Squeaky Dakars : Any advice from others with the Dakars ?

Mine don't squeak anymore

I would totally buy them again , all leaf packs squeak if they get grit in between the leafs or have no lubricant or isolator

 

mine just stopped one day. they squeaked really bad for about a month. then bam one day no more noise

 

Sounds like maybe a stone or grit was in there and fell out ^^^

 

i have the same issue and was debating on the method to fix it. i completely assumed it was the rear bushing but it sure doesn't sound like it.
i'll have a look at mine this weekend and try to figure out the location. i went with Dakar Heavy in about March of this year. took about a month to start the terrible noise.
thanks for the info on this and will report back my results.

 

Thanks for the input OZ-T. I don't know how you pinpointed the location like you did, but mine started squeaking this morning (they've been on about 3 weeks) and with your input it was fixed this afternoon. At first I could have swore it was the shackle and I was getting ready to pull the bolt out and start lubing things up.

I took the weight off the rear, pryed the leafs at the front apart, put in a piece of pond liner in there, dropped it down and I was good to go. Thanks again for saving me a lot of work!

 

Awesome , glad it worked out for you

The only issue I have found is keeping the EPDM strips in place over the long run

 

Hey guys, just thought I would jump in here in regards to the ubiquitous Dakar leaf squeak. My leafs have squeaked for quite some time, and it is definitely coming from the front bushings. When I give the bushing area a good coat of silicone Liquid Wrench, it stops. I called ARB and talked to an engineer about the problem. He stated that when the leafs are installed on the truck, the bolts should be only hand tightened when the weight is off the rear. Once the truck is lowered, then torque to the specified setting.

What happens when the bolts are torqued while the weight is off the rear, is it pins the bushing tight. Then, when you lower the truck, the weight causes the sleeve in the bushing to separate from the rubber, causing a squeak while flexing.

He suggested replacing the bushings. When I get some spare time, I'm going to replace all four corners and see what happens.

 

^ good to know i probably wouldn't have done this, I'm trying to get all the info i can before i install my dakars.

 

Sure

but in my case it wasn't the front bushings

 

Some days my dakars squeak, some days they don't...I think a lot of it depends on the weather and driving conditions. Quick fix: Turn the radio up! They might squeak a little bit, but my stock non-TSB leaf springs were much noisier. I couldn't be happier with the Dakars, the ride is excellent - even with an empty bed...and its great to have the ability to tow or carry a heavy load without saggin like a beotch

 

Totally new at all this, haven't even installed my 5100's I've had for 6 months now. Been saving for some Dakars and OME 883's for the front. Didn't know the Dakars had a squeaking problem until seeing this thread. This might sound crazy and impractical I know, but before I install mine, could I get the tips of the leaves Line-Xed? There would be no more metal on metal and that stuffs stout as hell.

 

All leaf springs will squeak eventually , I would suggest that the LineX would get rubbed off by the action of the leafs moving against each other

 

Thanks for the work in figuring this out OZ....I am first gen but had the same issue with my dakars. Couldn't find the pond liner stuff, but was looking around in Wally World at the bike tubes and found a thick material made by Slime to put in between tires and tubes to prevent flats. Its almost a rubbery plastic feeling material. Seems stout. Anyway, Id never taken the time to figure out exactly where the creak was coming from so I just tried the spot you identified and POW!...Silence. OMG why have I lived with that squeak for so long???!!! Hopefully the material lasts a while.

Big thanks

 

My Dakars aren't that old (2 months?) but I was expecting them to squeak. I am going to try petroleum jelly, I've used it a lot on a lot of machinery and it is kind of water resistant.

 

*bump*

well, 2 months later and I heard a noise today from the back that sounds suspiciously like a creak. its there on stop and go in traffic, sometimes other places. they are all coated with graphite lubricant paint in between the leaves, but I guess its not enough.

I read the thread again, but what was the best fix to the prob?

*shines oz-batlight into the sky*
*waits patiently*

 

Try spraying them with a car wash wand to make sure you don't have any silt built up between the leafs

If that doesn't work try to figure out where in the pack the noise is coming from

 

yessir I tried that friday when I noticed it, it went away for the rest of the day but its back today. =(

I tried movin em several ways but I coudlnt get em to make any sounds, I dont have enough force I guess.

 

I ended up on my back under the truck , I could lift up on it enough with my knees to get the leafs to work while keeping my hands free to feel around

Chances are the squeak will be coming from the front , where the second leaf down wraps the hanger , there is no isolator in this location

This is where I added the EPDM strips

 

hrm, so hit that spot with wd-40 tomorow then do a little stop/go in the driveway and see if thats the culprit? if its not should I just spray different parts until I hear silence?

I know wd-40s not a fix, but would it work for identifying the problem spot mabye? Its all I have on hand, other than the garden hose.

 

ok I sprayed that spot this mornin, it reduced the noise by 90%. still a little creak but that may be cause I didnt spray it good enough.

so where do you find small strips of pond liner? or something else along those lines?

also oz, how did you install it? floor jack to take the weight and a prybar? id rather not have to loosen bolts and things unless its necessary.