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bigzaggin
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Posts: 441
Registered: 5-27-2004
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Shock advice...
I drive a 2003 Tundra TRD Offroad and average about 3 solid Baja trips a year. My last trip late winter was essentially the final straw for the
shocks and I've decided to finally upgrade. I don't take the thing "wheeling" in the sense that I tool around in dunes for fun - but it does spend
some time in serious offroad conditions and needs to be reliable. Keep in mind the rest of the year, it shuttles me around the city so I'm not
looking to soup the thing up too heavily. It's been a dependable, suitably rugged Baja car for 8 years and going strong today.
But it needs new shocks. So...Billstein 5100s or Rancho 9000s? Or something else? Just keep in mind it will spend 3 or so weeks a year offroad...
Thanks for any advice.
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Ken Cooke
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I have been very happy with my Pro-Comp MX-6 shocks. You can valve the shock for your particular need. The Compression and Rebound are adjusted, not
just the Compression like on the Rancho RS9000s.
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bonanza bucko
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I had a 2004 Tundra 4X4 for seven years and loved it....would buy that truck again in a split second but they changed a lot of stuff for the worse in
the new Tundra.
We hauled eight 120 pound solar batteries plus three people and food and booze for a month over the road from Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay in 2008. My
"half ton" Tundra was seriously overloaded. I drove 30MPH plus on the washboard and the overload plus the 112F heat melted the factory Billsteins. I
put on a pair of spare Ranchos to get home and ORW replaced the factory Billsteins with 5100s and Billstein STOOD BEHIND the old ones....I was
astounded because the failure was my fault.
The new Billsteins and an "Add a Leaf" overload spring changed the whole deal....the truck was raised about an inch and a half in back and it handled
That Road and heavy loads just fine after that. It is still going strong in Baja where it belongs to a good buddy who loves it.
With the Add a Leaf and the new Billsteins the truck was about 10% stiffer than stock on the freeway but, aside from that change, it handled just like
always...very well.
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jeremias
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Location: Huntington Beach, El Sauzal, BCN
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Bilsteins blow doors on everything else.
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BigWooo
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I have Rancho 9000's. Living in Baja our truck has spent a lot of time on washboard lately and they seem to be holding up. I have a question though,
everyone seems to rave about Bilstein shocks. What makes them so much better??
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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reality check...
let's do the math...
if it was a mercedes you wash all the time
i'd say invest...
but your "old truck" is ONLY worth $3000
3 trips a year down south
the rest probably in southern california and
trips to vegas
that's mostly asphalt paving so
no need for anything good
those toyota trucks usually have struts
on the front which means $$$
bilstein struts are $400 each and you need 2
rears are $150 each and you need 2
that's over $1100 in parts ONLY
and you still need instalation $$$$
that's 1/3 the value of the "old truck"
worth it...no
pepboys has shocks and struts
installed for $350 out the door
worth it...maybe
i'd concentrate on fixing the oil leaks
hey...is your avatar a picture of a mountain goat
he kinda look like a "devil"
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David K
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Bilstein 5100s 
On my 2005 Tacoma, replaced the yellow TRD Bilstein shocks with the silver/ blue 5100s...
[Edited on 5-23-2010 by David K]
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woody with a view
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i paid $100 each for my Bilstien HD blu/yellow (there are different colors for different apps) struts. $70 each for the rears. i think. try
shockwarehouse.com (but make sure they have them in stock. they didn't tell me mine were on back order when ordering online. they are in Fla and their
distributor is in Poway, CA, 20 minutes from my house. they wouldn't let me pick them up. they had to be shipped to fla. then back to me in ca) or
summitracing.com.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
I drive a 2003 Tundra TRD Offroad and average about 3 solid Baja trips a year. My last trip late winter was essentially the final straw for the
shocks and I've decided to finally upgrade. I don't take the thing "wheeling" in the sense that I tool around in dunes for fun - but it does spend
some time in serious offroad conditions and needs to be reliable. Keep in mind the rest of the year, it shuttles me around the city so I'm not
looking to soup the thing up too heavily. It's been a dependable, suitably rugged Baja car for 8 years and going strong today.
But it needs new shocks. |
sounds like your shocks lasted 8 years for mostly hwy driving, rare offroad driving. just replace them with similar and keep on truckin'
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bigzaggin
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
your "old truck" is ONLY worth $3000
|
Here's the thing though: custom built Caravan Camper shell. This truck will not go gently into the Baja Night. I am already (happily) past the point
of fiscal smarts with this girl...plus, sentimentality alone, I put her worth at 50K (give or take). And while it's true, it does a lot of city time,
peace of mind in Baja is worth a little extra. Also, the new Tundras look like Rubbermaid cargo boxes.
