DeMello/DR Stage 1 for the '05 Taco...

[crawler#976]

Decided to upgrade the stock suspension on Tami's '05 DC. Placed the order today for the Donahoe Racing 2.5" coilovers and add-a-leaf w/ Billies. After getting a "free" set of 16x8 MB Rocker rims, we've had fitment issues. I trimmed as much stuff off as I dared, but still had a bit of rubbing on occasion.

http://www.demello-offroad.com//cat...d=117&osCsid=79c8f6049183b7886ce97dd3a56c9627

I'll do a full tech report on the install - I've got a three day weekend over the New Years holiday to get'r done.

Sure hope it rides as well as my SAW's do!

Mark

 

[asteffes]

I'll be curious to find out how the rear add-a-leaf works out. It seems there are a few variations on AAL kits for the '05+ Tacomas. Wheeler's offer a single-leaf AAL that raises about 1.5". DO uses a three-leaf AAL for 1.75".

 

[datrupr]

Very cool Mark. Keep us posted, and I hope Tami likes the new look and ride.

 

[crawler#976]

From my limited experiance w/ building my own add-a-leaf setup, the ride quality was better than stock. With my '98, the truck was pretty much on the overload with even minor compression. That made the ride very harsh - removing it and adding three soft leaves made the rear almost as smooth as the SAW's up front.

Once done, we'll have to do a Broken Arrow run to see how it does!

 

[BajaTaco]

Cool, that's gonna look nice Mark!

 

[crawler#976]

...sure hope so!

Really considered going with the Old Man Emu springs/struts and rear springs and shocks, but after doing some research it seemed the 885 coils made the trucks ride a bit rough - didn't want that for Tami's DD. Also, it seems everyone gets a different amount of lift from that setup - anywhere from 1.5" to the advertised 3". Even bought a set of strut compressors before changing my mind!

 

[datrupr]

Once done, we'll have to do a Broken Arrow run to see how it does!

Let me know, I'll probablly be in for this one.:victory:

 

[asteffes]

From my limited experiance w/ building my own add-a-leaf setup, the ride quality was better than stock. With my '98, the truck was pretty much on the overload with even minor compression. That made the ride very harsh - removing it and adding three soft leaves made the rear almost as smooth as the SAW's up front.

Once done, we'll have to do a Broken Arrow run to see how it does!

So it's my understanding that the off-the-shelf AAL kits retain the overload leaf. Do you know if this is the case?

 

[crawler#976]

For the Demello/DR kit, the overload is removed. The AAL provides the additional lift and load capacity - similar to the Deaver three leaf for the slightly older Tacos.

 

[asteffes]

For the Demello/DR kit, the overload is removed. The AAL provides the additional lift and load capacity - similar to the Deaver three leaf for the slightly older Tacos.

Ah, ok. I assume that means the Demello kit leaves one with reduced load-carrying capacity. This is an issue for me, as I don't want my truck to sag too much and thus lose travel when the bed is full or I'm towing. There really is no perfect solution, of course. Engineering a suspension is all about compromise.

 

[jim65wagon]

I've got a set of Deaver's 3-leaf AAls in the back of the Tundra. While I did not get the full 1.5" of lift (it raise the rear about 3/4") It rides better on rough roads, seems to at least on the B-O-M. A thousand pound load in the back levels the truck perfectly. I haven't loaded it to the bump stops yet so I don't know how much the diminished capacity is but I don't think it affected it by more than a hundred or two hundred pounds; judging by the way the truck squats with similar type loads before and after lift.

 

[asteffes]

I've got a set of Deaver's 3-leaf AAls in the back of the Tundra. While I did not get the full 1.5" of lift (it raise the rear about 3/4") It rides better on rough roads, seems to at least on the B-O-M. A thousand pound load in the back levels the truck perfectly. I haven't loaded it to the bump stops yet so I don't know how much the diminished capacity is but I don't think it affected it by more than a hundred or two hundred pounds; judging by the way the truck squats with similar type loads before and after lift.

Very interesting. I will have to look into this kit for my Tacoma. I have not raised my truck yet but I'm starting to think the rear is sagging ever so slightly. The only thing I haul around in the bed these days is the SnugTop, which weighs probably 100-150 pounds. All I really want to do is fit 265-75-16 ATs, which don't require a lift at all, really. So gaining an inch or so would be great if I don't have to destroy the ride quality or load capacity at the same time.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Demello Stage 2

I have the Stage 2 kit from Demello (DR CO's and Deaver 12 leaf packs with Bilstein 5100's) and have been very happy with it's all around performance :costumed-smiley-007

I went with 12 leaves vice 10 because I load her down. Most guys (like asteffes) would be fine with the 10 pack and Billies.

IMO it's worth a few extra bucks to get a complete rear spring pack vice AAL's considering the OEM rear springs on the new Tacomas are quite possibly the worst ever marketed by Toyota on a truck...

.02

 

[edgear]

I too went with the Stage 2 Demello kit for my Tacoma. However, I highly underestimated the weight that I usually carry when camping. Right now I have the Deaver 8-leaf pack. But one of these days I'll probably be upping it to a 10 or even 12-leaf pack. I think anything you do to upgrade the stock Tacoma suspension will be good, even the AAL. I look forward to seeing how it turns out for you!

 

[slooowr6]

I too went with the Stage 2 Demello kit for my Tacoma. However, I highly underestimated the weight that I usually carry when camping. Right now I have the Deaver 8-leaf pack. But one of these days I'll probably be upping it to a 10 or even 12-leaf pack. I think anything you do to upgrade the stock Tacoma suspension will be good, even the AAL. I look forward to seeing how it turns out for you!

Any idea how much weight you are carrying? If you switch to a 12 pack will the ride suffer when you don't have much on the bed?
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