KDSS or PRO?

[Bumbo]

I firmly believe that the KDSS helped prevent a roll over last year when I suddenly swerved to avoid a huge chunk of tire from a semi that blew a tire not far ahead of me, due to the fact that it reduces body roll when driving at higher speeds.

At this point, I don't see myself needing more than 3" of lift, so that 's not a concern. Many lift manufacturer's lifts are KDSS compatible. Just need a competent mechanic to rebalance the system after you add a lift.

I can certainly see KDSS and or XREAS helping in a sharp maneuvering situation like that… I have a Limited with XREAS and I can certainly throw it around a lot harder than I can my lifted 4th Gen. That said, all my comparisons are apples to oranges. My 5th isn’t lifted and I have a totally different mindset and driving style between the two so it’s very difficult for me to even try and compare.

If I was in the OP’s shoes, I would absolutely consider KDSS. What I would really like to compare and figure out for myself is if you can tune the truck to be a little flatter with the right shocks, specifically the Fox 2.5 RR’s with DSC adjusters because they have independent low speed and high speed adjustments. If I ever sell my 4th, or my 5th gen gets old and needs the XREAS replaced, going with the above mentioned shocks is my primary game plan.

 

[Blu42]

My personal opinion is the PRO is a waste of money and KDSS makes suspension installs needlessly expensive and also starts to lean if it's in a bad mood. So get neither.

Not sure if you're trolling or what but I politely disagree. The PRO, like others have mentioned, offers some unique customization options not available on other 4Runners. Limited color, TRD items, Badges, Suspension "upgrade". They are inherently more standout when compared to SR5. My Trail Premium, while nice as hell, doesn't really stand out from the crowd and most will not truly know what lurks beneath. A silver bumper valance being the only unique trait, which I find ugly to be honest, is all that gives it away. I personally would like some of those unique paint Colors and could probably do without the rest. Agreed that they are stupid expensive though. If I had the money I would have bought one but I didn't....

Not sure how having KDSS makes install more expensive. Lots of KDSS options for the typical suspension kits or sliders and they cost no different than the others. Yes extra consideration must be put into the install but as far I have seen it literally involves jacking up the piston to clamp the bracket on. If you have made it that far, the jack is already there. Lots of KDSS vehicles have been lifted and I will be doing mine at some point as well. I'm sure companies selling lift kits wouldn't be selling KDSS versions if issues were common. I helped do the lift on my brothers Tacoma and we had issues getting the sway bar back in place at the end. So I still feel that mileage may vary.

To my knowledge the lean probably happens for several reasons. Yes I've seen the lean threads after lift but there may have been factors involved that we just don't know because it may not seem relevant to the issue at hand. Lookup the LandCruiser service video on how to service this issue and bring it back within tolerance.

Truth be told my post seems a little fanboy and I hate it. Not a fanboy....I swear...I just think my truck is cool.

 

[Sicarius]

To me, the pro is an appearance package with upgraded shocks and a hefty price tag. The few people I do know that got the pro, ended up replacing the suspension anyways. Wheels are the same size 17x7 and though nice looking, have been ditched for wider wider ones. The KO2 though probably good for a factory vehicle leave room for improvement and have also been discarded. For them, it was an appearance package ultimately. Resale will be understandably higher if kept/turned back to stock over a ORP.
KDSS aids in on and off road capability. It does add another layer of complexity and another system that can fail. Just something you will have to weigh out. The vast majority of my miles will be on road, for me it helps with driving dynamics and therefore a safer, more controllable vehicle. I am willing to accept the risk of the system failing possibly down the road and deal with it then(10 year warranty). For the most part, it is fairly simple and not a new technology so I find comfort that it will likely not fail on me. As for future suspension upgrades, if 3 inches is the max, so are the CV joints so I don't find myself going any higher than that. Again, mostly a family vehicle for me. The one thing I did find when considering kdss is that depending on the area you live in, the connectors seem to fail due to corrosion, which then causes everything downstream to fail.
Kevin

 

[cb1111]

Does anyone have any opinions on KDSS vs XREAS in a completely stock situation and driven on hard surfaces.

 

[Bumbo]

Does anyone have any opinions on KDSS vs XREAS in a completely stock situation and driven on hard surfaces.

I’m pretty sure XREAS is only an option on the Limited. I don’t recall there being another option when we purchased.

