Dobs IMS going in (5th Gen TRD OR)!

Here's another Dobinsons IMS lift thread. Everything arrived in the mail and starting to set up my work area. Figured I'd post a thread to document my first real mod adventure on my 5th gen TRD OR .

I'll start out with a question to those who already have this on hand. I'm not lazy, I'm just asking for some mercy from any kind souls to keep an ADD type from searching for then next 3 hours and ending up on some stupid automatic watch website not knowing where the sun went... Does anyone know the torque measurements for:

-Top three bolts on front struts

-The two bolts on the bracket that holds the lower ball joint/lower control arm to the spindle

-The bolts on the LCA where the alignment cams are (front and rear of the LCA).

-Lower front strut bolts (connections of the strut to the LCA)

-Lower rear shock bolt


Alright... maybe I can git'r done today.....wish me luck!!!

 

I wish you luck finding the correct torque measurements, the Toyota dealership doesn't know. Toyota engineering will have a spec sheet I'm sure. Good luck, with your setup, let us know and post some pics. Btw. what Dobinsons setup did you buy, if I may ask?

 

Great info, awesome. OP will like it as well.

 

Thanks for helping a guy out! Im printing this out to have it on hand for the future

Sorry for the lack of posts on my own “live” install thread, lol. Guess I got busy and just stayed on it. Not to mention, I was graced with @Thatbassguy ’s supervisory services that kept me out of trouble , and largely “on task”

That said, my glacial work speed only resulted in the fronts struts getting done today. The videos always show it going by so quick, but it’s the details that take time. Like getting tiny grains of sand out from every seating surface. That was fun. Rears are going in tomorrow.

I’d post a picture, but I ‘m sporting a serious case of Carolina Squat that probably should not be seen in public.


@Roland Ill post the parts later, but basically it was the ims shocks, with 2.5 inch springs that settle down to two with 110 pounds, I think the 302 springs.

The rear is standard weight springs with 1.5 in lift. The shock are the standard valved ones, not the comfort valved.

 

All done! I’ve resisted taking any measurement yet until things settle down a bit, but I did drive a good 30 miles, looking for as much rough pavement as I could.

The ride is pretty close in feel to our 2018 Highlander on the road. Firm but controlled. Still waiting on my Warn winch before I mount the bumper, so it might be till next week before I have it set up with final weight. Then it’s alignment time.

Here are some pics from the “Mall Crawler verification trials”. Passed with flying colors! Lol






I’m going to hammer on it a bit more tomorrow and post some daytime pictures.

 

Congrats, looks great, keep the pictures coming.

 

Thanks. Im pretty beat, even with @Thatbassguy ’s help, and today, my brother in law’s help. All that crawling around on the ground makes the old back feel all sorts of funny things for someone used to manning an office chair all day!

 

After about 100 miles or so, including some articulation, these are the total lift number Im getting at the moment:

Fd 3 1/4. Fp 3 1/8


Rd 2 1/4. Rp 2 1/2

I figure there is still going to be some more settling. The front is gonna come down a bit more after I get bumper and winch installed.

Even so, the front CV angles look good…pretty much the same as stock, but reversed (I had a negative angle before).




The ride feels great, nice and firm. Feels like our 18 Highlander on the street, in a good way. When it was the “USS 4runner,” I happily drove in cloud-like comfort taking turns at a sedate, distinguished slow speed. . Which was fine. Now it feels like I can *drive* it on the road, much like a well sorted car. Which is also fine…just a totally different personality.

I found some pretty busted up parking lots, drove through it at speed, and it stayed very well sorted.

Another benefit I wasnt expecting… it accelerates *now* when you touch the throttle. All the energy goes into propulsion instead squishing the suspension down. Thoughts of a throttle commander are gone.

Here are a few more pics.

 

Mounted up my warn bumper and winch today (ok, took me two days ) With that, I think Im done with the major mods I was planning, at least until the credit card cools off a bit

The bumper was a bit more challenging to install than the instructions and youtube vids suggested, mostly because of the TSS considerations and the difference in wiring of the LED fogs. I ended up accidentally breaking a tab that is part of the TSS sensor assembly, have no idea how that happened. Thankfully it seems to have kept it’s calibration. I drove about 20 miles so far without any errors, thankfully.

