[getsurya]

Originally Posted by XLR8

Folks- This is a very insightful discussion for me too. I have a 2019 Fortuner and have been contemplating a 2" lift for a while now. Confused between Iron man and ARB EMU

Thanks..

Hi, I have used Ironman on my old Fortuner and have the OME on the new Fortuner. Between the two, definitely OME has an upper hand in all departments. This is my personal experience and am happy with my decision to go with OME suspensions with Ashok of Bengaluru. I can't even think of going back to stock suspensions after 10 years of driving on aftermarket suspensions.

[R-Drive]

Originally Posted by XLR8

Folks- This is a very insightful discussion for me too. I have a 2019 Fortuner and have been contemplating a 2" lift for a while now. Confused between Iron man and ARB EMU.

In Blore, the Iron man suspension seems cheaper by about 10K or so. Not really a decision criteria as such but I am more keen to know which one fairs better from a ride quality standpoint and can take a bit more abuse.

My stock ride is bone jarring enough so I will go with the one that provides some(even marginal) betterment with the ride quality.

Thanks..

I took a test drive of a Fortuner just fitted with an Ironman suspension, with the Comfort option. To be frank I did not notice much difference in the ride quality at normal speed in the city. My requirement was to have a more plain ride within the city, where every pothole or bump would send jolts into the car. I have a dash cam installed which starts an emergency recording when it senses even a slight impact - this gets triggered very often when I drive through the city roads. I have reduce the tyre pressure to 29.5psi, this has improved the ride but not eliminate the above issues.
The person who installed the Irnman in the vehicle I drove said that the difference will be noticed only at higher speeds and during off-roading - but these are not the scenarios I was looking for since I am quite satisfied with the ride quality on the highway.
I will find out on the ARB - OME suspension, will let you know when I know more.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by R-Drive

I will find out on the ARB - OME suspension, will let you know when I know more.

OME is the gold standard man. Go for it. Fortuner's problem has been lumpy ride at low speeds. At higher speeds, the stock suspension works fine. And for this the ironman upgrade is not worth it.

If you want more road biased comfort, try bilstein's too.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by XLR8

Folks- This is a very insightful discussion for me too. I have a 2019 Fortuner and have been contemplating a 2" lift for a while now. Confused between Iron man and ARB EMU.

In Blore, the Iron man suspension seems cheaper by about 10K or so. Not really a decision criteria as such but I am more keen to know which one fairs better from a ride quality standpoint and can take a bit more abuse.

My stock ride is bone jarring enough so I will go with the one that provides some(even marginal) betterment with the ride quality.

Thanks..

Okay, a word of caution about OME (ARB). Not all are created equal. I had the OME on my J120 and it was bone jarring. But I had the base version. The BP51 is pricey but very good when it comes to ride quality and handling. On the J150, I got the Dobinsons IMS. It sits between the base and the MRR(high end), and the ride quality is better than the stock.

As for Ironman, the foam cell pro (their higher end stuff) has better ride, and also has control for stiffness. Find out the pricing for that and try to go for that.

Also find out if the installer is experienced. The way you set these up matter a lot. For example, to get proper alignment you may need to invest in upper control arms. They also impact suspension dynamics. I currently use SPC. They make alignment with 2.5" lift a breeze (though greasing them every 10K is considered a hassle by some).

[XLR8]

Thank you for all the valuable insights folks. I intend to meet with the mechanic to share my expectations and get his first hand inputs. Looks like it will be OME for me as and when I decide to take the plunge. Will keep you all posted.

[R-Drive]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

OME is the gold standard man. Go for it. Fortuner's problem has been lumpy ride at low speeds. At higher speeds, the stock suspension works fine. And for this the ironman upgrade is not worth it.

If you want more road biased comfort, try bilstein's too.

Thanks, noted, I will check them out.

[Strykar]

Here are some kits I evaluated for my (2nd owner) 2011 Fortuner in mid 2023:

1. Dr Nano Suspension (twin tube) Nitro gas / Foam Cell
2. OME from S. India (Not a single spec sheet shared with me)
3. Factory (Tokico OEM) at ASC
4. DCS suspension - 8 stage compression adjustable monotube struts with remote reservoirs. S. African, probably the most value for money even after import duty.
5. Tein 4x4 Dampers (with and w/o EDFC Active Pro) (Seems amazing, but even Tein suggests you don't go bouldering with EDFC).

Ended up choosing to go with Dr Nano standard nitro gas shocks, after seeing them do 40,000 Kms on @abhayshanu's Fortuner (Even more capable Fortuner 4x4 | Suspension lift kit, manually locking rear differential & more).
Unbeatable price to performance, and the fact that Dr Nano is the only vendor selling UCA's / Diff drop kits and adjustable panhard rods, all of which are nice if you're going for some crazy lifts over 2" or tyre sizes over 33".

[staten1]

Originally Posted by XLR8

Folks- This is a very insightful discussion for me too. I have a 2019 Fortuner and have been contemplating a 2" lift for a while now. Confused between Iron man and ARB EMU.

In Blore, the Iron man suspension seems cheaper by about 10K or so. Not really a decision criteria as such but I am more keen to know which one fairs better from a ride quality standpoint and can take a bit more abuse.

