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Bajamatic
Senior Nomad
Posts: 571
Registered: 8-31-2006
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Shocks
I've been debating with a few people about what direction to take for new shocks. What are you thoughts about it? Best brands, nitro-charged,
adjustable? Coil Over? Anyone in-the-know on this subject?
yuletide
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
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Mood: mellow
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Rancho 9000, they are adjustable, for a rougher ride!!!!!!!!!!
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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Very controversial subject. Adjustable is good.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Bajamatic
Senior Nomad
Posts: 571
Registered: 8-31-2006
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do adjustable shocks get soft enough to help the washboards or is it more for load?
yuletide
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
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Mood: Anxious to get south
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I have a one ton, 4wd. crew cab, no matter what, it just rides rough. I run Billsteins, but didn't ride any differant from stock. Having a lot of
weight in the bed helps...
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
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I think only lowering tire pressure helps washboard, adjustable makes for a stiffer ride.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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Bajamatic, adjustable is both for weight and for adjusting for the road conditions. Shock absorbers do not absorb shock, quite the contrary, they
transmit shock. They just dampen the natural tendency of a spring to go bong up and down. Books have been written on matching shocks to vehicles, and
yeah, I have some of them. It doesn't help me a bit! You need a few hundred thousand bucks of test equipment or an awful lot of track testing time to
really get them right.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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My thoughts after running adjustable and non adjustable is that I love the ability to adjust depending on the amount of load is in my Jeep.
A friend runs Old Man Emu - shocks designed for the washboard of Australia, and they are amazing. They are not adjustable, but her lifted Rubicon
rides like a million bucks on 1'-3' rutted offroad trail sections.
I'm running adjustable Pro-Comp MX-6 shocks. While they don't run like a million bucks, they still are great when traveling in the backcountry of
Baja. I also noticed when I briefly ran BFG All-Terrain KOs that these tires really complimented these shocks I run. Felt like 4 big balloons under
my Jeep - a great ride.
Think about the kind of tire you're running in addition to the shocks you plan to run. Nothing will feel perfect, except sitting on a sofa in your
living room IMO.
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Some of the shock companies are offering shocks with a nitrogen bottle for remote attachment or as a solid part mounted off to the side of the shock.
This type of shock is similar to a rear motorcycle shock and a similar version is used on many off-road race cars. They would need to be matched to
your vehicle. A good setup is a dual shock system for the front. If your low bucks like me I would try the Rancho 9000 or the Pro-Comp like Ken is
using so you can adjust to find your best setting. Heat is your worst enemy for a shock. All that movement over a rough road can super heat a shock. I
once melted the rubber boot on a Bilstein coming up from Gonzaga Bay in my Toyota. If you have a Ford they make a simple kit to mount dual shocks up
front on some models. It would be well worth it.
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Al G
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Todos Santos/Full time for now...
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Mood: Wondering what is next???
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Hey... does anyone know what shooks I need to do 3' jumps with my 32' Motorhome in the Baja 1000
OK OK....I have Bilsteins and they work great. Are they better then stock???
My shocks were shot so anything would have worked better.
Albert G
Remember, if you haven\'t got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart, then you are just a sour old fart!....
The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.
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marek
Junior Nomad
Posts: 53
Registered: 6-6-2003
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What kind of vehicle do you have?
How do you want to use it?
That will help a lot with your shock selection.
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Mexray
Super Nomad
Posts: 1016
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: California Delta
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Mood: Baja Time
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Running the Rancho 9000 adjustables...
...on the Ford F-350 with the Lance 10 ft camper.
Firmest setting in the read to help with the 'sway' factor, and about mid-range up front for the 'ride'....so far, so good!
[Edited on 10-5-2006 by Mexray]
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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Bajamatic
Senior Nomad
Posts: 571
Registered: 8-31-2006
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so do the adjustable shocks adjust from inside the car or do you have to get out and get under the car 4 times to make a change?
yuletide
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Bilstein... the shock built for the Baja!
I know there are a zillion choices out there, but I have been very happy with the 'stock' Bilsteins that come on the TRD package Toyota trucks... and
if they work that well, I can only imagine that aftermarket Bilsteins are that much better.
My measure point is the handling on washboard roads... My Tacoma glides over washboards when others report how terrible the same road is. I will add
that I am usually traveling light.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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Bajamatic, Rancho adjustable shocks can be adjusted from the cab - if you buy the Rancho "console" that is sold separately. Otherwise you get down on
your knees and turn a knob on each shock
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Baja&Back
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 9-10-2004
Location: Vancouver, Canada / todo de Baja
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Mood: Rarin' to go South!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Al G
Hey... does anyone know what shooks I need to do 3' jumps with my 32' Motorhome in the Baja 1000
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Al: You take a 2 foot high stack of $100 bills, wrap them in bungee cords & wedge between axle and frame of the moho.
X 4, of course.
If this is too expensive, you might try a lightweight Truck Camper:
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Debra
Super Nomad
Posts: 2101
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Port Orchard Wa./Bahia de Los Angeles BC
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I also asked this question awhile back, do a search....lots of good info.
Baja and Back: Where oh where did you get that picture, that's the weirdest thing I've ever seen.
Mean people suck!
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roverdude
Junior Nomad
Posts: 74
Registered: 10-1-2005
Location: Garden Grove
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Mood: No Bad Days, Mornings Maybe...
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link to thread
As stated in the earlier thread... Not to put any brands down, but all brands mentioned are sub-par to the Fox. Yes, you'll spend a bit more but
worth every cent. Depending on budget and what you do while you're driving will dictate which model of Fox. Otherwise, get the Old Man Emu. It's a
brand out of Australia and catching on. It's similar in price to the nicer brands mentioned and in my opinion a better product. Plus, they build
suspensions for most off-road worthy trucks and SUVs. Now, if you're rich don't even think about it.... Kings.
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Geronimo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 91
Registered: 6-12-2005
Location: Salome Arizona/San Felipe BC Mex
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Roverdude
You are partially right. Fox, Billstein, King, Sway away, Radflow, Fabtech, Donahoe, Walker evens, explorer and many others are making rebuildable
shocks. Most make a line in the same price range. The variables are diameter and reservoir size. Kings prerunner shock is not much more expensive
then a 2.5 fox emulsion shock. King race shocks are very expensive because of the hardness of the shaft and the polish they provide. Internally all
these shocks all work similarly.
When I recommend shocks for a stock or slightly modified vehicle I always suggest the Billstein 5100. They are application specific and are a quality
shock that won’t boil on you going down the road.
Most people are not willing or able to put the kind of time into fabrication into installing a set of rebuildabales. Mounts are almost always
required. Lengths and travel must be established (that is a lot of work).
I run Bill 5100 on my Daily driven 01 ranger, I have 9100 series bills 2.5 coilovers with custom 3"x 12" remote reservoirs for my 93 XJ project. I
have over $1000 into these two shocks and they are used from my friend Lee Finke at Race Shock Co.
I tried to not reply to this thread but was forced to
\"The only cure is to be perpetually South Bound\"
~Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers from the song Mexicosis
Geronimo
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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I tried to not reply to this thread but was forced to??????
what does that mean Geronimo you save some excellent info and I thank you. why did you not want to do it.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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