mikecolorado wrote:Hey Aussie
I see its been about a year since you posted this review of the suspension, but Just reading this forum now. I was wondering how its getting on and if you have and recommendations? now that you've had the suspension for a while, does it last? im just looking into a lift kit for my Colorado but just having a look around and seeing what people think of them.
Any feed back would help.
Cheers
Heya Mike.
Suspension is still nice and high, especially the front end with bar, winch and rails. If anything, I may need to raise the rear a slight tickle as it sits quite flat. Most cars and 4wds have a slight rake towards the front. Ride is equivalent with the LS-M model, which means very firm unladen. Off road goes very well.
They will custom make your kit too, so mix-n-match what suits your needs.
Would I fit another kit again? Yep. For a cheap kit it's great!
mikecolorado wrote:Hey Aussie
I see its been about a year since you posted this review of the suspension, but Just reading this forum now. I was wondering how its getting on and if you have and recommendations? now that you've had the suspension for a while, does it last? im just looking into a lift kit for my Colorado but just having a look around and seeing what people think of them.
Any feed back would help.
Cheers
Heya Mike.
Suspension is still nice and high, especially the front end with bar, winch and rails. If anything, I may need to raise the rear a slight tickle as it sits quite flat. Most cars and 4wds have a slight rake towards the front. Ride is equivalent with the LS-M model, which means very firm unladen. Off road goes very well.
They will custom make your kit too, so mix-n-match what suits your needs.
Would I fit another kit again? Yep. For a cheap kit it's great!
Hi mate.
Im looking at a kit for my colorado atm. Are they archm shocks you bought? Look great value for money. Not sure if its worth paying for bilsteins.
Cheers
Deano74
Remember the buyer of cheap items pays twice.
The ArchM shocks, who makes them?, I presume they are rebranded from some maker.
Knowing their life and rebound control ability over time will be a decider I would think.
Unfortunately shocks gradually degrade in performance and the loss of control may not be evident to the user because he is used to what it does. Therefore may state they are still good. Just a view point to consider regarding total overall cost of good ride and shock perofrmance for a substantial amount of time and usage.
All shocks should work ok or really well when new, but after a period of use they fall short. The shocks on my 2011 Dmax sort of felt ok when new, but by the time 5000km had passed they allowed 7 rebounds of the front suspension. 1 to 1.5 is the limit.
The fitting of Bilsteins at 5000km saw a vast improvement and continued performance long after the OE ones gave up. At 16 times the distance the oe ones gave up at, the Bilsteins were still great.
The OE shocks don't leak and look fine in every respect, they simply don't control the suspension or mass of the vehicle, or suit the vehicle.
Good shocks are a sound investement as they allow ABS, ESC and Traction control etc, to be able to work properly by having the tyres actually on the ground. Poor or degraded shocks render the safety systems almost inoperative, unable to function as designed. No good having the best of safety systems if the tyres can't grip the road. "Only" when you need them most is when you find they don't work well.
mydmax wrote:Deano74
Remember the buyer of cheap items pays twice.
The ArchM shocks, who makes them?, I presume they are rebranded from some maker.
Knowing their life and rebound control ability over time will be a decider I would think.
Unfortunately shocks gradually degrade in performance and the loss of control may not be evident to the user because he is used to what it does. Therefore may state they are still good. Just a view point to consider regarding total overall cost of good ride and shock perofrmance for a substantial amount of time and usage.
All shocks should work ok or really well when new, but after a period of use they fall short. The shocks on my 2011 Dmax sort of felt ok when new, but by the time 5000km had passed they allowed 7 rebounds of the front suspension. 1 to 1.5 is the limit.
The fitting of Bilsteins at 5000km saw a vast improvement and continued performance long after the OE ones gave up. At 16 times the distance the oe ones gave up at, the Bilsteins were still great.
The OE shocks don't leak and look fine in every respect, they simply don't control the suspension or mass of the vehicle, or suit the vehicle.
