Real-World Reliability of High Performance Shocks

I'm considering pulling the trigger on a set of 2.5" shocks from one of the big name manufacturers; King, Fox, Bilstein, ADS, etc. But before I do, I'd like to know what to expect in terms of reliability and service needs.

In my application, I would like to install just standard travel shocks on my 2019 TRD OR and add UCAs and new leaf packs down the road. I use my truck off road regularly (mix of crawling and medium speed desert running) and want better dampening on road and off, and the ability to level the front end for now.

How often do these high performance shocks tend to blow seals and require service? Having my truck down for a week or more at a time for a rebuild would be a major pain. If that's even somewhat likely, I'd rather just stay stock.

What are people experiencing with King/Fox/etc shocks? Are some brands more reliable than others?

Thanks for any feedback!

 

not a lot to report here yet but i can tell you that Fox predicted a ~50k rebuild need for my 2.5's. at 52k i was noticing harsh rebounds and less compression, and about 5k later they were done, cooked, useless, almost like riding on springs but not quite that bad. of course i beat the hell out of these things.

i haven't rebuilt them but will so i have a spare set when rebuilding my new Kings. they will probably require removal and rebuild at 30-40k i predict.

so, yes, these high end pieces do need normal attention or they stop functioning correctly.

 

I don't know about high temp areas like Cali, but in our colder climates we see bypass/res shocks leak and clunk a lot sooner. But the higher the grade the more likely you can rebuild them.

I've seen kings leak the most out of all the brands I've worked on. Fox and Icon are fairly solid in my experiences.

I would personally run a simple upgraded bilstien like this https://www.bilsteinlifts.com/shop/...RWafIzF_UemSEBa9vOq13BfA7gN34ehQaAsnPEALw_wcB

 

I have 80,000 on mine and they are due. I wouldn't say that I notice it in the ride its just a mileage thing. I will rebuild them before the new tires are installed. By then it will be close to 100,000 miles on them. (Fox)

 

Ta da!!!!

 

Good info, thanks guys. Sounds like Fox is one of the more durable/low maintenance brands and Kings are more race-oriented and need service more often.

Anyone with long-term experience with other brands of 2.5s like Elka, ADS, Bilstein, etc?

 

Life span will all depend on use, could be 20k or could be 50k. I have Icon’s and i would strongly suggest them to anyone looking for a top brand coilover. Their customer service is unmatched and they’re great helping out with technical issues. If you’re concerned with your truck being out of service for a week or two for rebuild, then keep your stock coilovers and buy a cheap Amazon spacer when the time comes and run them while the icon’s get seeviced

 

Fox is definitely the way to go, high quality seals and oil which make them last a long time. It's always a good idea to check their nitrogen pressure once in a while, but like mentioned above it really depends on how much they are used and abused. We typically have a large amount of King shocks sent in to use for rebuilds/tuning vs Fox.

 

I have Bilstien's, one of the rears just blew the seal, they lasted about 3 1/2 years which I think is typical in Canada, they don't last as long in the cold extremes. I am replacing them with rough country, leaving the front bilstiens for now.

 

heard anything out of the ordinary on eibach’s?

 

No problem at all. Heres a little copy and paste from one of our Tech Articles comparing Fox/King

"Oil is responsible for providing consistent damping across a range of temperatures, conveying heat, and lubricating the seals. When oil breaks down shock failure isn’t far behind. Fox shocks use a conventional oil rated by the manufacturer for use from -65 to 275 F and has a viscosity index of 370 (more on this below). King shocks use a conventional oil rated for use by the manufacturer from 14 to 230 F with a viscosity index of 150. It is common for oils to operate outside their rated range in shock absorbers due to the unique nature of the application (Fox rates their oil up to 400F). Fox oil offers substantially better lubrication across a wide range of temperatures based on the manufacturer ratings. Viscosity index (VI) is a measure of how much the damping will fade due to heat. Fox’s VI of 370 is very high and provides exceptional performance. King’s VI of 150 is an average rating."

 

excellent info, thanks for posting about it.

 

Look at what Ford and Toyota have done with Fox and Bilstein units to place them on daily drivers... covered shafts, improved corrosion resistance (in some cases), rubber bushings, improved seals in some areas.

 

this thread might have just swayed me from kings to fox's, are kings really that bad, and i live in a place where being under 14 degrees f is very common during the winter, would that really cause a big deal with the kings?

 

Too soon, haven't seen them on a truck.

I've installed lots of lowering kits from them, and a few sets of coil overs.

 

Well living in Alaska and from the Jeep perspective, I rarely see king shocks. Mostly all the jeeps are running fox shocks when it comes to anything with a res or bypass. Other shocks they run almost anything. A few guys run bilsteins and they don't seem to hold up as long. The cold really takes a toll on parts....

 

Any info on what Elka uses for oil? Have you guys worked on them yet?

 

I like the fact that Fox uses Viton O-rings. They likely had to go that route to stay above the temp rating of the oil. Plus Viton swells very little of any at all depending on the grade of Viton. It's the preferred jacket material on electrical cables in military fuel tank applications.

 

We typically recommend customers that live in an area that gets snow to stick with Fox. Their shafts will resist dings/rust a lot better than King. We replace King shafts all the time.

No experience with them

 

noted