Tough dog review thread (1 Viewer)

[TRAIL TAILOR]

@TRAIL TAILOR..?

You can get close to a 65mm lift up front and still maintain 55-60mm droop. The 949L rear coils will yield about 50mm and the 949HL about 70mm.

They sell as a 30mm lift but you can get more out of it. Don't expect any warranty going above their specs... BUT, I've sold literally hundreds here in the states, Canada and misc other countries and other than an occasional shock warranty... all good. I

I run one of the tallest 100 IFS Tough Dog kits out there and no issues on my end with a diff drop and extended sway links. 34.5" tires, 75mm rear coils and Tbars cranked to the maximum with 50mm of droop...

If you are maxing the system out run the 53mm fronts and 45mm adjustable rears. Superior engineering (comparable to mine) diff drop and my sway links available from Complete Cruisers in Wagga Wagga, NSW.

 

[CantFly]

You can get close to a 65mm lift up front and still maintain 55-60mm droop. The 949L rear coils will yield about 50mm and the 949HL about 70mm.

They sell as a 30mm lift but you can get more out of it. Don't expect any warranty going above their specs... BUT, I've sold literally hundreds here in the states, Canada and misc other countries and other than an occasional shock warranty... all good. I

I run one of the tallest 100 IFS Tough Dog kits out there and no issues on my end with a diff drop and extended sway links. 34.5" tires, 75mm rear coils and Tbars cranked to the maximum with 50mm of droop...

If you are maxing the system out run the 53mm fronts and 45mm adjustable rears. Superior engineering (comparable to mine) diff drop and my sway links available from Complete Cruisers in Wagga Wagga, NSW.


View attachment 2858595View attachment 2858597

I could hug you..!! -So much appreciated.. Your 100 looks great..!!

If I may (sorry to go off thread topic), do you think there is an advantage in going with drop down cones, retainers, and a longer shock in the rear, if so would you suggest a TD shock part#, and do you have shock part#’s for your set up..?

Did you need any body lift for the tyres (I have a 2” kit from Lux Lifts I havnt installed and could trim down), and would I need to change my 17” rims to a + 45 or similar offset (or..??)..? I’m a bit lost on rims too, would like a dedicated set of bead locks for certain “nurse the CV’s” situations.. (anyone..?)
I need to do any BL pre bar work and underbody plates, and I NEED some protection ASAP (due to my crap driving)..!!

I’ve had to upgrade to 80series rear control arm bolts/bushes due to a crap workshop using “wood bolts” and destroying the restrictive taper fit, losing an upper arm, and numerous nuts/bolts, but wondering if at that height I should install adjustable arms (I’m assuming so), but wondering if the 80 uppers are in fact 1/4” longer (as mentioned but not confirmed here), and I think I can only get adjustable lowers..??

I really appreciate this Guys, I only have nerves to my right foot from a bike accident, and love the V8 Auto combo, plus the little “kick” from getting a torsion bar ifs where apparently one should not go..!!
Thanks again..

 

[CantFly]

I could hug you..!! -So much appreciated.. Your 100 looks great..!!

If I may (sorry to go off thread topic), do you think there is an advantage in going with drop down cones, retainers, and a longer shock in the rear, if so would you suggest a TD shock part#, and do you have shock part#’s for your set up..?

Did you need any body lift for the tyres (I have a 2” kit from Lux Lifts I havnt installed and could trim down), and would I need to change my 17” rims to a + 45 or similar offset (or..??)..? I’m a bit lost on rims too, would like a dedicated set of bead locks for certain “nurse the CV’s” situations.. (anyone..?)
I need to do any BL pre bar work and underbody plates, and I NEED some protection ASAP (due to my crap driving)..!!

I’ve had to upgrade to 80series rear control arm bolts/bushes due to a crap workshop using “wood bolts” and destroying the restrictive taper fit, losing an upper arm, and numerous nuts/bolts, but wondering if at that height I should install adjustable arms (I’m assuming so), but wondering if the 80 uppers are in fact 1/4” longer (as mentioned but not confirmed here), and I think I can only get adjustable lowers..??

I really appreciate this Guys, I only have nerves to my right foot from a bike accident, and love the V8 Auto combo, plus the little “kick” from getting a torsion bar ifs where apparently one should not go..!!
Thanks again..

Sorry, one more question (couldn’t see an edit function)..
Will I have to replace the front upper control arms, like SPC fixed angle (or is there a preferred brand..?) -Where my car is atm use Road safe Blackhawk..??

