2007 OEM Shocks vs. Bilstein or others (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Joseph H
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OEM is best for comfort and most cost-effective for what they are.
Edit: it really depends on what you are looking for in terms of capability, ride quality, longevity, price, etc. as there are so many options available. I went with OEM as I couldn't stand the OME shocks and for my needs, don't need to go overboard on my suspension setup.
The Bilstein supply has seemed to have dried up as that is what I was looking for initially a few months ago when I did my shock install. A lot of places don't have them in stock and have a 2-4 month waiting period. I found one place that had them in stock at their warehouse near me but they wanted an extra $100 per shock. That and the fact they have a shorter travel so aren't the best choice for lifted trucks.
I had the Old Man Emu Nitrocharger Sports installed for about a month and while I initially liked the handling and response, overall comfort was compromised to the point of being very jarring and uncomfortable. I realized the handling upgrades weren't worth the crappy ride.
Note, these were the light duty ones that ARB "recommended" for stock/light-loaded vehicles, and they still ran very firm. (Yes, I did research out the a** but my curiosity got the better of me and will be selling these at a loss... My loss is someone else's gain).
New OEM (Tokico) definitely isn't as "tight" feeling but I prefer a more comfortable ride now that I've experienced the polar opposite in this truck.
The current setup I have is new OEM shocks, 865 springs in the rear, and cranked torsion bars up front and I feel it's a good compromise of comfort and handling. The ride is definitely firmer but not to the point of being uncomfortable, as bumps and potholes are still well-dampened, yet cornering and overall stability seem to be a bit better but let's not kid each other, it's a 6,200 lb SUV.
Overall, it's a really subjective thing and each person's views differ, so take it with a grain of salt. My truck is basically stock with no added weight, so other's experiences will vary.
Cheers,
Rich
Edit: it really depends on what you are looking for in terms of capability, ride quality, longevity, price, etc. as there are so many options available. I went with OEM as I couldn't stand the OME shocks and for my needs, don't need to go overboard on my suspension setup.
The Bilstein supply has seemed to have dried up as that is what I was looking for initially a few months ago when I did my shock install. A lot of places don't have them in stock and have a 2-4 month waiting period. I found one place that had them in stock at their warehouse near me but they wanted an extra $100 per shock. That and the fact they have a shorter travel so aren't the best choice for lifted trucks.
I had the Old Man Emu Nitrocharger Sports installed for about a month and while I initially liked the handling and response, overall comfort was compromised to the point of being very jarring and uncomfortable. I realized the handling upgrades weren't worth the crappy ride.
Note, these were the light duty ones that ARB "recommended" for stock/light-loaded vehicles, and they still ran very firm. (Yes, I did research out the a** but my curiosity got the better of me and will be selling these at a loss... My loss is someone else's gain).
New OEM (Tokico) definitely isn't as "tight" feeling but I prefer a more comfortable ride now that I've experienced the polar opposite in this truck.
The current setup I have is new OEM shocks, 865 springs in the rear, and cranked torsion bars up front and I feel it's a good compromise of comfort and handling. The ride is definitely firmer but not to the point of being uncomfortable, as bumps and potholes are still well-dampened, yet cornering and overall stability seem to be a bit better but let's not kid each other, it's a 6,200 lb SUV.
Overall, it's a really subjective thing and each person's views differ, so take it with a grain of salt. My truck is basically stock with no added weight, so other's experiences will vary.
Cheers,
Rich
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I think most look at OEM for cost effectiveness and comfort. For performance, most seem to consider OME (noted as being very firm), IronMan ProFoam or ToughDog Foam series (my choice to replace the AHC in my 98 LX). From all my research over the past several months, Bilsteins seem to have gotten a very bad rap. They just don't seem to mate up well with 100 Series cruisers from either a comfort or performance standpoint. I'm sure there's someone out there with them that loves them. But, it seems the consensus is to either go OEM for comfort/cost or go with one of the Big 3 (OME, IronMan or ToughDog) for performance.
This raises a question I was wondering about.
Can you use OEM shocks with the ARB torsion bars and springs, to achieve the same lift? That seems to be what you’re saying, right?
What would be the drawbacks of that?
From what I've read, Old Man Emu torsion bars up front can be used with stock shocks but on a stock vehicle they're overkill and will firm up the ride (how much I don't know).
I only cranked my stock bars and am riding with those for now along with the OME865 springs in the rear. The rear end seems to be a bit less "spongy" and definitely feels firmer so I can imagine the Old Man torsion bars up front would do the same.
Drawbacks are the shocks aren't at their natural resting position so that may affect lifespan, ride quality, etc. And down travel on a cranked front can be limited if attention isn't paid to measurements, etc. I'm not going to go into detail as I don't want to hijack the thread.
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OEM shocks don't have the same down-travel to my understanding/research as OME, IronMan or ToughDog. Consequently, cranking the TBs could result in a less than optimal 50mm of droop. Also, OME TBs (as with other aftermarket TBs) have a higher spring rate resulting in more firmness. The OEM LC TBs are between the OEM LX TBs and aftermarket TBs in terms of spring rate. Unless you run additional weight on the front such as a steel front bumper possibly with a winch as well, you'll notice a firmer ride.
- Thread starter
- #7
Did you sell them?
If not will they work on an AHC 2007?
I’m considering going this route. Thanks.
Not yet, been way to busy to even worry about them yet.
- Thread starter
- #9
Were you running the OMEs with a complete stock setup? This would be my plan.
Yes, handling characteristics improved but the ride quality took a major dump, and coming from an M3 with a suspension that is firmer than firm, I can attest I didn't care for it in my truck.
For a Land Cruiser, I expect a more plush ride with a bit of good rebound, but not harsh.
Your results may vary as it's very subjective, I'm just giving my insight.
