Over 10K Miles & 6 Months With My New Suspension
Dirt King (DK) has made a name for itself in the offroad industry with its fabrication and long travel suspension work. While their products have typically only supplemented suspension kits, the time had come for DK to be a one-stop shop. Enter their new 2.0 (IFP) and 2.5 (DCA) suspension kits. A few months ago, I posted my install and initial impressions. Now, I’ve had thousands of miles of testing done and wanted to share my thoughts.
When I first lifted my 3rd Gen Tacoma, I chose a budget-friendly option – the common Bilstein 6112 / 5160 kit. I wanted to get around 2″-3″ of lift while not breaking the bank. I never had any issues with this lift kit but as my offroad experience grew, it was time for my build to evolve to help me take on bigger challenges and dramatically improve performance.
Do You Need Adjustable Reservoirs?
Does your truck need remote reservoirs to go off-road? No, but you will get more performance from your truck if your suspension has them, especially if you like tackling uneven terrain at high speeds and long days on the trails.
When the oil in shocks is compressed, the built-up pressure dampens the impact. The more you “work” the oil, the more performance potentially suffers. Resis allow your shocks to hold more oil for sustained performance via better heat dissipation, improving ride quality. Adjustable ones, such as those found on the DCA kit, go one step further and allow you to control the low and high-speed dampening to be firmer or softer depending on your preference. Fine tuning is super helpful, even though the valving on these is pretty much perfect right out of the box.
What Makes This Kit Different
Differentiating between all the premium shocks on the market can be tough. To some extent, most high end shocks on the market are comparable. But where we see brands stand apart is in the details.
Dirt King has a great reputation for quality parts. So when they decided to dive into the world of shocks, they were very careful in how they proceeded. These shocks are still being continually refined, and the entire process has taken several years. This wasn’t just a move to quickly launch a new product to sell. This was a move to expand their lineup to cover all suspension elements at a high level. Keep in mind, this is a company which has quite a lot of experience building and testing just about every setup on the market.
When diving into manufacturing, DK looked for the best materials with a strong focus on longevity and things like corrosion resistance. Components like the anodized aluminum shock bodies are not standard, with several major alternatives using steel. This might be okay in hot and dry environments, but not good for those who live in more corrosive conditions.
With all the options for manufacturing, DK had to make a decision. Do they attempt to develop essentially a new manufacturing element, or leverage an establish brand with loads of experience? At the end of the day, the decision was made (after comparing all the options) to use Elka. Now, we can’t stress this enough – this is NOT a rebranded Elka shock. While Elka help to build them, that’s where the involvement ends. Dirt King was/is solely responsible for creating the specific tune used in each make/model. They also do final inspection, testing and assembly in their SoCal facility.
Outside of materials, the tune is really what sets everyone apart. DK’s intention was to build the best out of the box performing shock possible. While they have loads of internal experience, they decided they needed an expert to help out. Who better than an engineer who worked for years on Toyota/TRD suspension development? Enter Mark, a veteran in the space. Mark is so confident in this tune, that he put his personal reputation behind it. That should speak volumes, since this guy has experienced the full spectrum during his career.
Another stand out feature, these shocks utilize a standard 700 lb. spring, which allows for greater ability to grow with your build as you add weight, without having to swap coils. It also help to prevent coil bind, and was the best driving option they tested.
What I Like About The DCA Kit
Partnering with Elka was a big selling point for me. This ensured that DK’s new suspension kits were rock solid despite being a new product. Elka is a Canadian-made suspension brand which means their products are tested to withstand the harshest winters. The research and development behind their components make their suspension built to last in the toughest conditions.
Another big factor was the involvement of a former TRD engineer who knows Toyotas like few others. They used his knowledge to take this setup to the next level making it not just bolt on, but designed specifically to work with Toyota trucks. The result is an amazing out of box feel, perfect for the vast majority of the market – daily drivers who like to wheel hard on the weekends.
With the knowledge and expertise of DK, Elka, and a Toyota engineer behind these kits, they had to be a home run in terms of performance and reliability. This collective effort is not a bad thing. In fact, the more qualified people who have their hands on a project, the better. Batman can handle things pretty well on his own, but Robin is a valuable asset. Same idea here. A solid team performs better together!
10,000 Mile Review
From the first moment I drove my truck, I could feel the improvement over my previous setup. I headed up to a desert area with plenty of hills and bumps and the DCA kit soaked it all up. It made the rough dirt road feel like a paved road.
I have tested this kit driving at 80mph on a bumpy dirt road to crawling over rocks. It has performed exceptionally well no matter what I throw at it. The shocks cycle extremely smoothly and adapt well to every type of terrain.
Making adjustments on the shocks is very simple. Turn the adjustment knobs and in a few seconds, turn your highway setup into an offroad one. I have thoroughly enjoyed these initial miles on this system and look forward to putting many more miles on it.
Final Thoughts
DK strived to create the best offroad/daily driver setup with their IFP and DCA kits. I feel they met that goal with flying colors and this kit is a great option for anyone looking to upgrade their daily driver. You can do highway driving, slow offroad crawling, or even high-speed desert runs with confidence and comfort.
I also have to mention the color combo on this new lineup – it just looks so good! I know it’s just aesthetic, but we all like our rigs to look pretty. The black and gold color combo looks good on pretty much any color truck I’ve seen them on.
I highly recommend checking out the 2.5 DCA kit. If that’s a little overkill for your needs, the IFP is another great option. Check out Kenny’s 2.0 IFP shock review. You won’t be disappointed with either and I’m sure you will start convincing others to do the same just like I am now.
