Going from OME 50mm to Dobinsons 3" Tapered Coils: What All Is Needed?

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LFD2037

TEXAS LEXUS!
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Oct 22, 2013
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Location
Wax., TEXAS
I'm going to Dobinsons 3" coils & their longer remote reservoir MMR shocks from OME 50mm (850's in front & 860's in rear) w/33" tires. Just making sure I have my list, besides the shocks & springs, of to-do's correct:
swaybar drop brackets (I have them already for my OME but will they be long enough?)
front bump-stops extended ~1"
longer brake lines

Nice to have extras:
longer upper rear control arms
longer front track bar
longer rear track bar
remove TJM rubber caster correction bushings & replace w/plates

Does this sound right & am I missing anything?
What would need to be added/changed to go from 33" to 35" tires if I decide to?

Thanks.
 
What caster plates are you going with? 2.5" or 4"?
What other extras weighing down your rig do you have?
Do you think it would sag a little, just enough to use 2.5" plates?
I would not use 4" plates, that's the reason I asked you those questions above, since the truck will most likely sag rather than go up in height.
 
BTW, I'll be going w/their tapered coils, not linear or dual rate.
I have an Edgestar 63qt. fridge, OPOR Sliders, ARB Front, Smittybilt 9.5 winch, 4x4Labs Rear & a roof rack. I'll be adding some drawers in the future but IDK when.
 
Glad to see you took the plunge. As for going to 35’s, you should already be golden. You may find that the spring contacts the bumpstops up front due to the longer droop.

I have slee progressive heavies out back so I can’t add anything to what you may experience in the rear. My guess is that you may end up adding a trim packer to help maintain a more level stance with all that weight.

I am really liking my Dobinson tapered coils and their cheap yellow shocks in the front. I look forward to reading your comments on the new set up.
 
Glad to see you took the plunge. As for going to 35’s, you should already be golden. You may find that the spring contacts the bumpstops up front due to the longer droop.

I have slee progressive heavies out back so I can’t add anything to what you may experience in the rear. My guess is that you may end up adding a trim packer to help maintain a more level stance with all that weight.

I am really liking my Dobinson tapered coils and their cheap yellow shocks in the front. I look forward to reading your comments on the new set up.
I keep going back and forth on the MRR shocks. I don't do any Baja type fast on dirt. I'd say 75% daily driver, 15% overlanding and 10% rock crawling.
$500 for their regular shocks
Or
$1,400 for their remote res. shocks
I'm not rich by any means so if I can be happy with the $500 shocks I'd rather go that route BUT I don't want to regret it, either.
 
I keep going back and forth on the MRR shocks. I don't do any Baja type fast on dirt. I'd say 75% daily driver, 15% overlanding and 10% rock crawling.
$500 for their regular shocks
Or
$1,400 for their remote res. shocks
I'm not rich by any means so if I can be happy with the $500 shocks I'd rather go that route BUT I don't want to regret it, either.
Never having had “great” shocks, I am ignorant as to what they can do for me. I can tell you that I like the feel of Dobinson’s inexpensive shock much better than the OME shocks. They are much less harsh.

Last month I went on a 4000 mile road trip and did a lot of wheeling at different locations. Was in Moab for a week where we covered many miles off road and I kept waiting for the $125 Dobinson shocks to fade out or somehow disappoint me but this never happened.
 
Never having had “great” shocks, I am ignorant as to what they can do for me. I can tell you that I like the feel of Dobinson’s inexpensive shock much better than the OME shocks. They are much less harsh.

Last month I went on a 4000 mile road trip and did a lot of wheeling at different locations. Was in Moab for a week where we covered many miles off road and I kept waiting for the $125 Dobinson shocks to fade out or somehow disappoint me but this never happened.
Well that sounds like I'd be content with the $500 shocks! OME shocks I have now are the most expensive shocks I've ever ran on a 4WD so it sounds like the regular mono's would do me just fine.
 
Good to see another go for the tappered coils @baldilocks can't say enough about them. In fact he has told me he is just speeding through the Rubicon at faster speeds than ever before.

