It’s become more and more common for people to ask to buy replacement bushings for their shocks, whether they got damaged during installation, lost in shipping or after the parts were delivered to the workshop, or if people just want to keep some spares on hand. Exit Offroad now offers replacement Dobinsons shock and strut bushings for the most popular shocks that we sell.
Each bushing is broken down by shock part number, so you would identify from your order (check your emails) which shock part number you bought, and then match that up with the bushings. Or if you can’t find an email, you can physically check on the body of the shock, as they’re all imprinted with the Dobinsons part number onto the metal body (not a sticker). Or if you can’t do that either, just look up a replacement strut or shock that suits your vehicle, then grab the bushings for that part number. As an example, all front 5th Gen 4Runner struts that Dobinsons make (3 different ones) all use the same top and lower bushings. Same story with the rear shocks.
Just remember, when you order a quantity of 1, it’s only for one end of 1 single strut or shock.
Feel free to reach out with any questions. We’ll also be adding more replacement bushings and other parts to the website as needed.
There are many brands out there now with a wider variety of shocks than ever before. People are asking us all the time “why should I choose this shock instead of this other one?”, and it can be difficult to answer sometimes. But sometimes it’s very straight forward. I’ve recently come up with a simple analogy for comparing the 3 different types of shocks and struts that Dobinsons Suspension offer in the market today. It’s obviously just a quick and simple analogy, but it may help you to decide which level of shock you may want to choose.
Twin Tube struts and shocks (sometimes called GS by Dobinsons for Gas Shocks) are your standard aftermarket replacement bolt-on and maintenance free shocks that give excellent ride quality, performance, and longevity in pretty much all road conditions. They’re fully sealed and can’t be rebuilt. I consider these to be like a standard road tire.
IMS struts and shocks (Internal reservoir Monotube Shocks) are a bigger body and bigger piston monotube shock with a floating piston that separates the oil and nitrogen gas inside the shock so that cavitation (“A phenomenon in which rapid changes of pressure in a liquid lead to the formation of small vapor-filled cavities in places where the pressure is relatively low.” – aka bubbles in the oil) pretty much cannot ever happen. They’re fully rebuildable, although they DO NOT have a rebuild cycle, unlike some other brands of rebuildable shocks. They have more travel, displace heat better, and can perform significantly better offroad at higher speeds than a twin tube shock can. I consider these to be like an all-terrain tire – the best option for all around use and someone who offroads quite often.
MRA struts and shocks (Monotube Remote reservoir Adjustable) are 3-way adjustable remote reservoir versions of the IMS shocks. They have all the same features, but more oil due to the reservoir, and also you can adjust high and low speed compression as well as rebound with the simple turn of some dials. These are like mud terrains, you wouldn’t run mud terrains unless you’re going for a specific look, or if you go offroad a lot and need something that can stand up to a lot of abuse and harsh conditions. To put these on a street-only vehicle would be overkill in my opinion, even though they will ride as soft of firm as you like, since you’re in control of adjusting the valving.
Now, onto some other brands, and a quick, short comparison.
OME NitroSport Shocks (aka Nitrocharger Sport) are similar in build to the Dobinsons Twin Tubes, although the Dobinsons valving stack is usually more on the comfort side, whilst OME are on the firmer side. OME doesn’t offer an IMS or MRA equivalent. They have the BP-51 shocks, which are an internal bypass shock which operates differently than a 3-way adjustable monotube shock. The MRA’s adjustment range is significantly greater than the BP-51, and BP-51’s can only adjust high speed compression and rebound, not low speed compression.
Ironman NitroGas shocks – these are similar to OME and Dobinsons Twin Tubes. Ironman Foam Cell and Foam Cell Pro (FCP) are essentially the same as each other, just different sizes with different piston and rod sizes, body diameter, and oil volume. They’re a twin tube shock with a layer of foam in the outer tube embedded with nitrogen to reduce cavitation. Some FCP’s have an adjustable height front collar for the coil seat. The pistons in these are still not as large as the IMS or MRA from Dobinsons due to their twin tube design (not enough room), and they don’t offer any valving adjustment in any of their range currently. A nice talk-through of their shocks with internal details can be seen here: https://youtu.be/_8kIfYLmpv4
If you want an outside perspective on different types of shocks, this page here gives an excellent reference to each type of shock you could use on your 4×4, and they explain it super simple and easy to understand.
If you have any questions about any type of shock, or are looking for a comparison between the shocks we sell at Exit Offroad and any other shocks you’re looking at, please shoot us an email or give us a call!!
