I'm about to pull the trigger on Dobinsons IMS, Wheels, and tires. Convince me not to abort.

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Carolinapanic

Carolinapanic

Joined
Jun 12, 2024
Threads
9
Messages
51
Location
charleston sc
I'm about to pull the trigger on about $8K worth of gear on my 85K mile 2017 bone stock cruiser.

2.6" IMS MONOTUBE STRUT - IMS59-60688
COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-542) - Teal
2.6" IMS MONOTUBE SHOCK - IMS59-60682
DOBINSONS COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-559V) - Teal
UCA PAIR TUBULAR STEEL SERIES FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES / LEXUS LX570 (WITH BALLJOINTS PRESSED) - UCA59-001K
DIFF DROP KIT FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES, SEQUOIA (2008-2022), TUNDRA (2007-2021) - DD59-530K
REAR ADJUSTABLE PANHARD ROD - PR59-1421


Part: ICON Alloys Vector 5, Bronze, 17 x 8.5 / 5 x 150, 25mm Offset, 5.75

285/70/17 Trail Terrain + or Nitto G3s


On the concern side I'm tweaking out that:
// It's a ton of cash. I could just go bilstein 5100 (although consensus is IMS is way better)
// This is too much lift, I really wanted something more modest 1.5"-2" but not 2.5"
// It'll crush my MPG (I live in CA. The gas station sucks)

Am I being a baby? 😁 $8K alot of avocado toast.
 
Carolinapanic said:
I'm about to pull the trigger on about $8K worth of gear on my 85K mile 2017 bone stock cruiser.

2.6" IMS MONOTUBE STRUT - IMS59-60688
COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-542) - Teal
2.6" IMS MONOTUBE SHOCK - IMS59-60682
DOBINSONS COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-559V) - Teal
UCA PAIR TUBULAR STEEL SERIES FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES / LEXUS LX570 (WITH BALLJOINTS PRESSED) - UCA59-001K
DIFF DROP KIT FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES, SEQUOIA (2008-2022), TUNDRA (2007-2021) - DD59-530K
REAR ADJUSTABLE PANHARD ROD - PR59-1421


Part: ICON Alloys Vector 5, Bronze, 17 x 8.5 / 5 x 150, 25mm Offset, 5.75

285/70/17 Trail Terrain + or Nitto G3s


On the concern side I'm tweaking out that:
// It's a ton of cash. I could just go bilstein 5100 (although consensus is IMS is way better)
// This is too much lift, I really wanted something more modest 1.5"-2" but not 2.5"
// It'll crush my MPG (I live in CA. The gas station sucks)

Am I being a baby? 😁 $8K alot of avocado toast.
Click to expand...
What's your use case for the vehicle, honestly?
That's your answer.
Happy trails
 
manofthewoods said:
What's your use case for the vehicle, honestly?
That's your answer.
Happy trails
Click to expand...
Spoken like a product person. Im in the bay area and when I'm not being a dad to a toddler, I can occasionally get out and hit some fun locations like the Mojave. Couple of times a year when the schedules permit.
 
The Mojave is a big desert. Lots of different roads/trails. What have you wanted to do that you don't think you can do now?

I just returned from my last desert trip of the spring and been on huge variety of roads/trails. My rig is mostly stock - sliders and slightly taller tires.

My suggestion is save your money on the suspension, buy some taller tires for the OEM wheels, go drive it and learn what your rig can and cannot do. You might be surprised.
 
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TheIcemanCometh said:
My suggestion is save your money on the suspension, buy some taller tires for the OEM wheels, go drive it and learn what your rig can and cannot do. You might be surprised.
Click to expand...

This.

The capability of a stock cruiser will shock most people. Sliders to prevent rocker panel damage, maybe skids, and go experiment.
 
Listen to these practical guys. Larger diameter tire is probably the most effective "suspension lift" there is. That said...