My stock ride is bone jarring enough so I will go with the one that provides some(even marginal) betterment with the ride quality.

Thanks..

Hi XLR8,

Buying suspension is like buying a pair of shoes! Don't buy before you can test drive it and then decide which one you like. I have a Ironman4x4 Foam Cell Pro on my LC 200 and it runs like a dream as compared to the boat like drive it had earlier.

So test drive before you buy because everyone's opinion about suspension is always very subjective (including mine) and usually never what you actually finally get in reality in your own vehicle.

Thank you!

[turbomann]

Hi GETSURYA,

What has been your experience using the Ironman Nitrogas suspension for your fortuner over the years and how is it compared to the OME on the new fortuner?

From a perspective of low-speed ride quality and Bumb absorption, are either of them more comfortable that stock Toyota suspension?

The stock 2022 Fortuner 4x4 has a lot of sideways movement when going on rough roads and broken patches under 20 KMPH, do either of the suspensions help overcome this?


Thanks in advance!

[RevvedUpGuy]

Such a useful thread! I own a Hilux '23 and looking to upgrade the suspension for a smoother ride especially on the rear seat and improve the stance. No major offroading. Primarily bad roads and highways. I plan to keep it stock apart from tires once the stock ones wear out and suspension.

It's kinda tricky finding a good dealer or garage that guides through the process and products.

I'm based in Mumbai and none of the dealers I've come across have been able to provide a test drive or atleast the contact of any existing customer for Iron man nitrogas or profender. Some didn't even bother to pitch or explain the product they have.

Don't have the budget for foamcell pro. Didn't find any dealers for ARB and for profender haven't seen many reviews.

Any Hilux owners around? Or any leads in Mumbai would be great.

[Ace88]

Hi @Strykar how are the Dr Nano shocks faring? What's your feedback after using them for almost a year?

[BlackBeard]

Originally Posted by RevvedUpGuy

It's kinda tricky finding a good dealer or garage that guides through the process and products.

I'm based in Mumbai and none of the dealers I've come across have been able to provide a test drive or atleast the contact of any existing customer for Iron man nitrogas or profender. Some didn't even bother to pitch or explain the product they have.

Don't have the budget for foamcell pro. Didn't find any dealers for ARB and for profender haven't seen many reviews.

Any Hilux owners around? Or any leads in Mumbai would be great.

I do not know of any garages in Mumbai who can do the modifications but for the suspension upgrade parts and other 4x4 accessories you can try AIR90 automotive based out of chennai. They have quite a large product list. I bought my Pajero suspension upgrade kit (ARB and OME) from them in 2019.

[Chennai14]

Hi, I own a 4X2 2021 Fortuner and contemplating between Tein and ARC. I am based out of Chennai and drive around lot of bad roads, while high speed is manageable with OEM, low speed drive is an issue where i spend considerable time.
Lanson Chennai installs of Tein and Profender, there are other garages supports it as well.
ICD Chennai installs ARC as far as i know.
While the Tein reviews are good, i am not sure how much worth it is to consider in 4X2 vehicle. Its expensive as well.
Any further insights would be appreciated, thanks.

[graaja]

Hi all,

I am planning to upgrade the stock suspensions in my 2024 Fortuner 4x4 AT. The main requirement is to add comfort at low speed ride on bad roads and also reduce body roll and increase stability at high speeds.

I have shortlisted the following.

Tein 4x4 suspensions with 16 way adjustment:
Teins come with adjustable struts with 16 settings, but the car has to be lifted to access the adjustment. If I add the EDFC option, then the adjustment can be done electronically without lifting the car. But this adds cost and one more failure point. Also, except for a few videos from an installer from Cochin, I did not find any reviews on the Teins.

Tough Dog foam cell suspension with 9 way adjustment:
Tough Dog has foam cell suspensions with 9 way adjustment. The advantage of Tough Dog is that the adjustment can be made without lifting the car. Have seen several positive reviews of how the suspension is comfortable at low speeds, stable at high speeds, and also performs well in off-roading.

Ironman foam cell pro:
There are good reviews for Ironman foam cell pro suspensions, too. But these do not come with any adjustments. Because of fixed dampening, there is a very mixed review on these suspensions. Some say they are more comfortable than stock, and some say they are stiffer than stock.

Of the three, I am leaning towards the Tough Dog due to its 9-way adjustment and easy access without having to lift the car. Also, in general, Tough Dog has more positive reviews online.

Ideally, I wanted to test drive cars with these suspensions and then decide. However, I have not been successful in finding a test drive car. So, I have to go with general feedback and features.

I would like to hear some input on this selection. Is there anyone who has installed Tough Dog foam cell adjustable suspension in their Fortuner? If yes, how do they compare with the stock suspensions with respect to low speed comfort, high speed stability, body roll etc.

Thanks in advance for all the inputs.

[megazoid]

I would stay stock and adjust the driving to suit the needs. The suspensions may not by themselves bring the change that you are looking for. Spend more time driving the car and then revisit this requirement. Bilstein offroad shocks are available too just in case you want to factor that in as an option.