How long do your shocks last?

[nickt]

Hmm, and how long is a piece of string?

Just wondering how much use you get our of your shocks. I've had good and bad experiences. My '97 90 is still on the OE shocks and not too bad for it < 60k miles. I think they'll be replaced with LTRs at some point this year.

I did a few hundred miles on some Spax 4x4 HD shocks in my 110 and they started leaking badly (I think they popped over the top, and they were mostly used on-road). Bloody awful.

The Monroe Gas Magnum shocks I have in the other 90 seem rock solid, I also have 8 of them in the 110 now. They all still feel like new and I think will last a long time with my 50/50 on and off road driving. Recommended.

What do you have and how long do they last?

Cheers,
Nick

[Berty]

I wouldn't waste your money on LTR's Nick. Uless you are doing sustatined high speed work over washboard tracks they're wasted. You don't get any greater travel or strength out of them.
I've heard rumours that OME & Monroe shocks are one & the same?

Brett

[nickt]

Ah, that's just the type of driving I like! And also the handling I prefer.

I've attached a pic showing the dual shock mount I have on the 110 and 90 and I was thinking that the LTRs would give similar performance using a single shock. When it's closer to the time, I'll ask the guys on the board for their ideas, maybe they'll have an opinion :grin

I heard that rumour too...

Cheers,
Nick.

[Ragland]

I remember years back (and maybe they still do) a brand selling lift kits and such used to claim they were one of the few who actually made their shocks, with most others outsourcing and labeling them.

[Berty]

From what I've heard about the LTR's you will not get the same amount of damping as with a dual shock setup. The reservoir of gas makes them more resistant to fade.
I may be wrong though;)
Brett

[rover4x4]

why two shocks?

[chrisvonc]

Absorbs the bumps better. My buddy did that to his RR and it rides like a little cloud now compared to before.

[nickt]

With twin shocks the damping effect is greater, and the load is shared between them so they don't heat up as much. I daresay that more expensive shocks used singly would do the same (like Ohlins or Fox Racing). Seems to reduce the body roll too, though it's not that noticeable in a Defender. What they don't do is buy you much extra travel or lift - but that's not really the point.

On a bumpy trail in the Altar Desert (Sonora, Mexico), we had 3 90s, one stock, one OME'ed and me with the twin shocks. I could safely do almost double the speed of the others, the shocks coping nicely.

You can easily buy two shocks and the brackets (and probably pay for the installation) for less than a single Ohlins or Fox, and you also have the advantage of not needing to carry a spare as if you have a problem, just whip one off! (I had to do this on the 110, when a nut worked loose - all replaced with nylocks now).

I'm really happy with this setup for expedition use, and works well on the type of terrain I prefer in a reasonably loaded vehicle.

Cheers,
Nick.

[OCD90]

incidentally, what are we talking $$$ for the double shock set-up shown above? Is that stock height, or how much lifted.

[nickt]

I just dug out the invoices. It broke down like this:

Twin rear shock bracket kit: £ 62
Twin front shock bracket kit: £ 115
HD spring x2 rear: £ 65
HD spring x2 front: £ 64
4x Gas Magnum shocks rear: £ 113
4x Gas Magnum shocks front: £ 113

Total: £ 532, or about 800 bucks at the time.

Cheers,
Nick.

[nickt]

Oh, and it seems to be about a 1.5-2 inch lift over stock. This photo shows the difference, if you look carefully. The NAS 90 on the left is on OE shocks.