If lift makes you happy, go for it. I've never loved the ground clearance of the 200 compared to the older cruisers. And looks is also a part of it, no matter how practical we claim to be. :D

If you do go for the lift, my advice on the specifics:

Skip the UCA's for now. Install the lift, get an alignment. If your caster is within spec, no need for UCA's. C59-542 is a 2" lift, which is right on the border of whether UCA's might be needed or not. If your alignment is good, UCA's wont make it "more better." May be totally unnecessary, you've just got to lift and align first to find out.

Skip the diff drop. These don't do much on the 200 as compared to other IFS toyotas.

Skip the adjustable panhard and get a Dr. KDSS BOTCK or an Eimkeith weld-on panhard correction kit. This actually solves the problem of rear axle deflection properly. An adjustable panhard will center the rear axle at rest, but it doesn't correct the motion ratio and can actually exacerbate clearance issues when articulated.

Icon Vector 5 have been known to crack, but they look cool and fit right. Some other wheel may be better. I have methods, which are not super high quality, but have a better track record than the Vector 5.
 
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Also curious where you read this concensus that IMS is better than Bilstein? Not disagreeing/agreeing, just genuinely curious. These are the 2 options I'm looking at for my minivan.
 
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Heckraiser said:
Listen to these practical guys. Larger diameter tire is probably the most effective "suspension lift" there is. That said...

If lift makes you happy, go for it. I've never loved the ground clearance of the 200 compared to the older cruisers. And looks is also a part of it, no matter how practical we claim to be. :D

If you do go for the lift, my advice on the specifics:

Skip the UCA's for now. Install the lift, get an alignment. If your caster is within spec, no need for UCA's. C59-542 is a 2" lift, which is right on the border of whether UCA's might be needed or not. If your alignment is good, UCA's wont make it "more better." May be totally unnecessary, you've just got to lift and align first to find out.

Skip the diff drop. These don't do much on the 200 as compared to other IFS toyotas.

Skip the adjustable panhard and get a Dr. KDSS BOTCK or an Eimkeith weld-on panhard correction kit. This actually solves the problem of rear axle deflection properly. An adjustable panhard will center the rear axle at rest, but it doesn't correct the motion ratio and can actually exacerbate clearance issues when articulated.

Icon Vector 5 have been known to crack, but they look cool and fit right. Some other wheel may be better. I have methods, which are not super high quality, but have a better track record than the Vector 5.
Click to expand...
This is great advice
 
Sliders and tires make the world go round. Honestly you could stick with 18s and be fine over 17s, I’d trust OEM wheels over the Icons given the cracks people report.
 
Skip the diff drop and panhard bar. (Get a drKDSS bracket Instead)
Sliders, skids, and tires go along way.
Bilsteins 6112 is awesome (and more adjustable) but it does ride firm, too firm for some plush butts.
 
Tundra wheels have a +60 offset and help keep the tires in the wheel wells. And they're cheap and super durable, and often lighter than aftermarket options. I'm going to mount some on the 200 I am hoping to buy in the near future. I agree with those who say get sliders and wheels/tires, and then go from there. Another thing to think about is weight and spring selection. If you plan to add weight (drawers, frig, even just sliders and wheels and tires), you might want to do that first, then have the truck weighed on a CAT scale and call Slee, Cruiser Outfitters, or Dobinsons and talk with them about spring selection and desired lift height with actual weights on each axle. I think you are more likely to end up where you want in terms of ride quality and lift height if you go that route. A lot of people end up swapping to lighter or heavier springs, and I think if more of us would add the weight first, then hit the scales, then have a detailed discussion with the spring supplier, we'd get it right the first time more often. I say all this having swapped springs on my 80 Series a few times. YMMV. Good luck.
 
If you're not carrying much extra weight, I'd put on a set of good 285/65/R18s on the stock wheels, MAYBE some sliders if you venture too far off road, and let it be. If/When that doesn't do what you want, then upgrade.

