The Raids do look like the preferred choice, I'll give you that, unfortunately Koni only offers the Heavy Tracks, which are a bit less robust, for my project's application.
Hard for anyone to go wrong with Konis though.
New Dobinson Gen 3 Montero/Pajero Lift Kit Option
- Thread starter MrGideon
- Start date
The Raids do look like the preferred choice, I'll give you that, unfortunately Koni only offers the Heavy Tracks, which are a bit less robust, for my project's application.
Hard for anyone to go wrong with Konis though.
ChrisCosta416
Well-known member
I love the Koni heavy tracks personally, you can fit Fox shocks to Gen2s and Gen1s. King also sells a OEM 2.0 kit, but Foxes are better for the money https://www.filthymotorsports.com/King_OEM_Montero_Shocks_p/king-20001-274.htm
Good to know, I'm a ways off from shocks with my project and have been leaning heavily toward the Konis, but will bend you ear when the time comes, though I'll have leafs/torsions so my options are always a bit more limited.
Vector78
George Gergov
Yes, I did see that in Australia the MRR's tend to blow at the remote reservoir connection point. These have nitrogen fill plugs so you can check pressure and refill as needed, which is a potential leak point however. I do like that you can adjust pre-load on the front to dial in ride height if loads change (battery, winch, etc).
A coworker of mine is an X-Bilstein engineer and I had him review specs. He seemed very impressed with these shocks esp for the price. He also did note that the aftermarket Bilstein stuff is not held to the same QC requirements as the OEM applications. I am sure its the same with other mfgs. There are a lot of horror stories in Aus of the Bilstein's going bad quickly too. The heat and constant corrugations there are one of the harshest environments for shocks.
I plan to give these a shot and provide feedback for the group here and on FB. I agree with you that the sales guys got a bit carried away with the features "descriptions"
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Vector78
George Gergov
The Koni's do have a great reputation and racing heritage. From what I could tell the heavy tracks used on the Montero are 82 series.
They are not monotube and their piston diameter shows to be only 33mm.
That makes them 56% smaller than the IMS piston. The Bilstein 4600s are ~15% smaller piston.
The larger piston allows for better tuning and more hardy shims etc....
Just some observations that I wanted to share in doing my research on these.
Thx
ChrisCosta416
Well-known member
For sure, I mainly know Gen3 stuff, @RAW
You might want to reach out to Dobinsons Aus on their preload adjustment - From my understanding they do not want people adjusting preload outside of their recommend spec - probably due to an overextension of the shock shaft.Yes, I did see that in Australia the MRR's tend to blow at the remote reservoir connection point. These have nitrogen fill plugs so you can check pressure and refill as needed, which is a potential leak point however. I do like that you can adjust pre-load on the front to dial in ride height if loads change (battery, winch, etc).
A coworker of mine is an X-Bilstein engineer and I had him review specs. He seemed very impressed with the socks esp for the price. He also did note that the aftermarket Bilstein stuff is not held to the same QC requirements as the OEM applications. I am sure its the same with other mfgs. There are a lot of horror stories in Aus of the Bilstein's going bad quickly too. The heat and constant corrugations there are one of the harshest environments for shocks.
I plan to give these a shot and provide feedback for the group here and on FB. I agree with you that the sales guys got a bit carried away with the features "descriptions"
A larger piston does allow for better tuning but I am just trying to get at - it matters of the quality of the piston in the shock itself, if Dobs uses a poor piston or "universal piston" that is not really valved for the truck, you get a rough horrible ride. Vs Koni where each shock is designed and valved for each application.
In regards to Piston size, I was going on your statement " Are you referring to the piston diameter? For the Gen3 they are 50mm or ~2" diameter. Bils/Koni HDs are 46mm pistons."
Vector78
George Gergov
Agree on the right tuning and component durability. I am not buying these just on specs alone and did get feedback from the Toyota guys with similar GVWs.
A lot of Aus gen4 guys pair them with King progressive rate springs and seem happy with ride compliance.
I have also been chatting with US reps a bit on the preload adjustments and its limits. It is important to protect the threads initially so you are able to move perch without having to compress the spring to clean threads.
ChrisCosta416
Well-known member
Here is my big thing,
From their site it states " ****Coil seat should be set at 244mm(9.61") front the strut bushing eye. Picture black and white on the listing is to reference how to measure. Please check our instructions section or reach out if you have any questions. If done incorrectly you can damage the shocks, springs and vehicle.***** " Which means they are protecting themselves from folks adjusting the preload to high. My guess is because it will overextend the shock shaft, otherwise there is no reason to put that on their site.
