noise and eventually ended up chasing noise coming from contact with the leaf springs rubbing on the shackle. Replaced shackle hangers and shackles with a beefier option and cut a certain portion of the leafs. This is a pretty well known issue coming from the Dakar’s even if some of the most well known vendors on here pretend to not know about it. With other options out there I would personally find another brand. If I did it over again I would probably do Deavers or give Dobinson leafs a try.

 

I have gone back and forth about issues with my Dakar’s with the ARB tech line supposedly they engineered a negative arch into them to help with the quality of ride. I have the arch in mine but still have the amount of lift advertised.

 

Had the same issue with mine and had to cut the springs to avoid damaging my replacement shackles as well.

Between that and the noises I would personally stay away from the OME springs. I plan on switching to the Archive Garage springs when those are made available.

 

I definitely got plenty of lift when I installed them. But as a few people here said, they dont support weight as well as other packs. I have maybe 350 pounds total in the rear right now and I lost about 1.5 inches. When these are supposedly rated to support from 300-600 pounds constant load. Any more weight and I'll be squatting in the rear.

 

I think you said you had the medium duty pack and if that's correct those aren't rated for any weight at all. They are meant to give 2" of lift with no added weight. The HD pack is meant to give 2" of lift with a constant load of 650 pounds.

 

Med pack is rated to 300 pounds constant, HD is rated to 600 constant. Per the Bilstein website.