Dobinsons Suspension Review

So…. I decided to jump up to 37 Here is my current setup as many have been asking:

Falken Wildpeak MT - 37x12.5R17
KMC WHEELS - KM545 17x9
Dirtking UCA
Dobinson diff drop kit
C59-778K - Coils
set at the lowest clip seat height
IMS struts and shocks
IMS59-60710 - 2.6" IMS MONOTUBE STRUT
IMS59-60711 - 2.6" IMS MONOTUBE SHOCK
L59-120-R - leaf springs
PB59-1102K - REAR LEAF SPRING POLYURETHANE BUSH KIT
SP59-060 - GREASABLE PIN (helps keeps it nice and lobed and no squeeking)
UB59-437K - U-BOLT KIT, PAIR

 

Looks great! Those 37's just look right on there! Great looking build.

And to answer your question from your other post, no I haven't added any extra grease yet. I was extremely generous with grease when assembling, but maybe some greaseable pins like you added might be the ticket. Even so, I really only noticed it when I had a load, AND, by back window was rolled all the way down. It really didn't bother me at all, just a small observation.

 

oh ok, so not bad at all! thats awesome and yeah always be generous with the grease lol

 

haha oh yes, always plenty of grease. I will maybe look into some greaseable pins though. I pieced together the springs with some Boss 4x4 shackles so at the time I didn't want to splurge for those greaseable pins just in case they didn't work with the shackles.

And yeah, the "squeaking" is really, really not bad at all. More a faint creak if anything. Overall I've been happy as hell with the leaf springs. Even just a few hundred pounds before would sink the factory springs, these don't even notice it. So long as they hold up, I'm a believer!

 

Week three of waiting for Dobinsons shocks for this first gen dbl cab I bought a few weeks ago to come in stock. Apparently they are being held hostage on a boat in the port of Miami.

Currently riding on (like once a week):



COMMEEE ONNNN I can't take much more and neither can that bushing.

 

Update. 2008 4.7l
IMS with 610 coils for the last 6k miles. IMS rear with Ironman leafs for the last 500 miles. Lots and lots of trails run in the last 500 miles.

Low speed compression/rebound is about perfect. I can hit berms, rollers, woops and the like at very high speeds and the truck feels planted. It's like being on a very fun roller coaster.

I'm not overly impressed with the way the shock handles high speed compression. Soaking up hits from rolling over fist sized and larger rocks, ledges and wash board leaves something to be desired for me. It's not bad, it's just not great.

I'd love it if the shock was plusher feeling in the high speed department but still firm and controlled as far as the slow speed compression goes. Maybe my next set of shocks will be adjustable or bypass even.

 

Bringing this back up, people still liking their IMS lifts? I want to get one and run it at the lowest setting with +2 rear shackles. The eibach stage 2 kit looks appealing as well….

 

Have u evsr had bilsteins ? If so how wouod u describe the dobinsons ride??? Are they digressive or progressive?do u know?? I love the handling my bilsteins give but the small bumps on a shitty road are annoying

 

Having the IMS lift my biggest critique is how they react to small bumps at high speed. How they dampen the truck over rollercoaster type features at any speed is awesome however.

 

@crikeymike what’s the latest on the MRAs for the Tundra?

 

No updates

 

If I'm unsure if I will add weight to the front later (bumper, winch, etc.), would I be better served getting the height-adjustable IMS kit or saving $600 and getting the twin tube kit (and buying different springs if/when I add a bumper)? Looks like you could almost get three replacement sets of springs with the money you'd save buying the twin tube kit. Basically wondering if adjusting ride height via the adjustment clips is better/worse than doing so with different springs.

 

I suggest you buy what you can afford and also what will fit your needs. The IMS are better for someone who offroads more often but the twin tubes will work in all circumstances as well. They just don't have the same performance levels. And yes, you can always change the springs out later.

 

Is adjusting ride height via the adjustment clips better or worse than doing so with different springs?

 

If the weight isn't changing too much, adjusting the height works just fine. If there's a considerable weight difference, having the proper rated coils would be more ideal.

In an ideal world, you always want to use the springs that match the added weight and lift height you want/have.

 

Is anybody running the twin tube with 780 coils and getting the 3 inches of lift it states?

 

The 778 coils seem to actually achieve 3" with the twin tube. People who have used the 780 and twin tubes seem to get 4+ inches of lift and had lots of problems. Now that isn't "official", but real world is what a lot of us have seen. Maybe if you have 200+ pounds on the front end with a big steel bumper and winch it would be different, but this is what has been seen if you comb through this thread.

I have the 778 and twin tubes, along with 2 shims on the driver side, and one on the passenger side. I achieved right around 3.5" of total lift which was my goal. Each shim provides .5" of lift, but the the extra one on the driver side takes care of the "Tundra lean". Look at my post on page 24 (post #718) for more details. I posted some settled lift numbers on the next page or two.

 

I read a few posts here but theres 28 pages so here's my question.

I have an 07 and was planning on leveling with 6112 and 5160's. Was aiming for the 1.9" on the 6112', and using the 4/5" CB shackles.
It turns out that my rear leaves are warped and I need to replace them, so Im contemplating which direction to go now.

Should I just go with the full kit? I wasnt looking for a full lift kit, really just to level and replace my faulty parts. Im running 33" tires and dont want a massive lift thats going to make my tires look too small lol.

 

You could keep an eye out here on the forum and maybe snag some newer take off OE rear leaf springs to sort out your issue, and go with the route you were already looking at. You could use any from an 07 to 21 models, as long as the bed length matches yours.

For the Dobinsons kit to be leveled, you'd need to go for 3" up front, as the rear will lift 2". If you did just 2" front and rear, you'd maintain the same rake as factory.

 

Finally can contribute. Twin tubes with 778’s. Two shims on driver and one on pax side. 120r leafs in the rear with CB 3+ shackles. Ride is good with little firmness.

 

Pics please.

 

Did they not show up?

 

they show up.

ps - nice wheels too

 

Two did but let’s see pics of the suspension.

 

Looks good! These trucks look so nice in that color

 

Suspension pics please, and what size tire.
Thanks

 

Will do. I’ll get some this weekend.
Tires are geolander mt 35x12.50.

 

Looks like you getting more than 2.5" of lift. I know you mentioned the shims, but that still looks more than 3". I have the IMS with 780's up front and have more than 3.5" of lift. How are you CV angles?

 

Disregard the ugly wheels. Bought the truck with them. Some random pictures.

778’s have been known to give 3” right out of the box. At the front I’m measuring a little over 3.25”. Rear just under 4”. CB shackles are helping there. Cv look much better after the diff drop.

 

I assume you went with the Dobinsons diff drop? I had Bilstein 6112's top perch with shim prior, so the shop that did my install left my existing diff drop said it was enough.