On road, it appears KDSS and XREAS are trying to accomplish the same thing, I only have seat time with XREAS so I can’t help with a direct comparison.

The most street-centric trim level is the Limited, it is also the only trim level that has a Torsen center in the 4WD system which allows for mechanical limited slip so you can operate in 4WD/AWD on road.

 

[mteolus]

I'm also looking for an ORP with KDSS and they're nowhere to be found in northern New England. Do dealers actually stock any 4R's with KDSS, or do they have to be special-ordered, and what's the usual wait time on delivery?

KDSS isn't available in the "Gulf states". That means from Texas to Florida. I think you can special order it. I would guess the same would be true in northern New England. Not sure what the thought is on that unless it has to do with trying to sell more GX460's where KDSS is a standard feature and comes in all of them. It's really pretty silly if you ask me, down here in the south you may not be 4x4 all the time but we drive on the highway alot and KDSS makes a big difference around corners.

I bought mine in Peoria, AZ and drove it home.

 

[Tejas]

KDSS isn't available in the "Gulf states". That means from Texas to Florida. I think you can special order it. I would guess the same would be true in northern New England. Not sure what the thought is on that unless it has to do with trying to sell more GX460's where KDSS is a standard feature and comes in all of them. It's really pretty silly if you ask me, down here in the south you may not be 4x4 all the time but we drive on the highway alot and KDSS makes a big difference around corners.

I bought mine in Peoria, AZ and drove it home.

My buddy bought his 2015 Trail in Houston which is Gulf States epicenter and it has KDSS. I have seen them on dealer lots as well in this area.

 

[Toffees]

Interesting… I didn’t think to consider the on-road improvements. I don’t want to derail this thread, but now I am even more curious as to how to compares to XREAS because that drives VERY street centric. For an SUV it feels very flat though turns. Might have to take the time to find one and play with it to compare.

XREAS to KDSS would be an interesting comparison. XREAS has its warts, but it definitely has better street manners than the stock suspension.

 

[Toffees]

KDSS vs limited year paint

Paint + Fox suspension + nifty roof rack

 

[Toffees]

KDSS isn't available in the "Gulf states". That means from Texas to Florida. I think you can special order it. I would guess the same would be true in northern New England. Not sure what the thought is on that unless it has to do with trying to sell more GX460's where KDSS is a standard feature and comes in all of them. It's really pretty silly if you ask me, down here in the south you may not be 4x4 all the time but we drive on the highway alot and KDSS makes a big difference around corners.

I bought mine in Peoria, AZ and drove it home.

Gulf States ends in either LA or MS, but not sure if KDSS is sold in the Southeast. But you can definitely shop out of your distribution area, just a longer drive home (which isn't bad).

 

[Toffees]

My buddy bought his 2015 Trail in Houston which is Gulf States epicenter and it has KDSS. I have seen them on dealer lots as well in this area.

I don't keep up with current trends, but Gulf States had no KDSS models in 2016 and I think they've been very consistent with that.

 

[Blu42]

Paint + Fox suspension + nifty roof rack

ugly roof rack

 

[cb1111]

I’m pretty sure XREAS is only an option on the Limited. I don’t recall there being another option when we purchased.

On road, it appears KDSS and XREAS are trying to accomplish the same thing, I only have seat time with XREAS so I can’t help with a direct comparison.

The most street-centric trim level is the Limited, it is also the only trim level that has a Torsen center in the 4WD system which allows for mechanical limited slip so you can operate in 4WD/AWD on road.

Correct. It is only on the Limited, but I'd be curious about any differences in on-street performance between XREAS and KDSS.

Or better yet, a comparison of the on-street manners of the XREAS, KDSS and the Pro.

 

[LandCruiser]

Not sure if you're trolling or what but I politely disagree. The PRO, like others have mentioned, offers some unique customization options not available on other 4Runners. Limited color, TRD items, Badges, Suspension "upgrade". They are inherently more standout when compared to SR5. My Trail Premium, while nice as hell, doesn't really stand out from the crowd and most will not truly know what lurks beneath. A silver bumper valance being the only unique trait, which I find ugly to be honest, is all that gives it away. I personally would like some of those unique paint Colors and could probably do without the rest. Agreed that they are stupid expensive though. If I had the money I would have bought one but I didn't....

