Fox 2.0 vs Eibach Pro Truck Stage 2

Hi all, I’ve got a ‘23 TRD ORP w/ KDSS and am currently debating between the 2 suspension options.

If you have either setup I’m curious to hear what made you pick one over the other.

I do mild to moderate off roading once a month or so and am looking for a bit more clearance as well as helping the nose dive under braking.

I’m leaning towards Fox for the linear valving since KDSS already stiffens things up and I’m worried that a digressive shock might make the ride too firm for my liking. Ideally I’m looking for a 2” front and 1” rear lift.

 

I have the eibach stage 2r. It rides similar to stock, I chose it because I can adjust while the coilovers are installed(jacked up on jack stands) if needed, also I wanted something that can last close to oem without rebuilding.

 

I also have the Eibach stage 2R. Both great points listed above. I found the ride to be only ever so slightly firmer than OEM which helps reduce nose dive under hard braking. The Eibach hold up very well (like OEM) and don't require any rebuilds. Mild to moderate off roading is what I do and they have not left me wanting more and road manors are better than stock.

 

Overall they are 100% way better than stock. I notice they do soak up the larger hits or bumps. I do mild to moderate off roading to, they have not left me wanting more either. It’s my daily driver and no complaints. Perfect for my needs at the moment.

 

Do you have uca with stage 2r set up?

 

Yes, I have Dobinson's UCA's with 3 degrees of castor correction built in.

 

Did you install those the same time you installed the eibachs? I got Ironmans uca, installed them last Saturday. Not sure how I feel about them yet, At times it feels like it rode better with stock uca. But dobinson was my first choice, but Ironman had a sale. I should have probably went with Dobinsons.

 

Yes, I installed them at the same time. I went with Dobinson's because of their reputation and experience having been in business for 70 years. I can't speak to the Ironman UCA's as I've never used them.

 

My vote would be for Fox 2.5 RR front and Fox 2.0 RR rear. This will be a higher price point, but the remote reservoir provides a better ride (especially with our free tuning) and serviceability. I know a lot of people say they are overkill, but smooth ride applies to street driving also not just off-road performance. For such a nice new vehicle like you have, I think its worth the investment.

Fox 2.5 RR coilover shock (although this is 0-3" lift, we could add a spacer to make them 0-2" and no UCA is required. We can remove the spacer later on if you wanted more lift/bigger tires)
Fox 2.0 RR rear shock

 

The Eibach also has rear remote reservoir and doesn't need serviceability as they enjoy maintenance free OEM type longevity. That's one of the reasons I chose the Eibach 2R system. Everyone I know including myself that's installed the Eibach system is very pleased.

You can't go wrong with either but you should ask yourself, how many parts on your truck to want want to have to service? Then ask yourself with moderate off roading once a month, what system do you really need. They are both very nice systems and far better than OEM.

 

Great points. Serviceability would also come into play if the shock starts leaking or something gets damaged off-road. Non-serviceable shocks would need to be replaced entirely (hopefully under warranty). Speaking of, what is Eibach's warranty on their shocks?

 

Eibach has a limited lifetime warranty but honestly even at my ripe old age of 58, I've never had to rely on a warranty for any part on anything. What I do know is there are tons of people with the Eibach systems who have had nothing but trouble free performance for many years.

 

How long do fox usually last until it needs a rebuild? For a weekend worrier and a heavy off roader?

 

Hard to say exactly. It will vary depending on use and abuse. Fox recommends 50k miles for new seals and oil.

 

Do you guys get rebuilds done in a day? Or it depends how much work load you guys have?

 

I went with the Eibach 2.0R on mine for the reasons listed above. I haven't installed it yet, so I can't speak to the ride or performance. I took it out of the box to check it out though, it definitely looks high quality.

If mine wasn't 11 years old and I didn't drive it 20K+ a year, I would probably go with the Fox as Accutune suggested. But with the age of mine and the miles I put on it, I can't see going with a part that needs to be serviced so frequently.

 

Thanks! I’ve considered this option as well. Is there a difference between adding a spacer to limit the potential lift vs just setting the shock to 2”?