There was one odd thing I noticed with a reinforcement strap that mounts flush along the frame rail. It touches the sway bar right where the bushing is, effectively locking the sway bar from flexing the bushing upwards.



I dont really like that….However, Ive seen folks put on sway bar mount spacers after a lift, that would help put some space between the bar and the strap, so that will probably be my next mini project once my back settles down.

Other than that, I am very happy how the IMS system feels with the extra weight in the front. It dropped maybe 1/4 to 1/2in in ride height, which sets the stance (empty at least) pretty much where I like it. The 4runner rides still rides fantastic on the road, and the weight did nothing to affect it’s ability to take on nasty broken pavement. Really looking forward to some planned off road adventures next week!

I’ll post back some alignment numbers Tuesday night.

 

Just did mine yesterday Dobinson lift with a SSO bumper and winch.Had the same trouble with the fog light wiring and the TSS.The Bull bar on the bumper made it a pain to get the cover back on.

 

Nice! Looking sweet! Is that SSO the one with the higher bullbar to clear the TSS sensor?

Also, what winch did you go with?

 

Yes the bullbar is up higher than the TSS sensor and doesn't interfere.
I went with the Smittybuilt 10,000 H20 with the wireless remote.Was on sale.
Started the 4Runner before I completely snapped the cover back on just to check out the wiring.
Lights started flashing on the dash.Didn't have the TSS sensor plugged in.
Plugged that back in and all was well.
20 minutes later I got an email from Toyota telling me I needed service.

 

Here are the alignment numbers. It’s the best the shop could do without a UCA.

Even though caster is not ideal according to specs, honestly the 4runner feels fine. So far it feels like it runs true and stable, including at interstate speeds. Totally stoked!

Shoutout to @Crikeymike for helping me sort through all the options, and for the quick shipping. Also, if anybody needs a 4x4 shop in the Milwaukee area, Performance Off Road does good work!

 

Love your setup, great looking rig; ready to go to the great outdoors & conquer the trails. Congrats, awesome. Btw. sacrifice a bit more of the CC and buy the Pedal Commander, you are going to like it much more, guaranteed. I drive mine in sport 3 all the time, besides trails I turn it off.

 

Lol, bad influence you are. You have to understand, my credit card is literally worn out, you cant even read the front of it and it only barely reads the magnetic stripe. I should take that as sign

Also, while I completely believe you, I’m still amazed at how much the suspension changed the throttle response to being immediate. Great stuff!

 

Did you feel the difference in the brakes?

 

Ask the wife if you can use her CC, early Christmas...she will understand, much safer, less gas etc.

 

Absolutely, everything is much more immediate, direct, and controllable. I might try my hand at climbing/descending a absolutely huge rock in the area Im headed to. I think the brake “accuracy” for lack of a better word, will help a lot with descending in a more controlled way. Before, I felt it was too easy to over brake, which just upsets the truck with it’s nose bobbing up and down.

 

Exactly. You definitely want the Pedal Commander.

 

Hmm, at this point, I suspect you wish death upon me haha lol

 

Seriously, it's one of the best mods, I would have send mine back, I'm critical.

 

How much lift did your Dobs give you?

 

Looks great, boss! Everything about your install is very nice. I felt the same after my Dobs install. Feels great! Glad to hear about your Performance Off-road experience. Need to check in with them sometime to discuss a BMC (a la @Thatbassguy) and see how they feel about re-gear.

 

Daaang, sounds like you got some serious plans! Looking forward to seeing what’s coming!

 

It’s a long-term project.

 

I'm in the Upper Peninsula now for a couple weeks trying it out and doing some bushwhacking and scouting.I'll measure and see how it settles in when I get back.Not as high as yours for sure.

 

Odd, I was in the UP passing through after poking around the USFS trails near Mountain Wi. Small world. I saw a ton of 4runners on HWY 2….I wonder if I passed you.

Anyway, just to update on the performance of the IMS shock in off road situations. These are fantastic. Over the moon with how they keep everything under control in pretty rough trails, despite being packed down with all camping equipment and tools for a three day trip. The braking precision really made climbing and descending steep terrain much easier and safer feeling. Especially on steep descents covered in wet fall leaves.