Dobinsons Suspension Review

Not good.

 

Well that's not what I was hoping to hear. I'm second guessing putting mine on tomorrow....

 

Yeah I have a whole kit I just ordered through Main Line, which includes the 780 springs. I'm definitely second questioning those springs a little bit right now......

I wanted more than 2.5" of lift, but yeah 4.5" is pushing the limits of the suspension geometry. If it settles to 4" that is at least a little more manageable.

 

I'm hopeful it will settle, but Dobinsons told me they will settle one inch. If they don't then I'm sure I will go to the 2.5 springs. When you first get them installed just be aware that they are extremely stiff. I hope that will get better too.

Just for anybody's reference, from center of hub to bottom of fender, on the passenger side with a 780 coil, set to the 2.5in lowest setting, I'm at 26 7/8 inches. That's nearly 5 inches of lift, at the 2.5 setting lol.

 

4" will still be too much. The stroke length isn't much on these trucks so you'll be banging your coil-over shock @ full extension often. I'm dealing with this now w/my OME kit.

 

Yeah....that is rough lol. I guess we'll see what happens.

 

Yeah you aren't wrong. I remember reading some of the issues you were having with your OME springs. Sorry you still seem to be having issues.

 

dang! Worst part for me is that Dobinson's won't do anything until two weeks goes by, so I'm now riding nose high, and TSS just went off at lunch.

 

OME acted like I was crazy when I told them what was going on w/my deal & insisted I was wrong. After sending them every measurement they requested, along w/pics, they said it must just be a freak deal. I'm thinking these Australian companies are not very well versed @ all w/the Tundra.
It seems w/Dobinsons & OME, if you get their normal springs you'll be good but if you get their HD springs, they haven't actually fit them on anything to see real world numbers.

 

Agreed. I have the normal springs, and I'm telling you it is STIFF, and that's with an ADD stealthfighter front bumper, 40 in light bar, and RCI steel skid plates lol.

 

That sucks. Did you read this whole thread, specifically the posts about the springs giving too much lift?
I should've said their HD or longer than 2.5" springs. Any other than their bread & butter springs.

 

I did read about the springs giving too much lift prior to ordering them, but I was assured the 780 springs were brand new and would only give 3 inches of lift. I was basically mocked for questioning the new 780 springs being anything but 3 inches of lift. I'm sure Dobinsons will make it right eventually.

 

Yeah the 780's are not HD, but are just as long as their HD counterpart. This may just be a big issue of theirs. I'm not sure I want to do this project twice lol. I may just call up Main Line and see if they can swap out the spring on my order to the 2.5" ones, then I'll just add a shim if necessary.

 

Not a bad idea. Dobinsons may send me a new spring at some point, but they clearly aren't going to compensate me for my time/install time.

I would go with the 2.5 to be brutally honest. the 2.25 springs are money per others, but I have not seen any others with the 780 springs get 3 inches of actual lift, even though some on here say others have.

There was no improper install on my end either, as I used a shop with 50 years of experience, and an authorized Dobs dealer.

 

My rear IMS shocks with dobinsons 120 regular load leafs are STIFF. I bounce over everything. I am also at nearly 5 inches of front lift on the new 780 comfort coils.

 

Real world experience here. If you want a true 3”, go with the 778. Dobinsons has it listed at 2.5” of lift, but im right at 3” with them. A stock Tundra sits average 22” center front hub to fender i believe, im at 25” center hub to fender. I was in the same boat as a few of y’all when i first ordered. I hope it all works out in the end for everyone.

 

Awesome. Thank you. Did you set the 778s with the driver at the 3rd clip, and passenger at 2nd? It's insane they don't know what lifts their products are actually getting.

 

21.8" is the average stock measurement from a chart that I found on here awhile back.
Do you have a heavy bumper or winch or skids?

 

i have the twin tubes..the IMS wern’t out when i purchased last year sadly.

 

Wow. Can't believe I'm running 5 inches of lift right now lol. Pretty much exactly what all the guys with 578 coils have said. So much for the 780s.

 

Dang. Yea, makes me wonder if I should have just gone with Ironman. Doesn't seem like Dobinsons really checked any of their products for real world numbers or ride quality on the IMS stuff.

 

No extra weight, uness you want to count the PRO skid plate

 

I was @ ~5" w/my 613's after lift then did the 614's & that put me @ ~4". Now they've settled & I'm @ ~3.75" & that's still a bit too much. I'd like to be @ 3". Maybe it will be after sliders & skid(s).

 

The IMS won't dictate lift & only have a slight input on stiffness. The spring is the stiffness & the shock controls how fast or slow that stiffness happens.

 

So the bottom line is...go with something that is tested in the US on US vehicles?

 

Most likely. I feel like I made my truck worse by getting rid of the 6112/5160s and stock leafs... we’ll see how Dobinson’s tries to make this right.

Still at 26 7/8 middle hub to fender, and I drove like a mad man today, with heavy braking. Did nothing.

 

Well I replied to the other thread by accident, but I just called Main Line and had my 780 springs swapped out for the 778 just to be safe.

I figured better safe than sorry, plus with my wife working weekends and a 1 year old, I don't have much free time to do this more than once lol

 

I'm putting my 778 coils and IMS shocks on this weekend. I'll let you know how much lift I get

 

Smart. Dobinsons is basically holding me to the fire saying that they want me to wait two weeks for the springs to continue to settle, which have not settled a mm yet, and I'm still running 5 inches of lift.

Pretty close to throwing in the towel and going Ironman.

 

Damn sorry man. I was tempted by Ironman to. But I ended up with Dobinson's because of the availability of the local supplier, and frankly a longer track record. That's why I went with just the twin tubes too, I just wanted basic, robust stuff.

We'll see what happens!