Not sure how having KDSS makes install more expensive. Lots of KDSS options for the typical suspension kits or sliders and they cost no different than the others. Yes extra consideration must be put into the install but as far I have seen it literally involves jacking up the piston to clamp the bracket on. If you have made it that far, the jack is already there. Lots of KDSS vehicles have been lifted and I will be doing mine at some point as well. I'm sure companies selling lift kits wouldn't be selling KDSS versions if issues were common. I helped do the lift on my brothers Tacoma and we had issues getting the sway bar back in place at the end. So I still feel that mileage may vary.

To my knowledge the lean probably happens for several reasons. Yes I've seen the lean threads after lift but there may have been factors involved that we just don't know because it may not seem relevant to the issue at hand. Lookup the LandCruiser service video on how to service this issue and bring it back within tolerance.

Truth be told my post seems a little fanboy and I hate it. Not a fanboy....I swear...I just think my truck is cool.

If I want to pay a huge premium for external reservoir shocks, I want a proper lift not the mild factory lift that comes with the TRD Pro. The FJ Cruiser roof rack it come with is a joke, too.

 

[cb1111]

If I want to pay a huge premium for external reservoir shocks, I want a proper lift not the mild factory lift that comes with the TRD Pro. The FJ Cruiser roof rack it come with is a joke, too.

Y'all seem to forget that - at least coming from the factory - the car needs to meet pesky requirements like bumper height rules and the like.

What you do afterwards is between you, your insurance company and your DMV.

 

[LandCruiser]

Y'all seem to forget that - at least coming from the factory - the car needs to meet pesky requirements like bumper height rules and the like.

What you do afterwards is between you, your insurance company and your DMV.

No care. It's a LOT of money. And my 3" lifted Trail has a lower bumper than most HD trucks that come from the factory.

 

[ProfessorP]

KDSS isn't available in the "Gulf states". That means from Texas to Florida. I think you can special order it. I would guess the same would be true in northern New England. Not sure what the thought is on that unless it has to do with trying to sell more GX460's where KDSS is a standard feature and comes in all of them. It's really pretty silly if you ask me, down here in the south you may not be 4x4 all the time but we drive on the highway alot and KDSS makes a big difference around corners.

I bought mine in Peoria, AZ and drove it home.

I purchased my 2019 TRD Off Road with KDSS in Southwest Florida on the Gulf Coast. All three of the off road models on the lot came with factory KDSS. These were not special orders. Most of the 4Runners on the lot were 2wd SR5, but KDSS was definitely available on the 4x4 OR models.

This dealership was the only one within 200 miles of me that had multiple 4x4 TR4s in stock and the only one with KDSS. Most Toyota salesmen had no knowledge of the system’s function or had never heard of it before including the salesman that “sold me” the truck.

 

[Blu42]

I purchased my 2019 TRD Off Road with KDSS in Southwest Florida on the Gulf Coast. All three of the off road models on the lot came with factory KDSS. These were not special orders. Most of the 4Runners on the lot were 2wd SR5, but KDSS was definitely available on the 4x4 OR models.

This dealership was the only one within 200 miles of me that had multiple 4x4 TR4s in stock and the only one with KDSS. Most Toyota salesmen had no knowledge of the system’s function or had never heard of it before including the one that “sold me” the truck.

This is probably fairly common. Just look at some of confusion surrounding KDSS on these boards. I found my current used 4Runner about 3 hours away from me. It was in a side shop of a dealer lot as part of its fancy used trade-ins. I asked a lot of questions over the phone because of that. At one point I asked the dude to climb under the front and check for the KDSS piston. He says he thinks he sees what I'm talking about. Wasn't anywhere in the listing though and I feel I got a better deal because they didn't know what it was.

Salesmen are not necessarily car/truck people. Sometimes they are and they are awesome to work with.

 

[KCZ**]

KDSS isn't available in the "Gulf states". That means from Texas to Florida. I think you can special order it. I would guess the same would be true in northern New England. Not sure what the thought is on that unless it has to do with trying to sell more GX460's where KDSS is a standard feature and comes in all of them. It's really pretty silly if you ask me, down here in the south you may not be 4x4 all the time but we drive on the highway alot and KDSS makes a big difference around corners.

I bought mine in Peoria, AZ and drove it home.

Thanks. I guess if I want it, I'm going to have to special order it. You'd think Toyota would want to offer more 4R's with it since there aren't any Lexus dealers up here.

 

[CavPro]

What everyone in the SW thinks their 4r'er does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEE9fTcxQCM