Advice for Lift

current set up:
06 AC TRD offroad. stock front susp. Sagging 2+1 rear leafs and stock shocks.

I plan for the truck to occasionally be used for offroading. Nothing too intense.

I plan to order rear shocks, then leafs, then bilstein 5100s and springs for the front.

I already am pretty set on getting the OME

$347 CS047R Old Man Emu/Dakar Leaf Spring

CS047R leafs.

What rear shocks should I get? I have read that 5100s are too short for the ome leafs. I have seen that downsouthmotorsports sells extended 5100s. Would those be better? or is there a better option.

I would need whatever rear shock I get to fit the stock leaf pack until I get the ome leafs.

also on a side note I plan on getting a carrier bearing drop kit as suggested by wheelers offroad.

And I should not require an uca, correct? I will be under 3in lift.

I did a lot of forum searching but I feel like this is a pretty specific case.

 

I would get Nitrochargers for the rear. They are designed and valved specifically to be used with the Dakars.

 

Would I be able to use them with my stock leaf pack until I get the dakars?

 

I ran stock plus one (AAL) for about 3k without a problem. Unless someone else wants to correct me, I don't see an issue.

 

Anyone else?

 

Just ordered NitroChargers from Wheelers. We'll see how it goes.

 

If you are under 3 inches, your caster will be on the low side. What is too low is personal preference, but many run without UCAs.

I would go OME over 5100s front and rear. (I've owned both)

FYI...you will have quite a rake running Dakar leafs having less than a 3" lift up front.

Good choice.

 

Really? I thought Dakars would get me ~2.75" in the rear and the bilsteins up front would get me ~2.5"-3" if I get coils too.
I figured I would have close-to-stock rake.

I could just pull a leaf out of the Dakar pack too. Right?

 

Since you have an '06, I will assume you have non-TSB leafs. These sit lower than TSB leafs, so the 2.75" lift isn't necessarily true for all cases. Measuring center of hub to fender is more accurate.

Here is a good thread on what to expect for lift heights out of Dakars:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/173193-2nd-gen-ome-dakar-hub-fender-measurements.html

5100s set at 2.5 will give you 2.5" up front. Well, 2.5 on passenger side and around 2.25 on driver's side is what I got when I had that lift. I had a 2" AAL (non-TSB springs) and it had a slight rake in the rear.

There is an easy way to see what it will look like. Park your truck on level ground, then put a jack under the front and rear. Take center of hub to fender measurement on the front. Then lift it with the jack until it's 2.5" over that measurement. Then lift the rear to expected height from info in the thread above. Stand back and look at it. See if that's the amount of rake you are after. I have a feeling it's going to be more than you think it will be.

I'm not sure about taking a leaf out of the Dakar pack. Mine just arrived yesterday, so I haven't looked at them closely or installed them yet.

 

I have read a few threads/builds where people do remove a leaf and sit just about level if not a very slight rake (.5"-.75" higher in the rear). That said, it depends on what goodies you're going to throw on (bed weight (tools or daily hauling), bed rack, skids, steel bumper, RTT etc etc. If you plan on adding those items, I would suggest leaving the pack as is and getting the

$43 D29XL Leaf Spring

D29XL add-a-leaf.

 

Getting the AAL for the Dakar pack or for my stock pack? Because my stock pack is shot.

 

AAL for Dakars