Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit + Load-Leveling System

Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit + Load-Leveling System

Introducing the Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit Paired With the Load-Leveling System for the 5th Gen 4Runner

As part of the winter 2020 edition of YOTA Magazine, I did a story on a new product by Eibach, their Eibach Load-Leveling System. It’s a great product that’s designed to grow with your build as you continue to ad weight. Covered in that article was the new system’s technical specifications, end-to-end installation steps, and a final review. The story also went into a bit of detail around having a well-laid-out plan when starting a build.

While I’m still not convinced that anyone has the perfect formula for building an overland rig, having a plan and associating a sequential timeline with that plan is a good step to avoiding costly mistakes and rework down the road. And, that brings us to this story and my need for yet another suspension swap; the Eibach 2.0 Coilover Lift Kit (Stage 2). This is Eibachs new coilover kit with a threaded shock body that allows ride height adjustments per your exact requirements. This is becoming the go-to in the Eibach line of lift kits for the 5th Gen 4Runner, 3rd Gen Tacoma, and 2nd Gen Tacoma as well because it’s offered at around the same price as their stage 1 kit but offers much more flexibility in ride-height control.

Find it online:

Eibach’s Load-Leveling System

Before we jump into the Eibach Stage 2 Coilover kit, let’s look at Eibach’s Load-Leveling System, another new game-charging product offered for the 5th Gen 4Runner.

In full transparency, I wasn’t really sure what to expect when it came to Eibach’s load-leveling system. When I used to think of Eibach, my mind went to motorsports like NASCAR and Formula 1. Little did I know that Eibach has been in the off-road performance space for years, started in the 1950s and is considered the world market leader in suspension components. They manufacture springs for/partner with some well-known companies including ICON, Bilstein, Fox, and King.

If you follow Eibach’s social media accounts, you’ll also see that their R&D department is constantly designing, testing, and pumping out new products to serve the Jeep, Toyota, Lexus, Chevy and Ford communities. After six months of running the load-leveling system with roughly 400 lbs of added weight, I’ve found it to be the exact solution for my (truck’s) sagging rear end.

Introducing the all new Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit For the 5th Gen 4Runner: Complete Review and Product Overview

As an official “fanboy”, I knew when the time came to change out the rest of my Toyota 4Runners aftermarket suspension, Eibach was the only way to go. You’ll notice on Eibach’s website that for a lot of makes and models, they offer two different lift systems.

Eibach Lift Kit Options for the 4Runner

  • The Pro-Truck Coilover System (Stage 2) shocks come with threaded adjustments on the bottom allowing you to tune the ride height with the included spanner wrench from stock up to 3.5” depending on your application. Adjustments can also be made while the system is already mounted to the truck. Additionally, the spring and shock mounts are already assembled to the shock, so installation is as easy as swapping out your OEM setup.
  • The Pro-Truck Lift System (Stage 1) is in no way a lesser setup, it’s just not as “plug-and-play”. The shocks in this setup come with “clip” spring perch grooves that also allow you to adjust the ride height from stock up to 3.0”. These adjustments must be made with the assembly off the truck, unlike the coilover system. The biggest difference with this system is that the components are not pre-assembled, meaning if you buy the shocks, you’ll either need to leverage your OEM springs and spring mounts or purchase them directly from a retailer and assemble everything prior to installation. Linked in this post is a link to YotaMafia.com where you can have those shocks assembled before you buy them. And trust me, this is something that you want someone to do if you have never done it.

With the never-ending list of mods I had planned for my vehicle at the time, the less work, the better. As such, I opted for the Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover System and Sport Shocks in the rear to swap out the Dobinsons suspension.

Over the years, I’ve added significant weight including a winch, a low-profile front bumper, a heavier performance CSF radiator, roof rack, rock sliders, a Boss Strong Box drawer system and a dual-swing steel rear bumper with a full-size spare. What once was a 2.5” lift all the way around turned into something less than 2.0”. I attempted to compensate for the difference with 1.0” spacers all around, but the Dobinsons springs and shocks just weren’t rated for the added weight. So, it was time to upgrade…and that is why having a build plan is critical!

As with any suspension installation, you’re going to want to ensure you have all the tools and wherewithal to get the job done right, or, leave it in the hands of a qualified mechanic. Having a vehicle lift will cut down the install time significantly and result in fewer headaches. However, a suspension upgrade is something a driveway warrior can tackle with the right jack, jack stands, and safety measures in place.

Eibach 2.0 Coilover Lift Kit (Feature #1): Ride Height Adjustments

Introducing the all new Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit For the 5th Gen 4Runner: Complete Review and Product Overview

Assuming you’ve already installed your coilover system, you may want to either raise the ride height to level out with the rear, compensate for added weight in the front (bumper, winch, armor, etc.), or lower it for a more raked stance.

