Hammer0313
New member
Awesome, Thank you!
Dobinsons 5th Gen T4R Suspension options - from Exit Offroad
- Thread starter Crikeymike
- Start date
Awesome, Thank you!
Crikeymike
Senior Member
There are some due in June/July but in teal only. No ETA for red or black.
BackRoadSeeker
New member
Just got off the phone with Mike to finalize my order and promised to post photos when I get everything installed, so posting my stock photos here now to keep myself honest...
After a lot of back and forth of asking questions he probably hears everyday, here's the final kit, preassembled from Exit Offroad:
Mike talked me away from a C59-296 1.5" front/C59-5991" rear lift, seeing as this is a pavement princess on Michelin street tires for now. I can always raise the front a bit with the IMS threaded struts and the rear with a small spacer if I see fit.
Stock measurements taken from bottom of the 17" rims:
Stock measurements from center of wheel to bottom of fender:
So it's basically just a leveling, but with the benefits of stiffer front and rear springs and the IMS struts/shocks, which I've heard nothing but praise about. Primarily after increased handling and getting rid of that cursed nose dive.
Why Toyota made these 4Runners so softly sprung from the factory is a mystery to me. Can't wait!!
After a lot of back and forth of asking questions he probably hears everyday, here's the final kit, preassembled from Exit Offroad:
- Front coils: C59-238 (0.75 to 1" lift)
- Front struts: IMS59-50700
- Rear Coils: C59-323 (stock height, higher spring rate)
- Rear shocks: IMS59-50705
Mike talked me away from a C59-296 1.5" front/C59-5991" rear lift, seeing as this is a pavement princess on Michelin street tires for now. I can always raise the front a bit with the IMS threaded struts and the rear with a small spacer if I see fit.
Stock measurements taken from bottom of the 17" rims:
- Front height: 29.5"
- Rear height: 31.25 - 31.5"
Stock measurements from center of wheel to bottom of fender:
- Front height: 20.5"
- Rear height: 22.125
So it's basically just a leveling, but with the benefits of stiffer front and rear springs and the IMS struts/shocks, which I've heard nothing but praise about. Primarily after increased handling and getting rid of that cursed nose dive.
Why Toyota made these 4Runners so softly sprung from the factory is a mystery to me. Can't wait!!
Attachments
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BackRoadSeeker
New member
Thanks - that's the kind of thing I would usually not realize until after the lift was installed...
Those stock measurements I just took are:
- Front: 20.5"
- Rear: 22.125"
Looking forward to how it turns out! I’ve been messaging Mike about doing almost the exact same lift.
wrestlingnrj
New member
Big thank you to Mike for the help in making sure the items I picked would get me to the goal I had in mind. Ordered Dobinsons C59-302 front coils, GS59-700 front struts, C59-599 rear coils, GS59-705 rear struts. Took less than a week for delivery from Florida to my house in Southern California. Used my mechanic brother for his tools and we got everything installed in just over an hour, drove to the alignment shop and had it dialed back in. Wife is super happy with the results.
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
Crikeymike
Senior Member
That's great! Such a fast install too. And hopefully she will be happy for at least a day or two!!! HahaBig thank you to Mike for the help in making sure the items I picked would get me to the goal I had in mind. Ordered Dobinsons C59-302 front coils, GS59-700 front struts, C59-599 rear coils, GS59-705 rear struts. Took less than a week for delivery from Florida to my house in Southern California. Used my mechanic brother for his tools and we got everything installed in just over an hour, drove to the alignment shop and had it dialed back in. Wife is super happy with the results.
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BackRoadSeeker
New member
Lift received and installed same day!
Recap on what I got:
Front coils: C59-238
Front struts: IMS59-50700
Rear Coils: C59-323
Rear shocks: IMS59-50705
Installation was a cakewalk thanks to the truck being new and Mike's videos. The front went on easily with the lower control arm cams loosened and the whole arm dropped down; had to adjust the bushing eye a bit with a 3/8" extension to get the lower spring perch detent to the rear. Those lower cams call for some serious torque in the FSM - nearly 120 lb-ft. I'm sure no alignment shop does this but it wasn't much fun with the truck on the ground.
The rear was trickier but not hard. I disconnected the rear sway bar and pushed the axle down some with a little bottle jack to get the springs in. The shock upper mount area is TIGHT but I was able to get in there easily enough with a ratcheting wrench; not sure why people cut metal. The provided Dobinson top nuts were large and an odd size (18mm?). Didn't have an 18mm wrench so used the stock 17mm nuts. I did get a startling bang when tightening the shocks. I think the lower washer wasn't completely seated in the frame, but then suddenly it was. I might have had the axle jacked up too high during installation.
Measurements from center of wheel to fender are below. This is after around 20 miles of driving, so it may settle a bit more. I'll update if it does. The rear is sitting higher than expected (as in no lift), but this is on a bone stock truck otherwise with 265/70/R17 Michelin street tires. Even if it doesn't settle, I'm happy.
BEFORE
Ride quality is excellent - firm and controlled but not jarring. My old 3rd gen T4R had an OME 880/906 lift with Bilstein 5100s and this is much smoother. It doesn't have the impact harshness of the digressive Bilsteins but it certainly doesn't wallow around either. Nose dive is much better and body roll is no longer alarming. My truck does not have KDSS.
NOTE: I also changed my TRD wheels to a set of 2016 Trail wheels. I got tired of the grey on grey and also seeing those wheels literally everywhere. Same tires.
Recap on what I got:
Front coils: C59-238
Front struts: IMS59-50700
Rear Coils: C59-323
Rear shocks: IMS59-50705
Installation was a cakewalk thanks to the truck being new and Mike's videos. The front went on easily with the lower control arm cams loosened and the whole arm dropped down; had to adjust the bushing eye a bit with a 3/8" extension to get the lower spring perch detent to the rear. Those lower cams call for some serious torque in the FSM - nearly 120 lb-ft. I'm sure no alignment shop does this but it wasn't much fun with the truck on the ground.
The rear was trickier but not hard. I disconnected the rear sway bar and pushed the axle down some with a little bottle jack to get the springs in. The shock upper mount area is TIGHT but I was able to get in there easily enough with a ratcheting wrench; not sure why people cut metal. The provided Dobinson top nuts were large and an odd size (18mm?). Didn't have an 18mm wrench so used the stock 17mm nuts. I did get a startling bang when tightening the shocks. I think the lower washer wasn't completely seated in the frame, but then suddenly it was. I might have had the axle jacked up too high during installation.
Measurements from center of wheel to fender are below. This is after around 20 miles of driving, so it may settle a bit more. I'll update if it does. The rear is sitting higher than expected (as in no lift), but this is on a bone stock truck otherwise with 265/70/R17 Michelin street tires. Even if it doesn't settle, I'm happy.
BEFORE
- Front: 20.5"
- Rear: 22.125"
- Front: 21.25" = 0.75" lift
- Rear: 23" = 0.875" lift
Ride quality is excellent - firm and controlled but not jarring. My old 3rd gen T4R had an OME 880/906 lift with Bilstein 5100s and this is much smoother. It doesn't have the impact harshness of the digressive Bilsteins but it certainly doesn't wallow around either. Nose dive is much better and body roll is no longer alarming. My truck does not have KDSS.
NOTE: I also changed my TRD wheels to a set of 2016 Trail wheels. I got tired of the grey on grey and also seeing those wheels literally everywhere. Same tires.
Attachments
Big thank you to Mike for the help in making sure the items I picked would get me to the goal I had in mind. Ordered Dobinsons C59-302 front coils, GS59-700 front struts, C59-599 rear coils, GS59-705 rear struts. Took less than a week for delivery from Florida to my house in Southern California. Used my mechanic brother for his tools and we got everything installed in just over an hour, drove to the alignment shop and had it dialed back in. Wife is super happy with the results.
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
How is the ride on the twin tubes compared to stock?
After putting some miles on your ride I'd be interested to know if the rear springs settle any. You got more rear lift than I was expecting with the 323 springs.
BackRoadSeeker
New member
No settling in the rear so far, about 100 miles put on the lift.
