When to replace shock absorbers on an MY15 D4

[RobA]

Apologies but this has probably been asked but simply can't find it using the search box.

Our TDV6 has now travelled 92,000km in almost four years with around 95% of that towing either an Ultimate or our AOR Q+. As well around 80% has been off bitumen

Whilst the car is still performing really well I am looking at my maintenance schedule and wondering if and when I should replace the shocks and also do I stay with OE or what else is there that is calibrated and performs in concert with the EAS

Rob

[loanrangie]

Shocks and air springs are one unit although they can be separated, I think OEM is the only real choice.

[RobA]

Thanks for that exactly what I suspected. In no rush just looking at my service budget for next year and beyond as extended warranty ends Dec 19.

Rob

[DiscoMick]

Does the service schedule recommend a replacement distance?

[goingbush]

if they still built them liker they used to you wont need to change them for another 45 + years , say upwards 2060 .

My 1973 Series 3 still has originals & are perfectly good , expect they will go another 45 !!

[loanrangie]

167K on mine and no signs of them going soft, hopefully that time wont come til much later.

[Grentarc]

167K on mine and no signs of them going soft, hopefully that time wont come til much later.I guarantee at that mileage they are worn out. The EAS makes it harder to notice, but put new ones in and you will instantly realise the old ones are gone

[RobA]

I guarantee at that mileage they are worn out. The EAS makes it harder to notice, but put new ones in and you will instantly realise the old ones are gone

Justin thanks for that. I have been wondering if the EAS may be hiding the need to take the plunge.

So the next question is what options are there to replace them. As I read the forum it is the complete leg which includes the full EAS. As they seem to come as a complete kit?

Rob

[Disco-tastic]

I guarantee at that mileage they are worn out. The EAS makes it harder to notice, but put new ones in and you will instantly realise the old ones are goneMines at 186k km and I feel that the ride isn't as nice as when I bought it 36k km ago. Could just be me though.

I think mine will get new upper and lower arms plus new shocks/bags. Won't be for a while though as it doesn't feel off, and tyre wear is still even.

[Graeme]

Genuine shocks are available but after having seen the cracks on the insides of the folds at 90K, I suggest that the whole assembly be replaced as the air-springs are unlikely to last another set of shocks and the springs themselves are quite expensive. Having tried non-genuine shocks on the D4, I would only fit genuine shocks but perhaps I'm fussy regarding shocks.

[LRD414]

Rob, mine is at 101k and 4 years old. My offroad travel is similar to yours but less of the total usage (I'd estimate 25% offroad and towing).
I feel qualitatively the ride is softer through corners compared to new but nothing that needs action yet, although I don't want to leave it too late.
I crossed the Simpson and thought the French Line was pretty rough thanks to the churned up dune faces but when compared to the Defender we travelled with ...... the amount of bouncing on the Defender (low km MY16) was something to behold.

Cheers,
Scott

[Redback]

220,000 hard Ks on our D4 and still on the originals, I thought for sure we'd be replacing them after our Kimberley trip(23,000Ks) but the car still rides fine, even drove another D4 with low Ks to see the difference, very minimal difference, nothing to warrant replacing them yet, even our mechanic said they are all good.

[RobA]

Thanks all for those comments. If it was anything else I would have been on my second set of suspension by now. Cost wise its around $4300 to put a set of the ARB BP51 suspension on an LC200 so looking at the pricing on this thread its a bargain

Interestingly and as we are not touring until May next year I swapped out the GOE rims and KO2's yesterday for the OE 19" and Goodyears. Certainly a lot quieter and ride is noticeably smoother as well. So the HD tyres with stiffer sidewalls are great when off bitumen but not as nice for bitumen cruising.

Rob

[Ean Austral]

I’m at 155k and that is a combination of daily driver and tow tug. Kimberly twice and now tassie and a few long distance highway trips towing.

Drove a 2005 with 270k on it thru a windy but fast stretch of road and was very noticeable the difference in the 2 cars. Also let him drive mine thru the same stretch and both agreed his was far softer and needed to be driven slower thru .