As I had mentioned, one of the biggest features of the new Eibach coilover system is that ride height adjustments can be made fairly easily while the coilovers are already installed on your vehicle. The Pro-Truck Lift system can also be adjusted, but you’ll need to remove the assembly from the vehicle and make adjustments once the spring is compressed.

Shy of pressing a button to lift your truck, you’ll need to consider your vehicle’s motion ratio when raising the ride height. Motion ratio describes the precise amount of shock travel for wheel travel. More simply put, motion ratio is the leverage that the wheel has on the spring.

You’re going to want to find out your vehicles exact motion ratio before deciding how much height you want to add. This can often be found in the owner’s manual, but it may be easier to do a Google search or research further on a forum.

While Eibach includes a spanner wrench with the front coilovers, they are in the works of releasing a newly designed spanner wrench that connects to a ½” socket extension; this will definitely provide better leverage.

Feature #2: Fully Assembled Kit

Introducing the all new Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit For the 5th Gen 4Runner: Complete Review and Product Overview

For me, the best part about the Pro-Truck Coilover System is that everything was pre-assembled.

Again, building the strut assembly isn’t a challenging step in the process, but it does add to the total install time. Knowing that everything was assembled and tuned by Eibach gave me way more confidence than doing it myself and swapping everything out was done in record speed.

Feature #3: Clean Finish with Durable Components

Introducing the all new Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit For the 5th Gen 4Runner: Complete Review and Product Overview

It only takes a few hours to get your new shiny suspension completely caked in mud. Depending on where you’re adventuring, certain muds can harden like concrete making clean-up a pain. The ERO off-road race spring is powder-coated in Eibach’s iconic Stardust Silver II finish and the 6061-T6 billet aluminum mounts are anodized black. While there are no guarantees, especially if you hit the trails hard, Eibach backs this all up with a limited lifetime warranty.

Final Thoughts

Introducing the all new Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Lift Kit For the 5th Gen 4Runner: Complete Review and Product Overview

As you can imagine, swapping out rear springs for the Eibach load-leveling system followed by a complete Eibach 2.0 Coilover (Stage 2) suspension upgrade should lead you to believe that I’m a pretty satisfied customer.

This rig is a daily driver, so it was important that the new suspension stand up to being both a commuter and a weekend warrior. I didn’t want to spend an absorbent amount of money upgrading the suspension and for it to feel too rigid with where it spends 80% of the time (highways and city streets). After all the upgrades and added weight, the suspension now handles as it did back in its stock days, which was the ride comfort I always wanted to get back. Simply put, the ride is back to being comfortable.

When it comes to handling and feel on the trails, performance was a completely different story. The new suspension has now been through snowy trails, moguls, sand, mud, and crawled over a handful of trail boulders. The ride feels comfortable with no hard knocking or slamming and the truck trails significantly better over the Dobinsons.

With any increase in ride height, you’re going to feel “lifted”, but that simply translates to better obstruction clearance and less scraping. Both the front and rear wheels now have significantly more travel and nothing felt “springy” or “bouncy”. Even with a rooftop tent mounted to the top, the center of gravity shifting issues I had in the past are virtually nonexistent now. At the end of the day, I’m left clueless as to why there aren’t more Eibach upgraded rigs on the trails…maybe I’m just hanging with the wrong crew!

Off-road and on-road, the new Eibach Stage 2 kit is where it’s at. Be on the lookout soon for more options for different makes and models, including the rumored Stage 2R which will replace the rear shocks with new Pro-Truck Reservoir shocks!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

25 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
mike
mike
6 months ago

so… what is the motion ratio for a stock 4runner?

stephen
stephen
1 year ago

I have this setup on my 2010 FJ Cruiser. It replaced the Bilstein 5100 Toytec 3″ lift. The overall increase in ride, stability, travel, and handling is amazing. It’s a mid range lift that levels your vehicle at all 4 corners. 8 months and no complaints or issues.

Dru
Dru
1 year ago

how big of a tire will fit with this lift kit installed?

Jason
Jason
1 year ago

Ryan, great article! Just curious which Dobinson shock did you have previously? Im debating between IMS and pro truck coilover. Thanks!

Charles
Charles
5 months ago
Reply to  Jason

From most reviews I’ve read the Eibach should be similar to the IMS but the IMS is a better shock (at least in my reading) Dobinson also seems to have more spring options than anyone, so going to Eibach from Dobinson doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. The load level system is nice and no one else has that, but I can’t see myself back there changing it before every trip to control the sag from daily driver to loaded out. Both can be adjusted with the spring installed tho everyone is going to say it’s a bad idea even when the mfg makes a video showing them do it…so I guess it’s personal choice there, just clean and lube the threads a lot and maybe don’t plan to do it all the time. I won’t be getting the Eibach because after asking an installer and local rep and their tech team multiple times, they say it won’t function well below a 2in lift even tho it could be adjusted to less than 2in. I only want to lift slightly, and the IMS allows for 0to3 and has no issues operating anywhere in that range with proper spring choice. Hope that helps.

