I put a 2 in. OME Dakar rear leaf lift on my 86 4runner. The ride is very stiff. I did allow for break in, its been almost 6 mo. with some pretty rough terrain covered and while the ride is better It's still stiff. Any one remove one of the leafs to try to smooth the ride on a set up like this???? Please any advice or info ?????

 

Sorry, I can't offer any help. I'm interested in hearing the replies though. I almost ordered a set on Fri.

 

Pull out the very bottom overload, and you could probably stand to pull one of the other leafs out of the back, that's what I did when I ran them. Those leafs are designed for crazy australian people that drive back and forth across the continent doing a hundred miles an hour with enough supplies to live for 10 years (aka, expedition). No offense to anyone from Australia at all, that's just not what most of us buy them for. They really are good springs, they just need to be lightened up a bit if you aren't always carrying a ton of weight in the back.

 

Did you order the heavy duty springs or the regular ones? I have been looking into this and see that there are two options. I've always thought that OME gave one of the best rides but if not then maybe I wont go for them.

 

I bought the regular ones

 

Usually you want to leave the bottom overload leaf in the pack. If needed, pull out the next leaf above that for a while. This will let the springs break in faster. IF they start to settle, then you can add that leaf back in.

 

I agree with 4Crawler but on the OME springs, at least the ones I had there were basically two overload leafs. One shorter one on the very bottom one and one above it that was as thick as an overload and also served as an anti-wrap leaf (bracket and all). I removed my very bottom one and it helped a bit but removing one leaf from those springs is about perfect. I can't remember which one I removed, but it was one of the shorter ones.

 

can any one be more specific as to which leaf to remove???

 

Well, in general the shorter leafs will be what gives you ride height and stiffness, hence the reason why most add-a-leafs are short, arched, and make the ride just piss poor. I wish I could remember more of what my springs looked like, but it's been a while. I would probably remove one of the lower leafs myself and only one. You wan't to make sure that you don't remove too many because your springs will flex great, then bend. Part of the problem is that a stock length Toyota rear spring is just too short to give all that much flex in the rear. You need something long and flat (chevy marlin allpro etc.) to really get it flexing back there. If you post a pic of the springs I will give you my OPINION but it doesn't mean it's the right one to pull. When it comes to pulling/adding leafs to a spring pack, it is pretty much hit and miss and experimentation. If you decide to do that get a pair of center pins just in case yours don't have enough thread on them.

 

so which leaf should I remove.

 

Start with that one on the very bottom, you really don't need it and when you flex and get up to that overload, it stops wheel travel dead in it's path. Now as to the other leafs I know one of those leafs has a pair of retaining clamps so don't remove that one. Like I said before the shorter leafs are what give the most stiffness. Just make sure you don't remove too many because they will kink.

 

I installed the 2" OME springs front and rear on my '85 runner, they have been on for about a year and the ride keeps getting better.

I suggest you keep them intact, put a good load in the rear and keep flexing/using them as much as possible.

The ride now compared to a year ago is like night and day. I do not use my runner as a daily driver, so almost all miles are on the trail loaded down, perhaps that has accelerated the "wear in" time.

Good luck

 

I will be removing my bottom leaf this weekend I will update on how it goes

 

Yeah, I'd start there. They are really good springs and don't need a whole lot of molesting to perform well. They'll never flex like Marlin's etc, but that's because they are just too short. P.S. it'd never hurt to add a buggy spring.....

 

I say just suck it up!

 

I removed a leaf, took it for a test ride, seemed better but one of my heater tubes blew.(coolant everywhere )and I had to limp home. will up date after repairs

 

Ride has improved but still a bit rough, yes I know its a truck.

 

with the downey 2" was similiar, I had a terribly rough ride. The prob is that they are arched stock length. I pulled the over load (the very bottom fat leaf on yours) and that helped. You may also be really used to the 3rd gen nice as S%$& ride! I came from completly bottomed out stock springs so it was an improvement. Just my .02.

 

Yeah, Its great to be able to move from an 86 to 99 and back. like getting a new car.

 

It can't be that bad.....why don't you try putting some junk back there. Get a little weight on the rear.

Did you get new shocks when you put the new springs in?