All-Pro Off-Road’s 4Runner LoPro Front Bumper is designed to fulfill the demand for a durable, low-profile bumper that looks as good as it functions. This 4Runner LoPro design allows you to keep the look of the OEM bumper while adding new high-quality features. This bumper provides an increased approach angle in the front and paired with our All-Pro skid plates will provide increased protection for your undercarriage.
The body of this 4Runner LoPro steel bumper is made from a CNC laser cut, brake-formed, 3/16″ steel faceplate and the 1/4″ steel winch plate provides a solid mounting structure to your frame. We include two 3/4″ thick recovery points that are directly tied to the steel mounting plate. This bumper is compatible with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) and Multi-Terrain Monitoring system (MTM). You may need to adjust your sensor after the installation of this bumper. This bumper is designed to fit 30′′ single-row light bars with a mounting width of 31.75″ or less. This bumper is also compatible with most 8-12k winches with a remote mount solenoid box. Click Here for full product information
2014+ 4RUNNER LOW PROFILE FRONT BUMPER SIDE SUPPORTS
Gain more clearance at the front of your 4Runner with 2014+ 4Runner Low Profile Front Bumper Side Supports. These side supports provide more room for larger tires, and create a better approach angle to larger obstacles. High clearance side supports are a direct bolt-on addition to the All-Pro Off-Road 2014+ 4Runner Low Profile Front Bumper and are available in bare and powder-coated options. These side supports are only compatible with the 2014+ 4Runner Low Profile Front Bumper. Click Here for full product information
2014+ 4RUNNER WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE SKID
Protect your windshield washer bottle with All-Pro Off-Road’s 2014+ 4Runner Windshield Washer Bottle Skid. If you have an aftermarket bumper installed on your 4Runner, your windshield washer bottle will be exposed. This skid will protect the bottle from any light debris that you come across on the trail. This skid is made of 11 GA steel. It is a bolt-on product, which can be installed using the original mounting hardware. Click Here for full product information
Alright guys, I know most Dodge Ram owners love to throw on a huge Superlift or Skyjacker suspension and get the most lift out of their trucks that they can, but in the real world, that’s a waste of money and it doesn’t perform as well as a shorter height bolt-on lift can. Dobinsons knows this, and that’s why they’ve developed a full bolt-on IMS Suspension Kit for the 2019+ Dodge Ram 1500 4×4 Trucks. This kit gives 2.5″ lift to the front, with 2 different coil options to suit any added weight or not, and 2.0″ lift in the rear, also with 2 Variable rate coil options to suit a light truck, or a heavy load.
Dobinsons IMS shocks are now the best selling out of the 3 types of shocks that they offer, and you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone that says they don’t love the ride quality that they give. Here are the main stats and features of the 2.6″ body IMS shocks for your Dodge Ram 1500:
Fully rebuildable and re-valvable monotube shocks
Zero shock fade in all terrains with full load
Direct, bolt-on replacement for easy fitment
IFP – Internal Floating Piston, separates oil and nitrogen
Corrosion resistant (EDP Surface Protection)
Heavy duty single piece lower leg
Enormous oil capacity
Heavy Duty 3 Stage FKM HNBR Sealing System for the ultimate in reliability
Race inspired hi-flow CNC 6061 Billet alloy piston – for the ultimate in offroad handling
66mm/2.6” Bodied Series – 60mm hi-flow CNC 6061 Billet alloy piston – 60mm bore – Vehicle specific fitment
Front IMS struts for this application have multiple clip heights to adjust ride height if needed
Full 2 year limited warranty, no set rebuild time period
High Quality Australian-made coil springs, heat treated, fully scragged, powder coated
Check that out, a fully bolt on coilover at a super affordable price, with your choice of replacement coils too!! This all bolts in with no additional parts required.
Onto the rear, some guys just run their trucks around pretty much empty all the time, and the standard 2″ lift rear coils will be just what you need. Don’t be fooled though, as they’re still capable of handling the full bed capacity of this truck, as they’re a variable rate spring. Variable rate springs offer a stronger spring rate when the weight is added to them, so they ride great empty, and also when loaded, without squatting as much as standard springs can. If you use your truck for work, or perhaps for overlanding with a rack and tent on the back all the time, the heavier 2″ rear coils are suited to hold 330-550LBS of constant added weight, and keep the height up.
With the Dobinsons IMS kit for the Dodge Ram 1500, from 2019-2022+, you can choose a perfect ride, with the super comfortable and high performance IMS shocks, and add a nice bit of lift to your truck whilst not hindering the ride quality at all.