I think mine will be replaced with original if available at about 200k.

my 2c worth

Cheers Ean

[TuffRR]

Mine were done at around 110,000km. Both front ones were stuffed with the down-travel limiting tab on the shock broken so on full articulation it was slowly breaking brackets for height sensors and other bits as the arm over-extended. I run large (for a D4 [tonguewink]) tyres offroad, so maybe this is leading to a more premature failure with the additional weight and forces.

[Russrobe]

Check your tyres, I replaced my air struts as within 2 weeks of fitting my 32" A/T's i was getting heel and toe wear, it was getting bad by the time i replaced them after 4 weeks. Would have destroyed my $2000 tyres (5 X D697) within 2 months. Luckily, I was monitoring the tyres regularly at that stage and noticed it early.

Once you have severe enough heel and toe wear, they just keep wearing like that forever, and get noisier and noisier, by catching it early the tyres have a chance to smooth themselves back out again like mine did.

That was around 200,000 km's. Strangely enough the original road tyres had no heel and toe wear at all, i'd assume AT'S aggressive blocks are more easily affected.

[Redback]

OK our D4 has done everything from long dirt ks long highway ks, to and from work and play time, it has a bullbar, kaymar bar with two carriers, roof rack, sliders, storage drawers full of spares tools and food stuff, dual batteries and so on and so on all towing a 1500kg trailer, a 4.6t combination, the car has been like this from 6000ks:burnrubber:

[Eric SDV6SE]

183,000 kms still on original units, no issues, ride quality is still the same, ie excellent

[PerthDisco]

183,000 kms still on original units, no issues, ride quality is still the same, ie excellent

Likewise D3 close to 200,000 now and all good. Original compressor. Weighing up full replacement.

[DiscoJeffster]

I went with “OEM” not “genuine” and didn’t notice a difference in rode. Some say I would have if I bought genuine.
At least I can say my air bags and shock are fresh and won’t fail during a trip (hopefully).
(250,000km)

[Graeme]

Next time you can get genuine shocks only and fit them to the OEM air-springs which will still be good if my experience with OEM complete struts is anything to go by.

[Towcar]

I replaced mine on MY10 RRS at 115kms. Larger bumps and harsh bumps on the highway use to throw the rear out, like it was trying to kill me.

Replacements plus some standard service items, filters etc from rimmber bros. Just over 2k aud. Oem quality which I've done 60xxxkms on now.

Fitment 35mins each corner.

From memory
2 Jack's
13mm rachet spanner for 3 top nuts
Socket on breaker bar and large spanner for lower nut
Air fittings will already be on new units. They just push in.

Cheers
Jeremy

[Redback]

Well it seems I spoke to soon(I blame all of you for this)

Car went in for a regular service, while it was on the hoist the mechanic noticed that the right side shock assembly was hanging down 2" further than the other 3, What the!!!!!!

So it looks like we'll need to replace that shock at least, might as well do the left side also, after Xmas we'll do the rears.

I hate you all[bigsmile]

[Graeme]

Nah Baz, you shouldn't have sent it in for a service at least until the other side almost fell out too!

[vbrab]

Not sure what I did wrong, but I was still driving around on my original shockies and airlegs at 470K, and because I happened to have signs of a slow air loss after parked for a few hours, and I had 4 new airlegs sitting at home, I thought I would get them all changed over.
On removals, the shockies were still performing OK, plenty of push back in them.
I have only noticed a slight improvement in ride comfort, just a bit softer/bouncier coming off kerbs or going on uneven surfaces.
I think life of shockies might very much depend on what sort of driving you are doing and what sort of country you work the suspension over.
In the 470k's travelled probably 80% was on bitumen, and rest just reasonable gravel roads and some occasional rocky track climbing.

[TuffRR]

I think life of shockies might very much depend on what sort of driving you are doing and what sort of country you work the suspension over.

If so, that would explain why mine died an early death. [bighmmm]

[DiscoJeffster]

Heat kills shocks. If you do lots of corrugated roads then they’ll fail sooner as they work so much harder. Seals wear, oil changes viscosity. After all, it’s the only oil in the car that’s never changed.

[Redback]

Front struts replaced on Tuesday and the verdict is, seems pretty much the same to me:spudnikwhat: while the car was in the shop I had the airbox replaced also, the threads that hold it down were stuffed and I had repaired them numerous times so decided to replace the it, now that made a difference, the throttle response is back and with a new exhaust it is running very nicely now:burnrubber: