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bonanza bucko
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Posts: 587
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: San Diego
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What shocks for That Road to Gonzaga Bay
We just got back from a trip in our Tundra to Gonzaga Bay on That Road south of Puertecitos. We busted a rear shock on the four inch washboard and
the river bottom boulders that pass for a road bed.
We are gonna have the Tundra all fixed up before the next trip. We have FabTech coil over shocks on the front that perform well. We are gonna put
either Rancho Adjustables or Fox adjustables on the rear. We busted the Bilsteins that were on there...and Bilstien doesn't make an adjustable shock
to far as I find out.
I would really appreciate any knowledge or input all your experience off road nuts have on this.
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bonanza bucko
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shocks
Yes..Fox has an adjustable...saw it yesterday. What do you mean by "no comparison"...does that mean Fox is better or worse than Rancho?
Thanks
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Hook
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Define "busted". Did the shock fail due to heat and begin leaking or did it shear off at a mount?
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Roberto
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He means that Fox are much better than Rancho - no comparison, I agree. Do you happen to remember the model of the adjustable you saw?
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805gregg
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I wore out my 1-1/2 year old Rancho's on a 2 week trip to Baja sur, I guess they didn't like my 50 mph run to Asuncion. It wallowed like ad old buick
when I got back . I just got Old Man Emu's put on yesterday, much better, OME makes shocks and struts for your Tundra.
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Bob H
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| Quote: | Originally posted by whistler
I didn't know Fox built an adjustable shock.No comparision between Fox and Rancho.Go Fox. |
Fox... they ain't gonna be cheap...
http://www.milneroffroad.com/FOXPRICE2.HTM
Bob H
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bonanza bucko
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busted shocks
My Bilsteins lost fluid and stopped providing shock absorbsion...we were bottoming out. But I don't fault the shocks too much even though they are
"guaranteed for life." The temperature was 111 F, the "road" was the worst in the world and I was overloaded in a half ton pick up by about 600#. If
the shock hadn't failed I would have bought the company.
I'm gonna install Fox adjustables after the input I have gotten here.
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Roberto
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Fox are the right choice, I'm sure you'll be happy with them.
Could you point me towards the adjustable model? I haven't heard of one either, unless they are adjustable by varying gas pressure and valving, which
is not something a typical end user is equipped to do.
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Roberto
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P.S. Since you are shelling out the bucks for the good stuff, make sure you get a shock with a remote reservoir - it makes a real difference in
reducing operating temperatures, and thus increasing functionality and part life.
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Packoderm
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"Fox... they ain't gonna be cheap...
http://www.milneroffroad.com/FOXPRICE2.HTM"
That must be a site from England. Those prices are in the British pound.
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baitcast
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Shocks??
What with all the great trucks out there today why all the shock problems?
With a old Dodge we made the trip several times a year,car topping a boat,water,gas and kids,and the road was hell to pay but fun and this is
in the mid 60,s and 70,s,never lost a shock!!But did have a few other problems like battery brackets breaking,entire exhaust systems falling off and
the like
Would someone please inlighten me.
BAITCAST
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baitcast
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I understand what your saying Whistler ,mine was a 3/4 T and very tight,perhaps speed had something to do with it and overloaded!!
I guess the new road encourages a little to much speed ya think
BAITCAST
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TMW
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The Rancho 9000 is a popular adj. shock, I didn't know Fox had an adjustable, if so it should be OK. The better shocks would be one with a seperate
resovoir. Fox and Pro Comp are a couple at $150-200 each. You would have to check to see if they make em for your truck. The problem with any stock
replacement shock is that they are not really designed for that type of driving. You would have to use shocks that the prerunners and racers use like
King, Fox etc, but that will cost you big bucks.
That said, the next best thing to do is make sure the shock you do use is free to travel the length your truck will put it through. The first part
takes a little estimating in that with the shock fully collapsed (disconnect it at one end)calculate the shock length as if the truck was bottomed out
or hitting it's stop. Next Use a jack, a floor jack is best, and with the shock off, jack up the frame at that wheel. Measure the distance. This will
give you the extended and collapsed measurements for the shock you'll need, maybe add a 1/4 to 1/2 inch for safety then compare it to the one your
buying. If the shock you buy will hit it's limit while your driving down the bad roads they are going to break. Some auto makers specify a shock with
a limit stop. I've never understood why or how a stock shock is going to limit a 100+ lb wheel and A frame bouncing down a road. One time I got my
Bilstein front shocks so hot on that road it melted the rubber boot.
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bonanza bucko
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Shocks for That Road
I really appreciate all the good input I have gotten. I am a newby dummy about this stuff...thought my Tundra 4X4 TRD was ready for anything. Then I
installed new..not OEM Bilstiens....on the back and FabTech coil over shocks on the front and it handled the washboard better.
But with about 600 # more than the truck is designed to haul, 111F and four inch washboard "road" with periodic river bed boulders for a road bed the
poor Bilstiens failed...melted the cover off of one and the fluid leaked out. The other shock did not fail but it sure looks bad. A friend who was
riding along happened to bring two Rancho adjustable shocks with us. We had to grind the top ends and rebush them down there on the beach to make
them fit. But they performed just fine getting us home with a small load.
Off Road Warehouse suggests Fox shocks with an external reservoir and adjustability....about $265 per each. That is a little pricey and I don't think
I'll have to haul that big a load again and the Mexicans finally appear to be serious about fixing That Road.
I am a novice on it...only five round trips in the last year in the Tundra....because we usually fly down there. That destroys your
perspective....the 50 miles of That Road south of Puertecitos that takes us 2.5 - 3 hours to drive and which busts the shocks takes us about 15
minutes to fly.
But I want the Tundra ready for just about anything. It looks as though the FabTechs on the front are good enough. It looks as though the Ranchos on
the rear ain't....and I think adjustable shocks makes sense.
Off Road Warehouse says the Fox adjustables are custom built for each truck. If that is so I think the cost may be justied.
If anyone thinks otherwise or has better ideas I'd like the hear them.
The nose wheel shimmy damper on our bird needs new O rings every year that cost 50 cents but, if you forget to replace them, and the damper rod gets
spalled you gotta buy a new damper for $1500.00. That's an expensive shock.
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bonanza bucko
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goof on the message above
Sorry 'bout that...the grinding and rebushing was on the lower mounts of the shocks not the tops
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bonanza bucko
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Goof on the above message
Sorry 'bout that...the grinding and re bushing on the Ranchos was on the bottom not the tops.
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TMW
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[Fox shocks with an external reservoir and adjustability....about $265 per each. ]
BB you may think in the short run they are more costly but in the long run an external reservoir is multiple times better than any shock without it.
It will run cooler and last longer. Whistler is probably right, by adjustable they mean when rebuilding it, not by turning a knob, although if it was
like a motorcycle shock it could have a knob.
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pappy
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anther thing-check out super springs, out of carpenteria.california. they make a real good "add a leaf" unit, that comes into play only when truck is
loaded....
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TMW
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Pappy thats what I need.
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BAJACAT
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Buy a H1 that's going to solve the problem...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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