Just Installed Demello/Bilstein 7100's and Deavers

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Installed a set of Demello's Bilstein 7100's and a set of Deaver 10-leafs on my buddies '05 Today. Installation was a slam-dunk and everything fit perfectly. Jason did the math right on the rear shock size, when the leafs are at full droop, the shocks are also at full droop.

What a difference compared to the stock crap, the rear end now keeps up with the Donahoes up front and the truck feels awesome and sits perfectly level. Quality products 100%.

[schoolie]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

Installed a set of Demello's Bilstein 7100's and a set of Deaver 10-leafs on my buddies '05 Today. Installation was a slam-dunk and everything fit perfectly. Jason did the math right on the rear shock size, when the leafs are at full droop, the shocks are also at full droop.

What a difference compared to the stock crap, the rear end now keeps up with the Donahoes up front and the truck feels awesome and sits perfectly level. Quality products 100%.

couldn't agree more. i just had the same setup (Donahoe's and TC UCA's up front and Deaver 12 leaf and Bilstein 7100's on the rear) put on my truck last week at Demello's and the ride is sweet! can't wait to get off road - hopefully this weekend!!

[SEAN_at_TLT]

What year truck do you have? I didn't know Deaver makes a 12-leaf pack that's crazy. You must tow a lot?

[scottB]

What was your goal pay-load with the 12 leaf deavers?
Did you need to get longer brake lines?
Thanks for posting.
Where are the Pics?

[05 taco access cab]

for sure post up some pics. i am wanting to do the same to my 05 in the rear. what did it cost you?

[SP Jon M3]

I've been running the Deaver 10s for a while now and love the way the ride. My only complaint (which is actually good for wheeling) is that they are too soft. My D-cab is very easy to bottom out if there is anyone in the back and I hit a good dip. But when you get them off road there's no comparing them. They are like butter when driving over the rough stuff.

But I think I might have my pack rebuilt to 12 leaf and see if that helps. I plan on running more gear when taking trips and I don't want the rear sagging.

One other thing. Make sure you put a good coat of paint on the u-bolts. They will rust if you don't... trust me..

[cole45]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

Installed a set of Demello's Bilstein 7100's and a set of Deaver 10-leafs on my buddies '05 Today. Installation was a slam-dunk and everything fit perfectly. Jason did the math right on the rear shock size, when the leafs are at full droop, the shocks are also at full droop.

What a difference compared to the stock crap, the rear end now keeps up with the Donahoes up front and the truck feels awesome and sits perfectly level. Quality products 100%.

Cool, do you have pictures? Did you weld new mounts on?

[05taco]

Originally Posted by 05 taco access cab

for sure post up some pics. i am wanting to do the same to my 05 in the rear. what did it cost you?

here are some pics of my 05 with donahoes, deaver 10 pack, and bilstein 5100s.

Originally Posted by 05taco

ok heres some pics of the install.




















before



after

[02tacotim]

You put 5100's on it. Your post title says 7100's. I don't need pic's of those.

Tim

[SEAN_at_TLT]

We used the stem-eye convertors from Demello. They work perfect. They bolt into the factory upper shock mount location and allow you to mount a standard shock with an eye like the 7100.

Originally Posted by cole45

Cool, do you have pictures? Did you weld new mounts on?

[schoolie]

Originally Posted by scottB

What was your goal pay-load with the 12 leaf deavers?
Did you need to get longer brake lines?
Thanks for posting.
Where are the Pics?

i wanted a little more lift, i didn't want it too soft or any sagging. i always have 2 or 3 people in my truck with me as well as 100-150 lbs. of gear when off roading and i hate bottoming out. i did not need longer brake lines (the lines on the '05+'s are pretty long).

[schoolie]

Originally Posted by 05 taco access cab

for sure post up some pics. i am wanting to do the same to my 05 in the rear. what did it cost you?

before..

and after...

[cole45]

That's interesting because that's not what's in your picture. I see either a 5100 or a 7100 with pin mount, I don't see the adapter there, no need for a picture of that, I've seen it. Nice setup though, I bet it rides great.

[coner43]

Truck looks great. What size tires did you go with?

[SR-71Taco]

Those brake lines are screamin'!

[05taco]

Originally Posted by SR-71Taco

Those brake lines are screamin'!

that pic was before i put the u-bolts and shocks on. you can see that they are fine in the after pics with the shocks installed and everything.

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Originally Posted by cole45

That's interesting because that's not what's in your picture. I see either a 5100 or a 7100 with pin mount, I don't see the adapter there, no need for a picture of that, I've seen it. Nice setup though, I bet it rides great.

I haven't posted any pics of my buddies truck yet. If you are replying to me that is. You can use the "quote" button instead of the "reply" button to make it more obvious as to who you are replying to.

I will try to get some pics of his truck up here also. It is a silver access cab TRD.

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Anybody know what to do if the rear leafs are too firm on the Deaver 10-leaf '05 pack? Basically when the bed is empty (which is 99% of the time) the rear feels firmer than the front so we're trying to figure out how to soften it up just a bit. We were thinking to pull out a leaf or two and then maybe throw in some airbags for towing/hauling. If we were going to pull out some leaves which ones should we remove, middle, top, bottom etc?

[jc3835]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

Anybody know what to do if the rear leafs are too firm on the Deaver 10-leaf '05 pack? Basically when the bed is empty (which is 99% of the time) the rear feels firmer than the front so we're trying to figure out how to soften it up just a bit. We were thinking to pull out a leaf or two and then maybe throw in some airbags for towing/hauling. If we were going to pull out some leaves which ones should we remove, middle, top, bottom etc?

