Dobinsons Suspension Review

I agree with the other guys that the extended shackles could be stressing the springs.

The way to verify if the springs have been actually over stressed is to remove them and compare the free height of them (put them on the ground, eyes downward, curved upward, and measure from the center of the spring down to the ground), and that will show if one side is different than the other. Both springs were made the same, not side-specific.

How's the front end? With that much rear end lean, the front would be leaning as well. As an FYI, a front end lean can also cause a rear end lean, but 2" is excessive no matter what.

 

I am on the market for just this sort of thing. I recently just got the ability to grease the UCA up front and would love the quiet operation of these out back. Are you guys running any sort of promo code these days?

 

No worries. Yeah, these should help you out perfectly.

I've sent you a PM.

 

i had thought I had researched enough when I went with this setup, guess I didn’t…is the shackle stress common? I had to cut the OEM shackles to get them off, so not easy to swap out and check them. I’ll have to measure the springs as mentioned. If my springs are ruined, can I order new and go back to OEM height shackles?

Front measures 24.5 hub to fender on both sides, no lean.

Anyone know a good 4x4/suspension shop within 2 hours of Washington DC? After a back injury some of the heavier tasks get difficult.

 

Longer shackles are a good way increase the rear height without making the ride harsh. But they will definitely increase how far the spring can flex unless you extend the bumpstops. People who just drive on the street can get away with a lot of things, but...

If you want to keep your rear lift you can keep the shackles, so long has you put a spacer under the bumpstops equivalent to the lift. Or you could use stock shackles and put a spacer under the spring pack.

You can probably get some lightly used stock springs pretty cheap from someone who upgraded.

Hope your back heals! That can be pretty debilitating.

 

Sure, you can buy new lifted springs and get the Dobinsons greasable shackle kit, which are stock length.

Interesting that the front is even, but the rear is so far off. The spring must have been over-flexed I would say.

 

Any coupons for this, and have anyone tried the uca's?

 

I'm not aware of Dobinsons offering UCAs for the Tundra. Unless they just released some. Which I doubt.

 

You're right, there are no UCA's from Dobinsons. I sell a few different other brands to go with the full kit.

 

Which one do you sell?

 

Dirt King and SPC.

https://exitoffroad.com/product/dirt-king-tubular-ball-joint-ucas-for-tundra-2nd-gen/
https://exitoffroad.com/product/dirt-king-toyota-tundra-boxed-uca-set-with-uniballs-for-2nd-gen/
https://exitoffroad.com/product/spc-25490/

 

Anyone know the direction of the Dobinsons HD leaf packs? I'm planning on installing in the next day or so and can't seem to find any documentation on it.

 

They look symmetrical to me, but I would assume that matching up the Dobinsons logo on the add-a-leaf with the logo on the leaf pack would be a safe bet.

 

The fixed frame end should have the 2nd military wrap leaf right up to it. While the shackle end will be more open and it's smaller usually

 

Yes this ^^ for the entire leaf pack. (Matches the factory config)

I misunderstood the question to be which way the add-a-leafs are oriented on top of the leaf pack.

 

Thanks guys! @MSU Tundra I had the same train of thought when I assembled them.

 

Rear MRA adjustable shocks are due in 1-2 weeks!!

https://exitoffroad.com/product/dob...-mra-rear-shocks-for-toyota-tundra-2007-2021/

Still no date on the fronts. As soon as the production line gets to them, they'll be made and shipped over.

 

Let us know when the rear greasable shackles come back in stock

 

Look at the Ironmans if you need some now. That's the route I went and they're beefy AF.

 

Hmmm...

I am still torn AF on what to do with this damn truck. Super tempted to get another 90s Bronco, but if I decide not to do that, then triple bypasses will be on the back.

 

I almost went with them but I want the option to grease the front pivot also and Dobinsons is really the only option. I’m willing to wait for continuities sake.

 

Not sure what you mean.

 

Sorry about that…I’m referring to the front pivot of the leaf springs. I would like to use this there and the matching shackle in the rear. (When available)

https://exitoffroad.com/product/dob...it-for-toyota-tacoma-and-tundra-2005-to-2020/

 

90s Bronco all day long. I'm building another one right now. TTB and Deavers will run circles around a Tundra unless you spend big bucks on LT if you want to go fast. My Tundra is fun on slower trails but that's about it.

 

It would be full Giant, Desolate, Solo or a combination. It would dominate all, but would take a lot of time. The time is the big factor for me.

 

I hear ya on time. I've screwing with my for 9 months but should be wrapping it up next month. I've got a mixed Desolate suspension front and rear. C&T front with Q80s in the rear. King 2.5 smoothies all around.

 

@crikeymike

Any chance you can do a disassembly and measure each of the components? I'm looking at ADS/Fox/King triple bypass and smoothie right now and the Dobinsons are looking pretty good for smoothies. Just wondering where the compromises were made to add 3way adjustability at this price. What rebuild kit works with this? Is it easy to get? Can these be taken apart with standard shock wrenches? How much oil? Nitrogen? Updates on the fronts?

I do off-road the truck. I push it, but never to the point that I risk not being able to drive it home or with enough damage to need a body shop. I'm mainly on local trails in the Rockies, but I will go down to NM occasionally to stretch it out.

 

From experience with the IMS shocks, it was easy to find rebuild kits but finding shim kits to do custom valving was impossible. I couldn't find any shock tuners in SoCal willing to mess with them either which is why I ended up selling them.

 

Sad. F'n. Day. I would tune them myself, but if I can't get shims, then I can't tune. Did you happen to see why another brand's shims wouldn't work? Perhaps this is where that compromise for the adjustability comes in.

 

I didn't get a chance to pull them apart to see if any other shims would work. They were installed on my daily and I can't have the downtime to pull the shocks off multiple times for R&D. Dobinsons just suggested moving shims around to make different shims stacks but wouldn't sell me shim kits to take to a tuner.