 

The actual work can get done in a day, yes. As long as there are no hidden surprises we were not aware of. However we usually have a weeks worth of service work lined up in queue

Yes. The spacer limits the total travel of the shock. If you had the spacer removed with stock UCA, you will more than likely hit the UCA on the coilover/springs at full droop. The rule about not needing a UCA refers more to the total travel of the shock, not just the lift height. UCA offers more clearance for longer shocks and better alignment.

 

If I were to lift the front to 2 3/4 of an inch will I need UCA ? I have a 2.5 in lift now and if drives like stock . Reason I ask is because I am getting this kit and would like to set the front to 2 3/4 of an inch.

 

Most shops recommends uca at 2” of lift but most can get by with the oem uca. I’ve seen oem uca hit the springs at full droop, as accutune stated. 1/4” may or may not throw your alignment out of spec(caster). if you lift 1/4” more, then get an alignment with caster close to or within specs while keeping camber in spec at the same time then you should be fine. As long as it drives fine for you. But if the oem uca hits your springs at full droop then you will want to get uca.

 

Thank you for the reply. That is helpful and gives me something to think about . It is my wife's 4 Runner and it is a daily driver . It will not see any off roding. One more question. With a one inch lift in the rear will I need a hard bar relocation kit ? I am thinking of installing this same kit and just trying to figure out what all I am going to need . Once again thanks for all the advice!

 

Another Eibach Stage 2 (not 2R) fan here. All points re: Eibach above are precisely why I chose to go with them as well…exceptional value.

I went with JBA UCA, great company with communication and customer service second to NONE! Lift and UCAs were installed about a week ago due to leaking XREAS and I was initially concerned that the ride would not be as good as stock, to my surprise the ride surpassed it. Steering is tight, highway tracking is far better than stock and I didn’t get an alignment yet, waiting for the suspension to settle. Is the ride plush like an old caddy, no. Does it ride like a confidence inspiring truck with reduced body roll and less nose dive upon heavy breaking, yes. No regrets. I don’t off-road but intend to at some point but the suspension handles the horrible roads around the island incredibly well, not causing me to cringe when I hit a large hole or one of the many poorly position steel plates used to cover large holes from the road construction crew.

 

That is good to hear . I am not a fan of the 2r ether. LOL What were your lift numbers? Did you go with there rear lift springs the ones that come with the kit ?

 

I emailed companies if I would need a pan hard correction kit in the rear for 1” lift. They said I didn’t need one, so I didn’t get one, it drives good without it. I’m sure it would improve the driving characteristic with it tho. I did install ironman uca 1-2 months ago due to caster being out and not able to get it back to spec without camber going out of specs(it did drive fine without it). We just got back from a small snow trip(6hr total) and it did great in the semi curvy mountains, rear ended didn’t feel like it was going to kick out or anything.

 

That is awesome. I think I will will let the pan hard bar go for now and see how it dos . I am definitely learning toward doing UCA . Thanks for all the info . Very much appreciated!

 

Where are you all sourcing your lift kits from?

 

I am ordering mine right from Eibach. If you join there winners circle they give you free shipping. I ordered the one for my 2nd gen Tacoma right from them 2 years ago.

 

From eibach. They had a sale with free shipping when I ordered.

 

Here are the numbers, with factory adjustment on the coil-overs. Using the standard rear springs that came with the pro truck kit…carry about an extra 100 lbs of gear in the back at all times.

Before

DF = 19 3/4
DR = 21 1/2

PF = 19 3/4
PR = 22

After

DF = 22 1/2 (+ 2 3/4 over stock)
DR = 22 1/2 (+ 1 over stock)

PF = 22 3/4 (+ 3 over stock)
PR = 23 (+ 1 over stock)

I’ve had it installed one week as of yesterday, traveled about 125 miles. Will get an alignment next week and if the front doesn’t settle further I’ll likely drop to 2.5 before the alignment.

 

Thank you sir for the info and the measurements . That is very helpful ! Very much appreciated!!
I ordered my kit and am going with the JBA UCA . I will report back after install and settling . Stay tuned.