Yeh but what shocks to use with Gen 111 on a daily

[olbod]

With our P38 I am not interested in it being a weekend warrior or rock climber, nor would I need huge articulation etc.
In my hands it will be a daily with an ocassional trip off the bitumen to go from A to B. For instance, Mackay to The Alice via Birdsville.
I dont like the ride and bounce on stock bags, so on advice from you all here Gen 111 is the way to go but what shocks to put in to match ( about medium weight, loaded ) that will handle corrigations.
The P38 already being a bottomless money pit, I cant really afford to bugger around with trial and error.

Thanks.

[olbod]

I should have added that I dont want to change height sensors on the corners or change the ride heights. Just bags and shocks.
I meant via Birdsville and Maree, not Simpson, and return via Plenty, that sort of thing, nothing extreme.

Ta.

[Keithy P38]

You'd be looking to go with a factory length shock, maybe something like an ironman foam cell would suit nicely. Has a bigger bore to soak up the lumpy dumpy roads and would resist fade quite well.

For comparison, my factory shocks are yet to show any signs of fade over corrugated roads - I put this down to the air springs absorbing quite a lot of the shock loads and allowing the shock absorber to take it easy.

[olbod]

Thanks Keithy.
I was looking for confirmation that these bags would be suitable without any other changes basicaly.

I had read some good things here about Terrafirma ?
I picked out these, that might do as long as they are the standard length ?

Ta.

[Hoges]

I'd recommend standard shocks ( with their reduced compression but increased rebound capability) to enable the standard or GenIII bags to operate properly.

Apart from Arnott product, there are two types of standard OEM front bags available. One is the usual Dunlop bladder. The other is the bag manufactured by Firestone with both Ford (for Explorer) and Land Rover (for P38) logos moulded into the outside of the bag. It has a vaguely conical shape like the Arnott offering as well as the metal retaining band.

Microcat has separate shock absorbers listings for each type of front airbag.

I fitted the Firestone bags 6 yrs ago but only recently became aware of the different shock listings. I'd bought what I thought were std shocks. The vehicle follows the road contours reasonably well but is quite unforgiving in transmitting Noise/vibration/Harshness on broken bitumen or corrugations unless well loaded.... this may well be due in part also to the Cooper tyres with their relatively stiff sidewalls though I've also read reports that Pirelli Scorpion A/Ts are also hard riding.

Check out the English version of Microcat on the Russian site Microcat - Spare parts Land Rover catalogue in English (http://lrparts.ru/engl/) very handy for getting part numbers etc


EDIT: "apparently" the Firestone bags are designed for use in hot climates... I didn't know that at the time.. they were what was handed to me over the counter by the local indie... I just thought they were simply updated version of the Dunlop originals which had hairline cracks in the usual places....

[olbod]

Hmm, Thanks Hoges.
It looks like some trial and error whether I like it or not.

Gen 111 will be going in but the existing shocks will stay untill I get the feel of the new bags.
These shocks are working but I dont know how old they are. I would not trust them on a trip to Maree and back.
There are some dirt roads in this district that I can drive to check it all out. Particulary a build up of heat, which is the first onset before fade.
If new standard shocks are ok, goody, we can get them cheaply by comparison from the UK. I would prefer to keep it simple if possible.
Airbag suspension is a newy for me and I would like to get it right on the first or second attempt.

[olbod]

I forgot to mention that I have been using BFG all terrain's for years and I will stick with them. I have never found them wanting in my travels and play and I have never had a punture. Staked yes once but never a punture.
The stake was one of those old bloody rail spike thingy's along the ghan.

[Keithy P38]

Once you have it sorted you'll have years of trouble free suspension. Just gotta get it all sorted in the first place!