Oh, and should I install new Toyota CV’s (300k/km on these) to bed in at the new height..?
Amateur questions I know, sorry..
Thanks..

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Sorry, one more question (couldn’t see an edit function)..
Will I have to replace the front upper control arms, like SPC fixed angle (or is there a preferred brand..?) -Where my car is atm use Road safe Blackhawk..??

Oh, and should I install new Toyota CV’s (300k/km on these) to bed in at the new height..?
Amateur questions I know, sorry..
Thanks..

@CantFly message me and we can get more specifics about your 100 and will be happy to get you part numbers to buy locally.

Jason

 

[MongooseGA]

Has anyone had to replace their Tough Dog shocks due to mileage yet? I'm coming up on like 65-70k on mine and wondering if I shouldn't be shopping soon.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Has anyone had to replace their Tough Dog shocks due to mileage yet? I'm coming up on like 65-70k on mine and wondering if I shouldn't be shopping soon.

Stop making up problems to solve

 

[MongooseGA]

Stop making up problems to solve

You mean stop driving other cars that ride really well and then trying to figure out how to make my fully-built truck feel the same.

 

[arkmm]

Reading through some suspension threads lately and im interested in TD but are they still available in the US?

 

[Bisho]

@TRAIL TAILOR

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

@TRAIL TAILOR

PM me if interested in TD components. Limited supply due to all the international BS right now, but have orders coming in.

 

[geanes]

Has anyone had to replace their Tough Dog shocks due to mileage yet? I'm coming up on like 65-70k on mine and wondering if I shouldn't be shopping soon.

I'm at 100k on my TD setup and the rear shocks no longer "adjust" at all and the front (53mm Ralphs) feel like they no longer effectively dampen anything. I think I've reached the end of their life to be honest. Switching to IronMan ProFoam and IronMan rear control arms.

 

[MongooseGA]

I'm at 100k on my TD setup and the rear shocks no longer "adjust" at all and the front (53mm Ralphs) feel like they no longer effectively dampen anything. I think I've reached the end of their life to be honest. Switching to IronMan ProFoam and IronMan rear control arms.

100K is nothing to sneeze out for well-used shocks on a heavy truck. I think I'm at 80k-ish and I guess they're... OK.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I'm at 100k on my TD setup and the rear shocks no longer "adjust" at all and the front (53mm Ralphs) feel like they no longer effectively dampen anything. I think I've reached the end of their life to be honest. Switching to IronMan ProFoam and IronMan rear control arms.

100K is nothing to sneeze out for well-used shocks on a heavy truck. I think I'm at 80k-ish and I guess they're... OK.

I have a good friend that is an IM dealer and runs Tough Dog on his 100 and he has no plans to change. He's at about 58K on his Tough Dog now.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Have a shipment in customs now and will be available next week.

If my numbers are right...

11 - 100 series kits are available

Jason

 

[Auzz]

As lots of folks now have some miles on their tough dogs I thought it would be good to start a thread on them. I know this would have been nice when I started looking at suspension upgrades.

Although minimal I will start. Will have more to add soon.

I recently completed a 2500 mile trip from Denver to the San Juan mountains to bend Oregon and back to Denver. While in the San juans I broke a rear shock. I think it was my last trail coming down Imogene on the ouray side. Was actually able to get all the way to bend with essentially one shock in the back but that’s another story. Did some research and almost bought OME due to the ready availability and price, but Jason @reevesci got back to me quick and got me the 41 mm tough dog rears. Got them installed and the first week with them has been great. Got over 500 miles highway on them and the difference in turns at speed was great, but they really held their own on trail. Coming back SLC to Denver I stopped for a night off deadman pass and ran a really rocky bald mountain trail outside red feather lakes. As I am sure many of my closer to stock brothers and sisters are familiar with using the rear hitch as excellent armour coming off ledges, I kept expecting to scrape hard. But the tough dogs kept me from slamming down repeatedly on many rocks. Sliders and rear control arm bracket is another story for another thread.

I have already contacted Jason about getting some shocks for the front. I am on a budget so probably going 41s up there too, but would love to hear people’s experience with the Ralph 53s. I don’t have bumpers but do expect to put a winch up front in the not too distant future. Also looking at torsion bars. Do people find much difference in brands there?

I'm about to buy tough dog 41mm foam Cell for my LX470
Front end steel bumper without winch (yet)

TD torsion bars installed.

Good decision to go 40mm front and rear? Non adjustable shocks.