Another thing is and I may get some flak here, but I feel majority of 4Runner owners on Instagram and Facebook ( I find) talk highly about products they barely use or never use either because
- Company gave them a small discount - and now they feel like they have to talk highly about the product
- People install their bling, then proceed to drive down Alabama Hills, and then talk highly about their shocks after a Fire Road.
Again, I am not knocking just having an open discussion about it. I am excited to see and hear how they perform on your truck and hope they don't let you down!
From their site it states " ****Coil seat should be set at 244mm(9.61") front the strut bushing eye. Picture black and white on the listing is to reference how to measure. Please check our instructions section or reach out if you have any questions. If done incorrectly you can damage the shocks, springs and vehicle.***** " Which means they are protecting themselves from folks adjusting the preload to high. My guess is because it will overextend the shock shaft, otherwise there is no reason to put that on their site.
Another thing is and I may get some flak here, but I feel majority of 4Runner owners on Instagram and Facebook ( I find) talk highly about products they barely use or never use either because
- Company gave them a small discount - and now they feel like they have to talk highly about the product
- People install their bling, then proceed to drive down Alabama Hills, and then talk highly about their shocks after a Fire Road.
Again, I am not knocking just having an open discussion about it. I am excited to see and hear how they perform on your truck and hope they don't let you down!
Sorry I haven't updated earlier regarding the Dobinson's IMS kit. It's the regular load (up to +200lbs) kit fhat gives a 2 inch lift, for the guy who asked.
Took a few weeks for everything to settle in and stop squeaking and the rear ride height seems to have settled down which is good, it seemed too high before.
Everything performed well in Moab, no mechanical issues. I think it's a good kit but I doubt I would notice any difference if I had gone with OME springs and Bilstien shocks.
I also wonder if a new set of OEM (not OME) springs with a spacer and some good quality shocks wouldn't be even better though. I think these springs are too stiff for offroading, they reduce suspension movement/ articulation. Feels more like a sports car than an off-roader. The truck doesn't soak up bumps, it crashes over them. All these springs are the same, I assume: they use a high spring rate to reduce sag and give the effect of a lift. That's why I wonder if a softer spring with a spacer or a subframe drop or some other trick to give better ground clearance would'nt be better overall.
Took a few weeks for everything to settle in and stop squeaking and the rear ride height seems to have settled down which is good, it seemed too high before.
Everything performed well in Moab, no mechanical issues. I think it's a good kit but I doubt I would notice any difference if I had gone with OME springs and Bilstien shocks.
I also wonder if a new set of OEM (not OME) springs with a spacer and some good quality shocks wouldn't be even better though. I think these springs are too stiff for offroading, they reduce suspension movement/ articulation. Feels more like a sports car than an off-roader. The truck doesn't soak up bumps, it crashes over them. All these springs are the same, I assume: they use a high spring rate to reduce sag and give the effect of a lift. That's why I wonder if a softer spring with a spacer or a subframe drop or some other trick to give better ground clearance would'nt be better overall.
ChrisCosta416
Well-known member
Funny story, someone else got the IMS shocks a few weeks ago and they were complaining about the harsh ride quality. What the issue sounds like is the shocks are not valved for the truck, leading to the harsh ride. The spring rate you choose (up to 200lbs) should ride completely fine.
After looking into it more it appears Dobinson's simply changes the top hat for the kit for each truck and they do not valve them any different which is unfortunate. Anytime you lift IFS/IRS you will lose some down travel. How did you adjust the collar for the front strut?
TLDR: - Shocks are not valved for the truck - Dobinsons just uses the same shock for most applications and adds a different top hat - New coils ( I recommend Lovells or KIng Springs) would help but ultimately the shocks are the issue and its why you get the harsh ride over bumps.
Vector78
George Gergov
Hey guys,
I got mine buttoned up and will report on the handling aspects soon. I plan on 500+ mile break in and two alignments to allow for things to settle however.
Here are some things I've learned in the process as these are so new here. Dobinson's US website had some growing pains. Top hat PNs were incorrect, LWB/SWB didn't allow for proper selection etc. I believe most of that has been fixed.
There are multiple spring rates for both standard and raised height applications.
From what I can tell the PN's for the Dobinson's shocks are unique to the Montero/Pajero platform. Not sure on the valving but I believe it is also unique. Many people in Australia that run them also love them.