Good shocks are a sound investement as they allow ABS, ESC and Traction control etc, to be able to work properly by having the tyres actually on the ground. Poor or degraded shocks render the safety systems almost inoperative, unable to function as designed. No good having the best of safety systems if the tyres can't grip the road. "Only" when you need them most is when you find they don't work well.
Choose wisely.
Regards
mydmax
Thanks for the reply mydmax.
I would like to hear from somebody that has personally used the archm shocks. Archm claim they are cheaper as they are made for them no middle man. They have a decent warranty.
But i hear you. Ive sworn ill never buy cheap anything again. The Oztec shocks get a really good rap? Would like to know what the majority are using. And yes stock shockers just dont last at all do they. Mine has only done 3200 klms and they feel good but that will change. I certainly dont want to buy twice.
Cheers
mydmax wrote:Deano74
Remember the buyer of cheap items pays twice.
The ArchM shocks, who makes them?, I presume they are rebranded from some maker.
Knowing their life and rebound control ability over time will be a decider I would think.
Unfortunately shocks gradually degrade in performance and the loss of control may not be evident to the user because he is used to what it does. Therefore may state they are still good. Just a view point to consider regarding total overall cost of good ride and shock perofrmance for a substantial amount of time and usage.
All shocks should work ok or really well when new, but after a period of use they fall short. The shocks on my 2011 Dmax sort of felt ok when new, but by the time 5000km had passed they allowed 7 rebounds of the front suspension. 1 to 1.5 is the limit.
The fitting of Bilsteins at 5000km saw a vast improvement and continued performance long after the OE ones gave up. At 16 times the distance the oe ones gave up at, the Bilsteins were still great.
The OE shocks don't leak and look fine in every respect, they simply don't control the suspension or mass of the vehicle, or suit the vehicle.
Good shocks are a sound investement as they allow ABS, ESC and Traction control etc, to be able to work properly by having the tyres actually on the ground. Poor or degraded shocks render the safety systems almost inoperative, unable to function as designed. No good having the best of safety systems if the tyres can't grip the road. "Only" when you need them most is when you find they don't work well.
Choose wisely.
Regards
mydmax
Thanks for the reply mydmax.
I would like to hear from somebody that has personally used the archm shocks. Archm claim they are cheaper as they are made for them no middle man. They have a decent warranty.
But i hear you. Ive sworn ill never buy cheap anything again. The Oztec shocks get a really good rap? Would like to know what the majority are using. And yes stock shockers just dont last at all do they. Mine has only done 3200 klms and they feel good but that will change. I certainly dont want to buy twice.
Cheers
Hey mate, I have. I started this thread. Still going strong on my D-Max! I would buy another kit again if I needed, but I don't.
Be aware of certain posters who spend all their day in front of the computer and not 4wding. They don't have real world 4wd experience, just textbook knowledge,
mydmax wrote:Deano74
Remember the buyer of cheap items pays twice.
The ArchM shocks, who makes them?, I presume they are rebranded from some maker.
Knowing their life and rebound control ability over time will be a decider I would think.
Unfortunately shocks gradually degrade in performance and the loss of control may not be evident to the user because he is used to what it does. Therefore may state they are still good. Just a view point to consider regarding total overall cost of good ride and shock perofrmance for a substantial amount of time and usage.
All shocks should work ok or really well when new, but after a period of use they fall short. The shocks on my 2011 Dmax sort of felt ok when new, but by the time 5000km had passed they allowed 7 rebounds of the front suspension. 1 to 1.5 is the limit.
The fitting of Bilsteins at 5000km saw a vast improvement and continued performance long after the OE ones gave up. At 16 times the distance the oe ones gave up at, the Bilsteins were still great.
The OE shocks don't leak and look fine in every respect, they simply don't control the suspension or mass of the vehicle, or suit the vehicle.
Good shocks are a sound investement as they allow ABS, ESC and Traction control etc, to be able to work properly by having the tyres actually on the ground. Poor or degraded shocks render the safety systems almost inoperative, unable to function as designed. No good having the best of safety systems if the tyres can't grip the road. "Only" when you need them most is when you find they don't work well.
Choose wisely.
Regards
mydmax
Thanks for the reply mydmax.