I'd like to hear the answer to that too... most of the time I don't have anything in the bed, so I don't want it too firm. But SP Jon said that his bottoms out with his 10-pack with only 2 people in the back of the cab! And then the other guy's 12 might be a bit too much for me... Wonder what an 11-pack would be like?!

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Originally Posted by jc3835

I'd like to hear the answer to that too... most of the time I don't have anything in the bed, so I don't want it too firm. But SP Jon said that his bottoms out with his 10-pack with only 2 people in the back of the cab! And then the other guy's 12 might be a bit too much for me... Wonder what an 11-pack would be like?!

Who is SP Jon? My buddies truck with two people in front and some gear in the bed (two mountain bikes and riding gear ~ 100 lbs) still rides fairly firm. It's not bad at all but with the Donahoes up front and no sway-bar the rear is still firmer than the front and we'd like to get both ends feeling as similar as possible.

[SP Jon M3]

Originally Posted by jc3835

But SP Jon said that his bottoms out with his 10-pack with only 2 people in the back of the cab! And then the other guy's 12 might be a bit too much for me... Wonder what an 11-pack would be like?!

It actually bottoms out pretty easily with 3 people total in the car, 2 in front 1 in the rear. If I have 4 people or 5 people in my truck then I look like a pre-runner truck. With 5 I catually think there's less than 1" before I hit the bumpstops.

I have talked to Deaver and they will rework my pack adding another leaf and adding about .5" of lift in the rear. I plan on doing this in the June or July.

[SP Jon M3]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

Who is SP Jon? My buddies truck with two people in front and some gear in the bed (two mountain bikes and riding gear ~ 100 lbs) still rides fairly firm. It's not bad at all but with the Donahoes up front and no sway-bar the rear is still firmer than the front and we'd like to get both ends feeling as similar as possible.

Is your buddy's truck a '05/'06 or a pre '05?

[jc3835]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

Who is SP Jon? My buddies truck with two people in front and some gear in the bed (two mountain bikes and riding gear ~ 100 lbs) still rides fairly firm. It's not bad at all but with the Donahoes up front and no sway-bar the rear is still firmer than the front and we'd like to get both ends feeling as similar as possible.

Sean, meet SP Jon... just another member who posted a reply to your thread.

[cole45]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

Who is SP Jon? My buddies truck with two people in front and some gear in the bed (two mountain bikes and riding gear ~ 100 lbs) still rides fairly firm. It's not bad at all but with the Donahoes up front and no sway-bar the rear is still firmer than the front and we'd like to get both ends feeling as similar as possible.

Sean, it's only a guess, but I would say remove the lowest leaf and try that, that being the most conservative option. You may also be able to reduce the valving on your shocks. Also, try the "hybrid" view for posts, it's easier to see who's posting and responding to which post.

I'm in the process of doing a similar thing to the rear end, only I plan on mounting some shock mounts to the frame to get a little more travel. What are you doing with your stock bumpstops? the 10 pack takes up quit a bit of real estate on top of the axle imho.

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Originally Posted by SP Jon M3

Is your buddy's truck a '05/'06 or a pre '05?

His is an '05.

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Originally Posted by cole45

Sean, it's only a guess, but I would say remove the lowest leaf and try that, that being the most conservative option. You may also be able to reduce the valving on your shocks. Also, try the "hybrid" view for posts, it's easier to see who's posting and responding to which post.

I'm in the process of doing a similar thing to the rear end, only I plan on mounting some shock mounts to the frame to get a little more travel. What are you doing with your stock bumpstops? the 10 pack takes up quit a bit of real estate on top of the axle imho.

We reused the stock bumps, I thought about shaving them some but haven't done anything as of yet. The lowest leaf is so small it seems like removing it wouldn't do much but maybe it would make just the right amount of difference?

I thought about shock valving, and I know it isn't ideal as Donahoe is making their own shock that is "better" than the 7100, but I'd imagine that the 7100's shouldn't be too far from ideal.

[cole45]

Originally Posted by SEAN_at_TLT

We reused the stock bumps, I thought about shaving them some but haven't done anything as of yet. The lowest leaf is so small it seems like removing it wouldn't do much but maybe it would make just the right amount of difference?

I thought about shock valving, and I know it isn't ideal as Donahoe is making their own shock that is "better" than the 7100, but I'd imagine that the 7100's shouldn't be too far from ideal.

Yeah, I'm on the fence as far as the 7100 vs the donahoes, I'm having a fab shop design a mount for me and if it's complete in time I'll use that. I'd prefer the Donahoes in the stock location since the pin/eye adapter takes some travel off of the shock and the donahoes will fit in the bucket without an adapter. I'm looking forward to reading the TLT article on the 05 tacoma!

[SEAN_at_TLT]

Although the stem-eye convertors do reduce the space in which the shock mounts I don't think they reduce potential travel by much if any. When the rear of the truck is at full droop with the shocks attached up top (with the convertors) but unbolted at the lower mount the shock is fully extended and perfectly lined up to the bolt hole. I didn't disassemble the leaf pack and cycle the truck to full compression but I doubt that the shock is limiting on that end either. Plus Jason tested the fit and found that with the stock bumps in place there is still a small amount of shock shaft exposed at full compression.

[ski05]

Hey thats my truck! How much was this kit and were can I get it? the rear shocks look just as long as stock in the pic.

[scottB]

Originally Posted by ski05

Hey thats my truck! .

Ok, whatever you say.

Originally Posted by ski05

How much was this kit and were can I get it? .

1,650$, Demello, here is a link. LINK

Originally Posted by ski05

the rear shocks look just as long as stock in the pic.

Do you have any other thoughts about this observation?