Eibach Pro-Truck-Lift Stage 2 vs Dobinson IMS Lift Kit

[OddEntity]

Hey everyone,

I'm planning to lift my 2024 XLT FX4 and am waffling between the Eibach Pro-Truck-Lift Stage 2 and Dobinson IMS Lift Kit.

The Eibach option is much cheaper ($1183), and looks like a simpler kit. The Dobinson option is much more expensive ($2500) and includes replacement leaf springs.

For reference, I'm not looking to do anything crazy off-road (high speed or crawling). I want a lift and bigger tires for some slow-speed rough forest service road driving. I scraped my belly last time out, and am clearly at the limit of a stock Ranger on my trails.

I'm new to this world, so have some probably stupid questions:

1. Do I really need new leaf springs? What benefit do they provide?
2. Is the ~$1300 higher cost of the Dobinson kit worth it?
3. What would you do for my use case?

Links:

• https://www.eibach.com/product/E86-35-062-03-22?epsid=3559
• https://dobinsonusa.com/product/dobinsons-2-3-ims-lift-kit-for-ford-ranger-2024-on/

Thanks!

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[Batmanthony95]

Curious if anyone’s gotten or looking into getting the eibach suspension along with dobinson leaf springs and which spring rating. Could be a cheaper option.

 

[kishanp35]

Eibach vs Dobinsons: My Suspension Experience


I haven’t personally run either suspension kit on the 6th-gen Ford Ranger platform yet, but I do have experience with both on the 3rd-gen Toyota Tacoma. I owned the Eibach kit on my Tacoma, and I’ve also spent a good amount of time riding in my buddy’s truck, which had the Dobinsons setup.


My driving style sounds pretty similar to yours—mostly highway driving (about 85%) with the occasional gravel trail or light off-road trip. Based on that usage, I found the Eibach kit to be the better option for me overall.


The Dobinsons setup felt very stiff. At slower speeds, I noticed every bump and divot in the road, which made the ride feel harsh and unsettled. It reminded me a lot of my Audi RS3 with the magnetic ride suspension in track mode—great for smooth roads, but the moment you hit rougher patches or bridge gaps, the rear end would hop and the whole truck felt jittery.


The Eibach kit, on the other hand, was much more refined. It struck a nice balance between comfort and control. On the road, it felt plush and cleaned up the handling significantly. I was originally running Bilstein 4600s, which I found to be too floaty with a lot of nose dive under braking in stop-and-go traffic. They didn’t inspire much confidence in high-speed corners either.


Compared to that, the Eibachs were a noticeable improvement. They gave me a comfortable ride without being too soft, and they handled both road imperfections and highway driving really well. For my mix of daily driving and mild off-road use, they hit the sweet spot between the overly soft Bilsteins and the overly firm Dobinsons.


Based on my past experience, I’m planning to go with the Eibach Stage 2R kit this coming spring—without hesitation. Currently looking for a rear lift option for my 2.7 xlt ranger. Taking existing measurements i can only lift it 2 inches in the front and im level with back as my rake is very minimal, i would like a 2.5 inch front lift to clear 315s so looks like I'm going to need a rear solution for 1 inch lift at most.

 

[Offroad Dave]

Eibach vs Dobinsons: My Suspension Experience


I haven’t personally run either suspension kit on the 6th-gen Ford Ranger platform yet, but I do have experience with both on the 3rd-gen Toyota Tacoma. I owned the Eibach kit on my Tacoma, and I’ve also spent a good amount of time riding in my buddy’s truck, which had the Dobinsons setup.


My driving style sounds pretty similar to yours—mostly highway driving (about 85%) with the occasional gravel trail or light off-road trip. Based on that usage, I found the Eibach kit to be the better option for me overall.


The Dobinsons setup felt very stiff. At slower speeds, I noticed every bump and divot in the road, which made the ride feel harsh and unsettled. It reminded me a lot of my Audi RS3 with the magnetic ride suspension in track mode—great for smooth roads, but the moment you hit rougher patches or bridge gaps, the rear end would hop and the whole truck felt jittery.


The Eibach kit, on the other hand, was much more refined. It struck a nice balance between comfort and control. On the road, it felt plush and cleaned up the handling significantly. I was originally running Bilstein 4600s, which I found to be too floaty with a lot of nose dive under braking in stop-and-go traffic. They didn’t inspire much confidence in high-speed corners either.


Compared to that, the Eibachs were a noticeable improvement. They gave me a comfortable ride without being too soft, and they handled both road imperfections and highway driving really well. For my mix of daily driving and mild off-road use, they hit the sweet spot between the overly soft Bilsteins and the overly firm Dobinsons.


Based on my past experience, I’m planning to go with the Eibach Stage 2R kit this coming spring—without hesitation. Currently looking for a rear lift option for my 2.7 xlt ranger. Taking existing measurements i can only lift it 2 inches in the front and im level with back as my rake is very minimal, i would like a 2.5 inch front lift to clear 315s so looks like I'm going to need a rear solution for 1 inch lift at most.

Eibach has 1” blocks. Also they are testing 2.5 body shocks now

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