Leaf Spring Recommendations

Time to upgrade the terrible suspension on my 2021 Sport DCSB. Ready to splurge on Dobinsons MRR for up to 2" of lift. Can't figure out how to consider leaf springs.

Here's the scenario:

- 85% commutes to work, with highway and combinations of pock-marked weather-beaten as well as respectable blacktop
- 25% rough Northern Ontario roads ranging from old decrepit asphalt and plenty of gravel and washboard
- 25% of trips with maximum of 870 lbs total payload - with a maximum of 945 lbs on the door jamb sticker
- that 870 lbs is the total kit, driven one way up to say 400 km over a combination of highways and plain crappy roads
- once at camp, passengers and cab kit stays at the same approx. 500 lb range, with up to 125 lbs of kit in the bed.

The TRD Sport suspension is just terrible. Only time it behaves in a refined manner seems to be the highway, with passengers and bed load totaling some 625 lbs or so.

I don't understand leaf springs it turns out.

What should I expect of an aftermarket leaf pack achieving 2.5" of lift rated for "0-300 lbs"?

Will it sag to 2" once I exceed 300 lbs but still have room to compress and remain comfy on the roads I travel to get to where I'm going?

Will that same leaf pack be dreadfully firm without a load on my daily commute?

Given my needs, anyone have suggestions for a leaf pack that will feel a bit more refined on than the stock Sport suspension for the 85% of the time, but still handle those heavy loads out to camp and back?

Thanks in advance!

 

I have the Icon RXT leaf pack on option 2 and I daily drive with the truck empty which is about 5400lbs, about 600lbs more when on adventures. Empty the truck sits at 24" hub to fender (22" is stock) and fully loaded I am at stock height. So when fully loaded well over the GVWR the truck sits at stock height.

It is a little bit bouncy when empty but still better than stock, and it's really comfortable when loaded.

Without installing air bags you will have to choose, do you want the best ride loaded or unloaded?

Getting better bump stops front and back will also help your ride quality.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/icon-rxt-leaf-pack.505580/

 

So Icon RXT was one of the options I'm looking at. So I understand, what are you referring to by 5400 lbs?

And how does the distribution of payload front and back figure in what leaf pack I choose?

When loaded for those longer trips, I'm hauling as much as 850-870 lbs, but only about 325 or so is in the box.

I was thinking Deaver Stage 1 - 0-300 lbs, and I'm told they need well over 300 lbs before they start to sag.

 

5400lbs is how much my truck weighs constantly with me in it. Most of the extra weight I added on my truck isn't in the bed.

On adventures I add about 500lbs in the bed and 100lbs in the cab.

All weight added to the truck counts. But the further back the weight is the more it effects the leaves. And once the weight is past the axle it will effect them even more.

With Icon you can switch options 1-3 easily so you can modify the set up to how you need it.

 

Dobinsons 111 would likely fit the bill. Your going to have to expect sag under full load or a rougher ride when empty.

Option b is a lighter spring rate and add air bags.

Remember most of these lift ratings are 2" at x amount of weight. I'm running dobinsons 112 on a dclb and fully empty the sucker sits high easily 3-4" of lift but when im fully loaded with the boat behind it sits perfect.

 

The leaf springs will do a little, but not much, to make the ride better. The new shocks, as well as lowering your tire PSI on bumpier roads (mostly this), are what will improve the ride.

If I were not going to take my truck on technical 4x4 trails I wouldn’t bother with changing out the entire leaf packs. Instead, I’d put three-leaf progressive add-a-leaves in rear, and (in your use case) keep the overload leaf. That’s a much cheaper way to go about things, and easier to install. Progressive add-a-leaves also ride really nicely.

For what it’s worth, I lower my tire pressures to 20psi for washboard gravel roads to preserve my teeth and kidneys. Just carry a good air compressor so you can fill up again when you hit pavement.

 

A rule of thumb is if you drop down to 20psi you shouldn't go much faster than 40mph.
So if OP does this definitely don't forget to reinflate when you get back to pavement or you will be wearing out tires incredibly quickly.

 

https://www.generalspringkc.com/200...OxVy-A-BsPzxFl6EVJFeWCbOeoUwoOfhoCTWUQAvD_BwE
I sourced these locally and am very happy with them as replacements for my 90k worn stock leafs.

 

I agree with you on the Hitachi Shocks on the Sport...had mine replaced with TRD Lift Kit (Shocks Only) and kept my OEM Suspension (Coils/Leafs) last week.

Much better handling and the tires stick more to the road than they did before the swap.

I'm keeping an eye on your path with regards to Leaf packs.

I put 500 pounds worth of Top Soil Bags in the bed and had minimal sag...the ride was fine in S4 but I don't haul things all the time.

 

Alcan or Archive are going to be the best options for you.

Archive has a few different load ratings, Alcan will custom spec something for your weight and lift needs.

I went from stock + 1" block, to Icon RXT (both option 1 and 2), and now currently to Alcan. My weights kept increasing and now I'm at the end of this leaf pack too. I can tell you the Alcan pack rides by far the best, and it's rated for the most weight. Think of it as basically of Icon RXT Option 3 but rides like Option 1.

 

@andy044 how long have you had these? with shipping they come out to $500 for me so seems like a good option as my trucks is on the bump stops.

 

Going on 6months now. They came recommended by the local spring shop. I don’t overland or rock crawl. I tow occasionally and now have a Leer cap on.
They have settled to about a 1.5” lift. Even fully loaded bed with a dirtbike hanging of the hitch I wasn’t contacting the sumosprings. I am very happy with them