Context:
Our first 200 series cruiser (2008) came with 2" Bilstein 6112 setup when we bought it. We upgraded the rear springs to OME2721s and it did everything we wanted including long hauls with medium/heavy loads (4 people, 4 bikes, 2 weeks of gear for everyone) Ran 285/70R17 E load tires (Nitto Ridge Grapplers, then Firestone Destination XTs) on Rock Warriors.

We replaced it with a 2016 that was Stock except with 285/65R18 BFG K02s. This setup rode awesome unloaded/lightly loaded. (better than the 6112s, at least from a comfort standpoint). We took it on one trip with our usual load for a weekend and it was just too much for the stock suspension. We were sagged such that we were on the bumpstops particularly in the rear on minor bumps. We added a OME MT64 setup and it was what the doctor ordered, however it does ride stiffer and has a little more sway than stock, especially unloaded.

Nothing wrong with the Dobsons parts you've chosen, but you may find the factory suspension adequate for light loads and normal dirt roads.
 
TimCFJ40 said:
If you're not carrying much extra weight, I'd put on a set of good 285/65/R18s on the stock wheels, MAYBE some sliders if you venture too far off road, and let it be. If/When that doesn't do what you want, then upgrade.

Context:
Our first 200 series cruiser (2008) came with 2" Bilstein 6112 setup when we bought it. We upgraded the rear springs to OME2721s and it did everything we wanted including long hauls with medium/heavy loads (4 people, 4 bikes, 2 weeks of gear for everyone) Ran 285/70R17 E load tires (Nitto Ridge Grapplers, then Firestone Destination XTs) on Rock Warriors.

We replaced it with a 2016 that was Stock except with 285/65R18 BFG K02s. This setup rode awesome unloaded/lightly loaded. (better than the 6112s, at least from a comfort standpoint). We took it on one trip with our usual load for a weekend and it was just too much for the stock suspension. We were sagged such that we were on the bumpstops particularly in the rear on minor bumps. We added a OME MT64 setup and it was what the doctor ordered, however it does ride stiffer and has a little more sway than stock, especially unloaded.

Nothing wrong with the Dobsons parts you've chosen, but you may find the factory suspension adequate for light loads and normal dirt roads.
Click to expand...
Yah, I just went to Yosemite with 2 heavy ass ebikes and I was dragging all over the place.
 
dudemancool1904 said:
Skip the diff drop and panhard bar. (Get a drKDSS bracket Instead)
Sliders, skids, and tires go along way.
Bilsteins 6112 is awesome (and more adjustable) but it does ride firm, too firm for some plush butts.
Click to expand...
That's funny because everyone says the 200 rides plush. Mine came with s***ty cheap e rated tires and when I hit a high speed bump I have to keep my head from cracking the drivers side window the vehicle rolls so hard. Super stiff e tires.
 
Carolinapanic said:
I'm about to pull the trigger on about $8K worth of gear on my 85K mile 2017 bone stock cruiser.

2.6" IMS MONOTUBE STRUT - IMS59-60688
COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-542) - Teal
2.6" IMS MONOTUBE SHOCK - IMS59-60682
DOBINSONS COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-559V) - Teal
UCA PAIR TUBULAR STEEL SERIES FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES / LEXUS LX570 (WITH BALLJOINTS PRESSED) - UCA59-001K
DIFF DROP KIT FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES, SEQUOIA (2008-2022), TUNDRA (2007-2021) - DD59-530K
REAR ADJUSTABLE PANHARD ROD - PR59-1421


Part: ICON Alloys Vector 5, Bronze, 17 x 8.5 / 5 x 150, 25mm Offset, 5.75

285/70/17 Trail Terrain + or Nitto G3s


On the concern side I'm tweaking out that:
// It's a ton of cash. I could just go bilstein 5100 (although consensus is IMS is way better)
// This is too much lift, I really wanted something more modest 1.5"-2" but not 2.5"
// It'll crush my MPG (I live in CA. The gas station sucks)

Am I being a baby? 😁 $8K alot of avocado toast.
Click to expand...
I have been a lurker on this forum for a couple of years now and this is almost my exact setup (with a few exceptions). I figured I would give you a look at what the final setup is. I am still going to update the wheels and tires once I hit 55 to 60K on these Toyo AT3's. Should be a few more months before that happens. Looking at going to the Method 314 and Nitto Terra Grappler G3s (275/70/R17). Below are some images of the rig.

