Thread: Which Brand Shocks

If the truck's suspension is stock, and you are looking for stock length shocks, I think it is hard to beat the standard Old Man Emu series for the price (and you get that pride of buying something made in your homeland). Bilstein stock replacements are also very good shocks, but may not be quite as durable in hard off road use (and lack the steel stone sheild of the OMEs), though the trade off is that they are likely a tad bit better onroad.

Either way, I'd recommend you replace all four at once, not just the rears. Oh, and my experience with Ranchos is that they are junk, and they are cheap for a reason, but someone always seems to recommend them.

Koni or Bilstein.

And as mentioned......do all four at once.

Koni are the only ones I'd consider. I've used Bilsteins and they were excellent when first fitted but they just don't last like Koni's do - Bilsteins lasted about 60.00km's whereas Konis were still good after >200,000kms.
So if considering price don't forget to include expected life in the 'equation'.

Whatever you end up choosing, make sure they are the correct length (extended AND compressed) as I believe that most broken shocks are due to fitment of incorrect length shocks - they maybe OK on road but when subjected to full travel the shock becomes the limiter of your wheel articulation.

Also, if you choose monotube Bilsteins, it is advisable to build some form of stone guard to protect them from damage.

Koni or Bilstein. I have used both as well as OME and others. OME wont last. Bilstein and Koni will. Do all 4. Dont worry about stone damage to Bilsteins. I have used them for hundreds of thousands of K's and never damaged one. I have snapped a shaft with Konis although that may have been my fault.

Ian

Bilstien, Koni

Michael.

I'd say OME or KONI - just to be difficult. The OME are about $120ea and the KONIs are about $360ea. That will give you a choice of prices for starters. The KONIs are excellent, and they would be my only choice if I was doing the Paris-Dakar, but at 1/3 the cost the OMEs are good.

The Bilsteins are narrower than the KONI and OME shocks and under heavy load on rough terrain they get hot very quickly. Polyairs can be a cure for this, but given they cost the same as the KONIs, why not just get the KONI.

Allcomes down to how much you would like to spend lower end are the ome,procomp or efs and they all do the job higher end koni bilstien its up to you if you want the best go the koni if you want somthing cheeper go the procomp ....

I like the pro comp shocks there a good budjet shock made in canada by explorer and they come in all different lengths to suite you suspension set up

Cheers

Chris

If you drive over a lot of corrigations or similar then go the Bils or koni.

OME and the others wont last long.

Michael.