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Thread: Caravan Shock Absorbers - am I expecting too much?

  1. #1
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    Caravan Shock Absorbers - am I expecting too much?

    I have just completed the approx 1000 km gravel section Great Central Road from Laverton to Uluru, towing my caravan.
    The road was in excellent condition overall and I drove to mitigate the poorer conditions either side of Docker River. Pulling a 3.5T brick with a just acquired 2.7L D4 doesn't leave many options anyway, and I like to look after my vehicles.

    Prior to this trip we recently had a very slow horror 40 km gravel/corrugations drive between Hopetoun and Jerramungup in the Fitzgerald National Park between Esperance and Albany, which did cause some internal caravan damage such as stove falling out (held in only by 2 screws into chipboard on one side only) and fridge moving (not even bolted to the floor).
    Apart from this, the less than 10,000 km in total since new was undertaken on good bitumen roads in WA, towed by my D2a TD5 at a max of 80 kmph.

    I have been told by several that I normally drive like a nanna, plus in my youth I spent several years working in the bush in ag research, mineral exploration and surveying without incident.

    Last week, at Alice Springs, on following up on a coil that had mysteriously partly escaped its upper cone, it transpired that all 4 shock absorbers had broken from their mounts and had to be replaced forthwith. I'd also like to put it down to my gentle driving style that I didn't realise how bad the situation had become - although I did wonder at the occasional caravan wandering in bitumen off camber situations!!

    I find it hard to believe that possibly apart from arising from the Fitzgerald trip, such a breakdown of vital suspension equipment could occur so quickly/in so few km? Was I expecting too much from my equipment, and having kept the least damaged shock absorber, is there any way to follow up on my concerns?

    I deliberately have not named the suspension, shockies or make of van in this thread, but needless to say will be a very much more cautious consumer in future!!
    MY16 D4 TDV6 - with a little Cambo magic for towing "The Brick"
    MY95 RRC LSE Vogue Softdash "Bessie" (turning circle comparable to QE II) with MY99 TD5 and 4HP24 transplants. Back home Nov 22 after a magic overhaul by Chivalry
    SADLY SOLD MY04 D2a TD5 auto Classic and MY10 D4 2.7 both with lots of goodies

  2. #2
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    alien is offline A Keeper of the TGO Silver Subscriber
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    My first thought was to see if the shockers are bottoming out before the bump stops take all the weight at full compression this loading the mounting bolt. The spring may have dislocated as the suspension more than likely relies in the shocker to hold it at full extension, it is possible the mounts broke at full extension but given the driving style suggest I doubt it.
    Cheers Kyle
    Cheers, Kyle



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  3. #3
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    what tyre pressures were you running on your van when driving on the corrogations?
    May people drop their cars tyre pressures on corrogations and completely forget about their van/boat trailer.
    You only get one shot at life, Aim well

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    If the suspension quality is the same as the fitout, well---
    It should be easy enough to fix the suspension though.
    Just more $$..
    "How long since you've visited The Good Oil?"

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    Homestar is offline Super Moderator & CA manager Gold Subscriber
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    Agree with Alien here - are there bump stops on the suspension? If not, a fully compressed spring could cause the shocker to bottom out and break a mount without issue if it hasn’t been designed properly or the wrong shocks used. Even if it has bump stops, has the suspension been measured to make sure they do the job of stopping the shocks bottoming out?
    If you need to contact me please email homestarrunnerau@gmail.com - thanks - Gav.

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    Quote Originally Posted by trout1105 View Post
    what tyre pressures were you running on your van when driving on the corrogations?
    May people drop their cars tyre pressures on corrogations and completely forget about their van/boat trailer.
    Car and van 25 psi
    MY16 D4 TDV6 - with a little Cambo magic for towing "The Brick"
    MY95 RRC LSE Vogue Softdash "Bessie" (turning circle comparable to QE II) with MY99 TD5 and 4HP24 transplants. Back home Nov 22 after a magic overhaul by Chivalry
    SADLY SOLD MY04 D2a TD5 auto Classic and MY10 D4 2.7 both with lots of goodies

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    Quote Originally Posted by Homestar View Post
    Agree with Alien here - are there bump stops on the suspension? If not, a fully compressed spring could cause the shocker to bottom out and break a mount without issue if it hasn’t been designed properly or the wrong shocks used. Even if it has bump stops, has the suspension been measured to make sure they do the job of stopping the shocks bottoming out?
    All fixed in Alice to cover these issues. I forgot to ask about the lenth impacts of the originals, but will do so when we get back there in a couple of days.
    MY16 D4 TDV6 - with a little Cambo magic for towing "The Brick"
    MY95 RRC LSE Vogue Softdash "Bessie" (turning circle comparable to QE II) with MY99 TD5 and 4HP24 transplants. Back home Nov 22 after a magic overhaul by Chivalry
    SADLY SOLD MY04 D2a TD5 auto Classic and MY10 D4 2.7 both with lots of goodies

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    Stopped for a cuppa today and notice something hanging down under the van.
    Noccundra Pub to Tibooburra , what a ****ful road . Good thing it has safety chains or else the spring might've popped out.





  9. #9
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    It's got bump stops but the maker must not have taken into account that the bumpstops can compress maybe 25MM or more.
    I remember once on a trip near the SA brder that a RRC with stock suspension and 245 75x16 tyes was plucking the back door seam out.
    About 5 of us stood on the back axle and figured that the bump stop had to compress at least half its height for that to happen.
    Regards PhilipAS
    Simple answer the shocks are too long. Maybe they couldn't find ones the correct length. You could pack up the bumpstops a bit.
    Actually they look like the same ones as on my 1997 Campomatic. F100 dual I beam , about the shortest there is.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by goingbush View Post
    Stopped for a cuppa today and notice something hanging down under the van.
    Noccundra Pub to Tibooburra , what a ****ful road . Good thing it has safety chains or else the spring might've popped out.
    Traveled that track 18 years ago in the S1. Turned my nice new yellow Bilsteins into a lovely cooked nut brown colour.
    S1 could still do it but I couldn't.
    Terry
    80 109" 2.6 P ex Army GS, saved from the scrappie.
    95 300tdi 130 Single cab tray.
    2010 Guzzi 750

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