Below is what I ordered for ~$1600 shipped to my door:
Dobinsons IMS Lift Kit for Mitsubishi Montero NM NP NS NT 2000+ Wagons
The stock one for the Montero is ~241mm. It is also referenced in the Dobinson's tech catalog. You can set it at that if you like but you will need to remove the bottom lock collar during installation. The extra preload will make lift up to a point but also make things stiffer and impacts down-travel (droop). I set mine at ~245-246 and left one collar out on passenger so I can go as low as 241" if needed as drivers side has more weight typically (driver plus HD battery).
Since my struts came assembled I inquired on the extra amount of rubber bushings ( jounce bumpers). I was told that is part of the system and it aids to cushion large motions on up-travel. You can see the setup below.
Installation went smooth otherwise. I spent more time removing the 6 alignment bolts
So more to follow.....If anyone has installation questions feel free to ping me.
I got mine buttoned up and will report on the handling aspects soon. I plan on 500+ mile break in and two alignments to allow for things to settle however.
Here are some things I've learned in the process as these are so new here. Dobinson's US website had some growing pains. Top hat PNs were incorrect, LWB/SWB didn't allow for proper selection etc. I believe most of that has been fixed.
There are multiple spring rates for both standard and raised height applications.
From what I can tell the PN's for the Dobinson's shocks are unique to the Montero/Pajero platform. Not sure on the valving but I believe it is also unique. Many people in Australia that run them also love them.
Below is what I ordered for ~$1600 shipped to my door:
Dobinsons IMS Lift Kit for Mitsubishi Montero NM NP NS NT 2000+ Wagons
- Select Front Coils: C43-124 - 1.75" with stock front end
- Select Rear Coils: C43-125 - 1.75-2" Lift with up to 220LBS constant load
- Select Front Struts: IMS43-50783 - Adjustable height monotube struts
- Select Rear Shocks: IMS43-50784 - Internal resi Monotube shocks
- Add Front Strut Mounts or Assembly? ($90.00): SC43-008 - Pair of Strut Caps
- Add Front Strut Mounts or Assembly? ($90.00): Assembly Labor (requires Cap purchase)
The stock one for the Montero is ~241mm. It is also referenced in the Dobinson's tech catalog. You can set it at that if you like but you will need to remove the bottom lock collar during installation. The extra preload will make lift up to a point but also make things stiffer and impacts down-travel (droop). I set mine at ~245-246 and left one collar out on passenger so I can go as low as 241" if needed as drivers side has more weight typically (driver plus HD battery).
Since my struts came assembled I inquired on the extra amount of rubber bushings ( jounce bumpers). I was told that is part of the system and it aids to cushion large motions on up-travel. You can see the setup below.
Installation went smooth otherwise. I spent more time removing the 6 alignment bolts
So more to follow.....If anyone has installation questions feel free to ping me.
ChrisCosta416
Well-known member
Hey guys,
I got mine buttoned up and will report on the handling aspects soon. I plan on 500+ mile break in and two alignments to allow for things to settle however.
Here are some things I've learned in the process as these are so new here. Dobinson's US website had some growing pains. Top hat PNs were incorrect, LWB/SWB didn't allow for proper selection etc. I believe most of that has been fixed.
There are multiple spring rates for both standard and raised height applications.
From what I can tell the PN's for the Dobinson's shocks are unique to the Montero/Pajero platform. Not sure on the valving but I believe it is also unique. Many people in Australia that run them also love them.
Below is what I ordered for ~$1600 shipped to my door:
Dobinsons IMS Lift Kit for Mitsubishi Montero NM NP NS NT 2000+ Wagons
Their guide references the spring seat height adjustment should be set around 244"mm (9.61").
- Select Front Coils: C43-124 - 1.75" with stock front end
- Select Rear Coils: C43-125 - 1.75-2" Lift with up to 220LBS constant load
- Select Front Struts: IMS43-50783 - Adjustable height monotube struts
- Select Rear Shocks: IMS43-50784 - Internal resi Monotube shocks
- Add Front Strut Mounts or Assembly? ($90.00): SC43-008 - Pair of Strut Caps
- Add Front Strut Mounts or Assembly? ($90.00): Assembly Labor (requires Cap purchase)
View attachment 649742
View attachment 649743
The stock one for the Montero is ~241mm. It is also referenced in the Dobinson's tech catalog. You can set it at that if you like but you will need to remove the bottom lock collar during installation. The extra preload will make lift up to a point but also make things stiffer and impacts down-travel (droop). I set mine at ~245-246 and left one collar out on passenger so I can go as low as 241" if needed as drivers side has more weight typically (driver plus HD battery).
