New OME Dakar Leaf Pack Review

Mine are less than a year old and I've only wheeled on them once since install. I have the Baja Bilstein rears which are essentially the Bilstein 5160's. I haven't carried any heavy loads or anything like that either. Just normal highway driving.

 

Cool, I have the RCD Bilstein extended travel 5100s. At first I thought maybe they where the cause of it. But I would have contact between the leaf and shackle just pulling out of the driveway so the shock shouldn’t matter. I’m going to email ARB as well and ask where I can send the removed shackle so they can see it first hand.

 

Hey guys. This is in part due to me being lazy and not reading the 40+ pages of this thread. But I want to get new rear leafs and I am adding a camper shell and RTT in the camper shell. I’m wondering if I should get the HD Dakar springs over the normal ones since it’ll have a constant load on it (although not 660 lbs) just to keep a good ride height. I’d hate to get the regular ones and have the back still sit lower with all the weight on the back. What do y’all think?

 

I have not been very happy with my leafs. I have the HDs. ARBs support is lacking and they refuse to fix a common issue. I had to replace my shackles due to the Dakars hitting the shackle just backing out of the drive way. Off-road it was bad as well. At one point I had the second leaf stuck under the shackle hanger. It mad a load and scary noise when it returned back to where it should be. Others have had to cut the second leaf on the trail to fix the issue. I can not recommend these unless you want to modify them and void the three year warranty that you will probably need. Check out deaver or a more budget friendly option like the Dakars, Dobinsons leaf packs. I don’t have dobinsons but have read here on TacomaWorld that they are a good solid option and are better built then the Dakars.

 

I have a snugtop rebel and decked drawer system=roughly 400lbs constant load. I’m getting the Bilstein 5100 extended and OME Dakar HD Leaf pack for the rear installed this Saturday, I’ll post the before/after pics to give you an idea.

 

Hmmm, well I don’t feel too confident about my purchase now. Guess I’ll have to just find out.

 

A year from Saturday this is what your shackle will look like. You will eventually have to replace it. I had the exact setup.

 

So every year I’ll have to replace both my shackles? Ain’t that a bitch. Well, already have the kit sitting in the garage and decked drawer system installed so gonna just keep going. Truck will be my home for awhile starting Monday, hence the drawer system for my clothes and hygiene products.

 

I hope you don’t have issues. Just watch out for it. There is a fix for it but it requires a cutting wheel and angle grinder. These pics are the other shackle I replaced

 

I hope not either. If cutting solves the issue even if it voids the warranty then that’s what I’ll do. Can’t risk having an inoperable home/transportation.

 

When you install them make sure you find the little grease fittings and grease them up. If memory serves me well there should be at least 4 maybe 6 per leaf. I also use motorkote in a spray bottle on mine to make them not squeak.
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Thanks for the info. Just read on another thread about HD shackle hangers with aftermarket shackles due to the same issue regarding the leaf digging into the shackles.

 

From what you have read it is just the HD packs?

 

Shit, just tried looking for that thread. Sorry, I was switching back and forth between alerts and threads and couldn’t find it again. Try doing a search for “OME leaf pack shackles”. Someone mentioned that they replaced the hangers and shackles with aftermarket and it seemed to have fixed the issue. But who knows, maybe within a year they’ll have issues again, more mods=more issues.

 

Did you get around to cutting the offending leaf? Is it the 2nd one from the top? And how much needs to be cut? I’ll ask the installer to cut away some.

 

Not my pic and I’m unable to take a pic of my truck but this is what I followed. Someone on here cut the wrong leaf...Oops

 

Oh I seeee. Yeah I can now see how that leaf would dig into the shackle. thanks for sharing info! You have prevented a person from losing his mobile home in the future!

 

I was able to cut them with the leafs on the truck. Just FYI for other people

 

Thanks for the info guys! I'm gonna do some more researching before I pull the trigger on anything!

 

I have my had my Dakar EL096R with extra AAL for about 2 years now. They support my alucab canopy and RTT well.

However...

I just replaced my shackles and cut my springs as well due to the same damage shown above.