Dakars or Icon AAL with Kings

Installed King RR with compression adjusters, dirt king UCAs and not sure what to do in the rear.

Looking at Dakars or Icon Progressive AAL, to go with rear King RR. I plan on eventually getting a topper and tow my boat almost daily.

Will I need the extended kings for Dakars?
Extended break lines?

Also if anyone is currently running kings with either dakars or the icon aal, how is the ride? Towing capacity?

If any knowledgeable TW members could chime in and steer me in the right direction.

And I have used the search function lol. Just cant find a direct answer to my questions.

 

3 leaf AAL won't be enough when you get a shell, particularly when you have a shell and a boat.

You won't need extended lines for the Dakars, but they're cheap insurance if you offroad.

Ride with the shell (mine is 220lbs) is excellent, particularly on freeways - smooth as glass. Bumpy roads are.. bumpy, but not jarring.

Dakars are easily my best and favorite mod.

I ran the Wheeler's Offroad 3 leaf AAL (same as Icon/ToyTec/etc,.) and it was great without the shell, with the shell I lost most of the lift they provided and they were too soft when I had the shell plus a load in the bed of more than a few hundred pounds. Not even a comparison to a full leaf pack like Dakars!

If you end up getting the 3 leaf anyway, save the money and get the Wheeler's brand item. They're literally identical, made by the same spring manufacturer to the same specs - only difference is the sticker on them and the price.

 

Appreciate the quick response.
Yea I want to do it right and ensure that its completely capable for all my needs. I do offroad but will refrain until I install the ext. Break lines.

Do you get any noise from your Dakars?

 

Heh..

So I didn't have time to take anti squeak measures before install, so we got them in (which is a way easier install than the AAL was, FWIW) and they were silent, loved them! I felt like I'd dodged a bullet or something..

Then I got a car wash.

They squeaked terribly after that, for weeks.. then they'd lighten up a little bit, then get worse, then go away, then come back, etc,. etc,. I haven't addressed them (still) because they fluctuate between horrible and silent so much that it never bothers me enough to say enough it enough.

I would definitely go with the pool liner mod, or Speedway Motors (maybe Summit?) sells leaf spring strips that are already done for you, you just toss them in.

If you're really sensitive to your truck making noise then I'd go that way and replace them as needed, or maybe combine those strips with grease for more insurance.

All that aside, mine aren't bad - but when they're bad, they're really bad. The only issue I have with the Dakar packs, but the performance far outshines that small annoyance.

 

My question is pretty similar to the OPs. I have a new-to-me travel trailer. It's 350-400 tongue weight (dry, haven't ever towed it with a load of water or much gear) and I have a Snugtop fiberglass shell. Sag isn't horrible, but not good. And worse, if it starts to bounce the rear really wallows.

Here's my thing, I like a stock truck. I don't really want any lift. I think right now the rear could use an inch or even 2 just to be level with the front with only the shell on it even if the front were left alone. I'd like it if the suspension stayed reasonable supple, but if it firms up a fair amount that's fine.

I've been trying to decide between AAL and full leaf pack. See in my sig, it's a 2014 ACLB SR5, no TRD stuff. Tow package.

What would you recommend? I see lots of people saying good things about the OME Dakar packs. Friend said he loves their stuff but his leaf packs didn't hold weight super well. But I have an open mind.

If the answer is AAL, are there superior choices?

I've had air bags in previous trucks. Right now I'm looking at other options.

Obviously would like the most affordable solution that will actually be a solution.

TIA.

 

I've had 1100 lbs in the bed of my truck and driven it 50 miles on the freeway and through stop and go city traffic and had no issues or complaints with the Dakars.

Bags are cheaper and adjustable, Dakars are removing the weak point of your suspension to begin with instead of kind of "band aid-ing" it, which is the OEM leaf pack which are really weak.

I considered bags myself pretty heavily, but in the end, the stock pack was on borrowed time and would eventually be really insufficient and need replacing, so the longer term solution (and least complex) was full leaf packs.

 

Are you running a weight distribution hitch?

They make a big difference.

 

I'm sure they do. But no. I don't want to go that route. I needed the rear to be tough anyway, lots of what I do is light boondocking. Can't have a weight distributing hitch hooked up when you are going through deep dips and stuff, but you do need to keep the tongue from dragging. Without heavy leaf packs and/or bags, I'd be sagging and scraping just the same when it's time to start going off pavement.

EDIT: I wound up getting a set of Wheeler 5-leaf packs (4 + overload). When towing now it's perfect. Very level, very good suspension qualities. With the trailer off she's a little bit stinkbug. Might have to get 1.5 lift up front some way to level her out when unloaded. Prolly OME.