Looking for aftermarket suspension with OEM longevity

Sounds like a pretty dumb goal, huh? Yeah, maybe you're right.

Here's my situation. I want to add an ARB front bumper to my 2015 DCLB. That means I have to change the suspension so my truck doesn't get a terminal case of droopy nose.

Who changes the suspension and doesn't end up lifting it a little? No one, that's who. I'm only looking for a small lift out of the deal, maybe like 2.5 inches or so. Nothing crazy.

Now here's where the problem lies. I don't want to pay for a bunch of specialty maintenance tasks to keep my truck working properly. My truck gets me to work to make money. It is not a hobby, project, or something to beat up on the weekends.

I have zero interest in adding extra tasks to my existing 80 page maintenance spreadsheet. If I'm gonna spend a ridiculous sum of money on "upgraded" parts, I fully expect these parts to do what they're expected to do, when they're expected to do it, for a VERY long time, with no fuss.

So, considering the above... let's talk options.

1. Bilstein 5100 monotube shocks. They last a long time, so check in that box. They have digressive valve shocks, which means brain damage when nailing potholes at highway speed. On the bright side, limited lifetime warranty.

2. OME Nitrocharger twin tube shocks. Also reported to last a long time. Progressive valve shocks too, which will make the lumpy east coast roads less painful. 3 year warranty, which is ehhh. The "top-out clunk" problem is bad and OME should feel bad.

3. Dobinsons twin tube shocks. Relatively unknown. Progressive valve shocks, so good. 2 year warranty, which is shit, but customer service is super responsive. Reported to be a smoother ride than OME.

4. Some sort of coilover that doesn't actually need a rebuild every 15 miles... if such a thing exists. Seriously though, if I could find a coilover that could go without maintenance as long as any of the above 3 "pitch and replace" options, I'd probably jump on it. Highly doubt any coilovers out there can survive 100k miles without a rebuild though, even if it's 99.9% highway driving.

Before I go blow a whole bunch of money on parts, I'd like to know if there are any other companies that put out suspension components with similar 100+k mile lifespans. Happy to hear any experience you may have.

 

Skip coilovers. Bilstein warranty is not what everybody thinks it is, don’t consider that a perk.

I’d go with maintenance free shocks, just like OEM.. Bilstein, OME, or Dob. Easy to replace, inexpensive compared to coil overs. I don’t think anything is good for 100k miles, including OEM. Coil overs are usually 50k mile intervals, provided nothing leaks out or fails before then.

 

Good deal dude. Got any reports on Dobinsons long term performance? I know their setups are picking up steam in the T4R community, with very few complaints to be seen.

 

I’m on the same boat you are bud. Maybe someone is have a group buy on here if enough people buy, we’ll get a discount of some sort. 3in lift for me on 2020 trd off road.

 

I hear you man. I'm at the end of my rope trying to sift through all the contradicting information out there. I'd like to get my ideal suspension setup for a reasonable price, but I'm willing to spend pretty much whatever it takes to do it right the first time. I don't make enough money to make mistakes with big ticket items like this.

In the interest of helping others who stumble across this thread in the future: @T4RFTMFW, can you explain why Bilstein's limited lifetime warranty isn't as good as it sounds?

 

It only covers defects, and it’s presumed innocent until proven guilty. You remove the shock and ship it (you pay) to Bilstein for warranty review. They can keep it for a few weeks before giving you a determination. Then they’ll determine if it was a defect and replace the shock for free. If not, they’ll sell you a new one at MSRP and charge you shipping to receive it.

So you’re out a shock for 2-3 weeks, with no guarantee of warranty coverage and if you get denied (most do as far as I could tell) then you’re buying a new shock either way. Best to self warranty.. if it’s brand new and it leaks, that’s one thing. But down the road a year or more.. just buy a new one.

 

yeah I hear ya as well. I guess everyone is saying head over to headstrong’s site (headstrongoffroad.com) in which I did. They’re a little pricier than intended but look like they’re quality brands. I may just bit the bullet and get from there. Heck, what if me, you and a few others buys from them and they give us a deal?

 

I'd send an email to their customer service line to see if something like that is possible. Marie is absolutely awesome.

 

Sweet I’ll get on it soon. Btw, I’m very new to the taco game. Will they educate me and help me pick the right kit I’ll need based on my needs?

 

Absolutely. I'm not just new to Tacomas, I'm new to vehicle tech of any kind. I'm coming from a '04 F-150 with over 300k miles that barely ran, so the concept of actually caring about a vehicle is very new to me.

Marie was kind enough to explain a whole lot of basic things, as were a few exceptionally patient TW members. I plan on buying through Headstrong whenever possible in order to repay that kindness. They have 100% earned my business.

 

Prices are what they are but Marie has been around here for many years, has had consistent top tier customer service the entire time and Headstrong was also voted vendor of the year as well.

May not always be the absolute cheapest place to go in the internet world where margins race to the bottom, but the extra few dollars is well spent and deserved. Especially if you run into any issues with parts or installation.

 

You’re talking Group Buy terms which can be found in this section: https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/automotive-group-buys.232/

 

I’m in the same boat too. So billsteins and dob is the way to go?

 

Dobinsons has really piqued my interest. I'm trying to do more research on them, but information is pretty scarce. Maybe @Wixo would be willing to chime in.

 

In my personal opinion, dish out a bit more and go dobinsons struts and coils, maybe leaf springs if you want that lift.

 

The price difference between OME and Dobinsons isn't very large. My real hangup is the lack of information out there about the Dobs' performance, both long-term as well as on Tacomas in general.

I guess I'm really trying to convince myself that OME and Dobinsons aren't the exact same thing, or damn near.

*EDIT*
Looks like my "not very large" price difference was more like $400. Ouch. Dobinsons better be a significantly better option than OME.

 

Old man emu seemed to me the best option long term.. meanwhile everyone in my town drives around on kings because a shop sells them like hot cakes.. I have a 2017 with almost 40 k miles and the stock suspension has been fine... last thing I want to do is “upgrade” and have major repairs down the line. Soon as people start talking about clam shell replacements make me want to run away from getting new suspension as fast as I can.

 

Have you thought of the Bilstein 6112 / 5160 combo? Seems like a in between of 5100 and the jump to the more expensive options .

 

Oh man,

thanks!

 

I've been eyeing the Dobinsons heavy leaf pack as an option, then I get sucked into their MRA offerings...but I've also been looking heavily into Elka coilovers.

Elka is definitely $$$ than Dobinsons, for the adjustable coilover setup.

I have been looking at .au sites for reviews on Dobinsons both current and more long term based, but that's still pretty sparce.

Wife is like, what colors do they come in...then again whatever keeps it copesetic!