Fox vs Dirt King (Elka)

Short of getting coilover savers ( blankets) not much in the way of corrosion resistant shocks, or at least purpose designed.

 

almost all of them use Kings, then a few icons and bilsteins. Not one runs Elkas or foxes or locked or anyother brands

 

I don't know how many times I can say this, but... that's the reason I'm sticking with aluminum coilovers and hence why I've crossed Kings off my list.

 

Yeah I watched that. I also read Fox's response to their video, which was kinda funny. It amounted to, "You tested our bottom of the barrel shocks and we now have newer, more expensive ones that perform better." I guess that's a fair response on some level. The coilovers I'm considering are their highest-end consumer offering (2.5 Performance Elite Series). The ones tested in that video are their 10-15 year old Factory Race shocks.

 

my last reply in no way suggested kings, as for aluminum creating its own barrier that is subject to certain environmental conditions.
Aluminum, forms a protective oxide layer on its surface that acts as an inert barrier against further oxidation. So long as the aluminum isn’t exposed to an environment that causes it to break down, it will continue to provide excellent corrosion resistance.

 

I know you didn't ask but have you considered Dobinson? I have their MRR shocks for over a year. I do a lot of off-roading in mud and snow and they have been great.
I think from a quality standpoint they are competitive with all of the major brands and have excellent customer service. @Crikeymike Is an active member here and sells their stuff on his website. Dobinson USA is based out of Florida and they are very responsive to phone calls and emails as well.

 

Give Accutune a call. They have all the details on Fox/king/icon…ect and they will definitely answer the phone.
Also check out their new Ride Shocks.

 

Yeah, I've looked at Dobinson. They seem decent. Not sure what's up with all their spring options to raise/lower the front rather than adjusting pre-load though. Isn't that the point of coilovers?

 

Yep, I spoke to them a while back. Like I said in my OP, if I get Fox they're gonna be from Accutune.

 

I'd go Fox aluminum bodies.

Elka's have a smaller shaft diameter, and some people have had issues sourcing parts from Canada.

I think that comparison video completely misses the point on custom tunable shocks. Order them from a place that tunes like Accutune, or get them retuned after the fact to your preference/truck weight/driving style/terrain etc.

 

The different spring options very depending upon the weight you have on the front of your vehicle. I ordered from exit off-road and they ask how much extra weight you will have on the front of your vehicle or if it's stock, then they ask how much of a lift you're looking to achieve and then it all comes pre-assembled ready to install. Pretty simple

 

I'm talking about just stock weight. They offer different springs for stock weight to alter the lift rather than adjusting preload... as well as additional springs for different vehicle weight. Have a look at the 5th gen 4Runner setup, for example. You have to choose between four different springs (for stock weight). Just strikes me as odd you have to swap springs when everybody else gives you the ability to go from 0" - 3" with one spring by adjusting preload. But maybe there's a good reason Dobinson does it this way.

 

Didn't think about shaft diameter, thank you. I spoke to DK and they said they have a complete overstock of parts in case servicing is required (they're in San Diego). Also Toytec shocks (the Aluma/Boss ones) are also made by Elka.

I agree. That said... if I remember correctly, their complaint in the video was how stiff/harsh the ride was with the Fox shocks? Stiffness comes from the spring rate. All the shock does is dampen the movement of the spring (hence the name). So if the ride was too stiff, that strikes me as a spring issue, not a valving/tuning issue with the shock.

That said, another option for me is to go with the Fox Factory Race Series 2.5s without DSC adjusters and have Accutune do their thing. That way there are no adjusters to get corroded and seize. But the PES are the newest, most up-to-date product. I gave Accutune another call to ask about the PES seizing issues. They admitted it happens but didn't really want to go into much detail other than, "Yeah... it can happen with the DSC."

 

Have you checked out our new shocks we just released? Aluminum shock bodies, pre-tuned options based on your weight range. 3 year / 50k warranty. They offer AMAZING ride quality

 

Using a spring that is the closest to the lift height you want without added preload provides better ride quality than just offering one spring and preloading it to change the heights.

 

Who manufactures them for you or are they in house?

 

100% designed & assembled in-house.

 

So who does the actual parts manufacturing for your in-house designs?

Edit: also curious why your design went with the ground flat spring on the spring perch? Eibach had trouble with the early 3rd gen TRD Pro springs with that same design breaking prematurely and later went with the full coil on the lower perch.

 

I went with Dirt King. So far, so good. They ride great and their customer support is good. One of the front coilovers took a hit during shipping and the fitting for the remote resi got damaged. They picked up the phone on the first ring and overnighted me a replacement.

 

Happy to continue answering questions, but this is derailing this thread a bit from the main topic.

We source parts domestically and over seas in Taiwan. We have very strict requirements on tolerances and quality. I'm not familiar with the spring issue you brought up. Flat ground springs are the most common and popular spring style being used for aftermarket coilovers. All of the Eibach springs we stock for Fox & King coilovers are flat ground. We use Eibach springs for our coilovers, and they also make private labeled springs for Fox and I believe Bilstein. Eibach does a great job manufacturing springs, which are made in Corona, CA.