I'm going to have to start looking for some new leaf springs all around and I'm not sure which company to go with. I want something that is relatively forgiving. Such as going across the desert(not jumping it) at relatively high rates of speed. It's a 1985 SR5 xtra cab with a 3" lift. I was looking to stay in the 3" range and was thinking of downey's 3" xtreme travel front end kit, long travel rear end kit, and some bilstein shocks all around. What do you guys think?

 

for a 3inch spring try www.trailgear.com or look on alcan springs website

 

While your on the trail gear site, pick up the straight axle truss...You wont regret it..

 

OME makes a good spring set up that is advertised as 2.5" but my experience is it's more like 3" or maybe even a bit more. I have no experience but have heard that the Downey springs tend to sag quite a bit after a year or two.

You can't go wrong with Bilstein shocks no matter what springs you buy although I'm quite happy with my OME shocks.

If you are really after a "desert racing" type set up, then you probably want lighter springs and lightly damped shocks than most of us would use. I'm assuming that you aren't running a lot of additional weight with aftermarket bumpers, winches, etc. as I don't think those would be compatable with an optimal desert racing configuration.

 

i have ome 2.5 on my front end and stock springs on my rear (money sucks) anyway, my shocks are form my brothers rubicon (once agian, money sucks) but i am going to switch to beilstein. i love my ome, i run in the foothills where i live in a baja kinda track. i can jump my truck and on film my front end is beautiful with those springs. i am going to get the ome for the rears too and maybe a shackle lift for an inch or so in the front to keep my pre runner high end.

 

If you are really after a "desert racing" type set up, then you probably want lighter springs and lightly damped shocks than most of us would use. I'm assuming that you aren't running a lot of additional weight with aftermarket bumpers, winches, etc. as I don't think those would be compatable with an optimal desert racing configuration.



Yeah I'm not going for a complete desert race set up because I still do mostly crawling and climbing. I just want to have an extra smooth ride so I can get some speed up when I go to the desert. Whoever commented on the downey springs, thanks, I'll make sure and go with a different company for those. I was thinking that maybe some reservoir shocks would be a good idea because then I could stiffen them up on the trail and such, then soften them up for the desert. Any comments on that idea?

 

Don't discount the Downey's out of hand. I had their 3 inch lift springs on the rear of my truck and wheeled them hard for 3 years. They did settle about an inch in the first couple of months but stayed right at 2 inches thereafter, so if you really want 3 inches of lift they may not be for you.

On a seperate note consider redesigning your bumpstops as that may be your problem with bottoming out. That is what Steve Schaefer is in the midst of doing with mine on my straight axle conversion. The stops that come with the kits are small and hard and not very good. check these out.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f66/...72/index6.html scroll down to the bottom of the first post.

Similar to what Steve has describe here, just a little different for our trucks.
http://www.sonoransteel.com/store_su...ump_stops.html

 

luckily I have never bottomed my truck out. But yeah I want to go with a true 3" lift.