Dirt King Fabrication: Mid-Travel & Long-Travel Suspension Guide

Dirt King Fabrication builds CAD-designed, made-in-USA suspension systems, ranging from bolt-on boxed control arms to full long-travel kits, for Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner plus full-size Ford and GM trucks. Their reputation rests on heavy-duty boxed arms and uniball pivots that hold up to real desert abuse without gutting daily drivability.

If you are turning a Toyota or full-size truck into a capable desert rig, Dirt King is one of the first names you will run into. They sit in the sweet spot between a mild leveling kit and a full trophy-truck cage build, offering three broad tiers: replacement control arms, mid-travel packages, and long-travel kits. This guide explains what separates those tiers, what each kit actually includes, and which one fits your build. If you are new to the concept, start with our long-travel suspension explainer and the broader cost-to-build breakdown before you spend money.

Who is Dirt King Fabrication?

Dirt King Fabrication is a Southern California suspension manufacturer focused on IFS (independent front suspension) trucks. Their parts are CAD-designed, tested, and machined and welded in-house in the USA, which is a big part of why builders trust them over generic import arms. The signature design element across their catalog is the boxed control arm, a plated, fully welded arm that resists flex far better than a simple tubular arm, typically paired with stainless-steel uniballs at the outer pivots instead of factory ball joints for strength and articulation. They compete most directly with shops like Total Chaos and Camburg; see the full fab shop directory for how they stack up.

Mid-travel vs. long-travel Dirt King kits

This is the decision that shapes your whole build, so it is worth getting right.

Mid-travel

A Dirt King mid-travel package keeps the factory frame mounting points and stock track width. It typically bundles front coilovers, rear shocks, and tubular upper control arms, and generally comes preset with roughly 2 inches of lift to level the truck. Because it bolts on without cutting the frame or widening the truck, it stays street-friendly, keeps stock or near-stock fenders, and clears mid-30s tires. It is the practical choice for a daily-driven trail and dune truck that still sees pavement.

Long-travel

A long-travel kit replaces the lower and upper arms with longer boxed units and widens the front track by roughly 3 to 4 inches per side. On the Tacoma this typically unlocks somewhere around 13.5 inches of wheel travel and clearance for up to roughly 35-inch tires; full-size F-150 and GM kits run in a similar 13-inch range and can clear up to around 37s. The payoff is dramatically more suppleness over whoops and high-speed washboard. The trade-off is that you will need wider fiberglass fenders to cover the extra width, and 4WD trucks require extended axle shafts to accommodate the new geometry.

What a Dirt King kit actually includes

Exact contents vary by platform and by how you configure the order, but the general breakdown looks like this:

• Control arms: Boxed lower arms and boxed or tubular upper arms, with stainless uniballs at the outer pivots.
• Shock provisions: Kits are usually offered bare (arms only) or as packages that add coilovers and rear shocks. Dirt King offers their own performance shocks, and long-travel kits are also valved to accept aftermarket King or Fox coilovers and bypasses. If you are unsure which damper style you want, read bypass vs. coilover shocks.
• Hardware and bushings: Uniballs, misalignment spacers, zerk-fitting pivot hardware, and preload spanner wrenches on coilover packages.
• Axle options (long-travel, 4WD): Configurable add-ons for extended axle shafts or complete axle assemblies, which is a major driver of the final price.

Platforms Dirt King supports

Dirt King’s catalog is deepest on the Toyota side but covers popular domestic trucks too:

• Toyota Tacoma (approximately 2005–current, 2nd and 3rd gen): leveling, mid-travel, and long-travel. See the Tacoma prerunner build guide.
• Toyota Tundra (approximately 2007–2021 and newer): boxed upper control arms and suspension components. More in the Tundra build guide.
• Toyota 4Runner (approximately 2003–current, including the latest gen): chromoly upper control arms and lift/leveling parts. See the 4Runner build guide.
• Ford F-150 (roughly 2004–2008, 2009–2014, and 2015–current): long-travel kits clearing up to around 37-inch tires.
• Chevy / GMC 1500 (including 2007–2016 and 2019–current): front long-travel kits.

Because platform coverage and part numbers change over time, always confirm fitment for your exact year and cab configuration before ordering.

How it fits into a build

Think of Dirt King as your front-suspension foundation. On a Toyota, a common progression is boxed upper control arms plus coilovers first, then a mid-travel package, and finally a long-travel kit once you commit to wide fenders and a desert-focused rear. Because long-travel widens the truck, it changes your wheel offset and tire plans, so coordinate it with your wheel choice and whether you are running 2WD or 4WD. A 2WD truck simplifies the long-travel install; a 4WD needs the extended-axle path.

Which Dirt King Fabrication product for your build?

• Daily driver that occasionally hits trails: Start with boxed upper control arms (roughly $800–$900) and quality coilovers. Better geometry and articulation, zero fender work, fully street legal.
• Weekend dune and trail truck: A mid-travel package (roughly $2,500–$4,000 depending on shocks) is often the value sweet spot, delivering a big ride-quality gain while staying bolt-on.
• Dedicated desert prerunner: Go long-travel. Expect a wide range, from around $4,000 for a 2WD arms-and-shock kit up to roughly $8,000–$10,000 once you add complete axle assemblies and premium bypass shocks.
• Not sure yet: Buy the arms first. They carry forward into most future configurations, so you are not throwing money away.

Prices are approximate and configuration-dependent; confirm current pricing with Dirt King or an authorized dealer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Dirt King long-travel kit street legal?

The kit itself is a mechanical suspension upgrade and is generally street legal, but widening the track with long-travel typically requires wider fiberglass or aftermarket fenders to cover the tires, and local fender-coverage and lift laws vary. Check your state rules and see our overview of whether prerunners are street legal.

Do I need to replace my shocks with a Dirt King kit?

It depends on how you order. Some kits are sold as bare arms, while mid-travel and long-travel packages include coilovers and rear shocks. Even arm-only kits are designed around performance coilovers, so budget for quality dampers, whether Dirt King’s own or a King or Fox setup.

Dirt King vs. Camburg or Total Chaos, which is better?

All three are reputable American IFS suspension builders, and the right pick often comes down to your exact platform, desired travel, and dealer support. Dirt King is especially well regarded for its boxed arms and Toyota coverage. Compare options in our Camburg and Total Chaos guides. You can browse the full Dirt King catalog at their official site.