Thread: Shock Horror! (or which brand)

Originally Posted by Robmacca

... what's the go with the "3-way" ?? Expansion - compression & ?

high speed compression
low speed compression
rebound

Monotube Remote Reservoir - Adjustable (MRR)

to complicate purchasing, i convinced myself that i need air bags on 4 corners. That affects the internal valving setup of the shock. I've procrastinated about how to set up the air suspension for 6 months so until that is sorted, shock purchasing is on hold. By the time i pull my finger out Dobinson will have released the 12" version. Harmonious co-incidence.

Originally Posted by MLD

high speed compression
low speed compression
rebound

Monotube Remote Reservoir - Adjustable (MRR)

to complicate purchasing, i convinced myself that i need air bags on 4 corners. That affects the internal valving setup of the shock. I've procrastinated about how to set up the air suspension for 6 months so until that is sorted, shock purchasing is on hold. By the time i pull my finger out Dobinson will have released the 12" version. Harmonious co-incidence.

In regards to seeing up the air suspension firestone has some great data available for their bags, right down to ride frequency.

All in all though, the rrc/p38 designs are very good and hard to beat, but they do give limited articulation.

I to am in the market for shocks, as well as springs. I'll some be putting on 4" lifted 80 series front shocks (11" stroke). I was lucky enough to talk to Sam from Desert Speed Lab, who designed the bp51s for OME, and there's a lot more to these shocks.

I've just drawn up the front measurements today, and will do the rear ones on Friday.
I'm going with tyre heaviest springs OME supply for the Defenders (which I wouldn't consider to be very heavy), and running bags in the rear coils.
All the best.

It’s amazing the variation in the originals. I am still on mine and haven’t noticed any need to change at 153,000km. Been a mix of on and off road. But also a lot of pretty high speed chasing around paddocks while spot lighting with my son - and I can say that can be bloody tough on the shocks!

when I need to will stick to the OEMs ans hope they are as good as what I have.

Originally Posted by benji

In regards to seeing up the air suspension firestone has some great data available for their bags, right down to ride frequency.

All in all though, the rrc/p38 designs are very good and hard to beat, but they do give limited articulation.

more sophisticated workings than mine. i laid under the truck starring up until my back got cold, got out and looked at figures on the screen instead. I should research what freq means and how it relates to the bag. I haven't factored that into my musings.

working out what air bag is best for my set up has done my head in. The rear is pretty easy, 1T14C-7's. Open and bump is outside the shock range so no ripping bellow from piston, good load carrying capacity at lower PSI , ironically lower rate at any given PSI than the Air Bag man offering in the 1T14C-3 bellow and TimNZ kindly published his CAD drawings for the mounts so any machine shop can replicate. In theory i'll have a long travel bag that will carry my weight and will ride like a magic carpet. The RRC/P38 front set up (which is the near identical to the Air Bag man offering) is my uncertainty. The specs are not published so it is difficult to assess what you are buying. Firestone offer a similar bag with longer travel than the RRC offering but the specs suggest that it will require 100psi to achieve my load rating at the design ride height. The rate at 100 psi is 180 lbs/in so matches the factory offering. If i fit the 1T14C-7 to the front as well i get the same load rating and rate at 40psi with more bag travel than the front could want. I am planning to fit a Cummins engine to the 130 and it is a heavy lump which is why the RRC/P38 is not necessarily a good solution. If I were keeping the factory engine the air bag man kit would be an easy solution.

Picked this thread up a bit late I suppose.

However, Konis are pretty good, have adjustable konis on my mx5, but I'd reckon on Billies for a Deffie! Bilsteins!

Reason: Did have D2 and belted tripe out of suspension on corrugations in the Centre and across the top for a few month each year. With a D2 and later with the Deffie it is easy to test shockies. On corrugations at "corrugation speed" I would find the TC would start chattering normally jut before or just after lunch. Chattering would get earlier and earlier each year till shockies replaced. Probably two trips. All the so called off road gas shocks were similar. One year decided to bite the bullet. PAY for Billies!

TC normally didn't start to chatter at all. Occasionally near 4pm after a very hard/fast day..............................and that was year after year.

When SVX came to need new shocks, and the OEMs were lousy. No question, just Bilsteins. Something to note, Billies can actually be overhauled in Sydney if really necessary (well used to be)

Cheers

Rick F

I had old man emu shocks for years before they died. Probably over 150k on them. Can’t complain about them really. But then bilsteins. They totally transformed the ride. I was very impressed. But not quite enough control under really heavy load. But that’s probably more springs than shocks. One rear blew a seal after perhaps 50k. So not so impressed with that given price. But have just gone all out bought Koni Raids. Heaps stiffer than the Bilsteins on std setting. Done about 10k heavily loaded most of the time. Confident they will do they job for a long time but they do not have anywhere the same ride as the bilsteins.

Had a billie blow a seal, NuP NO Never!

An aquaintance with a Rangie in a LR Club had something similar happen, Bilstein said a la RR. (that's a Roller RR). It didn't happen, Bilsteins don't leak! ended up with a whole new set. (few years ago now)


(Did you call them?)

cheers

RF

Originally Posted by Rick Fischer

Had a billie blow a seal, NuP NO Never!

An aquaintance with a Rangie in a LR Club had something similar happen, Bilstein said a la RR. (that's a Roller RR). It didn't happen, Bilsteins don't leak! ended up with a whole new set. (few years ago now)


(Did you call them?)

cheers

RF

Nah... Probably should have said leaking seal not blown. They we’re still working but one kept getting heaps of oil around the outside. They may have kept going but I really wanted an excuse to buy the koni raids. Heavily loaded I would hit the bump stops hard over big dips etc. That rarely happens with the raids. I still run bilsteins on the front and they are great. I would get billies For the rear again if I did not have three kids and a tvan and all the extra weight that comes with that.