Why are there not more Tacomas with Dobinsons?

I installed the mrr's with springs that were rated for extra weight about 6 months before I had steel bumper and winch and it was noticeably stiffer but not bad.

 

This is good to hear, thank you. Was the front too high until you installed the extra weight?

 

Anyone running their UCA’s? Wondering if their ball joints are compatible with oem. They mentioned sankei but i’m not familiar with that brand. They also mentioned moog but doesn’t say if they are the oem replacements.

 

No it was fine

 

To answer the main question, what was available when I was shopping didn’t meet what I wanted with the limited knowledge of what I needed.
I don’t think the MRRs were available when I got the FCP in 2020 or if they were, the FCP were the best deal for what I paid and got. If the MRRs were available, i would have probably gone with them if I could have gotten a good deal on leaf packs.


I’ve been considering changing from my Ironman Foam Cell pro kit to the MRRs.
Do I need them no, but the FCPs are a little too stiff for my liking for a daily driver. Having to drive more for work, the adjustability is really appealing and interested in seeing how changing the knobs can change the feel driving down the road.

 

If it’s MRR it’s adjustable so it won’t be too high if the shop sets it properly.

 

I have always been a big fan of Dobinsons. I use extended travel shocks with Ironman coils on my 2nd gen. I have a brand new set of Ironman coilovers sitting right here for my 3rd Gen, but I ordered without planning ahead. Bought the wrong spring rate. So going to sell these Ironmans and do what I did with my 2nd gen, Dobinsons extended travel with 800lb Ironman coils.

Anyone want a good deal on some 3" Ironman coils overs with 700lb springs give me a holler!

 

Installed MRRs front and rear with a leaf pack the end of last year before they raised the prices. Running a 2" lift with stock arms has a tiny bit of bump steer but not bad at all. The ride is like a completely different vehicle. Just be sure to take the time and mount those front hoses correctly.

 

I looked at Dobinsons pretty seriously when considering my suspension upgrades and mainly went Fox instead not because of any fault I saw with Dobinsons but because the main thing I wanted from suspension was better control and ride quality at high speeds on poor roads. The shop I had do the work said they really like Dobinsons for most offroad scenarios and use them on several of their staff's personal vehicles, the only downside they said was sourcing parts and finding people with a lot of experience servicing and rebuilding is harder for Dobinsons than a more domestic brand like King or Fox.

I have the Dobinsons adjustable billet UCAs. I specifically went with them because they use the same joints and several other parts as OEM, which will make repairs/maintenance much easier as far as sourcing parts and doing work goes.

 

Dobinson has its US headquarters in Florida and they can source any part you need. I bought my mine from @Crikeymike pre-assembled and set to the ride height I wanted which makes installing them yourself almost as easy as changing your oil. Dobinson rebuilds shocks and services them as well. On their website they list several locations around the US that will service the shocks in order to cut down on shipping costs.

 

Great post on an interesting topic! Local shop talked me into Dobs MRR over major brands because of the rubber OEM style bushings/mounts and adjustability. Not a well known brand in my area. Went with their lightest coils n leafs on a A/C w shell no other added weight for +2” all around. Ride n handling incredible, tracks straight over rough surfaces. Got 10k on it, super happy!

 

Good timing for this thread. I have MMR adjustable on my GX470, and I can't believe how great it rides. But I recently bought my Tacoma and it already has Fox shocks, which are about due for a rebuild. Kind of torn on rebuilding the Fox versus spending the money on the Dobinsons. Leaning towards the Dobs.

 

I liked them so much that I put the leafs on my trailer too

 

Dobinsons tubular and billet arms both use OEM sized ball joints, and they come with Sankei 555 joints installed.

The bushings are replicas of the OEM size and composition as well. No one else as of right now is making a UCA with rubber bushings and OEM sealed ball joints.

 

I’m running the mrr’s and they’ve been really great. I still have a 110 leaf pack I need to install though. I came from the Eibach stage 2R kit which rode poorly in my opinion.

 

OP- this kit is similar to the bilstein 5100/6100, “strut with external reservoir (1.5” body)” is the style utilized. The other kits(King/Icon/Locked/ADS. “2.5in body”) are “coil overs with external reservoir”(BEEFY). Major difference in performance/ quality and ride dampening, but most people dont utilize the coil overs to true potential. The only reason i would avoid these “strut style” kits is because they provide little upgrade over stock(besides lift and ext reservoir characteristics, same body size), and i would save some $ for a true coilover(King/Icon/ADS/Locked).
All options depend on utilization, i went with Kings 2.5 exts to gain some dampening and cooling characteristics(SoCal desert/MTNs based) and have been quite happy with the ride quality overall. Buy it right the first time, and you only cry once. Attached is a photo with the main difference circled in red, the true coil overs mount into a cradle assy, which allows for smooth movements through the entire suspension range. IMO its worth the coin over the others.

 

The issue with Kings/Foxes as someone who works at a shop is I see people come in all the time complaining about the performance they lost after 30k. Which is why I opted for Dobinsons, they provide a significant ride improvement over stock, wide range of adjustment options, and have a long lifetime. The reason why Kings/Foxes have such a short life is because they are made for high speed performance and are meant to be rebuilt. I would love a set of Kings but the lifetime of them does not fit my needs nor lifestyle. I off-road in Colorado so I don’t need a high speed shock rather I need one that has a longer service time. I do appreciate the feedback because it informs people about those minute details like you mentioned which may make a shock out perform others in specific departments.

 

Great points! They do have that style for the Sequoia / Tundra. Not sure why they haven't upgraded the Tacoma.

https://exitoffroad.com/product/dob...le-mra-front-struts-toyota-sequoia-2008-2022/

Dirt King also recently came out with a 2.5.

https://dirtking.com/collections/tacoma/products/2-5-coilovers-dca-remote-reservoir-dk-811989f

 

Having zero rubber in a coilover (some Fox, Icon, King, etc) to isolate it from the frame is why they blow through heim joints so quickly. It's also likely that the NVH destroys the shock seals as well. Rubber upper mounts and lower bushings definitely give a more comfortable ride under most driving conditions.

 

Kings are MEANT to be rebuildable. For a reason, likewise Nitrogen needs to be refilled from time to time. And Kings are tunable as well, not just "high speed" which the oem replacements are "NOT" meant for. The reason Accutune offers a pre-tune before they ship any shock package is that its for your needs.