David
David
2 years ago

Can this suspension be used with a with KDSS

Ryan
Ryan
2 years ago
Reply to  David

Yes. I have a KDSS 2021. I used the king instructions to install. It was easy easy. Didn’t have to even think about the KDSS on the front and just unbolted the sway bar in the rear. You can ignore all the fear you read about on the forums. Just use the simple King method to install the Eibach 2.0. 5 hour job first time and it would be considerably less the second time around.

Michael F
Michael F
1 year ago
Reply to  Ryan

Im about to install the Stage 2R just waiting to be delivered. Can you tell me more of the “King Method” or point me where I can look that up. I have the 2018 with the KDSS. Thanks

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

Right on! I am in the Philadelphia Area as well!

Joe
Joe
2 years ago

Is the Load Leveling System Automatic? If i go camping and take a ton of stuff in the rear and on my roof rack, does it compensate on its own? Or do I adjust it when I add weight…..

jason
jason
2 years ago

nice options. good deals.

Mike
Mike
2 years ago

I called Eibach and they haven’t certified for the ’22 4runner yet. I have a ’22 ORP. Has anyone heard if they will absolutely work on the 22’s?

Nate Dean
Nate Dean
2 years ago
Reply to  Mike

I purchased the stage 2 coilovers and rear load levelers + rear shocks because a website listed then as confirmed for a 22. I was waiting a long time, watching eibach for verified fitment and when the other website notified me they were in stock and verified, I pulled the trigger and forgot to verify on eibach’s site. I decided to be the guinea pig and install them on a 22 ORP with KDSS. Yes they fit, yes they ride incredible, both on and off road. Will eibach change the spring rate or coil seat pre set on 22s? We’ll have to wait and see. I provided them with dozens of pictures and measurements throughout the install.

Rich
Rich
2 years ago

If you do both the stage 2 coilover lift kit as well as the load leveling system don’t you end up with a set of rear springs that don’t get used?

Jonathan W Bell
Jonathan W Bell
2 years ago

I have just had the Toytec 3′ springs taken off a set of the Bilstein 5100 because the ride quality was so bad. It was set at the 1.75 clip but I was still feeling every bump and rut at the back of the vehicle. Do you think the Eibach coils for the front would make a difference if set on 0? Have a Bilstein 1″ spring for the back

Scott
Scott
2 years ago

Hey Brendan, Can any shock/strut retailor install Eibach Stage 2? Any recommendations would be appreciated. Would you know average install cost?
Great website and always my first stop for 4Runner stuff.
Scott

samuel j wilkie
2 years ago
Reply to  Scott

Hey Scott, yes, most shock strut places can install, as well as most 4WP locations can install. I would probably suggest finding somewhere that has experience with 4x4s, so that they can do the alignment correctly.

Jimmy J
Jimmy J
2 years ago

Great article! How do these compare to Bilstein 6112 or dobinsons? I’m in the market for a suspension kit, still undecided though

Ryan Gibbons
Ryan Gibbons
2 years ago
Reply to  Jimmy J

I was really happy swapping from Dobinsons to Eibach, which is funny because Dobinsons rules the mid-price market.

A Ghost to Most
A Ghost to Most
2 years ago

If you want to gofast in the desert, or rockcrawl, pay the big bucks. If you want to drive the high rock roads, you can save some bucks. My Old Man Emu/SPC suspension takes a lot of slow-speed abuse, at an easier price.

/2006 heavily modified 4Runner

Tomasz N/A Rubaj
Tomasz N/A Rubaj
2 years ago

Great option and great article. Same kit for KDSS and non-KDSS correct?

samuel j wilkie
2 years ago

@Tomasz, yes, same kit. You can adjust the rears to compensate for the lean.

Ryan Gibbons
Ryan Gibbons
2 years ago

Believe so.

Keith
Keith
2 years ago

Thank you for this informative article Ryan. I am new to the offroad scene and have been looking at the Eibach Stage 1 kit. This article about the stage 2 has now upgraded my plans. However, I have a question. Is the Load leveling kit used with the Lift kits for heavier loads?

Ryan Gibbons
Ryan Gibbons
2 years ago
Reply to  Keith

Yeah I’d say the LLS is really beneficial if you have a lot of junk in the trunk. I had a rooftop tent, a Gobi rack, a drawer system and a C4 dual swing rear bumper with a full-size space on the back. So, lots of weight in the back. I was really happy with this setup though so if you can swing the LLS and the Stage 2, I’d highly suggest it.

25
0
Questions or Comments?x
()
x