NEWBIE QUESTION: what brand of suspension lift???

Post by **Jack S** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:55 pm

Hey there everyone!

I got a 2007 dual cab toyota hilux and i want to put a 2 inch suspension lift in it!
Was thinking about Tough Dog:
- Coil Springs
- Front Struts
- Back Shocks
- Back Leaf Springs

* I was thinking about using the Tough Dog brand. But thought i would see what everyone else thinks about the brand and if there is any other brand that is as good or better for australian condidtions ??
* Also any other information at all no matter what it is would be much appreicated!
* All messages and posts are welcome!!

Thanks

Post by **Feass** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:56 pm

New Old Man Emu 'Sports' are good units, just new on the market. Fitted them with coils to suit on my 79 series and was more than happy!

All depends on budget, i have had iron man, also very good. Also depends on how long you keep you car and what not. Cheaper brands generally tend to wear out faster than your well known, more respected brands.

None the less, i have heard nothing bad about tough dog, they seem to have survived quite well in the 4by market so they must be doing something right.

IMO, I would only go OME.

Post by **Jack S** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:40 pm

Yes i was looking at Old Man Emu but was told there not much difference between them and Tough Dog. Tough Dog being cheaper and equal quality....

I got a quote on the Tough Dog gear that was previously stated and the best price i could get was $1620- that included fitting and everything!
How does that price sound compared to Old Man Emu??
Also what size lift are you putting on your 79 series??

Yes well i plan to keep the car for a while as very happy with it and dont need a new one any time soon...

Thanks

Post by **Feass** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:34 pm

I got a 2" lift on mine. However, i only got the front end done, the rear end is still to do.

It cost $2200 fitted with everything you can get fitted for a 2" lift. I know its a big difference but in 200k, you wont be needing new shocks (not to say you will with tough dog) all im saying is that OME are almost guaranteed consistant performance.

As i said, i havent heard anything bad about Tough Dog nor OME, i have only used OME and that is all ill use. I had it in my GU Patrol which my old man used to go round the country with a trailier for 40k. He had no issues. I cant really say anything for TD's as i havent used them. Speak to as many people as you can and see what they think, people that dont get a commision! hehe!

Sorry if i said the same thing twice, i think its past my bed time! Work at 5:30 :(

Cheers

Post by **Jack S** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:50 pm

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT!

Post by **Hardzy** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:02 pm

do a search for ome. a fair few blokes on here have had problems with them. with sagging, quality and arb not fitting them correctly.

that said i have only used rock crawler and sky jacker and custom jobs on my 4wds. never bought a full kit.

Post by **Jack S** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:25 pm

yes have noticed that a few blokes on here dont like them yet when i talk to the people in store and stuff they say there pretty damn good! so who knows wat to think!

Post by **Hardzy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:11 am

but if i was paid to sell a product i would say anything aswell. a bloke at arb newcastle told me that the ome gas charger shocks are the absolute best on the market. better than tough dog, efs, dobinsons etc. and yet i was building a coil front and air shock rear. do the research then go buy the shock that best suits you. dont always beleive what someone tells you when they only sell that product.

speak to a bloke named suspension stuff on here. he keeps several brands of shocks. and his opinion is always different for different people with different goals for their car

Post by **TWISTY** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:12 am

Really happy with my 3" bilstein kit from Cal Offroad. The Bilstein kits get a good wrap on newhilux.net too.

Post by **thehanko** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:27 am

we had ome 2 inch HD coils in the trol and when we pulled them out to put origionals back in to sell it... it sat higher. go figure.

IMO all suspension seems to sagg, there are bad stories about every brand.

but never believe a salesman who tells you "this is the best product". IM in sales and it gets thrown around by every man and his dog - usually by people who dont know enough about a product to sell it on its merits.

i.e
low knowledge salemans spiel 'buy this its the best - better than all the rest'

high knowledge salesman ' so what do you want to achieve?, oh ok then i would recommend the following products, this one will be good for blah blah and blah, but this will give you more blah blah blah because of its blah blah blah.'

hmmm whom to buy from?

only heard good things about suspension stuff, a mate just put one of his kits in his coil cab and is very happy, because it does what the guy from suspension stuff said it would.

Post by **Jack S** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:12 pm

Well i have been talking to alot of people about it mostly sales people that sell variety of brands e.g TD, OME, Iron Man etc and they all said Tough Dog is way to go....
Yet when i ask the question on Outer Limits most people say tough dog are shit. So i am bit confused abd dont know what brand to go for at the moment!
....

Post by **TWISTY** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:18 pm

Have a search on
http://www.newhilux.net/phpbb/

Tough Dogs get good wrap on there from the guys that have them installed.

Post by **Hardzy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:18 pm

hey twisty. what length rear shocks you running? just about time for me to get some new ones. my rear shock mounts look to be in the same space as yours. i just havent got anywhere to flex it without the shocks in which are now limiting my standard suspension.

