King 2.5 and 3.0 Owners experience and feedback (2 Viewers)

[Casual Cruiser]

I would value real world ownership experience and feedback on the King Suspension setups that you have installed. Are you happy with the setup ordered for your use case or what would you change next time? What options have you or would you include: remote resi, spring weight, UCA brand, extended or not, 2.5 vs 3.0, purchase experience, setup experience, service experience, hydraulic bump stops or other options? Also, I would love the long term update after many miles/years of use?

I have read from many experienced happy King owners on IH8MUD but it can be hard sometimes to assess what setup the owner has settled on that is working well for them.

I am in the process of setting up our 2018 LC200 after releasing Crystal, my 1997 FZJ80, after 14 years. After extensive research I have settled on King suspension for our lift but not sure of the details. By extensive I mean having read every thread and post on the 200 series forum that contains the word king or suspension. I would like to say this was a brief experience but I would be lying. When I started I still had blond hair.

I understand that King are significantly backordered and I am ok with the wait times.

 

[CharlieS]

I am running King 2.5 with 600 lb springs and OME 2721 in the rear. I’ve run them on a 2013 and a 2016 land cruiser, for maybe a year combined. I absolutely love them and wouldn’t do anything different. I don’t have adjusters or aftermarket bumps stops. I bought them from Filthy Motorsports and had both an excellent buying, and after sale experience. Whenever I’ve had a question, they’ve been responsive (and they either stock or have access to any part you’ll ever need, and offer full services). Ben Brazda is the guy, and if you work with them, he’ll talk through your intended uses, vehicle weights, driving style, etc and get you set up. If it isn’t right out the gate, he’ll work with you to make it right. Ben’s relationship building and customer service approach is the icing on the cake that takes an excellent product and moves it up a notch for me.

Side note for my uses: I’ve run highly adjustable suspensions on a variety of vehicles and have found that for most uses, I end up setting and forgetting them, so adjustability was not important to me. The only situation I found adjustment worthwhile was on a track car, and even then, it was overkill for me.

Separately, I am running Dobinsons upper control arms. I like them because they have a traditional ball joint, not a heim joint, and it can be replaced. Plus the ball joints are made in Japan Triple 5, high quality parts. I bought them from Mike (@crikeymike) at Exit Offroad. I had a good experience with the purchase, and they made it easy to align the rig.

 

[turbo8]

If you like going fast off-road, you will need to protect the rear shock shafts. The 2.5 resi shocks are fairly easy to protect, but the 3.0 bypass shocks were harder to protect. I found some boots that fit, but I found them too late and now I'm in the process of changing out the shocks shafts and seals. Other than that I like how they perform.

Front: King Tundra 3.0 coilover 600lb spring, Stock Tundra lower arm, Camburg Tundra uniball upper arm, custom mounted King 2.0 air bumps

Rear: LC200 King 3.0 2 tube bypass, Icon progressive springs, Total Chaos rear links

 

[indycole]

My order is in the queue but the experience working with Ben at Filthy has been wonderful thus far. I'm about 4 months in...

Here's the configuration:

• King 2.5 w/ custom tuning
• 700 lb springs up front
• Front and rear compression adjusters
• Rear shock guards from BB
• Front UCA — I'm going to start with the fixed 3-degree caster Trail Tailor UCAs because I've had good luck with those but also have a set of SPCs in storage if I need more adjustability
• Rear Springs — Similarly, I'm keeping my Trail Tailor Tourflex tapered coils with airbags. I have OME 2723, 2724, and 2725 plus some Dobinson 880 lb springs on hand to swap out if needed.
• Bumpstops — OEM

These will be replacing BP-51s which are leaking on all four corners right now (but only one corner is really concerning). My hope is to rebuild the BP-51s as a backup set if possible.

 

[TonyP]

I would value real world ownership experience and feedback on the King Suspension setups that you have installed. Are you happy with the setup ordered for your use case or what would you change next time? What options have you or would you include: remote resi, spring weight, UCA brand, extended or not, 2.5 vs 3.0, purchase experience, setup experience, service experience, hydraulic bump stops or other options? Also, I would love the long term update after many miles/years of use?

