What after market shocks suit Discovery?

[DiscoRob]

G'Day all,

All four of my shocks are 'weeping' fluid. Most likely this is due to old age and some rough treatment over the last 2 years on our trips. I suspect 3 are originals, but the 4th I actually replaced (front) after the Gibb River/Kalumburu Rd stuffed it, about 18 months ago - but it too now weeps.

At the risk of stirring up a hornet's nest, here goes my question.... [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

What shocks suit the Discovery?

In my world we go camping and 4WD'ing, but not severe stuff. We tackle sandy tracks and some rougher regular ones, but not the rock hopping stuff you see in the 4WD mags. The Disco runs standard springs and shocks. Our planned trips for this and next year are Simpson Desert and Cape York - to give an idea of what we'll do.

I'm presuming that replacement is the way to go - do you rebuild these things? - and would you rebuild/repair the LR ones? If I'm to replace shocks, I thought I'd go for after market ones, as they may well be a bit cheaper than the LR ones, and at any rate may not be much more expensive. I have not yet priced any.

I had thought of Old Man Emu as some folks I know have them on various vehicles and are happy with them - general duty 4WD work though, much like I do. I keep seeing people mention Koni and Bilstein, but are they expensive?? I don't have a lot of $$ and purchases like this and even servicing has to be budgeted for.

Then there's the wife factor...and as much as I love her, [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] spending money on cars does cause some problems.. so you get my drift with the money .. they must be 'cheapish' (to buy) but not cheap (in performance).

Thanks to all in advance - and keep your 'wife' comments to yourselves... :wink:

Rob.

[HSVRangie]

Bilstien.
Koni.

any of the others.

Michael.

[Phoenix]

Originally posted by DiscoRob
Then there's the wife factor...and as much as I love her, [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] spending money on cars does cause some problems.. so you get my drift with the money

Mmm, I have that problem as well.

[Defender200Tdi]

Hi Rob

I had Bilstein on my 94 Discovery and they worked very well and lasted for over 70,000km before I sold it. I have Koni on my Defender now and they seem likewise to be excellent with the added advantage of being both adjustable (although requiring removal from the vehicle to do this) and rebuildable. The Konis are priced at about the same as Bilsteins and there is a Koni agent in Adelaide. I'd suggest you give Doug at Rovparts a call (83691322), he was very helpful for me.


Paul

[LRHybrid100]

I agree with the boys above - Bilstein all the way.

But is you are looking for a cheap alternative, Iron Man are not bad.

You can get Iron Man (Aussie company, but shocks made in USA)from Repco or they are the same as Gabiels in Supercheap Autos.

I had these on my old Disco - not bad for their money about ($75 each) but if you can afford go Bilstein.

BR LRH.

[Rovernaut]

I just rplaced my front ones this evening after work. The OEM ones needed and angle grinder to cut the top nut off as the POS top threaded end is to weak to vice it and unscrew it. Took me an hour to remove and fit bothe fronts, pretty easy job.
$$ were a factor I put Munroe Nitros on. $199 a pair. A lot of stuff like Pedders and other brands are munroes rebadged. I got 187000 kms out of my OEM LR ones though.

[duff]

I agree with the concensus, 8) I will go bilstein(my choice as best) when Im posted out of the Cape York. I chose the Old Man Emu this last time, good middle of the road shocker but really cant say there any better than the standard ones. The standard ones are about to go back on to get me thru to my posting out ( i found Karcraft to sell the stock shockers at a reasonable price).
You could do a lot worse than chosing Koni and Doug at Rovparts is very good to deal with. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]
I have lived on the Cape for just over the year and I have travelled up this way a few times prior to being posted here. The most common failure I get to see or hear of is shocker failure(as many good brands of shocker as the cheaper ones) 8O . Perhaps you should put off spending the more $$$ on the bilsteins until after your Cape trip.
Buy some gabriels, etc, etc. to do the trip. These will do the trip just fine, and if like so many others, you trash one or more of your shockers you wont do so much crying :roll: .
Another very handy thing is to make some very thick rubber stone gaurds and fit them to the body support members beneath the rear doors( like the belly mudflaps on some d2's but bigger and heavier) :wink: . My OME shockers on the rear are beaten(rock damage) to death, and the front ones fade sooner rather than later. these OME are under a year old and have done, 5 trips Weipa to Cairns, 2 trips weipa to the tip, 1 trip to adelaide , and a bit of tripping around on weekends in the Weipa area.

I think we are all "wiff ya bruver" on the wife front.

[bigbugga]

I dont have a wife problem, just a cash flow problem.

I changed my springs and shocks not long after buying my Disco.

Went with the tuff dog range, have been bagged by someothers for my choice but I am very happy with them.

They have done the job and are still going strong.

[silverhammer]

Agree with Bilstein drift. My 98 Disco 1 now has Bilsteins and new coils from Quadrant Melbourne. brilliant! The Bilsteins are unique because they are rebuildable so the long term story is good.. Any way they are only about $20 a corner dearer. Worth every cent for flatter cornering, brilliant ride and serious control of sway/roll.

Silverhammer
98 Disco V8 S1