Spong

Spong

Well-Known Member
Full Member
Found a weeping shock absorber on the front, any recommendations for replacements?
It spends most of its time on the road, not lifted etc. I'd normally go for LR genuine parts, but they're at least twice the price of most and there's a good chance someone make a better option?
 
I’ve read from other forum members that Bilstein shocks are very good quality and priced well.
Terrafirma shocks, from my experience, look great and are cheap priced but don’t last long.
OME and Fox shocks (I’m installing Fox 2.0 shocks now) are the best but expect to pay a premium price for them
 
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From personal experience:
- Bilstein the best untill now for me
- Terrafirma rusted away in no time
- Monroe too soft, i felt like in a small boat on a wavy ocean

A friend fitted Britpart cellular dynamic and he is pleased with them for that price
 
Spong said:
That’s good to know, I was looking at those on Island 4x4’s site. Might have a punt on those...
Click to expand...
I ordered them recently from Island and after a bit of a wait and an enquiry they came back and said they didn’t have them in stock. They offered to send me Terrafirmas instead. I reluctantly accepted as I had paid up front and needed the Disco moving.
 
meego said:
I ordered them recently from Island and after a bit of a wait and an enquiry they came back and said they didn’t have them in stock. They offered to send me Terrafirmas instead. I reluctantly accepted as I had paid up front and needed the Disco moving.
Click to expand...
OK, thanks for the warning. I'll try and order some tonight. Island is my usual goto, but I see Paddocks are selling them too, so hopefully not too difficult to get hold of.
Did you get the Terrafirmas at the same price? Were they OK?
 
I got them at the same price. Only just fitted them on the front and it’s still to go for MOT, so can’t really comment on them yet.
 
I'd steer clear of TF, i had them and they were a pile of rust in less than 3 years, this happenned about 5 years ago so it's possible that they are better now but for me it was such a dissapointment that i'm not gonna give them another chance
 
tilly2 said:
TF is the modern equivalent of a Lancia Beta...... if you are old enough to remember
Click to expand...
Ha, yes I do - my bro had one. Conveniently, you could check the tyres by looking down through the rust holes in the wings. Lovely car though.
 
Stay well away from Terrafirma.
Mine broke/snapped off where they meet the rear axle (on a Defender) - Terrafirma don't want to know, they were less than 18 months old.

Britpart Cellular Dynamic would be my choice.
 
miktdish said:
Britpart Cellular Dynamic would be my choice.
Click to expand...
That’s what I went for. I was going to buy them from Island but their site was down, so I went to Paddock’s.
I need to check the book on how to swap them out - I take it the shock turret doesn’t locate the top of the spring too? In other words, I don’t need to use spring compressors to hold it before I undo the turret nuts?
 
tilly2 said:
You obviously are too young to remember the Beta, and its top quality Italian steel
Click to expand...
:D maybe i'm too young for you but even if it's so at least i know that putting "top quality" in the same sentence with "italian" for other things than pizza or pasta these days is silly :p
 
A typical picture of a Lancia Beta, in a car park.... They were so bad, Lancia bought them all back in the UK, and removed themselves from the market totally.

iu
 
sierrafery said:
:D maybe i'm too young for you but even if it's so at least i know that putting "top quality" in the same sentence with "italian" for other things than pizza or pasta these days is silly :p
Click to expand...

Agreed - they had somewhat of a reputation with some models being prone to rust (the AlfaSud too) but they're certainly not in a league of their own when it comes to corrosion. Truth be told however, Italy managed to keep its motor industry relatively intact and still produce some of the most desirable cars on the market. I suppose such legacy speaks for itself !
 
So the Britpart 'Cellular Dynamic' shock absorbers arrived. They are yellow on Paddocks website, they are yellow on Island's website. They are also very yellow on Britparts website. So guess what colour mine are?

Red, obviously.

I'm not really fussed about that (would prefer them to be black if I'm honest), but given that Britpart stuff has a reputation of being a bit hit and miss, it doesn't fill me with confidence that I've got what I thought I was getting!
 
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