Buying from Zordo. Lovell or Dobinson Shocks?

[Nik83 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nik83]

I've read good things here about buying from John Zordo ( www.zordos4wdsuspension.com.au ), so today I gave John a call to see what all the fuss was about and, frankly, I'm already sold. I bragged to a workmate after the call about the customer service. Quote of "Even if you don't buy from me: DONT do this........and if you plan on installing yourself, you can always call me for help and I'll guide you through it...".

Anyway, he's now my designated suspension supplier. But my question is, for what?

If I can manage it I will go the bilstein/dobinson combination. It is juuuust stretching the budget though. The alternatives are lovells shocks or dobinson shocks.

Here's the setup I will have when ordering:
1x steel bullbar
1x side bars
1x brush bars'

1x battery - within a month.
1x Winch - witin 6 months.

-1 rear seats (removed) - within a month / whatever is needed
1x rear airbags within 6 months / once I put draw system in

My Driving Habits:
- Weekly: ~600km highway
- Weekly: ~100km suburban
- Month: ~1 weekend of (relatively) deeply rutted fire trails and 4wd trails
- Year: Hopefully, 1 big extended trip. Corrugations likely.

I pretty much permanently keep my recovery gear (30kg) and a few other things in the back. I'm not sure if the above matters for general day to day considering the shocks and springs will be suited to my load anyway.

I don't know where to go immediately. I've read good things about the bilstein/dobinson combination, but I'm interested to hear what people say about the lovell shocks or even the complete dobinson kit.

The more I think about it, the more I think I should DIY install. It's something I can do myself and I do have access to spring compressors.

Your thoughts?

[Guest Close Guest]

Leave the spring compressors alone. Do it the easy way
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...ade-for-Grande

Can't help you with the rest.

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

& if John is busy you can call me & I will guide you through it, even if you buy kit off him

He should easily be able to guide you to decide what, I'd hope not bilsteins.

Dobinsons combo $950.00
Dobinsons MONROE $1150.00 - all made in oz!
Dobinsons KYB $1190.00
$350 fitting.

Pay less pay cash

They are a few options to consider & some you wouldn't bother.

You could call me & I can tell you what brands coils you need so you can buy of Zordo!

[rnwlcs Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close rnwlcs]

############# - why not the Bilsteins. I am just about to head down the new suspension path myself and am weighing up the options.
Tooooo many choices.
I want the good stuff, but don't want to pay an arm and leg for it, so trying to find the happy place in the middle.

Any help would be appreciated.

Robert

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

I initially went with Lovells Coils and Shocks, but after our 1st desert trip, I came back disappointed in the Lovells Coils as they had sagged down to be not much above factory height..... I tried a couple of things, but in the end I ended up buying a set of Dobinson Coils off John (H/D ones) and I just left the Lovell Shocks in....
That was quite a few years ago and I've been happy ever since but had to finally replace the front Lovell Shocks as the bottom bush had worn out (roughly 90k of life out of them) I ended up just replacing the Fronts again with Lovels as the Lovells rep gave me a good price. I did notice that the new Lovell Shocks were slightly shorter than my older ones. I rang Lovells just to confirm I had the right ones and he informed me I did and gave reasons for the changes....
I'm still running the Lovell Rear Shocks as they still seem fine, even after 125k.... IF I had to do it all over again, I might change the rear coils from HD to medium and add Air-bags as the current setup is great when loaded, but unloaded I think it's probably a little harsh, but the missus hasn't complained yet, so I'm not touching it until she does....

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

############# - why not the Bilsteins. I am just about to head down the new suspension path myself and am weighing up the options.
Tooooo many choices.
I want the good stuff, but don't want to pay an arm and leg for it, so trying to find the happy place in the middle.

Any help would be appreciated.

Robert

Too many leak. Too exe for what they are.
See the prices I put in that post? Better gear & cheaper than bilsteins.
Those are 3 good options, good gear.
Support Aussie business or jobs & buy MONROE & Dobinsons. Green n gold either way.
Stick with suspension companies.
Rather than tuff names, if you get my drift.

MONROE are like you bfg a/t, every second car has them & there great. (Monroe makes for ome/Arb)

Bilsteins are a bit like coopers or Mickey t, dearer, but only an illusion they are better or last longer.

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

I initially went with Lovells Coils and Shocks, but after our 1st desert trip, I came back disappointed in the Lovells Coils as they had sagged down to be not much above factory height..... I tried a couple of things, but in the end I ended up buying a set of Dobinson Coils off John (H/D ones) and I just left the Lovell Shocks in....
That was quite a few years ago and I've been happy ever since but had to finally replace the front Lovell Shocks as the bottom bush had worn out (roughly 90k of life out of them) I ended up just replacing the Fronts again with Lovels as the Lovells rep gave me a good price. I did notice that the new Lovell Shocks were slightly shorter than my older ones. I rang Lovells just to confirm I had the right ones and he informed me I did and gave reasons for the changes....
I'm still running the Lovell Rear Shocks as they still seem fine, even after 125k.... IF I had to do it all over again, I might change the rear coils from HD to medium and add Air-bags as the current setup is great when loaded, but unloaded I think it's probably a little harsh, but the missus hasn't complained yet, so I'm not touching it until she does....