I have read from many experienced happy King owners on IH8MUD but it can be hard sometimes to assess what setup the owner has settled on that is working well for them.

I am in the process of setting up our 2018 LC200 after releasing Crystal, my 1997 FZJ80, after 14 years. After extensive research I have settled on King suspension for our lift but not sure of the details. By extensive I mean having read every thread and post on the 200 series forum that contains the word king or suspension. I would like to say this was a brief experience but I would be lying. When I started I still had blond hair.

I understand that King are significantly backordered and I am ok with the wait times.

What will you be using the vehicle for?

 

[CharlieS]

If you like going fast off-road, you will need to protect the rear shock shafts. The 2.5 resi shocks are fairly easy to protect, but the 3.0 bypass shocks were harder to protect. I found some boots that fit, but I found them too late and now I'm in the process of changing out the shocks shafts and seals. Other than that I like how they perform.

Front: King Tundra 3.0 coilover 600lb spring, Stock Tundra lower arm, Camburg Tundra uniball upper arm, custom mounted King 2.0 air bumps

Rear: LC200 King 3.0 2 tube bypass, Icon progressive springs, Total Chaos rear links

I run the Budbuilt lower shock guards on mine and they do a good job of protecting the shock shafts. I upgraded from mild steel to stainless on my current build (and just posted the mild steel ones in the classifieds, if someone wants to save a few bucks on a used set).

 

[alta]

If you have read all the threads, then I am probably repeating myself, but Ben at Filthy is definitely the way to go. If you know how you are going to use your truck, Ben can help you dial in exactly what you need. The 2 best mods I have done for handling and ride comfort/performance are Tundra IFS and King shocks.

As for adjustable vs non, I don't think there is a question. Yes, I agree that most people set and forget. However, comfort and performance are both subjective, so it is nice to have a range that you can choose from. I also adjust based in weight and anticipated speed. If I am loaded down and plan to be on the highway for hours on end, I will stiffen up the shocks. Off road, maybe open them up a bit. Around town with all the cracks in the pavement, I like a softer shock. It's great to have options.

Currently I run 650# w arb front bumper and no winch. I have toyed w going down to 600# just to try, but now that it is broken in the ride is pretty great.

For UCAs, ball joint vs heim, etc... you are in CA, so weather may not be an issue, but I started with Total Chaos and Slee talked me into SPCs due to the winter weather here in CO. He said the ball joints take a beating and deteriorate fast, regardless of maintenance. SPCs are far less sexy, but he swore they were the better choice for Colorado.

 

[turbo8]

I run the Budbuilt lower shock guards on mine and they do a good job of protecting the shock shafts. I upgraded from mild steel to stainless on my current build (and just posted the mild steel ones in the classifieds, if someone wants to save a few bucks on a used set).

I wasn't sure if they would work with the larger diameter 3.0 shock and I was concerned with the gaurd hitting the bypass tubes.

 

[Angelo1]

If you have read all the threads, then I am probably repeating myself, but Ben at Filthy is definitely the way to go. If you know how you are going to use your truck, Ben can help you dial in exactly what you need. The 2 best mods I have done for handling and ride comfort/performance are Tundra IFS and King shocks.

As for adjustable vs non, I don't think there is a question. Yes, I agree that most people set and forget. However, comfort and performance are both subjective, so it is nice to have a range that you can choose from. I also adjust based in weight and anticipated speed. If I am loaded down and plan to be on the highway for hours on end, I will stiffen up the shocks. Off road, maybe open them up a bit. Around town with all the cracks in the pavement, I like a softer shock. It's great to have options.

Currently I run 650# w arb front bumper and no winch. I have toyed w going down to 600# just to try, but now that it is broken in the ride is pretty great.

For UCAs, ball joint vs heim, etc... you are in CA, so weather may not be an issue, but I started with Total Chaos and Slee talked me into SPCs due to the winter weather here in CO. He said the ball joints take a beating and deteriorate fast, regardless of maintenance. SPCs are far less sexy, but he swore they were the better choice for Colorado.

