Thread: ARB BP51 By Pass Shocks now available.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

How about Fox remote shocks, Bilstein and Koni? People seem to rate them highly.
I don't know myself, I'm just interested in your opinion. Hope you don't mind me asking.

I know two guys that spent big money on Fox remote reservoir suspension, and they both really like them.

One went from BP51 to fox,and recons there is no comparison,the fox outdoes them in all areas.

But note these vehicles are not Defenders.

Originally Posted by scarry

I know two guys that spent big money on Fox remote reservoir suspension, and they both really like them.

One went from BP51 to fox,and recons there is no comparison,the fox outdoes them in all areas.

But note these vehicles are not Defenders.

There's one area that OME has over Fox - Australian Made.

Ive heard good things about lots of shocks but again cant really see how they could be so much better given the different designs. I just find people rave about whatever product they have bought. Whether it's OMEs, FOX, Kings, Bilsteins, KONIs, even Toughdog.

I also cant seem to find any NO BS reviews of these shocks compared. I guess because theyre so expensive.

Most of the independent reviews I've seen on shocks are more like an unboxing video. Just shows you the fancy plastic shields or talks about welds.

Thanks for the advice to talk to Dobinsons, I might drop them a line.

Originally Posted by Wicks89

There's one area that OME has over Fox - Australian Made.

Ive heard good things about lots of shocks but again cant really see how they could be so much better given the different designs. I just find people rave about whatever product they have bought. Whether it's OMEs, FOX, Kings, Bilsteins, KONIs, even Toughdog.

I also cant seem to find any NO BS reviews of these shocks compared. I guess because theyre so expensive.

Most of the independent reviews I've seen on shocks are more like an unboxing video. Just shows you the fancy plastic shields or talks about welds.

Thanks for the advice to talk to Dobinsons, I might drop them a line.

It all comes down to who valves and builds them.
You can have the world's most expensive damper but if the valving isn't suitable they aren't worth a pinch of poop.

E.g. Theres only one Bilstein rebuilder in Australia I trust, Baker Brothers.
Gary and his brother have forgotten more than most people will ever know when it comes to damping.
I've had race Bilstein's totally screwed up by an old importer. They had no idea what I was asking them to do.
Sent them to Gary who chastised me for not at least trying them on the car.
"Gary, I've seen the dyno sheet..."
He rang me back after dynoing them, said it was smart not to run them!

Ken O'Keefe's boys at The Ultimate Suspension do nice, well valved 46mm monotubes that are made right here in Australia in Sydney's South West.

Pedro would have a better handle on the off road race stuff, I'm well out of the loop, but from what I recall Dion Beattie was the man when it came to Fox for a long time, Rohan Canavan was the King bloke.

The tech in the race type stuff isn't comparable to the old Twin tube and basic mono-tube stuff.

Originally Posted by Wicks89

There's one area that OME has over Fox - Australian Made.

Turns out my earlier statement on the BP51s was wrong. They are made in Thailand. The prototypes were built locally, but unfortunately production went overseas. I believe that the other OME shocks are still made in South Australia (Tenneco / Monroe) but who knows nowadays... I've just ordered Fox 2.0s for my D1 and hopefully they'll see me/it out.

Originally Posted by DiscoClax

Turns out my earlier statement on the BP51s was wrong. They are made in Thailand. The prototypes were built locally, but unfortunately production went overseas. I believe that the other OME shocks are still made in South Australia (Tenneco / Monroe) but who knows nowadays... I've just ordered Fox 2.0s for my D1 and hopefully they'll see me/it out.

Well there goes that!

Back to the drawing board!

Thanks for chiming back in to the discussion clax, it was your original comments that got me so excited.

Sorry about that. I saw the protos locally being built and tested and assumed production would continue locally also, like all other OME gear. But you know what happens when you assume I double checked before ordering Defo ones for my D1 and then went cold on the idea of it. For me it jars to spend that sort of coin and find they aren't local. So I went Yankee instead for a lot less...

Originally Posted by DiscoClax

Turns out my earlier statement on the BP51s was wrong. They are made in Thailand. The prototypes were built locally, but unfortunately production went overseas. I believe that the other OME shocks are still made in South Australia (Tenneco / Monroe) but who knows nowadays... I've just ordered Fox 2.0s for my D1 and hopefully they'll see me/it out.

Cheers for that, I too thought they were built here.
Just been having this discussion with a mate who is currently fitting some 12" 9100 Billies to his Deefer

And for Oz made, as mentioned The Ultimate Suspension make 46mm bore monotubes here.
And Jamie Drummond makes huge bore, adjustable rally/off road shocks.
Google DMS, Drummond Motorsport.
Back in the day he was the suspension guru for Nissan when Howard Marsden ran their motorsport department, cutting his teeth on re-fettling Bilsteins.