Hello all,

I returned from my Sahara trip one month ago and I need new shocks, at least in the front.

Offroading in Spain is becoming a bit more difficult with stupid laws and stupid politicians so I'm sure I'll return to Morocco and maybe Mauritania, Mali... Who knows, Africa is calling!

As I've to change the front shocks I'm thinking in doing a bit more effort and going for reservoir ones. I don't need a pair of Ohlins but maybe some Bilstein 7100 of Fox Challenger or 2.0's...

I've asked a Bilstein builder and they want 500$ for a custom long one, Oram customs (Almost the same quality as Ohlins) are 450$ and this is out of my budget.

I currently have OME ones in the front, I like them but they're old now...

Well, the question I've is for the shock lenghts... Usually Bilsteins of Foxes are in defined lenghts, this is no problem in the rear as I've now quite flex and I can limit drop with straps or the bumpstops, but what to do in the front?

I've BJ Spacers and low profile compression bumpstops, but I don't want to loose travel in the front...

Any suggestions would be apreciated, also about other brands or models.

Thanks,

David

 

A Sahara pic, my current desktop hehe

 

Why reservoir?

Here is my 95 with Foxes.

 

Flyg: Ummm - aren't your foxes reservoir? (The picture above is actually of his awesome airbumpstop setup)

Blizzard: I would think you could do the front similarly to how you did the back. Cycle the suspension to full compression and measure, then measure at full droop. You may want to look at fabbing some new shock hoops (something like this: http://www.allprooffroad.com/index.p...ask=view&id=55) after you look around and see what shock will fit and what kind of connection it needs on top.

 

flyg, I was thinking reservoir shocks because of the abuse the shocks take in the desert. Not in the sand desert but the stone desert (Hamada in arab).

tc, the idea is nice but I cannot modify the suspension because I've just legalized my truck. Here is a PITA, you must pay an engineer and so and this is 410$ + Braking tests + inspection (50$). Also, I have the stock A-arms with SDORI BJ Spacers.

Also, the problem is that the shocks would have to be stud-eye... In the rear it's easy to put a bracket stud-to-eye but in the front... It's a small shock.

David

 

In that pic, you can see my air bumps, the shock and the reservoir.

I understand the idea of more juice to prevent fade, I have reservoirs all around and it is a rock crawler. If you are using stock suspension with stock mounting points, finding and fitting a reservoir IMHO is a waste.

Stock shocks have what, 5" of stroke? Fox lists 5, 6.5 and 8.5" stroke reservoirs. I also think getting the reservoir in a place would be a turd too if you can't modify much.

On top of that, I feel really sorry for you if you are beating stock IFS at speed enough to be fading the shocks. I HATED going fast on sand stuff with my IFS.

 

you can cut off the top mount and put a shock hoops in there but like Flygtenstein said, you're only gonna use 5" of it.

If you're going to run through that type of terain, you should look into long travel IFS.

 

Guys - he's in Spain. They can't mod trucks like we can - he's kinda stuck with making what came from the factory work as well as possible...

 

You're right tc.

I've decided that I'll replace my OME's with another set. I like them but mines are tired from life hehe

I'll invest the difference in some reinforced T-Bars, OME for what I've read, because I like the stock ones for slow stuff I use to do during the year but I'd need a bit firmer ones when speeding.

As I will be only going to the Sahara one time a year (I'm 22!) I don't thing I really need reservoir shocks, but they're soooo nice hehe

Thanks to all for your opinions!

David

 

Doesnt OME have some remotes that are OEM size? Not sure of the apps... thou

 

Reservoir shocks have increased shock volume.

Increased shock volume allows better cooling.

Better cooling means you can go faster longer, or work the suspension faster.

This usually comes into play with long travel.

Stock suspensions are not long travel.

Foreign countries limit modifications.

So, this truck is going to stay stock.

So, this truck should not run reservoirs.

Good idea in theory, but based on the constraints, I would forget it, try a long travel kit with a bypass and a reservoir or get another rig to run dunes.

 

Yes AH64ID, the OME LTR but there's no 4Runner reference...

David

 

Oh well, that sucks

 

Try Fox, they came out with a line for the jeeps with a pin top rather than an eye. I think there is one that is a 12" compressed and a 19" extended. and it has a remote resivoir.

I found them at offroadwarehouse.com

let me see if I can dig up the link

http://offroadwarehouse.com/Store_Vi...p!ProdID!15004

 

Off the cuff I think the OEM shock travel on the IFS trucks was like 6" or possibley 4" (remember - it was levered so the ratio was not 1:1)

Im running the Downey stuff now - I have a front remote res shock but after I got them I realised they wont fit with a stock upper arm. A custom arm makes no sense $ wise so I put the project aside for a TC setup.

Hearing the rules in Spain makes me GLAD that its that "easy" here in the USA even with Cali ARB to deal with.

 

Thanks Sweep, I'm going to check the sizes hehe

David

 

Don't discount resevoir shocks in a stock application. If you are beating your suspension, regardless of travel, and your shocks are fading, something should be done.

Either a wider body (Probably wouldn't fit), Longer stroke (Requires modifications that sound illegal in your country), or a remote resevoir will solve the problem. The resevoir seems to be the most legit. If your worried about catching eyes, you could probably tuck the resevoirs into your engine bay.

I know after a run in the desert, my stock old shocks would be piping hot and as the day progressed they worked less and less.

Almost every shock manufacturer makes a resevoir shock now. Bilstein, Fabtech, Procomp, Skyjacker. I'm sure there is something that will fit.

The thicker torsion bars will save your shocks......by being to stiff fdor them to move at all.....I think that might be a bad idea. If you are constantly duning your truck, maybe, but you'll lose the flex you have now.

I think you're on the right track with the shocks.

Might also want to consider the bump stops. I know alot of guys switched to the lo profile stops, I kept the stock compression stops. The stock ones absorb more than the lo profile stops. It's not much difference, but everything helps.

 

These are specified as "Rear" but they are closer to the stock size shocks as per Rancho's RS5000 shock dimensions.

Stock: RS 5000
Compressed: 9.375
Extended: 13.375
Travel: 4.00


Linky:
http://offroadwarehouse.com/Store_Vi...p!ProdID!15010

Post top. 12mm bolt X 1.5" wide bottom
Shaft Diameter: .625"
Resevoir Length: 2.0" X 11.0"
Extended Length: 15.65"
Collapsed Length: 10.65"
Travel: 5.0"

I don't know how much you are lifted if at all, but it would seem that you may be able to get these to work. you could always pull the shock boot up and see what you have left for travel on your stock shocks by the grease and dust build up on the shaft.

and to top that off you would only need about an inch to 1.25 inches more left in the shaft due to the fact that the RS9000x's have a 9.65" compressed length (as per Rancho)

http://www.gorancho.com/flash/docs/2...ifications.pdf Shock specs

http://www.gorancho.com/flash/docs/2005_shocks.pdf Shock applications

 

Thanks deathrunner and Sweep, I'm still looking the shock thing hehe

The sizes and so you posted are very intested, I'll try to measure my truck.

Ah, I've aprox. 3'' of lift, but the rear is a bit flexy hehe





David

 

Dunno if this will pass the Spanish inspectors..

There are adapters to convert a stud mount to an eye mount. You loose about 1/2 inch in collapsed lenght (aka yor collapsed lenght has to be 1/2" shorter)..

Also - there are "short body" shocks that can be made up easily. I use these in the rear of my leaf sprung 4Runner.

Since you have a res - the pistion can go almost all the way to the end of the can (the seperator valve is in the res not in the can). Something to keep in mind.