How much work is involved and cost to do the Tundra swap? What should I expect after doing the Tundra IFS in regards to ride quality? I am definitely going King 2.5 next.

 

[FJRanger]

How much work is involved and cost to do the Tundra swap? What should I expect after doing the Tundra IFS in regards to ride quality? I am definitely going King 2.5 next.

We have Kings 2.5 with their bump stops in the 80 and haven't regretted purchasing them. They have saved our bacon at least once when hitting a small wash out at speed and soak it up like it wasn't there.

They will be going on 200. I need to figure out what spring rate and length to go with for the tundra swap. As far as the Tundra swap is concerned, it's an aftermarket UCA, tundra LCA, outer tie rod ends, axles, diff drop depending on the amount of lift, strut space (lift desired) and possibly, extended brake lines. Hopefully someone will correct me if I missed something.

 

[alta]

We have Kings 2.5 with their bump stops in the 80 and haven't regretted purchasing them. They have saved our bacon at least once when hitting a small wash out at speed and soak it up like it wasn't there.

They will be going on 200. I need to figure out what spring rate and length to go with for the tundra swap. As far as the Tundra swap is concerned, it's an aftermarket UCA, tundra LCA, outer tie rod ends, axles, diff drop depending on the amount of lift, strut space (lift desired) and possibly, extended brake lines. Hopefully someone will correct me if I missed something.

My list was: aftermarket UCAs, LCA (OEM), outer tie rod ends (OEM), axles (OEM) and LCA to strut bolt (LC bolt is about 1/4" longer)... the break lines wouldn't be a bad idea, but I ended up having enough length and didn't do them. Also the conversion reduced the axle angles enough (vs same lift w LC UCA/LCA), that I don't feel I need the diff drop. A shop quoted me $5k for parts and labor. I did it myself for about $2k. 2 days of work (and I was pretty slow). Just make sure you source all the parts first as I know the Tundra axles were back ordered for a while.

As for bump stops, Ben steered me away from them, (almost laughing) stating that I wasn't going to cycle all the way through the front struts. Obviously this depends on use, but so far I have not had an issue. I am using the LC strut King part number. I am told the bottom fitting is different between LC and Tundra, but length is the same and the LC work fine.

Also, the king strut springs are wider than stock, so mine interfered with the factory bump stops. The directions tell you to cut off the outermost lip, but it was still VERY close at full droop. I ran it this way for a few months (before IFS conversion) and never had a problem. But the Tundra arms pushed the bottom of the struts further out so it made the whole assembly fit more cohesively.

 

[Casual Cruiser]

What will you be using the vehicle for?

Fair enough question. This is my 6th Landcruiser, so while I have my imagined romantic uses, practically it will probably see 90% of its miles roaming around Northern California on paved highways and byways. The remaining 10% is mostly bombing down logging roads in different states of disrepair. I bottom out frequently with just me in the car on stock suspension and would like to go much faster but hold back until properly sprung. Perhaps 1-2% is crawling slowly over rocks to get to remote vistas and primitive camping areas. We road trip annually with MOAB as a frequent destination. Love the trials like Chicken Corners for higher speed family adventures and of course like to get in a little fins and things although quite limited at the moment in the stock height 200.

We have 6 kids so we can get quite heavy when longer road trips are considered. I want a set up that can accommodate for a full load and keep pace with my right foot on Offroad dirt trails. We are looking for the perfect travel trailer as well with Bruder, Black Series and Airstream on the short list right now.

My current mods are Frontrunner roof rack, BB SS full skid set, SLEE sliders and a handful of smaller convenience mods. Over the next year or so front and rear bumpers and winch will round out the heavy additions. This is close to my previous rides.

My first thought was King 3.0 but am guessing that 2.5 is more than enough. I want adjustable and lighter weight springs at this point more than likely. I had planned to use Filthy to source and design my system. I have BB rear shock guards so that should be good for protecting the rear shocks it sounds. I was leaning towards ARB UCA's for low maintenance but am open to suggestions. I also am interested in the hydraulic bump stops.

