fjc-man
SILVER Star
Does anyone have experience or thoughts about dobinson springs? If you want specifics I’m interested in HJ40-7L-F for the front and TOY-034-R for the rear. Thanks
Dobinson leaf springs (1 Viewer)
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devo
SILVER Star
I put a set of Dobinsons 2.5 inch lift springs on a friends FJ60 two years ago. He wanted springs and I wanted to skip the OME racket.
They fit up very well and the ride was phenomenal. To this day he is always telling me how much he likes them.
If Dobinsons made rear leafs for my FJ43 I’d buy them, but I understand they don‘t?
devo
They fit up very well and the ride was phenomenal. To this day he is always telling me how much he likes them.
If Dobinsons made rear leafs for my FJ43 I’d buy them, but I understand they don‘t?
devo
devo
SILVER Star
I don’t know that the 43 made it to Australia? But OME makes springs for the 43 and I would use Dobinsons if I could. Definitely like the Dobby coils over OME on my 80.
When all fails, and you need info dial up @crikeymike
devo
When all fails, and you need info dial up @crikeymike
devo
Downey
SILVER Star
Here's some leaf spring gee whiz information: When Downey was in business (1970-2009) no leaf springs were made in Australia, all Australian spring companies had their springs made in India (or area equivalency). Downey's leaf springs were first made by Toyota's spring manufacturer (NHK) in Japan. NHK sent their engineer's to Downey to develop the Downey springs. We discovered other than bending a piece of metal into the shape of a spring, there were then 9 different additional "features" that could improve the spring for longer life and smoother ride, each feature available at additional cost. Eventually NHK switched Downey's spring manufacturing down to their plant in India (presumably for economic reasons), and we then had to have India re-make a whole batch of Downey springs until they got the 9 features figured out (sad deal). Now, if the same situation still exist for Australian springs (OME, Dobinsons, etc), their spring quality depends upon how many features they paid for, i.e. one brand could be better than the other.
Assuming you have a proper length spring and spring rate to maintain a ride height, your ride quality will be determined by the shocks, not the spring manufacturer.
Downey
SILVER Star
Unfortunately I'm out of that loop now days, can't recommend. At the time we closed Downey in 2009 Pro Comp was also using NHK, BUT I don't know if they were paying for all the features ???
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Downey
SILVER Star
Dead wrong, shock valving has a lot to do with it, but so does the ride quality features that can be built into the spring- - -such as anti friction pads, graphite impregnating the spring steel, tapering the leafs, loose binding the binding clamps, and stress relieving the steel after shaping.
Downey
SILVER Star
Yes, you generally can not re-heat treat heat treated spring steel, sooooo the re-archers normally add-in a ridiculously stiff add-a-leaf to hold the re-arch.
Better option?
Downey
SILVER Star
Don't recall many on Mud bad mouthing the OME's, but think I recall some removing a leaf for better ride ???
Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone know what stock ride height measurement is from center of rear wheel to bottom of the fender? Right now I am sitting at 33 inches from bottom of fender opening to ground with a 31” tire. I know that is a different measurement than what I asked about but will get that measurement when I get home. Thanks all.
Thanks for this. I assume those springs are setup for stock ride height? Funny as I was guessing I was 1-2” low with sag I have currently. Here is how she sits currently with fresh re-arch and all new greasable shackles, pins, energy suspension bushings, u-bolts, etc from Kurt and the guys at Cruiser Outfitters.
The parking lot slopes down towards the front of vehicle so a little low in rear end, or maybe a little high after re-arch in the front??
I just spoke to Dobinsons in Florida, a guy named Raul. Very helpful but they only sell 40 springs in a 45mm lift which is like a 1.75 inch lift. But very reasonable, quoted $550 for all 4 leafs! Much more reasonable than Alcan that I have also looked into. Opinions?
Are Alcans that much superior? I was quoted right around $650 for just the rear leaf springs from them. Opinions appreciated
I appreciate you refreshing a stock ride height. Although I, like much of this community, do like a 2.5" lift with 33's, I am a huge fan of the more original proportions of a 30 or 31" and stock springs and shackles. I'm still running original springs and shackles on 9.5x30's and the only thing I would change is to refresh it to bring back some of the as-new ride height as the 41 y/o springs have sagged a little, just as you have done. I am, along with my family and dog, a forest service road explorer, not a rock crawler, and the original proportions just work so well.