Coil Spring (Red) - C59-544R
Coil Spring (Red) C59-559VR
2.6 IMS - IMS59-60688
2.6 IMS - IMS59-60682
Strut Top Plate - SC59-006
SPC Upper Control Arms for LC200 - 25465

lc200.webp



lc200 SUSP.webp
lc200 2.webp
 
Figured I would a little about the ride quality, since I forgot to in my original response.
The dobinson IMS shock and and springs are a solid setup. I don’t have anything else to compare it to besides a 2 year old OEM setup. However I was initially wanting the bilstein 6112 setup.

Is it smoother than OEM? Probably not but I didn’t expect it to be. I have had other guys ride in it and were very surprised at how smooth it was for 2.5” lift.

Did it trash my gas mileage? I do think it has reduced it due to it catching more wind but it’s overall fairly significant. I just ran over 2k miles back and forth from Colorado to Texas and averaged 15.5+ (consistently going 80-82 mph). This could be improved by dropping it back to 76-78, but that’s not that fun.

Another photo from a different angle and a little further off.
IMG_2127.webp


Let me know if you have any questions about the setup and I will do my best to answer them for you.
 
Carolinapanic said:
I'm about to pull the trigger on about $8K worth of gear on my 85K mile 2017 bone stock cruiser.

2.6" IMS MONOTUBE STRUT - IMS59-60688
COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-542) - Teal
2.6" IMS MONOTUBE SHOCK - IMS59-60682
DOBINSONS COIL SPRING PAIR (C59-559V) - Teal
UCA PAIR TUBULAR STEEL SERIES FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES / LEXUS LX570 (WITH BALLJOINTS PRESSED) - UCA59-001K
DIFF DROP KIT FOR TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 200 SERIES, SEQUOIA (2008-2022), TUNDRA (2007-2021) - DD59-530K
REAR ADJUSTABLE PANHARD ROD - PR59-1421


Part: ICON Alloys Vector 5, Bronze, 17 x 8.5 / 5 x 150, 25mm Offset, 5.75

285/70/17 Trail Terrain + or Nitto G3s


On the concern side I'm tweaking out that:
// It's a ton of cash. I could just go bilstein 5100 (although consensus is IMS is way better)
// This is too much lift, I really wanted something more modest 1.5"-2" but not 2.5"
// It'll crush my MPG (I live in CA. The gas station sucks)

Am I being a baby? 😁 $8K alot of avocado toast.
Click to expand...
I have Old Man Emu full suspension kit (w/ OME UCA) purchased through SLEE Offroad, which is $2200 on their site right now.

Works great, firms up suspension over stock, can load up the family and not feel too soft. I personally could not deal with the stock suspension when lightly or more loaded, way too soft.

I have 17" ICON wheels and 285/70R17 AT tires. I get around 12-13 MPG per the vehicle computer.

I did add full SLEE skid plates and sliders to be protected offroad.

Oh, skip the diff drop. Also, get a panhard bracket instead of the new panhard bar.

Oh, my advice is to skip the diff drop. Also, get a track bar bracket instead of the panhard bar.

I do really like the ride and simplicity of the base OME suspension system, no complaints.
 
Man, I love this community helping out. Curious if anyone has run the c59-540 (1.4") fronts with c59-559v (1.5"-2") rear springs.

Hoping this would help me achieve around 1.5" lift - nothing too aggressive - keep it tasteful
 
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