Question about dobinson rear shock install

[frawstme]

Each shock came with the hardware in the photo right that next to the shock. I don't want to put the wrong bushing in the wrong location- am I supposed to press the bottom two bushing into the bottom and use two bushings for the top? The factory shock only has one bushing at the top, and the bottom bushing has a metal ring running through it for the support bolt that this one doesn't have

It was a pain to get those shocks off so I just want to make sure I do it right the first time. There were no instructions and dobinsons website has only general instructions for a broad range of shocks

 

[frawstme]

To clarify I know that both of the bottom bushings are pressed, I don't know which direction they are meant to be pressed

 

[Dirt J]

This might help.

I don't think it matters which way the lower bushing is pressed in. Looks symmetrical.

EDIT: Fixed link.

 

[Snow Wagon]

Did you order from Exit Offroad?
Mike from Exit Offroad is active on IH8MUD and I'm sure could assist you...

 

[frawstme]

This might help.

I don't think it matters which way the lower bushing is pressed in. Looks symmetrical.

Thats a oil cooler guide lol

The lower bushings are tapered so im sure that they go one way or another. And I feel like theres supposed to be a metal tube in the middle of them like OEM has

Did you order from Exit Offroad?
Mike from Exit Offroad is active on IH8MUD and I'm sure could assist you...

I did yeah! I picked them up during the dobinsons sale last month with SPC UCAs- unfortunately the springs I wanted were sold out


@crikeymike do you think you could give some guidance?
After I made the post, I found that the factory ones did have a second bushing above the slot that the shaft pushes through, so that's solved. I'm just unsure about the direction of the bottom bushings. The OEM bushings have the skinny side outwards, so I kind of think that's the direction they're supposed to go

On the other hand, the dobinsons shocks are slotted in a way that the skinny ends slide in easily without having to use a press tool so that might be by design.

It's a silly thing but I really just don't want them installed incorrectly

edit:
I found this- https://dobinsonusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Installation-Guide-GS-IMS-MRA-682-685-687-pdf.pdf

It's not the shocks that I have, I have IMS59-60782. But it looks like the skinny ends go inwards

Following that guide, there's no plate between the chasis and the bushing. My kit comes with a bunch of extra plates.. but also the OEM shocks have a plate between the chasis and the bushing

 

[frawstme]

After some deliberation I decided to run it how the OEM set up is with a plate between the bushing and chassis in the way that dobinsons guide on this other set says to do for the 80 series

I sanded and repainted the insert holes to make them less jagged but I feel like placing the bushing on bare frame will lead to premature failure

 

[crikeymike]

Sounds like you figured it out. Those instructions are for the rear shocks though, not the fronts.

The lower bushings only go in one way, that should have been pretty easy to spot.

The upper washings for the 100 series vary by shock type I believe. Some have raised lips and the bushings meet in the frame mount (lower faces up, upper faces down) with no washer at the frame. I don't recall exactly for the IMS. You just have to make sure the shocks are centered properly in the mount so that the stud can't and doesn't rub against the frame.

We have extensive instructions here for a lot of parts too, easier to find them on this page, although we don't list instructions for every single piece because most parts are self-explanatory.

Exit Offroad Instructions & User Manuals

Dobinsons and other product installation questions? Lost the instructions that come with your parts? Here are the most common instructions.

exitoffroad.com

 

[Dirt J]

Sorry! This is the link I meant to post.

 

[frawstme]

Sounds like you figured it out. Those instructions are for the rear shocks though, not the fronts.

The lower bushings only go in one way, that should have been pretty easy to spot.

The upper washings for the 100 series vary by shock type I believe. Some have raised lips and the bushings meet in the frame mount (lower faces up, upper faces down) with no washer at the frame. I don't recall exactly for the IMS. You just have to make sure the shocks are centered properly in the mount so that the stud can't and doesn't rub against the frame.

We have extensive instructions here for a lot of parts too, easier to find them on this page, although we don't list instructions for every single piece because most parts are self-explanatory.

Exit Offroad Instructions & User Manuals

Dobinsons and other product installation questions? Lost the instructions that come with your parts? Here are the most common instructions.

exitoffroad.com

Yessir its the rear shocks that I'm installing

The lower bushings fit easily one way but my confusion came from the OEM ones that had the tapered ends pointing in the opposite direction, and a video of a guy installing old man emu shocks that complained about how difficult it was to press the lower bushings

I did end up installing a washer on both sides of the chassis since that's how OEM fitment was, hopefully it doesn't cause any issues. I was careful about the center opening sizes and making sure that they faced in the correct direction.

I appreciate you getting back to me, thanks for the help

 

[crikeymike]

Yessir its the rear shocks that I'm installing

The lower bushings fit easily one way but my confusion came from the OEM ones that had the tapered ends pointing in the opposite direction, and a video of a guy installing old man emu shocks that complained about how difficult it was to press the lower bushings

I did end up installing a washer on both sides of the chassis since that's how OEM fitment was, hopefully it doesn't cause any issues. I was careful about the center opening sizes and making sure that they faced in the correct direction.

I appreciate you getting back to me, thanks for the help

Oh, rears, ok. I thought you were talking about the fronts. OME lower bushings was a 1 piece hourglass bushing that's a huge pain. Dobinsons use the 2 half bushings, so they go in so easily (but can also get lost easily when people open the bag up).

Ok, yeah, that's the link for the rear shocks then. The section on the right side of it shows the 100/200 series. The 80 and 105 are the same, but not the same as the 100.

I'll glue this here for future people looking this up.