Dakar medium duty leaf & camper trailer?

anyone using Dakar medium duty leaf packs and pulling a small camper trailer?

Please share experiences. I'm thinking of pulling a trailer this summer. I may add some air bags to assist in the added weight.

 

I just installed the Dakar HD leafs and pulled a utility trailer loaded with a golf cart 600 miles from Ohio to GA and I’m glad I got the HD springs instead of the medium.

I previously had the oem leafs with a progressive AAL and Ride Right airbags for 90K miles. It was a good setup but the Dakar HD pack rides better.

The HD is just the medium with the added leaf that if you bought the medium and needed you can purchase. But cost wise it’s cheaper to by the HD and remove the leaf. If you want the medium.

To compare, I also have a bed cap, rack, tools for constant weight and the Timbren Bump Stop U bolt flip kit. (Which is also awesome)

 

x2 on what he said.

 

Nice set up! Wise choice on the HD

 

I wrestled between the two leaf spring options HD vs 95r.

I have OME nitros all around. 887 coils with medium 95r out back.

I have a dedicated work truck to take the abuse of my contracting needs (f-150). Running full time hd springs would have been too stiff.

I’ll have to test by actually pulling a 3000lb trailer @ 10-15% tongue weight. Based on the 300lb constant weight of the medium duty springs sounds like I’m in the ball park?

Isn’t this the ideal set up for someone who isn’t loaded or hauling all the time? Soft ride while empty then air assist when required?

 

Get the HD. I pull a 1600 lb boat with mine and rides like a champ

 

Sounds like total overkill to run those HD springs with 0 weight 99% of the time.

I’m really enjoying the ride quality with my current set up.

How do you find the ride quality with an empty box? Most guys running dakar Hd are guys with substantial weight all the time.

Thanks for the input

 

Thought the mediums would be enough but 1 camping trip later and I bought the extra leaf to make them an HD. If there is even a doubt, get the HD's. As @EdinCincinnati said, you can always remove the extra leaf and make them Mediums.

 

How heavy is the trailer?

 

Wasn't even a trailer. Just loaded up gear which consists of 2 large bins with camping equipment, a cooler, chairs and some water. The load looked fine initially but after everything settled, I started sagging.

If you are going to be unloaded most of the time, the HD's will ride rough. Now, I've got about 400lbs constant weight and it rides great. If I didn't have the constant weight, I would have bought ride rites.

I don't have first hand experience with air bags but that's what I see most people running if they occasionally tow. It's not that hard of an install and you have adjustability for any situation.

 

I pull a golf cart almost every weekend (30 mi r/t) - cart and trailer about 1000lbs - 200 lb tongue wt. I use air bags - factory ride when empty and leveling and load control, about 40 psi in the bags, when towing. Also added sway bar to rear.

 

I run the medium with a 4800 lb dry camper. Ride and everything is fine.

 

How are you liking the Dakar Medium after another 18 months? And are you using a WDH? I have a camp trailer with 3500 GVWR and a tongue weight of 500lbs all loaded up. With the stock suspension I have about 1.5” sag with the trailer hooked up. I’m looking to upgrade to the Bilstein 6112/5160 and want to be close to level with the trailer, and another 500-600lbs of passengers and cargo in the truck. Trying to decide between OME Dakar Med or HD, or Deaver U402, or Icon RTX. I am hoping to not have a WDW so I can take some fire roads without needing to disconnect the WDH and then having the rear sag when I need it the most.

 

Still works fine and always use the WDH. Can always go with the HD and if it's too much then pull a leaf out making them MD. Why would you need to disconnect the WDH for a fire road? Your fire roads that rough and treacherous? Around here they're pretty much like a dirt road. Without a WDH you're also not going to have any sway control either.