I replaced the rear suspension bushes a few weeks ago but the front bushes were still those that we originally set off with on our trip around Australia about 45,000km ago. Although there were no handling issues with the front end of the Hilux I thought I better take the front struts out and have a look since collapsed bushes have lead to strut failure with the bottom stem of the strut shearing right off.
Turns out the front bushes were partially collapsed. A few thousand kms of corrugations will do it. So I bought myself a new set of bushes, strapped the struts to the back of the bike and rode down to the local mechanic to have the bushes changed out (special equipment is needed to press the bushes out of / into the strut). Then got home and slapped it all back together ready for the next camping mission.
Categories: Hilux Set Up
Ain’t pushies wonderfully low tech.
It would have been useful too to take your dampers to a suspension specialist and have them dyno tested. Those kinds of k’s may well have trashed the oil and maybe internal seals/o-rings and bushes. I get my sportsbike shock serviced every 15 K kms. It doesn’t have much travel and has to work hellish hard. Any unit can be rebuilt whether it’s designed for it or not.
Push bikes may well possibly be the greatest invention of all time. Efficient, simple, easy to maintain, able to carry several times their weight in payload. Incredibly those are the exact opposite attributes of a car.
My shocks feel ok and no signs of oil. Will let them sit for a while longer but agree I should look at a rebuild at some stage.