Non-OEM D3 shocks

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Originally Posted by rick130

Pretty sure The Ultimate Suspension have a rebuildable/revalveable twin tube damper available for the D3, and as they used to use de Carbon (Delphi) as their house damper can probably revalve them still too.

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Hi Rick,

Are the Ultimate Suspenion shocks replacements for the air bag shocks or for the coilers?

I have had two sets of Koni's, the first set lasted 5,000 km but improved the handling of the D3 so much that it made it more like a slot car than a 2.7 ton 4x4 and the ride was still exceptional over bumps etc.

When changed for the second set of Koni's every shock had blown its seals and leaked all of its oil into the airbag.

Koni had changed the dampening in the FSD shocks by the time I got the second set, obviously they had experienced some issues and were trying to find a remedy. The ride in the second set was at best ordinary and it never handled as well as the first set.

When I took it back the second time they offered to replace them with the Delphi aftermarket shocks because they had stopped selling Koni's or D3/4's, so I accepted the very reasonably (cheap) priced Delphi replacement shock option and they are pretty much ok so far.

Why the aftermarket shocks die so quickly on a D3/4 no one seams to know, I wondered if it was through overheating inside the bag, I know my Koni shocks seamed to deteriate very quickly after I towed our 2.5 ton van.

cheers,
Terry

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Originally Posted by TerryO

Hi Rick,

Are the Ultimate Suspenion shocks replacements for the air bag shocks or for the coilers?

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I'm guessing coilers ?

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[snip]
Why the aftermarket shocks die so quickly on a D3/4 no one seams to know, I wondered if it was through overheating inside the bag, I know my Koni shocks seamed to deteriate very quickly after I towed our 2.5 ton van.

cheers,
Terry

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Quite possibly.

All a damper does is convert kinetic energy into heat.
That heat has to be dissipated somehow.

The front shocks only have 25mm stroke from fully extended to starting to compress the bump-stops. The bump-stops (helpers) are, from memory, about 50mm long and if compressed to around 30mm would provide a total of about 55mm stroke. The bare shock has about 90mm stroke but that includes the bump-stop and half the top bush thickness. The rears have more than 100mm stroke (I forgot the actual measurments) without considering the bump-stops. The shafts are approx 18mm dia using a tape measure.

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Originally Posted by TerryO

Hi Graeme,

I have had a set of these replacement Delphi shocks fitted for about two months now and I can tell you they are way better than the set of blown Koni's they replaced. In total I have done about 3,000 k's on them.

Are they a bit soft on dampening? yes a bit but even with a front bar and winch fitted, plus rock sliders and rear wheel carrier they seem to handle reasonably well.

I have also done over 1,000 k's mainly in the Vic and NSW high country towing our van over Christmas and I was very happy with them. They are not perfect but they have been much better so far than I expected.

cheers,
Terry

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Don't misunderstand, these shocks perform as shocks compared with the worn-out earlier D3s and the failed D4s, its just that as well as I can remember the MY09 D3 shocks had much better control around 100 kph on secondary roads and also without the mild lurch mid-corner. Without new MY09 to directly compare with I can't be absolutely sure but I hope for something better next time.

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Originally Posted by rick130

I'm guessing coilers ?

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As in coil springs that the early five seater D3 S model's had fitted rather than the airsprung SE / HSE's.

cheers,
Terry

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Originally Posted by TerryO

As in coil springs that the early D3 S model's were rather than the airsprung SE / HSE's.

cheers,
Terry

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I don't know Terry, they do list dampers for the D3.

In the past they used de Carbon but actually make their own dampers now.

As for the high motion or leverage ratio, I can see that causing problems.
You need large forces generated quickly to control the wheel and chassis.

Ideally you need as large a piston as possible (eg 46mm) to reduce the internal forces needed, and a larger piston is more sensitive to shaft displacement and generates those forces faster, allowing more control with small shaft movements.
If Bilstein and Koni are having problems with their 46mm piston dampers....:confused:

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As for the high motion or leverage ratio, I can see that causing
problems.
You need large forces generated quickly to control the wheel and
chassis.

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LC200s have the same problem with a high leverage ratio as the shock is quite a way inboard.
I met 2 owners at Drysdale Station who were there for a week waiting for new aftermarket front shocks after blowing the seals on the Mitchell falls road. They wouldn't tell me the brands.
Thats independent suspension for you!LOL . It doesn't seem to happen as much on the old solid axles. That's "progress"
Regards Philip A

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As in coil springs that the early D3 S model's were rather than the airsprung SE / HSE's.

cheers,
Terry
I don't know Terry, they do list dampers for the D3.

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Go further into the link and they only list for coils

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Originally Posted by AnD3rew

Never heard a good word said about Britpart.

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Britpart gave me a free calendar....that's a good word ;-)

Brett.....