Dobinsons Suspension - 4th Gen Options

[Crikeymike]

Not sure if your reply was directed at me or not. If so, I don't think we're having the same issue. My dobinson springs have not sagged at all, they settled less than a quarter inch total. My spacers just haven't resolved my drivers side lean the way I hoped. My net lift received was 3.75 front, and rear between 3.75 and 4.75 rear. Previous OEM springs had 200K worth of sag. I currently sit at exactly 3.75 lifted front and rear, with a roof rack and RTT installed full time. Honestly, I wouldn't even consider this a dobinsons issue, just wanted to see if Mike had any insight or thoughts on it.

Sorry to hear you have not had good results from your springs though! As an aside, I would not suggest installing a 1.5" spacer only on one side. I seriously doubt you have 1.5" of drivers lean. And if you do, you might have some other issue with the installation of your front or rear springs that is causing that.

So you're at 1/2" lean now with those spacers, right? And when you sit in the vehicle and have someone else measure? Or does it vary when you have a full vs empty tank?

I really doubt it could be causing it, but are your sway bars still attached front and rear? Maybe one side is "holding it down" and creating a lean? With the amount of lift you have, you should be running longer links if you still have the sway bars installed.

 

[Crikeymike]

You're not alone. My springs have sagged like crazy in both the front and the rear. I'm going to add a Daystar 1.5" spacer in the driver rear to level it out. Pretty disappointed. Seems to be an acceptable fix here. Also going to go up to the 2.5" springs for the V8 and install a 1/4" spacer there as well.

Maybe the parts you have just aren't suited to how your vehicle is setup? Can you tell us what parts you have installed and how your vehicle is equipped?

 

[Crikeymike]

Hey Mike, I was wondering what springs to get? I have the 599’s and my truck is level but I want some rake to it. I like the way the 599’s ride and want to keep that same ride. I don’t have any extra weight in the back but do plan on a little sub box.

Hey man. The C59-599, 505, and 325 all share the same spring rate (220LBS/IN), so if you want to add lift only, you can go up to one of those. But just so you know, adding a taller coil, even with the same spring rate, can have a mild change on ride just because of the different geometry of sitting up taller and having the trailing arms sitting at a different angle than with the lower coils.

 

[FLnative]

Hey Mike, I was wondering what springs to get? I have the 599’s and my truck is level but I want some rake to it. I like the way the 599’s ride and want to keep that same ride. I don’t have any extra weight in the back but do plan on a little sub box.

Based on Mike's suggestion, I went with 300 springs up front and 505 in the rear on my V6. I'm very happy with the amount of rake and the ride. I posted some pics a page back. I also put in the extended 2nd gen rear links after reading they would help with the ride.

 

[f250ben]

So you're at 1/2" lean now with those spacers, right? And when you sit in the vehicle and have someone else measure? Or does it vary when you have a full vs empty tank?

I really doubt it could be causing it, but are your sway bars still attached front and rear? Maybe one side is "holding it down" and creating a lean? With the amount of lift you have, you should be running longer links if you still have the sway bars installed.

Mike that's a great thought. I had not considered sway bar effect on lift.

I'm still running front and rear swaybars. Front has swaybar relocator brackets, and rear has extended links. I also have not had someone else measure when I'm sitting in the car, and I have not measured difference between full and empty tank. I DID check tire pressure and even my tires out exactly before my final measurements.

Going to disconnect front and rear swaybars and see if my measurements are still the same. If so, I'll narrow it down to front, rear or both, then I guess I'll tear into that. If not, is it possible that I just need a larger spacer to compensate? Weirdest thing I found was that my lean is still exactly the same as it was on the OEM suspension. I would have expected spacers to even out at least some of the lean if not all of it.

I have a feeling your theory on my swaybars is my problem. Fingers crossed. Sort of hoping not, I'm pretty topheavy with my roof rack, rtt, and the gear I keep up there. Sort of want to keep my swaybars.


Random second question, but can I go higher in the front without doing drop brackets? I've got the diff drop, and my CV angles are pretty good. I may not end up really wanting to go higher after I've put skinny 33's on. I'm also going to end up adding a hidden winch up front, so I'll probably have to up my spring rate up front. But for now, I've still got a decent rake, and I just want to be a bit higher. Bro and mall reasons only. Totally aware there is no benefit offroad. I'll probably end up just doing a 1" body lift in another year or so. I just like sitting up high. �� . I'm already sitting as high on 265's as my friends are sitting with 32 or 33" tires.

 

[Crikeymike]

Mike that's a great thought. I had not considered sway bar effect on lift.

I'm still running front and rear swaybars. Front has swaybar relocator brackets, and rear has extended links. I also have not had someone else measure when I'm sitting in the car, and I have not measured difference between full and empty tank. I DID check tire pressure and even my tires out exactly before my final measurements.

Going to disconnect front and rear swaybars and see if my measurements are still the same. If so, I'll narrow it down to front, rear or both, then I guess I'll tear into that. If not, is it possible that I just need a larger spacer to compensate? Weirdest thing I found was that my lean is still exactly the same as it was on the OEM suspension. I would have expected spacers to even out at least some of the lean if not all of it.

I have a feeling your theory on my swaybars is my problem. Fingers crossed. Sort of hoping not, I'm pretty topheavy with my roof rack, rtt, and the gear I keep up there. Sort of want to keep my swaybars.


Random second question, but can I go higher in the front without doing drop brackets? I've got the diff drop, and my CV angles are pretty good. I may not end up really wanting to go higher after I've put skinny 33's on. I'm also going to end up adding a hidden winch up front, so I'll probably have to up my spring rate up front. But for now, I've still got a decent rake, and I just want to be a bit higher. Bro and mall reasons only. Totally aware there is no benefit offroad. I'll probably end up just doing a 1" body lift in another year or so. I just like sitting up high. �� . I'm already sitting as high on 265's as my friends are sitting with 32 or 33" tires.

Honestly, I think 1/2" lean is very good. A lot of guys struggle with a lot more lean than that.

Regarding front lift height, if you max it out, you could end up prematurely beating up your CV boots or CV's themselves, and also if you don't maintain a good amount of down travel in the front suspension, ride quality can really start to suffer.

 

[f250ben]

Honestly, I think 1/2" lean is very good. A lot of guys struggle with a lot more lean than that.

Regarding front lift height, if you max it out, you could end up prematurely beating up your CV boots or CV's themselves, and also if you don't maintain a good amount of down travel in the front suspension, ride quality can really start to suffer.

Oh man. I thought 1/2" lean was bad lol. I'm probably being a little anal. I'm still going to mess around with swaybars, but if this is normal/not bad, then I will probably leave it alone vs removing swaybars completely.

Note taken on lifting higher. I probably won't. I know its not practical, and I don't like the idea of hurting ride quality or beating up CV's. I guess this is the reason you just don't see a ton of jacked up 4runners on 40's.

 

[hstexan]

Based on Mike's suggestion, I went with 300 springs up front and 505 in the rear on my V6. I'm very happy with the amount of rake and the ride. I posted some pics a page back. I also put in the extended 2nd gen rear links after reading they would help with the ride.

What size tires are you running?

 

[hstexan]

[MENTION=148378]Dobinsons Mike[/MENTION]--quick question, I'm on the site now and I see the 300 front springs, 505 rear springs, 221 front struts, but I cannot for the life of me find the 637 rear shocks anywhere (I only see the 701). Does this mean they're sold out or are they listed under some other name?

 

[Crikeymike]

[MENTION=148378]Dobinsons Mike[/MENTION]--quick question, I'm on the site now and I see the 300 front springs, 505 rear springs, 221 front struts, but I cannot for the life of me find the 637 rear shocks anywhere (I only see the 701). Does this mean they're sold out or are they listed under some other name?

Just added them. Sorry, we're trying to get a lot of stuff done behind the scenes and still have a lot of parts to add.

https://www.dobinsonsdirect.com/pro...for-toyota-4runner-4th-gen-2003-2009-gs59637/

 

[FLnative]

What size tires are you running?

Stock size, 265/65r17 Cooper Discoverer RTX. They were on there when I bought it, but I don't think they look too bad. Will go up to 265/70r17 all terrain when they are worn out.

 

[tv4184]

Finally did the install yesterday. Took a lot of finagling to get them to fit though seeing how much shorter the stock ones were lol. Unfortunately the compressors did mess with the finish a bit so I’ll have to touch them up a bit down the road.

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[tv4184]

Is there a difference between the rear coils for driver vs passenger side??


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[Crikeymike]

Is there a difference between the rear coils for driver vs passenger side??


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On most of them, no. Only the KDSS rear coils have offset heights, and the white labels on each would say left or right.

 

[tv4184]

Might be hard to see but the driver lean is pretty real. Have half a tank of gas right now.

Better shot here where you can see it with the line running across the top. Should I put in a spacer? It’s off by about 3/4”?

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[OC2003]

I have some bilstien 5100s and I want to lift the front 2.5 " but I want to use the stock height perch on the shocks what springs would you recommend?. I'm also looking to add. 2" to rear will need shocks and springs
Thanks

 

[Crikeymike]

I have some bilstien 5100s and I want to lift the front 2.5 " but I want to use the stock height perch on the shocks what springs would you recommend?. I'm also looking to add. 2" to rear will need shocks and springs
Thanks

Hey man, I used to work in Dana Point!! My parents live right by there still.

For a V6, use C59-302 for 2.5", or for a V8 use C59-314 for 2.5", run the 5100's at the lowest clip height.

And on the rear, C59-325 will add 2".

 

[Crikeymike]

Better shot here where you can see it with the line running across the top. Should I put in a spacer? It’s off by about 3/4”?

I'd suggest you let it settle for about 500 miles and see how much different it is then once the coils are broken in, then you can add spacers accordingly to how much it is off.

The coils usually settle 1/4"

 

[OC2003]

Hey man, I used to work in Dana Point!! My parents live right by there still.

For a V6, use C59-302 for 2.5", or for a V8 use C59-314 for 2.5", run the 5100's at the lowest clip height.

And on the rear, C59-325 will add 2".

Thanks I love it here.

 

[JONBOY345]

Sanity check...

09' V8

Looking to run 275/65/R18 Nitto Ridge Grapplers with a moderate lift that will maintain some rake front to rear when empty, so when loaded I'm sitting closer to level. I hate it when a truck is squatting (rear is lower than front) when loaded.

Front:
C59-302 + GS59-220 = ~ 3" on stock weight V8. (+UCA of some kind to correct alignment)

Rear:
C59-675V + GS59-701 = ~2.5" lift on stock rear end load but will contol additional weight of occasional cargo/passengers/trailer nicely while not beating me to death when unloaded.

Sound about right? Tried to find these parts on Dobinson direct, but appears not all are available yet. Would like to order there as I don't want to have to assemble the front springs and struts if possible. Is this an option if ordered via Amazon or is that via direct orders only?

Thanks in advance.