I was carrying a Lance Camper, that was the reason for the reduced speed. Passenger cars and mini vans were blowing by me on this same road without problems. 3 guys in a Geo Metro stopped to ask if everything was Ok when my shocks were bellowing smoke from my wheel wells. This is the main road to a popular National Park which thousands of people travel every year so you opinion is wrong and there are no "red flags"

 

Once again a BIG red flag here. If you think my opinion is wrong then we disagree. I think you are making this into quite a fish story.

Maybe you need a course or two about how to drive with a camper. If a mini van can handle the road you obviously can't properly load a camper.

 

Heavy, this is not my argument but you are being silly.


I live here. I know what this road is like and you do not.


I invite you to come here and take a trip down this road in your truck. I guarantee you that you would come back on here and post an apology if you did.
What you don't understand or aren't thinking about is WHO was driving these vehicles that were passing him. I know who they were and mean no disrespect to them, but they don't give a crap about beating their cars to death and they drive that road every day because they live out there.
Heavy vehicles like F550 service trucks and oilfield trucks would fall apart if driven fast on this road... same thing with hauling a cabover camper.
The fact is his shocks failed and should not have. That's the bottom line.
Cheers.

 

OH..now there's another taste of reality. It's not that the mini van COULD easily travel the road. They just didn't care about how they treated their car. That's a MUCH DIFFERENT perspective of the situation as described above.

Why can't we get a true account of what REALLY happened?? Sure the shocks failed, we all have "ideas" as to WHY but the question is HOW. SO once again a camper not being loaded or the weight not centered properly COULD have been the main reason for the failure.

Post up the start point and end point. You never know where I'll show up.

 

Then I will not be buying any Bilsteins in the future. It is obvious Bilstein is making shocks for mall crawlers. Maybe they should get out of the shop sometimes and see what the roads in America has to offer.

Makes me wonder if they overfilled the shock with oil, gas or something.

My Monroe Reflex shocks have handled some abuse so far on rough paved roads and some mountain roads. Will most likely buy another set once the current ones get too rusty. The road in the OP don't look very rough to me, have been on far worse than that.

 

Chaco Culture National Historical Park Google it.

Start - N36*21' 35" W107*48' 35"
End - N36*00'57" W107*50'39"


It's worth visiting Once in a lifetime.

 

There is one point outside the park to the North, the other to the Eastern side am I correct??

 

Is this the start point??

https://www.google.com/maps/preview#...4f13.1&fid=0i5

 

You sure got some nice roads out there in NM. Not a pot hole, deep grooving, expansion cracks or anything. The dirt roads look smoother than our paved roads out here.

 

No clue.. the link is asking me to sign into a google account which I do not have.

Yes to the first question. Actually South East, but yes.

 

Wow. I don't think I have ever seen a shock fail that dramatically. I am guessing it was from heat build up - how hot was the ambient air temp?

 

I am in no way shape or form attempting to say that "our roads are worse than your roads".


The picture he posted is the best part of that road, although it is always wash boarded there.

I've been on some bad roads in many states. New Mexico has some just as bad as anywhere I've been.

I am not claiming that this road is "the worst on earth". That designation would have to belong to I-80 near Gary IN! HAHA! Good grief man, I remember potholes on that interstate that could easily swallow a VW Bug and I was towing a brand new Gambler bass boat I just picked up from D&R Sports in Kalamazoo MI behind my 96 F250 Crew cab.

That does not take away from the fact that the road to this "National Park" really is TERRIBLE! AND the fact that a heavy truck with a top heavy camper would have zero business going fast on this road.

I think the OP should call Bilstien back and ask them why they won't warranty their products that failed ON a ROAD to a NATIONAL PARK!

Bilstien are the only ones in the wrong here.

 

Just an FYI, on that "other brand" Save that receipt.
MONROE SHOCKS & STRUTS :: Safe & Sound Guarantee

With PA being pretty gnarly in the winters, I would probably spray all shocks with a clear aerosol style/type paint. A little more protection against the nasty salt.

 

I don't doubt the roads gets rough the farther you get off the main road. The more traffic on a hard gravel road the more it is going to washboard and turn into a whole. Looks fairly flat out there which is a plus. Trying to maintain speed up a washboarded out road loaded pulling a trailer can make the rear axle bounce like a pogo stick unless you back off the gas.

And I will agree with you on Bilstein screwing th epooch here. It is why I put little faith in warrenties overall. It is a ll about the company backing it up and it looks like Bilstein falls short.


I saved the receipt. Never did a "shock swap" before but have read Rock Auto makes it pretty painless. I kept the old shocks to run during the swap.

I try to keep the shocks painted but they eventually rust and wear to a point it is time to replace. Honestly rust on other parts of the truck get attention first. It is a never ending battle.

 

Highlighted for truth.... I don't drive my truck enough, need new injectors. My "cheap" way (and wrong way) is to plug the truck in all winter long. Just can't $tomach the correct way to fix this... (7.3)