J59 Deaver Springs

This thread is specific to Deaver Leaf springs, specifically on 1st gen Tacoma's. Even though this is the 1st gen section, you'll still get those pesky 3rd genner's adding their input with no experience.

I'm running OME Dakar's on stock shackles; I've achieved about 2" of lift (over stock, as advertised) and still retain a slight bit of rake with my bed rack (50lbs), RTT (100lbs), Powertank (10lbs), Wilco Tiregate (unsure of weight, double the factory tail gate).

With that being said, I love the way it handles, but hate the way it squeaks. I know there are threads to address the squeak issue...but if I take apart my Dakar's, I may as well go ahead and replace them as well.

I've considered J59's before, and considering them now still.

Who here has J59's, with reasonable weight in the back (extra 200lbs) on a daily basis?

Deaver's aren't meant for weight, and neither are Dakar's, so I want to see if Deaver's still provide that slight bit of rake needed for that "little extra".

 

I've had the J59's for about 3 years now. My 2004 2.7 RC sits level with 880 Ome's up front and 360lbs of sand bags in the bed as well as a small floor jack and a few other small items. It also has the shell on it.

I love the j59's. Once a year I take about a 1500 mile trip with sometimes up around 750lbs in the bed and don't even know it's back there. The only complaint I have with the Deavers is that all the paint fell off of them within a month and they are getting fairly rusty. I can't believe Deaver sells a spring with this poor of rust control and my thought is that I have may of just gotten a set they screwed up. The never squeak though unless you spray them with Fluid Film. Go figure.

I'll see how long they last, rust wise that is.

 

I run the J6 something they provide one more leaf than the J59 for pocket change. I heard they can get sacked but I went and visited their facility, it was damned old and the owner a third gen grandson runs it now. I was won over by his transparency and he helped me opt for the extra lift. It’s almost 3” over stock but I have a 100 lb bedrug and a snug top and with King shocks front and rear it rides good everywhere. They have minor rust even in so cal & never squeak unless lubed like op said. Mine give me a little rake so the front end isn’t pointed up the leafs haven’t settled in seven years and I’ve hauled some heavy welding gear.

 

I wonder if painting them with some farm implement paint would control the rust?

 

I've had my Deaver J59s for about a year now and they're great. The ride quality is amazing. I do mainly on road driving but theyre also super nice off road as well. They handle washboards in particular really well.

With a little extra weight, the rear may feel a little squishy at times but its still a great ride. (ive carried ~300lbs before) I believe the payload with these is somewhere around 600lbs max. Also just remember all leaf springs are prone to squeaking, just make sure you REPLACE your leaf spring bushings when you replace your springs and lube them CORRECTLY. I didn't and they squeak like crazy so guess who has to get under there and replace all the bushings

 

So with an unloaded bed without the sand, and the camper shell on how much rake do you have?

I have a 2.7L Ex cab with 880's up front. Sits maybe a half inch taller in the back with a Wheelers 1.5" AAL and a leer camper shell. Love how it sits. Thinking of J59's down the road when the cheapo SD springs in the back start sagging in a few years as I dont expect $150 spring packs to last long lol. Hopefully the wheelers AAL will help them last longer.

 

I'm not familiar with 880/OME's as I have Fox 2.5's up front, netting me a 2" lift over stock.

You seem to carry a hefty amount of weight, much more than I do, and if you're still level I do wonder how much rake you have with little to no weight?

Your response says a lot and I may just consider J59's that much more.

That's the other reason why I'm considering J59's; better ride quality off road.

My OME Dakar's aren't more than 4-5 months old, and they squeak like a rust bucket from the 70's. Of course it's my fault for venturing off road at least once a week, so I need to do my due diligence and clean/grease them.

I used new OME poly bushings, which require a fair amount of grease on installation so I know everything was done correctly (installed myself).

I'm just figuring, before I "service" my Dakar's, I may just yank them out and toss in some Deavers.

It's only money right

Dakar's will go up for sale immediately after though; of course I'll pressure wash and grease them before they go to a new owner.

 

I was going to ask that question myself but thought "I'm never going to remove my tail gate, bed rack, or tent" so it'd be a moot point for me.

I am curious though.

 

I live in SoCal where we get little to no rain and after a year mine are rusting up too so annoying esp since they run for almost 800 bucks

 

If you're thinking of spending the cash on Deavers, why not go custom Alcans? They're not that much more.

If you look hard enough, you'll easily find someone that will confirm what you already wish to be true (confirmation bias). When if fact you don't know who that person is, and what their standard for "rides good enough" really is.

Spend the extra few buck and get custom springs.

 

Where in So Cal? near the coast?

It's just surface rust. Take them apart and repaint them if you're worried about it.

 

I think because it flexes so the paint cracks and peels off.

 

The inland empire, and that's what I was thinking of doing but i mean shit for the price they should have been painted well enough to begin with

 

love my j59s. but yes the paint falls off if you just look at them funny

 

"You seem to carry a hefty amount of weight, much more than I do, and if you're still level I do wonder how much rake you have with little to no weight?"

I have the sand bags in there because of the icy roads where I live. I usually take them out in the summer time but haven't this summer as of yet. When I empty the bed out entirely it does have a rake to it with just the shell. Not very much but you can see it. If I put Kings on this thing the Deavers would really shine especially off road. I have OME Nitrochargers which are a load carrying shock and are quite stiff. I'm OK with that though. I have 880's and nitrochargers up front and the front is pretty stiff as well. Not a problem. It's a truck, not a Caddy. I can "possibly" see Kings in the far off distant future when this isn't my DD.

 

I agree. However, as long as it is just surface rust it's not a problem. It's when the rust actually starts eating the metal like Tacoma frames have done in the past is when I will really start complaining about them. Right now, I'd still recommend the J59's because the ride is so incredible and even though they can't handle a huge amount of weight they can handle enough for the average person. Just take them apart and do the paint job right before you put them in is what I would recommend.

 

We say the same things about our Tacoma frames, and yet here we are, lol

 

Touche

 

1st gen in So cal with j59s.
Offroad with 200+ lbs every trip.
Creaky and noisy.
Surface rust.

Still love them.


Great ride quality offroad for a “midtravel” OEM direct replacement.


Worth the $800-$900

 

Looks like J59s are going to be just right for me weight and ride wise. I'm hoping it doesn't lift the rear more than 1.5". I will take them apart and paint them before installation.