The Dobinsons Suspension Thread

[subi_man]

Fitted 10mm spacers to the top of the front struts this morning - as expected gained a little more "levelness".
These pics are for you Wallace!!

Before - no spacers


100mm spacers installed

[daryn]

Hey Subi.

Its looking good, especially seeing as though you did the hard work yourself, I am a bit off put in installing myself as I may not have the tools and skill to do as you have. The back would be fine its the struts that put me off so any tut that you put together is going to be read by many I am sure.

I would have thought that the Dobinsons coils and struts would have had your front end up a bit more than what you have obtained, what coil did you choose to install to suit your frontend setup ?

Others were getting really close to 600mm I thought. I have noticed that Ultimate Suspension and Ironman now both have a strut with a slip on bottom coil mount which can have collars inserted below it to suit (I think this is what Wallace has just had installed and excuse the lack of tech terminology). Is Dobi's still fixed ???

It looks like Ironman may have just changed to this new setup.

I am really stoked that your on road ride improvement has been as good as what you have said, I can't remember where I was told this but they say that the Dobi's shocks are sourced from Europe and are very close to Bilsteins (not sure if fact or fiction). Really, how bad are the std triton's we are driving, I thought mine was handling good but took it for a 200k drive today after reading your post and started nitpicking and now think it is need of serious updating already.

Anyway, could not see many of your toys in the shed, you must have tidies up.

[subi_man]

Daryn, the job could be done in your driveway, BUT you would certainly need decent spanners, torque wrench, trolley jack(s) & car stands minimum. For someone close to a city i would highly recommend NOT dismantling the front shock/springs yourself, sure pull them from the car but then chuck them in your mates boot and drive to a spring place where they will do them with a hydraulic compressor in 10mins, and minimum $$. There is certainly some hard work in doing them by hand with simple spring compressors hey Choady?

I think the rear springs will probably settle out a bit, which would even out the ride. I was told that the Dobinsons front springs are now 10mm taller, which is a good thing (I must have got old stock). and Yes, on the Dobinson shock the front spring isn't height adjustable like some of the others.

I really can't get over how much the Triton has improved on the road (and in the rough). I've done probably 150km on road today and it's feels stable and sure-footed on all types of surfaces. I did a river crossing today where previously I have come unstuck with clearance issues, today made it both ways without a fuss

If you're keen to install a kit yourself, you're welcome to chuck it in the back of your ute and make the trek out West, although I need to time to recover from doing mine first

Cheers

PS: all my toys are at the other end of my shed

Click to enlarge

[subi_man]

Forgot to add that my front ride height is now around 580mm with the spacers fitted, and I trimmed the upper bump stops by about 10mm.

FWIW Choady and I measured approx 617mm as the maximum suspension travel with the vehicle jacked up

[Choady]

Hey Daryn,

I wouldn't want to go higher than what subi has now got on the front without new upper control arms. With just the Dobis springs and struts (no spacer) I could only get my index finger half way between the first and second joint wedging it between the bump stop and steel with the car resting on level surface. Once Subi put in the spacer, he had no choice but to cut the upper bump stop otherwise he would have no downwards travel of the front suspension. Even after he cut the bump stop, he only has about the same distance gap as before.

Its hard to visualise (was for me anyway), but go out to your car, turn on the engine and full lock left (then turn it off). go to driver side and you should be able to get to the bump stops behind the wheel quite easily. Try it out for yourself. My stock (5000km) suspension gives me two index finger widths on the bottom bump stop and 1-1.5 finger widths on the top one. This is the main reason why you cant get much more lift on a Triton front without serious modification of the suspension and steering components

Im going to get my new suspension hopefully in early april. If you want to come down to Sydney, I can show you what i learnt whilst helping subi put in his. Its really not that hard once youve seen it done once, and two people certainly makes life a little easier . Just a lot of manual labour compressing those springs (we used 4 on each spring too !)

And yes, the shed and its toys are awesome. Photo doesn't do it justice and you cant see the other bit that fits another two cars into either. Bastard

This link to the triton dobinson pdf lists all the gear Subi fitted into his truck.http://www.dobinson.ru/pdf/MITS-59.pdf He had the medium (B) rear leafs.

[jop]

Yeah i second the notion of getting someone else to do the strut spring change over - i used a mates hoist with his specially designed brackets to hold the strut upright. If it was to let go it would make a hell of a mess of whatever it hit.