 

[Casual Cruiser]

My list was: aftermarket UCAs, LCA (OEM), outer tie rod ends (OEM), axles (OEM) and LCA to strut bolt (LC bolt is about 1/4" longer)... the break lines wouldn't be a bad idea, but I ended up having enough length and didn't do them. Also the conversion reduced the axle angles enough (vs same lift w LC UCA/LCA), that I don't feel I need the diff drop. A shop quoted me $5k for parts and labor. I did it myself for about $2k. 2 days of work (and I was pretty slow). Just make sure you source all the parts first as I know the Tundra axles were back ordered for a while.

As for bump stops, Ben steered me away from them, (almost laughing) stating that I wasn't going to cycle all the way through the front struts. Obviously this depends on use, but so far I have not had an issue. I am using the LC strut King part number. I am told the bottom fitting is different between LC and Tundra, but length is the same and the LC work fine.

Also, the king strut springs are wider than stock, so mine interfered with the factory bump stops. The directions tell you to cut off the outermost lip, but it was still VERY close at full droop. I ran it this way for a few months (before IFS conversion) and never had a problem. But the Tundra arms pushed the bottom of the struts further out so it made the whole assembly fit more cohesively.

I see you have the 305/65r18 WildPeak AT3 and Fuel Vector +20 combination. Aside from the lift and front bumper, what other mods did you need to fit these tires? Do they clear at full lock and cycling of the suspension or is there some rubbing I should be prepared for? I would like to keep the stock rims so would need to figure out spacers I am assuming.

 

[04UZJ100]

My list was: aftermarket UCAs, LCA (OEM), outer tie rod ends (OEM), axles (OEM) and LCA to strut bolt (LC bolt is about 1/4" longer)... the break lines wouldn't be a bad idea, but I ended up having enough length and didn't do them. Also the conversion reduced the axle angles enough (vs same lift w LC UCA/LCA), that I don't feel I need the diff drop. A shop quoted me $5k for parts and labor. I did it myself for about $2k. 2 days of work (and I was pretty slow). Just make sure you source all the parts first as I know the Tundra axles were back ordered for a while.

As for bump stops, Ben steered me away from them, (almost laughing) stating that I wasn't going to cycle all the way through the front struts. Obviously this depends on use, but so far I have not had an issue. I am using the LC strut King part number. I am told the bottom fitting is different between LC and Tundra, but length is the same and the LC work fine.

Also, the king strut springs are wider than stock, so mine interfered with the factory bump stops. The directions tell you to cut off the outermost lip, but it was still VERY close at full droop. I ran it this way for a few months (before IFS conversion) and never had a problem. But the Tundra arms pushed the bottom of the struts further out so it made the whole assembly fit more cohesively.

Any chance you have a build thread or more pictures of your setup?

 

[bloc]

Been meaning to reply to this but seems I'm rarely sitting in front of a monitor and real keyboard.

I'll echo what a lot have said here. Kings are awesome, depending on what you want to do. For crawling they may be overkill, though the additional travel in front may be a good thing. I do wonder if that travel contributes to CV failure though, if I'm honest. But for road miles and more high speed off-road stuff the body control they impart is very impressive.

I will say this.. I went without compression adjusters in front, knowing I'd rarely mess with them and thinking simplicity was better than more parts to go bad. Also I personally prefer the oil moving through the valve stack on the piston doing the damping, vs restricting the flow of shaft-displaced oil out of the shock being what controls shaft movement. This is what happens with the comp adjusters. BUT.. without comp adjusters the reservoir line comes out of the res radially, and due to the mounting position on the frame rail the angle of the line clearing the frame means it is difficult to keep out of the tire at full steering lock, and adjustments to this position tend to make the line hit the spring or UCA. These are reinforced lines so unlikely to truly wear through, but still.

The compression adjusters on the 200-series 2.5s come out of the reservoir tangentially, running more straight down along the side of the frame rail. This would make setting those lines up much more easy. And at this point personally I'd pay the money to get the adjusters for this fact alone, even if I never intended to mess with them.