The Dobinson Tappered & Slinky front both have a free height of 24" & can take shocks in the 28.5" extended maybe a bit more. This is all great but as far as tire drop etc... but then the front driveline drops also which requires one to also lower the sway bar drops. I've lowered mine to 2.5" & still had driveline contact with swaybar, at that point I just removed it completely. (For reference my shocks are 28.25" extented.)

The yellow Dobinson standard shocks @baldilocks is running is the 6" version.
Here are the specs:
4" shocks
Front 15.35" - 26.37"
Rear 16.02" - 26.77"
6"
Front - 16.53" -28.66"
Rear - 17.00" - 28.74"

4-6" shocks are $125 each

With 35" tires I used 1.5" bump stops front & rear without issues. (Thank you @Hitit66)

Did Dave tell you the rates of the coils he is suggesting for your rig? The options of different spring rates they offer is something I'm trying to find out still.

Below are @baldilocks coils.
IMG954957.webp
IMG954971.webp
IMG954946 (1).webp
 
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BTW, I'll be going w/their tapered coils, not linear or dual rate.
I have an Edgestar 63qt. fridge, OPOR Sliders, ARB Front, Smittybilt 9.5 winch, 4x4Labs Rear & a roof rack. I'll be adding some drawers in the future but IDK when.


With that much weight you might want to consider appropriate linear springs. I am on TJM progressive and going to OME heavy because I gained too much weight.

Highly suggest going to a truck stop and weight your rig per axle which takes the guessing game out of selecting correct spring for your rig. It's only 10 bucks at most places.
 
With that much weight you might want to consider appropriate linear springs. I am on TJM progressive and going to OME heavy because I gained too much weight.

Highly suggest going to a truck stop and weight your rig per axle which takes the guessing game out of selecting correct spring for your rig. It's only 10 bucks at most places.
You are like most that have had the TJM 2" progressive coils, they love them till they start to get heavy. (Ask @Shoredreamer ) Don't assume other progressive or dual rate coils are like the 2" TJM progressive coils.
 
Good to see another go for the tappered coils @baldilocks can't say enough about them. In fact he has told me he is just speeding through the Rubicon at faster speeds than ever before.

The Dobinson Tappered & Slinky front both have a free height of 24" & can take shocks in the 28.5" exstended maybe a bit more. This is all great but as far as tire drop etc... but then the front driveline drops also which requires one to also lower the sway bar drops. I've lowered mine to 2.5" & still had driveline contact with swaybar, at that point I just removed it completely. (For reference my shocks are 28.25" exstented.)

The yellow Dobinson standard shocks @baldilocks is running is the 6" version.
Here are the specs:
4" shocks
Front 15.35" - 26.37"
Rear 16.02" - 26.77"
6"
Front - 16.53" -28.66"
Rear - 17.00" - 28.74"

4-6" shocks are $125 each

With 35" tires I used 1.5" bump stops front & rear without issues. (Thank you @Hitit66)

Did Dave tell you the rates of the coils he is suggesting for your rig? The options of different spring rates they offer is something I'm trying to find out still.

Below are @baldilocks coils.
View attachment 1555435 View attachment 1555436 View attachment 1555437
Thanks for the measurement info! I have not been told what the rates of the coils are yet.
 
@baldilocks
You're running the 3" tapered with their 6" shocks? Or are you running 4" springs?
 
Very interested in this and looking at doing the Dobinson Tapered Coils too !!!!

David is a great guy and always good to talk to on the phone...

Subscribed
 
I would install the coils, see where your at for around town as far at your front to rear rake goes. If you want to bump the rear up later its as simple as a trim packer. Your going to be happy you switched to those coils.
 
@baldilocks
You're running the 3" tapered with their 6" shocks? Or are you running 4" springs?
The 6” shocks and 3” tapered coils are a perfect match. I also run a 1” spacer on top to better match the slee 4” heavy’s I run in the rear.

I do enjoy more down travel than ever before but the 80 series radius arms don’t come close to using the entire shock/spring.

Your 80 won’t feel like the same ole truck you’ve been driving.
 
Yep, a full 3" tappered lift has not been document yet, will you be the 1st?
 

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