Donahoe coilover internals (pics)

[mountainpete]

Hi guys,

I had one of my coilovers rebuilt by Kevin at HRT Offroad who is the Canadian ICON/Donahoe distributor. I must say that if you are in Canada and are considering purchasing a suspension system you should call Kevin. Excellent service and simply a nice guy. Kevin was kind enough to let me snap a few pics and watch as he rebuilt my coilover.

This is NOT a tutorial on how to rebuild a coilover. The pictures are to simply show people what the inside of the coilover looks like. I highly recommend that this operation be left to the manufacturer or authorized distributor to ensure the operation is completed correctly. Your safety on the road is at risk if it's not done properly.

1 - Inside assembly.

2 - Gaskets and spacer.

3 - Another view.

4 - Components that are replaced during rebuild.

5 - The most interesting thing to me. This spacer is part of each coilover. The difference between a regular and extended coilover? Just the size of the spacer. So your a regular can be switched over to extended!

6 - Solid technique and experience is required to make sure there is no air mixed in with the synthetic oil.

7 - How the nitrogen is refilled - not a schrader valve, but rather a needle port.

I have a few other pics if someone is interested in something specific... just let me know.

Thanks!

Pete

 

[Dave Bennett]

Thanks Pete!

I was that kid that always disassembled everything so I have been itching to see the guts on one of those!

 

[SOAZ]

The copper wear band looks good! Any scratches or cuts in it and you know theres a problem.

 

[mountainpete]

The copper wear band looks good! Any scratches or cuts in it and you know theres a problem.

Yes, it wasn't too clear as to exactly which component was causing me problems. So all the rings were replaced and it seems to be holding well now. The true test is the trip next week.

Pete

 

[Willman]

Didn't you just get those a year ago????


Not holding the weight???....What was the problem with them??.....


Thanks for the pictures!

 

[SOAZ]

Yes, it wasn't too clear as to exactly which component was causing me problems. So all the rings were replaced and it seems to be holding well now. The true test is the trip next week.

Pete

What were the symptoms?

 

[mountainpete]

Yes, they were less then a year old and the rebuild should have really happened in late fall, but circumstances led me to wait until now...

The biggest symptom was clunking. Over most bumps, manhole covers, train tracks I would hear a metal to metal clunk. I could clearly feel the clunk under the drivers floorboard and in the steering wheel too. On gravel roads at high speed the truck at times would have even been called unstable. The symptoms were worse when there was a bump in a corner.

The clunking would be best described as a metal to metal sound. As if a piece of metal was freely moving in a gap and hitting both sides. Looking at how the coilover is designed, you can see how that sound would occur. At first, I actually didn't think it was the coilover - I thought it was in the steering.

Strangely the ride height did not sag at all - a testament to the quality of springs used. Just looking at the vehicle you would never know there was a problem and depending on the road you drove and the surface quality, you might not have even felt it.

I had the coilover recharged once before (nitrogen fill, not a full rebuild like this was), but in reality it was only a week or two before the symptoms came back again. I am hoping that the problems are gone for good now, but if they are leaking again, I should know tomorrow (truck hasn't been driven in a week as I pulled the drivers seat and rear bench out to do some wiring).

If there are problems, I am honestly not that worried. Donahoe/Icon has stood behind their products and Kevin at HRT is very reliable.

Pete

 

[p1michaud]

Pictures.

Pete,
Thanks for posting the information!
I'm not sure now if I have the same symptoms as you are experiencing. My rig is making a small clunk/thud sound when it comes to a stop. There is not clunking when hitting pot holes.

I'm going to have to keep tracking it down. No luck so far.

Cheers,
P

 

[SOAZ]

Sounds a little like a coilover with no charge. Hopefully it was leaking out of one of the wipers you replaced and its good now. Any dents or scratches in the shaft?

Yes, they were less then a year old and the rebuild should have really happened in late fall, but circumstances led me to wait until now...

The biggest symptom was clunking. Over most bumps, manhole covers, train tracks I would hear a metal to metal clunk. I could clearly feel the clunk under the drivers floorboard and in the steering wheel too. On gravel roads at high speed the truck at times would have even been called unstable. The symptoms were worse when there was a bump in a corner.

The clunking would be best described as a metal to metal sound. As if a piece of metal was freely moving in a gap and hitting both sides. Looking at how the coilover is designed, you can see how that sound would occur. At first, I actually didn't think it was the coilover - I thought it was in the steering.

Strangely the ride height did not sag at all - a testament to the quality of springs used. Just looking at the vehicle you would never know there was a problem and depending on the road you drove and the surface quality, you might not have even felt it.

I had the coilover recharged once before (nitrogen fill, not a full rebuild like this was), but in reality it was only a week or two before the symptoms came back again. I am hoping that the problems are gone for good now, but if they are leaking again, I should know tomorrow (truck hasn't been driven in a week as I pulled the drivers seat and rear bench out to do some wiring).

If there are problems, I am honestly not that worried. Donahoe/Icon has stood behind their products and Kevin at HRT is very reliable.

Pete

 

[SOAZ]

Pete,
Thanks for posting the information!
I'm not sure now if I have the same symptoms as you are experiencing. My rig is making a small clunk/thud sound when it comes to a stop. There is not clunking when hitting pot holes.

I'm going to have to keep tracking it down. No luck so far.

Cheers,
P

I'm sure you thought of this, but yours sounds exactly like one I had. I just had to grease the whole driveline and it went away. Seems too easy especially since I had done it about 6months before, but I must have gotten some water or dirt in there. The clunk was so severe that I thought my tranny was going or something.

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

Strangely the ride height did not sag at all - a testament to the quality of springs used. Just looking at the vehicle you would never know there was a problem and depending on the road you drove and the surface quality, you might not have even felt it.

Pete,
the coil determines the ride height. the shock can be 100% blown and it would not change your ride height no matter what the vehicle.
Coil sag happens over time, so you can determine it's durability over time.

the internals simply dampen the bouncing of the coil.

Anyway, the pics are interesting and looks like you found a great trick to get extended travel.

 

[mountainpete]

Sounds a little like a coilover with no charge. Hopefully it was leaking out of one of the wipers you replaced and its good now. Any dents or scratches in the shaft?

None.

 

[SOAZ]

None.

Then hopefully the dust wiper was hurt during installation or something. Usually a cut or imperfection on the shaft will rip at a seal and make it leak.
If this rebuild doesn't do it, their alternative to a shrader valve (the nasa rubber thing that comes from snowmobile shocks) may be leaking the charge out or one of the threaded ends could even be leaking. (unlikely, but it happens)
Like you said though. Icon will just take care of it either way. unk03:

 

[heeltoe989]

nice pics Pete!

Kevin's the best! Always taken care of any problems I've ever had.