Look into the rear upper shock mounts killing themselves quickly. I've seen pictures posted on this board of issues within a few thousand miles. Mine still look good after 10k+ so maybe it was an install issue on those, but ultimately they are not as durable as the very good OEM upper shock setup. I went ahead and ordered extra bushings. Might consider doing this when you order the shocks. Also note that filthy initially sent the wrong ones.. theirs were flat.. the bushings for our application have a step in them and this detail is important to keep it centered in the eye.

Your lines will need twisting in front. I tried to do this with pressure still on them as filthy/king recommend, and ended up dumping out some oil because it can be tough to get the wrenches in a good spot. Since I didn't know how much I lost I had to open that reservoir and line to add fluid and make it match the side without the leak. And buy a nitrogen rig.

My advice would be to bleed them down, turn your lines and get them situated, then take them to a local place that can refill them with nitrogen. Or buy a rig if you intend to do your own maintenance like I do.

I'm using the provided plastic shock guards on the rear shafts and they seem to be holding up well. They are called "smoothie" shock guards and filthy actually didn't think they would come with the shocks, but they did. They seem well made and stiff. Filthy recommends using rubber innertube to make a loose guard but I couldn't find a way to do this that seemed like it would last. I don't think they have a similar setup for 3.0s.

Any other questions just ask. Overall I definitely recommend if you can justify the cost.

 

[alta]

I see you have the 305/65r18 WildPeak AT3 and Fuel Vector +20 combination. Aside from the lift and front bumper, what other mods did you need to fit these tires? Do they clear at full lock and cycling of the suspension or is there some rubbing I should be prepared for? I would like to keep the stock rims so would need to figure out spacers I am assuming.

You don't "need" a lift or bumper and they will work with stock rims. I'm not certain you need wheel spacers, but the consensus seems to suggest you do. You could have spacers on hand, test fit your tires and see if you want to use them. The only reason folks need spacers is to clear the UCA/knuckle.

305/65/R18 on stock 18x8" rim?

So I am breaking my New Year's Resolution not to start another tire post already. But if you started a diet 5 days ago and already broke it off, or something like that, you are just as guilty as me and can't blame me. I've got my Dobinson MRA suspension and UCAs for a 1.5 - 1.75" lift on the...

forum.ih8mud.com

As for rubbing elsewhere, my LC had stock suspensions when I put on my original 275/70/18 KO2s (33.2" x 11") for about a week. The 305/65s are 1" wider and .5" taller. I did have the +20 offset wheels, so equivalent to a 1.2" spacer. I wanted to deal with any rubbing before the lift went in. I had to do the fender liner modification, remove my front mud flaps and I think push the rear inner corner of the front wheel well back slightly. I did not find the KDSS relocation necessary. It was all very easy and quick and left me completely rub free. But wheel offset is a funny thing; a lot of the initial rubbing was due to my +20 Fuel wheels. +60 offset is stock, so the +20s push the tire 1.2" further out from center. This increases swing radius of the tire, thus the likelihood of the corners of the tires hitting the parts I modified.

 

[alta]

Any chance you have a build thread or more pictures of your setup?

I don't have a build thread, but here are a few pics to show lift height and wheel offset. This is with the King shocks with zero preload (so the strut ring is all the way at the top; least amount of lift). This was before the Tundra IFS and no wheel spacers in this shot, so without the flares, the tires are just proud of the wheel wells (maybe 1/2"-3/4").

 

[alta]

Here are two with the spacers installed. Almost exactly the same stance with the Tundra IFS and no spacers.

 

[JZelnick]

Is anyone running King shocks with Budbuilt sliders? I was told the King rear reservoir mounts in the same location on the frame as the BB sliders.

 

[turbo8]

Is anyone running King shocks with Budbuilt sliders? I was told the King rear reservoir mounts in the same location on the frame as the BB sliders.

The 3" bypass shocks reservoir will interfere with sliders. 2.5" shocks will be ok.