View attachment 649744 View attachment 649748
Since my struts came assembled I inquired on the extra amount of rubber bushings ( jounce bumpers). I was told that is part of the system and it aids to cushion large motions on up-travel. You can see the setup below.
View attachment 649747
Installation went smooth otherwise. I spent more time removing the 6 alignment bolts
View attachment 649753
View attachment 649755
So more to follow.....If anyone has installation questions feel free to ping me.
Hope it works out for you! As for different part numbers its more than likely the only thing different are the eyelet bushings. But we have confirmed that the whole shock and valving is not unique to each platform sadly. They probably redesigned the kit around 4Runners and Tacomas and then just made it fit other applications.
Either way great job documenting the details and info on these!
Vector78
George Gergov
Quick update as promised:
Got an initial alignment done. Caster on the LHS front is just barely out but I told the alignment shop not to finesse it until the springs get settled.
Here are my initial impressions on pavement:
Suspension is firmer but not harsh at all. Low speed impacts and harshness (0-30mph) is similar to stock unloaded. At medium speed (40-65mph) there is more impact resistance felt in the rear unloaded due to the higher constant load spring rate (stock springs are progressive rate for a tiny bit).
Brake dive has decreased significantly and cornering speeds are 10mph greater. Overall the rig feels more tossable. It is also incredibly stable on the highway, tracks great up to 90mph with no steering corrections or yaw changes that I had stock. Highway ride is improved especially when loaded. Things have also settled and softened quite a bit in the last 400 miles.
Off-road:
I took it to Tahuya ORV park and did everything but the south loop. Did moguls at 20mph and tried to throw everything at it. Overall dampening was great. My bro who drives a 2nd gen Raptor had nothing but praises for it. I had no clearance issues whatsoever with the front and only scraped the rear hitch on a few places.
I also ended up taking some ATV only trails, where we had some fun “challenges”. In bypassing a road obstacle I ended up on soft gravel that collapsed my front while reversing. I had no choice but to clear the ravine below, take it down there then "dukes of hazard" it out. Suspension performed well and I experienced no bounce after the front wheels lifted which was good as there was another ravine at the opposite side.
Drove on gravel and corrugations for over an hour with NO shock fade.
All in all I’m super happy with this setup. Measurements show I picked up over 2” of lift. It’s a bit more in the front at the moment but I plan to add a winch near term so I will play with the height adjustments later. I did not have any traction control issues after alignment.
Here is a quick video I made of some of the off-road bits. Wait till the end for the jumpy part ?
Best,
Got an initial alignment done. Caster on the LHS front is just barely out but I told the alignment shop not to finesse it until the springs get settled.
Here are my initial impressions on pavement:
Suspension is firmer but not harsh at all. Low speed impacts and harshness (0-30mph) is similar to stock unloaded. At medium speed (40-65mph) there is more impact resistance felt in the rear unloaded due to the higher constant load spring rate (stock springs are progressive rate for a tiny bit).
Brake dive has decreased significantly and cornering speeds are 10mph greater. Overall the rig feels more tossable. It is also incredibly stable on the highway, tracks great up to 90mph with no steering corrections or yaw changes that I had stock. Highway ride is improved especially when loaded. Things have also settled and softened quite a bit in the last 400 miles.
Off-road:
I took it to Tahuya ORV park and did everything but the south loop. Did moguls at 20mph and tried to throw everything at it. Overall dampening was great. My bro who drives a 2nd gen Raptor had nothing but praises for it. I had no clearance issues whatsoever with the front and only scraped the rear hitch on a few places.
I also ended up taking some ATV only trails, where we had some fun “challenges”. In bypassing a road obstacle I ended up on soft gravel that collapsed my front while reversing. I had no choice but to clear the ravine below, take it down there then "dukes of hazard" it out. Suspension performed well and I experienced no bounce after the front wheels lifted which was good as there was another ravine at the opposite side.
Drove on gravel and corrugations for over an hour with NO shock fade.
All in all I’m super happy with this setup. Measurements show I picked up over 2” of lift. It’s a bit more in the front at the moment but I plan to add a winch near term so I will play with the height adjustments later. I did not have any traction control issues after alignment.
Here is a quick video I made of some of the off-road bits. Wait till the end for the jumpy part ?
Best,
Vector78
George Gergov
It looks like their MRR offering is now available on the Dobinsons direct website .
Anyone running it and do they have any feedback on it? There were some early issues with the Parker hoses failing in Aus.
Anyone running it and do they have any feedback on it? There were some early issues with the Parker hoses failing in Aus.