I would like to hear from somebody that has personally used the archm shocks. Archm claim they are cheaper as they are made for them no middle man. They have a decent warranty.
But i hear you. Ive sworn ill never buy cheap anything again. The Oztec shocks get a really good rap? Would like to know what the majority are using. And yes stock shockers just dont last at all do they. Mine has only done 3200 klms and they feel good but that will change. I certainly dont want to buy twice.
Cheers
Hey mate, I have. I started this thread. Still going strong on my D-Max! I would buy another kit again if I needed, but I don't.
Be aware of certain posters who spend all their day in front of the computer and not 4wding. They don't have real world 4wd experience, just textbook knowledge,
Hi mate, good to hear. How many klms have you done on them? Is the ride not too firm? Ive looked at so many different kits now. Im also wondering is it a wise idea getting height adjustable front struts? Dobinson do a full kit for around 2k. Bilstein actually do them as well. If the front starts sagging a bit the front could be wound up to compensate.
Cheers and thanks for rhe reply!
I think ride height adjustables are a good idea because any spring coil or leaf will sag after a time.
In a Dmax front end, any change from the ride height when front end alignment is was done, means a change to toe it/out and camber too. If you carefully note the actual bump rubber distance or centre of wheel to guard height at the start, you can then adjust back to where it was if tyre wear is evident and caused from spring sag.
mydmax wrote:I think ride height adjustables are a good idea because any spring coil or leaf will sag after a time.
In a Dmax front end, any change from the ride height when front end alignment is was done, means a change to toe it/out and camber too. If you carefully note the actual bump rubber distance or centre of wheel to guard height at the start, you can then adjust back to where it was if tyre wear is evident and caused from spring sag.
Are the front strut assemblies hard to swap over? I put an efs kit in my last Dmax myself so im capable. Is it a matter of undoing the lower ball joint and installing that way? The adjustable dobo kit fir 2k looks good but i might price bilsteiin adjustable as well.
Deano
If you have done one before then I would imagine you are all set to go. When dropping the lower arm, loosening the inner pivots bolts will allow the whole rubber bush unit to rotate more easily as the inner sleeves are released from being clamped. Just ensure the cams remain in the same place though.
Make sure you tighten them again after all is sitting on the suspension again so the inner sleeves of the bushes have returned to the original position, then tightened.
I made the comment about the costs because I am suspicious of places which sell shocks they don't make and many are simply rebranded something else. If they state who makes them and the reputation along with them. Well ok then you know the provenence of them.
I have a number of OME shocks, 3 sets for a 60 series LC, which gave up their good/aceptable performance after about 30,000km. They don't leak and still have gas in them but they just dont control well. Made by Monroe, enough said? Touted as the best but far from it.
My Bilsteins on the Dmax have done nearly 80,000km and still feel good and still allow it to handle well and brake well. Something the OE shocks could never do.
mydmax wrote:Deano
If you have done one before then I would imagine you are all set to go. When dropping the lower arm, loosening the inner pivots bolts will allow the whole rubber bush unit to rotate more easily as the inner sleeves are released from being clamped. Just ensure the cams remain in the same place though.
Make sure you tighten them again after all is sitting on the suspension again so the inner sleeves of the bushes have returned to the original position, then tightened.
I made the comment about the costs because I am suspicious of places which sell shocks they don't make and many are simply rebranded something else. If they state who makes them and the reputation along with them. Well ok then you know the provenence of them.
I have a number of OME shocks, 3 sets for a 60 series LC, which gave up their good/aceptable performance after about 30,000km. They don't leak and still have gas in them but they just dont control well. Made by Monroe, enough said? Touted as the best but far from it.
My Bilsteins on the Dmax have done nearly 80,000km and still feel good and still allow it to handle well and brake well. Something the OE shocks could never do.
My last Dmax was a 2009 model with torsion front end so im not fimiliar with coil over front end removal. Looks like 4 bolts up underneath and the ball joint nut need to be removed at a quick glance and the whole arm will swing down correct? Not sure what rubber bushes you are talking about is the ones where the arm bolts onto the chasis?