Post by **TWISTY** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:05 am

Hardzy wrote:hey twisty. what length rear shocks you running? just about time for me to get some new ones. my rear shock mounts look to be in the same space as yours. i just havent got anywhere to flex it without the shocks in which are now limiting my standard suspension.

I guess your talking about the 40? It's running 12" bilsteins 5125s all round from www.locktup4x4.com.au They are working fine, but my rears hardly use all the travel of the 12" shock, so 10" would be fine in the rear.

Post by **chunks** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:39 pm

TWISTY wrote:Have a search on
http://www.newhilux.net/phpbb/

Tough Dogs get good wrap on there from the guys that have them installed.

Speaking from experience, I would steer well clear. We've had nothing but trouble. The bosses TD suspension we pulled out of his Hilux after 30K (fitted from brand new) is still lying on the ground outside the workshop.

We now run Bilstein shocks and EFS springs.

Post by **Jack S** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:15 pm

could it of just been a bad batch of Tough Dog?
because no matter what brand you always hear of a couple of bad stories and when shit has hit the fan.... yet with tough dog ive hear lot more good than bad, off both sales reps and forums!!!

Post by **chunks** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:47 pm

Jack S wrote:could it of just been a bad batch of Tough Dog?
because no matter what brand you always hear of a couple of bad stories and when shit has hit the fan.... yet with tough dog ive hear lot more good than bad, off both sales reps and forums!!!

I'm just speaking from my experience with fitting it to these vehicles. Do you think my boss was happy having to spend $$$$ to replace the suspension after it was stuffed with such low kms , not to mention dealing with the unhappy customers who's vehicles we fitted it to? My recommendation is for the Bilstein option, it offers more height, superior build quality and ride, and is pretty much the same price.

Post by **Jack S** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:07 pm

No i bet he wasnt happy, i would be extremely furious!
Yet i just hear so many mixed stories and alot say TD are great yet others say there shit and would never use again.....

So do blisten make a full kit or do they only have shocks?
If they DONT make a full kit what brand leafs and coils should i go for?

Post by **chunks** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:13 pm

Something like this is what you are after:

http://www.superiorengineering.com.au/p ... ts_id=3234

We do pretty much the same kit at work using EFS springs. With a steel bar, winch, dual batteries etc it works out around a 3" lift.

Post by **Jack S** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:18 pm

yet if you go over 2 inch dont you have to change brake lines, watch the CV and a heap of other shit plus money?

Post by **chunks** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:10 am

Not really, sometimes you need a longer rear brake line which is about $65. Besides that some people choose to run a front diff drop, others don't bother.

Post by **Jack S** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:50 pm

ive just been told off everyone that ive talked to about a lift kit that if you go over 2 inches, theres a shit load more equipment and $$$ needed! and also NSW government are trying to bring in a law that maxium lift is 2 inches........
If there wasnt much different in price and also upkeep i would probly go 3 maybe 4 inch of lift!!

Post by **Jack S** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:28 am

So is there much more work and upkeep when you go over 2 inches of lift??

Post by **Chello** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:25 pm

I put a complete 2 inch lift kit in mine, EFS, got the extended Elite shocks on the front and normal ELite on the back just had to change brake lines on the front, but got greasable shackles and pins, all new bushes, shocks, springs and adjustable torque arm for around $1700 from http://www.kampers.com.au/sub.php?p=Sus ... sub4wd&t=1 And they do free freight Australia wide, so up to you if you can fit it or not, as for the ride it's heaps better through the bush/scrub didn't get much of a run out of them yet, only had them on for a week or 2 and ute is out of action for now

Post by **Jack S** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:20 pm

yes ive heard lots of good things between EFS and tough dog! Ive half made my mind up on tough dog but still undecided on what brand i will actually go for.......

Any information at all, to further help me out would be great!!

So pease all suggestions welcome?

Post by **mutilated** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:21 pm

Tough dogs fine and they seem to honour their warranty pretty well. Ring Shane at suspension stuff and he will be able to tell you the best options for what you want. Ph:1300048991. I dont work for them but have fitted many of his suggested kits and had no problems. One customer thought his shocks were too hard so shane replaced them for nothing with something more suitable.

Post by **Jack S** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:51 pm

yes rang shane this arvo and had a chat to him...
He said i should go for the 'dobson' brand, yet when i asked other people about this brand they have never heard of it! So still dont know what to think and still confused!
MOST PROBLY ILL GO FOR TOUGH DOG..

but still open for any suggestions?

Post by **chunks** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:01 pm

Good luck... won't be anywhere near as good as Bilsteins mate, I've been through all of this already!

Post by **Jack S** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:16 pm

okey so if i went with Bilsteins shocks and struts, than what coils and leafs should i look at??

Post by **Southern Cross 4x4** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:25 pm

Hey mate, have fitted a few of our EFS 2" Elite kits of late for a few customers, couple of them have done extensive simpson trips & feedback has been "Very impressed" They are a great kit & value for money & offer a 3 Year 100k warranty! Pm us for an unbeatable price or more info.

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NEWBIE QUESTION: what brand of suspension lift???

NEWBIE QUESTION: what brand of suspension lift???

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