Did get the alignment done. I was a bit surprised that they weren't able to get the left front caster back in spec. The tech said there was no adjustment left.
Attachments
Crikeymike
Senior Member
The tech should not have let you leave without at least getting the left and right specs much much closer. You have a lot of negative caster on one side, and positive on the other. Essentially the wheel is further forward on one side than the other, which just isn't right.
Step 1. Turn the rear cams all the way outward.
Step 2. Turn the front cams all the way inward. Now it has maximum caster.
Step 3. Set camber and toe to factory spec. Caster will be reduced when these are set, but it still leaves it at max caster.
It's not hard when you do it in the right order and start from a "zero" starting point, getting the wheels in the same position to start.
4boer2
New member
2 questions:
1) How is this bushing doing? I was told it was shot. It has 105,517 miles on it.
2) I was in the Oregon dunes over the weekend and under hard compressions in the whoops only the driver's side UCA and tire would hit the wheel well. Did I just knock it out of alignment or is there a bigger problem? Is it related to the above bushing (it is also the driver's side)? Tires are P285/70R17, and I do have durobump bump stops which are longer than stock.
1) How is this bushing doing? I was told it was shot. It has 105,517 miles on it.
2) I was in the Oregon dunes over the weekend and under hard compressions in the whoops only the driver's side UCA and tire would hit the wheel well. Did I just knock it out of alignment or is there a bigger problem? Is it related to the above bushing (it is also the driver's side)? Tires are P285/70R17, and I do have durobump bump stops which are longer than stock.
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Crikeymike
Senior Member
Yes it looks like the bushing is going out. If it was torqued not on the ground, it preloaded the bushing and causes it to wear out sooner. Although you have a lot of miles too.2 questions:
1) How is this bushing doing? I was told it was shot. It has 105,517 miles on it.
2) I was in the Oregon dunes over the weekend and under hard compressions in the whoops only the driver's side UCA and tire would hit the wheel well. Did I just knock it out of alignment or is there a bigger problem? Is it related to the above bushing (it is also the driver's side)? Tires are P285/70R17, and I do have durobump bump stops which are longer than stock.
Replacements here:. Dobinsons Lower Strut Bushing - For -700 -574 -642 -648 -644 -228 - Exit Offroad
Your alignment probably isn't even. One wheel probably further back than the other. See the last post I made
4boer2
New member
Roger. I did the install myself and don't remember how I did it so I'm willing to take the blame. Bushing ordered. I have access to a press so I'll try my luck doing it myself. I'll get an alignment afterward.
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wrestlingnrj
New member
It is ever so slightly stiffer than stock from what I've been able to tell. My wife (primary driver) hasn't noticed a difference at all. She's only put about 200 miles on it, so I don't think everything has fully settled into place just yet.
Finally got my Dobinsons lift installed with dobinsons uca.
c59-314 front coils
IMS59-50700
C59-325 rear coils
IMS59-50701
Dobinsons uca
Mike was super helpful and good advisor.
c59-314 front coils
IMS59-50700
C59-325 rear coils
IMS59-50701
Dobinsons uca
Mike was super helpful and good advisor.
Attachments
Finslayer83
New member
C59-354 up front and C59-327 in the rear.
Was perfect with drawers (200lb loaded) but added the Shrockworks rear bar and dropped down to about 23.5" so lost 1/2 an inch.
Spoke with Mike this morning (thanks for all the texts!) and ordered up some 701v's for the rear. Should get it back to some rake and rid the saggy butt.
Got steel trans / t-case skids, sliders, 7/8ths roof rack, drawers, shit in drawers, and bumper.
#400 of that is the drawers and bumper alone.
Was perfect with drawers (200lb loaded) but added the Shrockworks rear bar and dropped down to about 23.5" so lost 1/2 an inch.
Spoke with Mike this morning (thanks for all the texts!) and ordered up some 701v's for the rear. Should get it back to some rake and rid the saggy butt.
Got steel trans / t-case skids, sliders, 7/8ths roof rack, drawers, shit in drawers, and bumper.
#400 of that is the drawers and bumper alone.
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