Shocks and corrugations - Remote reservoirs?

[Stafford]

Please share info on shock upgrades and the result on corrugations
Looking to improve the ride over corrugations. Time is spent 50% on highway, and 50% on the Tanami.
I havent changed my shocks since I bought the truck 4 years ago, running 37" super singles, and was looking at SSA suspension but dont quite have the $$.

I heard that remote reservoir shocks, like the Dobinson MRR could improve my ride over corrugations. Is that likely? Im pretty fastidious about tyre pressure and the SS have helped a lot but its still brutal.

Can a good shock make a difference over corrugations? Or should I just go standard or not replace at all!

Vehicle is 1993 NPS 3.9L turbo, ~6 tonne.

 

[chet6.7]

"Can a good shock make a difference over corrugations? Or should I just go standard or not replace at all!"

Good shocks can make a big difference,good shocks tuned to the spring rate can make a bigger difference.
Check out Filthy Motorsports youtube channel for some good information on reservoir shocks.

 

[shade]

Can a good shock make a difference over corrugations? Or should I just go standard or not replace at all!

If those shocks are four years old, they've likely lost a good deal of their effectiveness. If they're the original equipment from '93, they're junk.

I don't have experience with a truck as heavy as yours, but a good reservoir shock valved for your use should make a dramatic improvement, especially over longer periods where the benefits of additional oil volume and cooling will pay off. On my much smaller truck, a Toyota Tacoma (Hilux - sorta), I was barely able to drive 20kph on heavily corrugated desert roads when using new OEM shocks. After upgrading to much better Fox shocks with external reservoirs, I can drive the same roads comfortably at more than twice the speed.

I doubt you'll regret the upgrade, but it can be expensive.

 

[pogmahon]

for what its worth i have tried several brands of truck shocks on canter all the none gas types faded badly on the corrugations never could justfy the cost of remote resevoir but have had used 4wd ute heavy duty gas (close to same measurments) with some success .Now have gotten a couple of cross aus trips all on the dirt and aruond the gulf and cape from sachs from ssa first with old springs then same shocks with their new recambered ones the shocks are gas bit not much pressure but have been okay but better with the new springs i find good results with dropping front tyre pressures made a instant difference . I tried before extended main leaves by brisbane firm(no different and broke main leaf 300 k west of uluru), air bags with one LEAF removed (too much rebound shocks would boil and start knocking they were a three way adjustable in a well known brad for trucks happened after about 1000 ks from when new. The sachs are the best for the money so far i think dual sachs would be better to stop that heavy axle getting too lively because once it gets going the shocks have a verytough job the requirements of these trucks on the rough are much more difficult than criusers etc beause of cab overdesign you feel it all if i can get 2yrs out of them i am satsfied on a dollar basis for klm and considering the rough conditions

 

[Stafford]

Great, thanks pogmahon, it looks like the remote reservoirs are going to be close to $2k. Have enquired with SSA about a set of Sachs maybe I can try them first. What symptoms do you get when youre shocks are worn and time to replace? And did the SSA springs make a big difference for you?

 

[pogmahon]

Great, thanks pogmahon, it looks like the remote reservoirs are going to be close to $2k. Have enquired with SSA about a set of Sachs maybe I can try them first. What symptoms do you get when youre shocks are worn and time to replace? And did the SSA springs make a big difference for you?
it get more and more useless on corrugations have a look out and see what the front axle is doing it will be going mad also on the bitumen on the blacksoil where it has gone into waves like st george to dalby was like before recent works bouncing along getting worce each bounce till you slow down to a crawl and start over the springs in my case certainly helped not exactly a car like ride but as good as you can expect for small cabover better loaded than empty of course

 

[pogmahon]

also trim the bumpstops back by about a third but only with the new springs the old ones wont like the extra travel and probably break a leaf

 

[Stafford]

Ah great advice thanks mate, I wondered if my wheel balance was out or what, some seemingly flat highway sections in the Kimberley drive the front end crazy. I think the road might be wavy from the heat. Hopefully shocks address it a bit, got Sachs on order from SSA. Might go those new springs when Im over east next. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Bris31]

Please share info on shock upgrades and the result on corrugations
Looking to improve the ride over corrugations. Time is spent 50% on highway, and 50% on the Tanami.
.........................

Ours is 2003 FG2003 at 4.5T
Due to tight budget and light weight, we greatly improved the corrugated offroad ride with BFG 315/75 R16 super singles and new set of extended leaf spring/shockers from Carrolls (Brisbane).

 

[Aussie Iron]

also trim the bumpstops back by about a third but only with the new springs the old ones wont like the extra travel and probably break a leaf

Never trim the bump stops as it will cause you problems when you are offroad and you cross your axles up . The tail shaft has a fair chance of hitting the sump. And yes I have seen two Canters that have done this allready - not mine.

I'm still running the Rancho 9000's that I originally fitted years ago and they are still going strong with not a problem.

Dan.

 

[pogmahon]

Never trim the bump stops as it will cause you problems when you are offroad and you cross your axles up . The tail shaft has a fair chance of hitting the sump. And yes I have seen two Canters that have done this allready - not mine.

I'm still running the Rancho 9000's that I originally fitted years ago and they are still going strong with not a problem.

Dan.

only trimmed the pointy bit gives 70mm bump clearance tailshaft clearance150mm diff banjo still at 115 mm on fg84 no problems since these were done at 7000 ks in 2012 now at 21200 k on all the rubbish tracks in country