4wd26 got a quote of $90 from a 4wd shop to do the job if he takes the struts in to them.

[4wd26]

4wd26 got a quote of $90 from a 4wd shop to do the job if he takes the struts in to them.

I think it was $90 /side and that was the vehicle in their workshop (drive in drive out)

I need my springs compressed and the "circlip" raised on the 2 position Bilstein shocks. BUT this needs the strut removed from the vehicle.

I'm feeling left out with all the raised vehicles getting around. need to do something about it.

[Greedy]

4wd26 got a quote of $90 from a 4wd shop to do the job if he takes the struts in to them.

I think it was $90 /side and that was the vehicle in their workshop (drive in drive out)

I need my springs compressed and the "circlip" raised on the 2 position Bilstein shocks. BUT this needs the strut removed from the vehicle.

I'm feeling left out with all the raised vehicles getting around. need to do something about it.

My local tyrepower did both struts for $20 total. I only took this option after about half an hour of swearing/cursing/sweating and not much compressing.

[4wd26]

Thanks,
Looks like I may go to another place and get the alignment done at the same time.

Cheers for that, Be able to buy the wife something nice for when she complains about not being able to get into the "raised" ute

[Wallace]

Hey Subi, you now have the same height as mine was originally. Have just made the propotype spacers and am happy with the outcome. Will machine units during the week in 6mm and 10mm and see which one better suits the upper control arm.

:for when she complains about not being able to get into the "raised" ute"

Mine complained and quick witted as ever I mentioned something about a stepladder and of course you can imagine the result.........

[subi_man]

Nice work on the spacers mate, keen to see how they work out for you

[Dylan 191]

cant wait to read the article , i will be hopefully doin this soon so great to have someone who would take the time to write and help others
great stuff subi_man !!

[FreestyleCab]

Hey Daryn,

This link to the triton dobinson pdf lists all the gear Subi fitted into his truck.http://www.dobinson.ru/pdf/MITS-59.pdf He had the medium (B) rear leafs.

My front springs were C43-190, they are not listed in their catalog yet. I believe they are a newly released upgrade of the C43-188. I think they are a bit longer and stiffer(?) than the 188's to prevent the front end sagging with a bullbar and winch fitted.

[Wallace]

Brett, the C43-190 springs are actually 10mm longer that previous, this is what I installed with the new shocks. They are available and should form part of the kit.

[Greedy]

The 190's are the ones I got as well. They will apparently reduce the amount of sag suffered according to Martin. I must remeasure mine soon to find out how it's travelling. Gotta get the wife to bring the car back sometime.

[Buzzy]

Looking great subi.
Good work Choady in helping out subi
Looking forward to seeing your work Wallace

[daryn]

Subi and Choady, thanks heaps for the tips, advice, feedback and the offer of help as well.

My mate who I am buying my gear from is the Organiser of Tuff Truck so I am not hassling him till Tuff Truck is over to place my order, it could not come soon enough for both reasons. My list is getting long.

BTW, have you thought about doing a traveling install roadshow around NSW, just an idea

[Dylan 191]

hey guys is dobinsons the best value for lifting our trucks , seems most are goin for their kits
this is all very new to me
how many different kits are there and what is everyone using ?

cheers Dylan

[Greedy]

Check out this thread. Seems to have most of the options. FWIW Dobbies are GOOOOD!!!

[Dylan 191]

cheers greedy
did u get the constant load springs in the front because of your bar ?
would they be too stiff if didnt have bar ?
any dramas with ur kit
thanks for the help sorting through all the different options

[Greedy]

did u get the constant load springs in the front because of your bar ?

Yes!

would they be too stiff if didnt have bar ?

Couldn't really say as the bar was fitted before the springs. Give Martin a call at Dobinsons. He was very good to deal with.

any dramas with ur kit

None really. The rear springs started squeaking but a retorque on the ubolts fixed this up.

[Dylan 191]

thanks mate
gee i love this site so many people keen to help the newbies get goin
would be a stab in the dark if wasnt for the help

[Greedy]

gee i love this site so many people keen to help the newbies get goin

Don't take me as experienced. Christ, I've still got stock tyres. I've learnt a heap form here as well.

[Dylan 191]

haha i have stock everything
its hard 2 find money for mods with the missus puttn a downer on everything

[Adz]

haha i have stock everything
its hard 2 find money for mods with the missus puttn a downer on everything

And I thought I was the only one...YAAAY, Im NOT alone!