Personally I can see an argument being made for both sides. The Leafs in the back although they have some cons it’s nothing different than any other truck with leafs. The positive thing about leaf springs is if you carry even a moderate amount of weight even say 400-600lbs the leaf can easily be upgraded and is more stable with load. Also, if your leafs in your gen 2 aren’t blown out it is very minor when it happens. The big argument for the 5 link is pretty much everything but what what’s listed above. The suspension is similar to a car in that respect just with BIG ASS SHOCKS lol.
I say different strokes for different folks. The interior would probably be the biggest pull for me as the gen 2 plastic is kinda cheesy for such an expensive truck.