David K., did you throw on extra leaf springs? Or simply replace TRD Billsteins with 5100s?
[Edited on 5-23-2010 by bigzaggin]
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bigzaggin
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This is her BTW...
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
your "old truck" is ONLY worth $3000
|
Here's the thing though: custom built Caravan Camper shell. This truck will not go gently into the Baja Night. I am already (happily) past the point
of fiscal smarts with this girl...plus, sentimentality alone, I put her worth at 50K (give or take). And while it's true, it does a lot of city time,
peace of mind in Baja is worth a little extra. Also, the new Tundras look like Rubbermaid cargo boxes.
David K., did you throw on extra leaf springs? Or simply replace TRD Billsteins with 5100s?
[Edited on 5-23-2010 by bigzaggin] |
No, but I did add the Ride Rite air springs (bags) you see in the photo. The 2nd generation double cab Tacoma rear springs were too soft and bottomed
out with a load, driving the way I do. Adding a leaf would make the truck ride hard allthe time... the air springs are adjustable... just add air when
I needed it to be firmer and raise up the back.
My new Tacoma has better springs, and (so far) I haven't bottomed out.
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Bob and Susan
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i was wrong again...
the truck is worth $5000
with the shell
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woody with a view
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Bob
i just checked my 03 trd 4x4 sr5 access cab with a shell. good condition is $10.5k excellent condition is $11.6k from a private party.
check the link:
http://www.kbb.com/kbb/UsedCars/PricingReport.aspx?WebCatego...
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classicbajabronco
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Ranchos suck...period
Bilstiens are great and limetime guaranteed..as was early demonstrated above.
ARB offroad has a line of shocks and suspension systems that will greatly improve the ride of your toyota. I had their suspension on my 1989 range
rover classic. It increased the ride height1.5 inches and the ride was much improved both on/offroad. the sytem ran $660 for all 4 shocks and all 4
coil springs. The brand name is OLD MAN EMU.
I just installed the 2nd OLD MAN EMU system on our 1991 toyota 4runner. This system cost $740 including new torsion bars for the front, new coil
springs in the rear, 4 new shocks and a new steering stabilized. the 4runner now sits 1.5" higher and has greater articulation and a 400lb increase in
load capabilities. They make these systems for many different vehicles.
here is the link.
http://www.arb.com./products/old-man-emu-suspension/
The US headquarters are just out of Seattle.
The difference is night and day. i jumped about a 1' off the ground a few days back and teh landing was smooooooth. Not that I would reccommend this.
These systems are designed for the Australian Outback and for what I can see that is just about as brutal as baja...if not more so. Check out their
other items such as air pumps. ARB is serious about offroad. As I am sure many of the offroaders on this forum can attest!
I for one give these systems 2 thumbs up
[Edited on 5-23-2010 by classicbajabronco]
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Bob and Susan
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sorry woody
i can buy them all day for 5k
the thing you have to look at is...
is it worth the money to invest into an old truck or get a new one
cars are a BAD investment
you are buying a house so DO NOT buy a new one
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woody with a view
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i won't buy a new one, house or truck. if you can buy them all day let's go into business. you buy em and i'll sell em. split 70/30 to you....
i like the fact that my old truck cost me 1/3 the cost of new. still has 1/2 it's life ahead of me. all of its problems are known, can't say that
about a new truck!
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classicbajabronco
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It also depends on how much work you have done on the car. If the car has had several $1000 invested recently a few bucks for good shocks will make
your ride last longer. Replacement value is what you need to look at. if you go out and buy $5k cars all day...your going to get a pile of lemons.
I for one don't look at a car as an investment....it is a necessity. unless you like walking in 100 degree heat with all your crap on your back.
I wouldn't look at a house in Mulege as an good investment either for that matter, unless you like seeing your investment float down the river. But
investments are not he reason most of us are here. In fact I dont see any house in baja as a good investment as we have lost 2 to hurricanes
ourselves, and another was cleaned out by burglers. It is an investment in sanity and lifestyle!!
The guys looking for shock advice, ...it doesn't much matter what the vehicle is worth..New shocks will make his ride last longer, be safer as well as
more comfortable. And it will hopefully put off the need for a new vehicle purchase in the next news so he can concentrate on the house...
best of luck on the house purchase!!
just my .02
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woody with a view
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$5k wont touch this.....
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bigzaggin
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David K. - did you throw the Ride Rites on front & rear or rear only? I made a few calls to some friends and was shocked to discover how many of
them already had those on. I missed that boat...
And Woody - I hear you. The most dependable Baja car I have ever had and far from finished.
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