Date:         Thu, 3 Aug 2006 14:00:38 +0000
Reply-To:     joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: alko shock report
In-Reply-To:  <4756d780608030532wb9f0b92hdf2158f900b205fd@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

I've had Alko's on the rear for almost a year and they are outstanding, no
leaks yet.

Joe T.


>From: Brien Dews <vwvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Brien Dews <vwvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: alko shock report
>Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 08:32:23 -0400
>
>keep an eye on them Alko's. I have a buddy who installed them and within a
>year they were leaking.
>
>
>On 8/3/06, Alistair Bell <albell@uvic.ca> wrote:
>>
>>Last Thursday I replaced the front shocks on my '82 westy.  have had
>>the van for 13 years and hadn't replaced any of the shocks. I don' t
>>know if the previous owner had (i purchased van with 82 k miles on it).
>>
>>I had been unhappy with the van's susceptibility to cross winds, and
>>with good tires, steering linkage check,  and a complete front ball
>>joint replacement last year, I thought new shocks were in order.
>>Doing the old bounce test on the van did not indicate I needed new
>>shocks, FWIW.
>>
>>Tom Forhan's well described procedure was a great aid. The old shocks
>>came off very easily, the nuts and bolts in very good (surprising)
>>condition. The old shocks were Sachs original equipment and in hand,
>>moved in and out fairly good. Not as stiff as the new Alkos but by no
>>means completely worn out. However, one shock did have a wee bit of
>>free play.
>>
>>The new ones were put on and next day we went on an extended weekend
>>trip involving logging roads and some quite rough logging roads :)
>>
>>The shocks performed very well. Its hard to really quantify, but they
>>"absorb" well without feeling harsh at all. On normal roads there is
>>not much difference compared to the old shocks, but on logging roads
>>they absorbed washboard and potholes very well.
>>
>>I haven't experienced severe crosswinds yet, but it seems that the
>>Alkos have improved control quite a bit.
>>
>>I recommend them.
>>
>>
>>Alistair
>>
>>
>>
>>'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
>>http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/
>>
>
>
>
>--
>Brien K Dews CC-AWCI
>www.busesbythebeach.com
>84 Wolfsburg Westfalia
>88 Vanagon 'Carrier'
>89 Vanagon 'Bluestar'

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