Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2048
Air Shocks... Just All the same?? Opinions??
I Might be in need of some new Air Suspension Struts... Looking around there appears to be a fair bit of variation in Price?? Some are Dunlop branded some just called OEM and some unbranded... Are they all just the same OR is there a real difference?
My Discos both have the original Delphi ones fitted.. and they are just fine despite high mileage (its just one has sprung a leak I think!)
Coming from the SPAX vs KONI era of car tuning and Rallying... there were always arguments/preferences on what was best. The Disco is mostly a road vehicle so should I be just buying the Cheap units OR is it worth seeking out a specific brand?
Thanks All1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
20th Dec 2017 5:10 pm
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20731
Dunlops are cheaper replacements. Used them without any issues
Member Since: 11 Oct 2009
Location: Bledlow
Posts: 901
The strut houses the airbag and the shock. If you have the time and patience you can dismount the strut and change just the shocks leaving the original airbag in situ. If you choose this path then you can choose your shocks, Koni FSDs are popular.
Personally, when the time came I wanted to do the job once and once only so went for OEM (Delphi) complete struts.-------------------------------------------------------------------
D4 '15 (64) Se Tech Indus Silver
Tesla Model Y LR (22)
Audi TT Roadster 225 (52)
Tesla Model 3 LR (70) (gone)
Porsche Boxster '96 2.5 5spd project (P)
Mini R52 S (54)
BMW 330e eDrive MSport '16 (gone)
D3 '07 (56) XS TDV6 Buckingham Blue (gone)
20th Dec 2017 10:00 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13906
I repleaced my originals at circa 175,000 miles. Have Dunlops on front and Delphs's on rear. 40,000 miles late and no issues with either.New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
21st Dec 2017 12:41 am
A.J.M
Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2815
I’m looking at this as well.
Will have 169,000 by the new year and want to give it a freshen up.
Is there any benefit for going Delphi over Dunlop’s?
21st Dec 2017 3:17 pm
G_Cam
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2048
In Cost terms its a straightforward:
1. Unbranded
2 .Dunlop
3. Delphi
4. Special Build ie KONI etc..
Having done a bit of reading and looking around the Air bag and separate shock option is possible however its NOT the budget option - I guess fine if you want a custom build for a specific reason?
The feedback on Dunlop Vs Delphi looks very much the same - any issues tend to look to be age/mile related? To be honest there is also little feedback on the Unbranded specifically as they could be re-branded or just a minority option I guess the feedback (or lack of) reflects this OR it could be they are just Great???
I cant find who make the Unbranded offerings, however there are a lot available through Far East Websites and Bulk Trade sellers? So I assume they are Chinese reproductions? Some UK and Euro based sellers DO appear to offer these 'Unbranded' but don't say specifically . Its more about how they intimate 'Like OEM' but omit the brand and don't specifically say OEM.. If that all makes sense?
For Me, personally, Dunlop looks like a good bet based on usage and price.1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
24th Dec 2017 1:00 pm
Erea
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
Great bit of info there. I’m almost on 300K KM with very little motorway so I might be looking for some soon. In fact I was thinking of driving behind my D3 over one particular stretch of very poor road just to see what’s happening, I regularly see old cars and light under the back Tyres on this stretch of road.
I saw one non branded new set of struts for sale on the bay and in very small print it said Re-manufactured
24th Dec 2017 2:57 pm
stiff
Member Since: 17 Jul 2017
Location: Either cashpoint or garage...
Posts: 293
A timely thread with useful info Also need to get this sorted on the D3 and was thinking it was going to be a lot more expensive than it looks.
246k km on very well used (and abused...) suspension so definitely needs seeing to. Will be asking Advanced Factors on what they stock MY2008 D3 - It got me hooked...gone
MY2012 D4 - It kept me hooked...gone
MY2007 D3 - Mid-Life crisis toy continues driving me to bankruptcy...
MY2018 "D5" Si6 - But is it a "true" LR...discuss...but now gone
Back in a D4 with a lot of extras....
24th Dec 2017 4:45 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13635
looks like a few of us are looking round for struts
had a good look on the inter web and for dunlop’s , Front they are around £160 inc vat, but when i do will change them as a pair
Will you let me know if you notice any difference. Thankyou.The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the best of everything they have.
24th Dec 2017 8:50 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13635
hi
more than happy to give feedback after i do them,
not sure if there original struts on there, just coming up to 100,000
Mine are original and i am at 164.000 miles. Thats why i wanted to know if you noticed any difference in the ride. Thanks.....The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the best of everything they have.
24th Dec 2017 9:19 pm
Ollram
Member Since: 04 Dec 2006
Location: Gortynia
Posts: 605
Hi
anyone knows the par nos for the 4 Air Suspension Struts for D3???
cheers
29th Dec 2017 1:32 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13635
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