You should share the reasons they now make them shorter.

There are many brands that are making too much travel & it can cause a few problems.

Some are making their shock/strut valving too harsh too, nasty stuff.

More reasons to avoid some brands.

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

It's been a while and I can't fully remember, but I think it was related to the CV angle, etc.... Plus i think the shaft might have been a bit thicker as well....?

The difference in length wasn't much (nothing that I was concerned about anyway), but it did catch my attention during install, but I have no regrets....

You should share the reasons they now make them shorter.

There are many brands that are making too much travel & it can cause a few problems.

Some are making their shock/strut valving too harsh too, nasty stuff.

More reasons to avoid some brands.

[peter_mcc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peter_mcc]

Dobinsons combo $950.00
Dobinsons MONROE $1150.00 - all made in oz!
Dobinsons KYB $1190.00

This is all so confusing! I'm also looking at doing something in the next 2 months but my head keep spinning.

Are Dobinsons springs much different to Kings springs?

Are KYB shocks better than Monroe which are better than Dobinsons?

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

This is all so confusing! I'm also looking at doing something in the next 2 months but my head keep spinning.

Are Dobinsons springs much different to Kings springs?

Are KYB shocks better than Monroe which are better than Dobinsons?

Ok so there lots of brands.
IMO you should,
Narrow it down to suspension brands eg; Monroe Dobinson.
Don't worry about 4x4 brands like ironman or tough dog.
There is nothing wrong with the Dobinsons full kit. That is the best value.
However IMO Monroe are the leaders in top quality suspension.
Something to back to up, lots of people use ome from Arb, don't have too many problems with that & it works & rides well.
Monroe make it, you can save by buying MONROE brand, it's just as good or better than what they make or Arb.
I don't think you could get a $1100 kit from Arb?
Green & yellow looks good & happened to be Aussie colours for one of the very few combinations made in oz!
Dobinsons have a better range of coils & the service is second to none, well for me anyway.
I just threw KYB out there as its another good value brand, made in Japan which is usually always top quality, rarely gets a mention.

[jjgsxr1000 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jjgsxr1000]

Just fitted my 2nd Set of Bilsteins after 5 years of spirited use offroad & i have sold thousands of sets.
I don't know where all these warranty leaks etc are you speak of ####.
I'm not seeing them. The Dobinsons cheapy Ultima looking shocks on the other hand...mmmm

Regards, JJ

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Just fitted my 2nd Set of Bilsteins after 5 years of spirited use offroad & i have sold thousands of sets.
I don't know where all these warranty leaks etc are you speak of ####.
I'm not seeing them. The Dobinsons cheapy Ultima looking shocks on the other hand...mmmm

Regards, JJ

You have sold Thousands of sets & no leaks ? That's pretty damn good. I don't sell billies, but i do see leaks. I didn't say warranty, no idea what warranty they have, I don't sell them. You can search around the net, perhaps here on pp & find some. So its not a huge percentage then?
What one x billyer did tell me, the parts to rebuild 1 was more than I could supply a new unit, so much cheaper by the time you add rebuild labour.
That vehicle for 1 , now has had Dobinsons in it for longer than the billies lasted. Maybe just a coinsedence?
It may also be a coinsedence That vehicle had a front & a rear Billie leaking?

If we put some baby blue on them maybe they won't look like cheapy ultima as you say, they will look like expensive billies?
There's thousands of Dobinsons sets out there, lets be honest, there are some failures & would be less than 1% problems, I'm happy to say & DOBINSONS are excellent with back up service/warranty when an issue arises, that counts for a lot IMO.
It can be hard to get warranty covered these days.
After all they are wear n tear items, like brakes, tyres & CRD injectors......

What's a Prado bilstein kit with coils worth?

Cheers,

[peter_mcc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peter_mcc]

What's a Prado bilstein kit with coils worth?

According to the PradoPoint store... $1280 with King springs.

The more I read the more confused I get...

[MYT150 Member Find all posts View Profile Close MYT150]

I am no expert, but after having Bilsteins and King springs on my 90 series Prado many years ago for about 3 years and 90K km, with a lot of off road tracks and corrugations, I had no issues. When I got the 105 series Landcrusier I was talked into Rancho shocks, but went with King springs, the Ranchos were dead in less then 12 months and 20K km, they were replaces with Big Bore Tough Dog shocks which lasted a few more years and about 60K km, before they also died, they were replaced by Bilsteins and went I sold the truck they had been in there for nearly 130K km, and the King springs for 207K km (still riding about the same height) and no issues, had looked at replacing the springs due to age but not for any other reason.

So I know what I am going to fit to the new 150 in the next few weeks, as I have had a good run with them and they work, without being ridiculously expensive like some of the other shocks out there like the Fox and BP51.

[juc33_prado Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close juc33_prado]

I got the Dobinson's Spring and Shocks combo put into the 90 series, it handles well is still sitting right and was a great price,

Zordo did an excellent job installing.

Highly recommended.

SAM