Still sagging rear after full dakar leaf HD install

I dont think im over gvwr. I did considera tundra when i was looking for a truck. Full size though nice and roomy is just too big. Too big for offroad and overland adventures. I know some people here ran way heavier loads than me.

 

You really need an accurate # on what kind of weight you are carrying. 3 Deep cycle batteries that's some serious weight, I recon you have close to 850-925 as I do loaded with camping gear. Firestone ride right bags will solve the saggy bum.

 

I do have a ryobi 2300 generator. I only bring it when i tow my trailer. I think a lot people here especially the ones running with camper in the back are way heavier than mine.

 

Are you just surmising, or do you have a real world example?

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25499476/print/true.cfm

I'd say, give us some real examples and we'll take this seriously. He does not need a bigger truck to hold camping gear with a fridge and freezer. Have you seen Tundras off road? They don't do that well. Good look squeezing past another truck on a single track on a cliff edge. I'll take my narrow truck any day. These trucks are big enough as it is.

People keeps saying we need to upgrade brakes and frames, beyond spring work and I find this is rarely needed. There was a guy with a 1st gen tacoma who heavily off-roaded his slide in camper who had some frame issues over his air bags, but this is rare. Brakes on this truck are great, but feel free to upgrade. You don't need to buy a Tundra to get better brakes, just buy some 17 inch rims and put the Tundra/4 runner brakes on.

Per axle failures: please show me some examples, I'm just not seeing this.

I have two setups for my Tacoma and both are heavier than his. Brake early, drive slow and be safe.
1) Flippac, sink, 16 gallon tank, stove, and camping gear. Did Last dollar highway and Imogene pass no issues. I have to be careful with the Flippac as it's a bit top heavy for off roading.
2) Hard sided slide in with water and snowboarding gear. I don't take this off road if possible, as it's super top heavy.

Per your setup, I agree with above, it's really not sagging, your front is just higher with 886s.

I've got TSB springs with Wheeler's add a leaf and upgrades taller bump stops to handle the load. I'll be going with Alcan springs with 1000lb upgraded carrying capacity soon.

 

Nice family camping pic. If you're worried about weight, I'd go with solar for power instead of the heavy and loud generator. I got my setup super cheap: 100w solar panel off Amazon and 35aH AGM battery from Harbor freight, runs the heater all night and interior lights.

 

I have solar as well mounted on top of my topper. Been running that for 3 years now

 

Get rid of two batteries and add solar to the hood or rooftop.

 

Think wheel bearings. Heavy loaded stock trucks can eat rear wheel bearings. Their designed to spec with the GVWR.

If you still have your stock rear spring packs then use them to make your own AAL. You will need new center pins ($10) and perhaps "U" bolts (4 for $35). Disassemble your stock springs and cut them to fit in the OME pack. At least that is almost free if it doesn't work out, better than throwing $$ at a maybe fix. Agree the weight on the front will help level out the look and ride.

 

Not trying to pick a fight just offering some insight. First I am a commercial driver so I'm familiar with axle and GVWR for trucks. The OP has a lot of gear he is packing and he needs to scale his truck to see where he stands. I have a 2013 DCLB ,driving onto a scale without me in the truck I am 900 lbs lighter than my GVWR. What that means is me my wife and dog and all our gear can not exceed 900 lbs or we will over our GVWR. The truck can handle more and mine has. Is it advisable to go more ,no. The OP might never have an issue but I would not want to be involved in a fatal or major bodily injury claim being grossly overweight.

 

I had a local scrap guy come here recently with an F150 he had just gotten.. He told me he had previously had a Ford Ranger and had a load of metal on. He got caught near a transfer station by DOT who put him on the scales. He was 300 lbs. over GVW. He somehow avoided some very hefty fines and I think they can deadline you right there, you can't drive it any farther until unloaded?

I forgot to mention here that I was recently weighed when dumping and my payload with me and my everyday stuff aboard was about 1000-1025 pounds or so.

 

I've seen plenty of Tundras off road and they do just fine. What's your basis for saying that they don't do well? You couldn't fit two Tacomas past each other on a single track either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSH2Pop59pM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYnG0tRNYPs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24cALOVaD8U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71iJuSCPFX0

 

Sorry, I didn't read a whole thread, but with your extra weight you might need custom leafs.
Luckily for you, I know a fairly local guy... Lol
but seriously @Blackout14 and you could check his vendor page
https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/average-joe-off-road.244/

 

lol, should have looked through the thread before posting , Joe was around here already ....

Btw, now since I looked it over, @reyalam nice set up!

 

I notice too that the OP has a pretty large tongue weight load there in his pictures. Maybe I missed it, but is he accounting for that too?

 

I wouldn't do anything with the suspension until you get the bumper and winch because I agree that the 886 up front right now are throwing things off for you.

I run the old Dakar leaf pack with the 3rd leaf removed (similar to the new regular Dakar) and have skids, sliders, HC rear bumper, a shell, and +100lbs of gear and it's perfect. Hell, even with 10 bags of concrete and 10 pressure treated 4x4x8s (probably another 500-600lbs), it still sat pretty level.

 

In the west coast tundras are fine coz they have wide open spaces. Try bringing the tundra offroad in the east coast.

 

Can confirm. Have lost a few mirrors and dented my bedside a few times.

 

The HD pack is just the regular pack with the OME AAL. I run 5-600 pounds in mine on a regular basis and it never sags below 3" unless I'm towing a loaded trailer in addition to the weight. One more AAL will make that pack incredibly beefy - you won't need 2. I had air bags before the leaf pack (with airbag cradle) and left the bags in when I installed the leafs. This might be a good option for you.

Looking at your pic, it looks like you have more than 3" up front. That's concerning from a mechanical perspective. I have 3" of lift from suspension and a 1/2" body lift. You have a shit ton more room between the tire and fender. What's your measurement from center of hub to bottom of fender? 23" is a 3" lift.

This^^
If you're squatting a HD Dakar pack, you're caryring more weight than you should in a Taco and need to start beefing up other components.

 

I must have a defective HD Dakar pack. I added an additional OME AAL. I carry about just a HC rear bumper with swingout and I sit at about 3" lift. With additional weight, it only goes down from there.