Kings 2.5 and leaf springs

Hey so Im about to take the plunge on buying Kings 2.5, both front and rear with adjusters, but ive been unsure of what type of leaf springs i should add to the rear. I was originally going to go with Dakars thru DS M but they are a 2.5 inch lift and i kind of want to get rid of the rake. I want my tacoma to look more level.

I was wondering if you guys could advice me on leaf springs and tell me your experiences with them

 

Dakars, Alcan or Icon RXT leafs

Rake is good btw. Helps stability, stopping power and carrying a load.

I use to be level and have since decreased the front ride height to only 1.5” of lift and it rides way better IMO

Also, if you are running any additional front weight (bumper, extra battery, winch, etc) then 700# springs would be ideal. Otherwise run the 650# springs.

The 3rd gen front end is much heavier (300#) than the 2nd gen

 

Deaver sua packs

 

Hey man, shoot me a PM. I’d love to help throw some technical info at you and get you set up exactly for your needs.

I can also hook you up on all the parts with a whole package deal.

Hope to work together

 

@SpeySquatch I knew that the rake was to keep it leveled while towing stuff but i didnt know it was to keep stability and better ride overall. Thats good to know. If i do get the dakars do you know if a shock re-location is needed? Im planning to lift the front by 2.5 inches which would give 22.5inches of lift in the front and with the dakars 23.5 in the rear which would be perfect for rake then.
(read somewhere that stock height is 20 inches in the front and 21 in the rear)
Any pros and cons regarding alcons or icons rxts?

And Yup im planning to buy 650s not planning on adding any front bumper any time soon

 

Think about the physics of rake. When you brake, downward force is applied to the tires which is then applied to the ground. If you are lifted and level the downward force changes a bit, but not a lot to worry about, just something to consider. Also when cornering the tire pressure to the road is affected with more or less take due to body roll and a few other things. If you look carefully, even desert racing trophy trucks have rake, the front just looks higher when they are driving because those bad boys have so much power and $50k suspensions that they lift very easy

If you are running a TRD OR the front stock height from center of wheel should be 21”. Rear should be 22” stock center of wheel to fender.

I run the Dakar medium (6-leaf) pack and my rear sits at 24”. I just adjusted my front coilovers to only have 1.5” of lift which put me at 22.5” in the front.


The best feedback about the icon leafs is that they are adjustable if you are inclined, ride nice, and don’t squeak.

Alcan can have a custom leaf pack tailored to your needs

Hope this helps

 

@whatstcp Yea i wheel every now and then. Maybe once a month not to often , but whenever i get the chance i take it!
I dont tow or haul which is why i was considering to level my truck but after hearing that it loses some stability i dont see it worth it. Rather have an inch of rake to help with that issue.

Im trying to find a middle ground where i find it smooth on the highway or atleast stock smooth and better with off roading for sure.
Im already making a plunge with
Kings 2.5 front and rear w/ comp adjusters and a total chaos UCA so i dont mind spending more for good leafs ‍

 

Lol. It doesn’t lose stability it is just decreased by a small amount. There are tons of guys that have driven lifted trucks for a very long time with no issues. Myself included.

Any time you mod a stock truck you lose some of the engineered design. Just depends on what you’re willing to sacrifice.

With that, have you researched any other shocks besides Kings? There are other shocks out there that are cheaper and by the sound of it, will fit your needs. Kings aren’t the “best” shocks... Every shock type and valving has a purpose,...but they do have a pretty blue color and a big name in the racing world

 

Agreed. I fell Into the you need a full leaf pack trap after listening to people on here for years. Couldn’t stand the ride. Progressive 3 leafs outperform full replacement packs on vehicles that aren’t constantly weighted down.

 

Deaver all the way. U402s should do the trick they are more expensive than Dakars but are higher quality

 

Deavers get my Vote too.

If you aren't planning on Carrying equipment, I would say the Deavers J66 set. Gonna be softer than U402.

I hate to be that guy too and make you spend more cash, but Rear bumpstops would be a nice addition when you do springs. If you don't off-road no point

 

Check out @Blackout14s leaf packs. He will probably have what you are looking for, I'm about to order some leaf packs from his this summer.

 

Deavers FTW...

Besides quality and made in the USA, I like it for the berlin shackle eye. Places the main leaf centered with the bushIng for less side-to side deflection and has better overall movement.

 

Do they make a leaf pack for stock ride height / no lift?

 

I'm running King 2.5's with Icon RTX leaf pack in configuration 1 (how they ship). The ride is great and has no squeaks. The rear is at 23.5" and the front is at 23"

This isn't the best pic since the ground is not level but gives you an idea of how it sits.

 

Is there different stages on the U402s? The one I found was a stage 3 with 2” lift. Thanks.

 

Different stages are for handling different amounts of weight while still providing lift. I think the U402 stage 3 was 500-700lbs extra constant weight IIRC.

 

Awesome thanks.

 

Just checked:

Stage 1 - 0-300
Stage 2 - 400-600
Stage 3 - 700-1000

https://www.headstrongoffroad.com/store/p457/Deaver_Expedition_Leaf_Pack_-_U402.html

 

Thank you. Good to know for future reference. Might be swapping my Dakar’s for Deavers.