March 2021 I picked up a 2013 Land Cruiser. It couldn't stay stock, so I bought Ironman Foam Cell Pro suspension for it as I had it on my GX470 and liked it. The package I selected was the stage 1 with upper control arms, performance load front and rear. Install was relatively straight forward, and alignment was easy with the control arms. They are not adjustable, but they are perfectly matched for this lift height. First impressions. Ride quality was down on the highway, but that is common. Ride was almost unbearable off road unless the vehicle was loaded with over 1000 lbs. It did absorb big "rolling hits" really well, for example a speed bump. A pothole was a different story. Washboards were really rough and everything rattled in the vehicle. I put the vehicle back on the lift for inspection and noticed that the front coils were bowing. I contacted Ironman and they told me I likely didn't walk spring into the top plate correctly during install. I don't like that answer as the spring is perfectly centered, and there isn't much I can goof up installing these springs. The position of the top plate is dictated by the spring and the frame mount, as it is built around a rubber bushing. When extended, the shock is also only a few mm longer than the factory shock, so when lifted there is very little down travel in the suspension. I did re-use the factory top plates, and theirs may be a little different and allow for more down travel. I don't know.
I wasn't happy with the suspension or the service from Ironman, so I called up Mike at Exit Off-Road. One August day I took about 20 minutes of his day taking about suspension and he gave me a few options. At the end of the day I put the Dobinsons MRA package with top plates in my cart and was ready to submit the order. Just then I got a notification of 5% off from Dobinsons Direct. I believe that time is money, and the workman is worthy of his labor, so resisted the temptation to save a few dollars and ordered from the guy who took the time to help. Money well spent. I got the shipment notification from Paypal and soon had a new suspension package. I popped the boxes open to install and found that the front springs were missing. I called up Mike and he was extremely courteous but explained that he sent the shipping notification, and that email said the front teal springs were on backorder from Dobinsons. I didn't recall seeing another email, so I searched my trash folder and found it. I must have mistakenly deleted it during an inbox purge. I impatiently waited till December to receive the front springs. The install was much more complicated, and the installation directions did not mention anything with KDSS. I mildly modified a few hose routings and mounting brackets to make the remote reservoirs fit. Initial ride wasn't much better than Ironman, but then I started tweaking the dials and tuning suspension. Now I smile every time I hit a bump. It isn't trophy truck smooth by any means, but I would say it is smoother than a similar build with Fox shocks. I drove the entire loop in Valley of the Gods Utah with a 16oz plastic water bottle standing upright on the passenger rear floor board with full tire pressure. I still feel every bump, but the vehicle isn't jarred by every tar strip and bump anymore.
Keep in mind that all of this is my limited experience with a few different products. Do I highly recommend Dobinsons and Exit Off-Road? Absolutely. I'm also not anti-Ironman. I had it on my GX and liked it. I am still using their upper control arms on my Land Cruiser.
Bottom line - I spent 8 years dreaming of buying a Land Cruiser, and I want it to ride like my dream truck. Dobinsons MRA fits that requirement and makes it happen.
Here you can see the bowed front coil
My adjusted routing on the left side to clear KDSS.
I wasn't happy with the suspension or the service from Ironman, so I called up Mike at Exit Off-Road. One August day I took about 20 minutes of his day taking about suspension and he gave me a few options. At the end of the day I put the Dobinsons MRA package with top plates in my cart and was ready to submit the order. Just then I got a notification of 5% off from Dobinsons Direct. I believe that time is money, and the workman is worthy of his labor, so resisted the temptation to save a few dollars and ordered from the guy who took the time to help. Money well spent. I got the shipment notification from Paypal and soon had a new suspension package. I popped the boxes open to install and found that the front springs were missing. I called up Mike and he was extremely courteous but explained that he sent the shipping notification, and that email said the front teal springs were on backorder from Dobinsons. I didn't recall seeing another email, so I searched my trash folder and found it. I must have mistakenly deleted it during an inbox purge. I impatiently waited till December to receive the front springs. The install was much more complicated, and the installation directions did not mention anything with KDSS. I mildly modified a few hose routings and mounting brackets to make the remote reservoirs fit. Initial ride wasn't much better than Ironman, but then I started tweaking the dials and tuning suspension. Now I smile every time I hit a bump. It isn't trophy truck smooth by any means, but I would say it is smoother than a similar build with Fox shocks. I drove the entire loop in Valley of the Gods Utah with a 16oz plastic water bottle standing upright on the passenger rear floor board with full tire pressure. I still feel every bump, but the vehicle isn't jarred by every tar strip and bump anymore.
Keep in mind that all of this is my limited experience with a few different products. Do I highly recommend Dobinsons and Exit Off-Road? Absolutely. I'm also not anti-Ironman. I had it on my GX and liked it. I am still using their upper control arms on my Land Cruiser.
Bottom line - I spent 8 years dreaming of buying a Land Cruiser, and I want it to ride like my dream truck. Dobinsons MRA fits that requirement and makes it happen.
Here you can see the bowed front coil
My adjusted routing on the left side to clear KDSS.
