suspension

Do you want the truth..... six people like Old Man Emu, six people like Tough Dog, and another six like something else, they are all good.

Whats better Toyota - Nissan ..... Waeco - Engle ..... GME - Uniden ..... Lightforce - Hella - IPF..... Copper - BFG - Goodyear - Bridgestone.

The comparison above can be related to your question, they are all good and all are leading brands.

It comes down to personal choice and what characteristic's you like that are different to each other.

Mick

While I tend to agree with Olcoolones general assessment, I can offer a bit of personal experience on both. If you’re going to be towing around the bitumen and the occasional, well made gravel road then either will suit your purposes. I think the big difference will come when the going gets tough and/or the after sales service is required.

I’m not a big wrap for ARB at the best of times. I use some of their products and I have first hand experience of their suspension products (Coils, shocks and dampers) having previously owned an ex-ARB 4x4. The OME shocks in particular I found to be wanting in prolonged periods of corrugated driving. They would heat and fade very quickly. In comparison, a vehicle equal to mine in respects of fitout and weight but towing an Ulti camper had Tough Dog Big Bore adjustable fitted. They were running at 50C compared to the OME shocks at 157C after some stints of corrugations on the Canning. I think there is a misconception that we expect shocks to be a consumable these days. Two or three years is all you’re supposed to get. I don’t accept this and expect a product you pay good dollar for to provide some level of reliability and longevity. I haven’t found this to be the case with OME shocks.Heaven forbid the product plays up and you expect prompt customer service as well. It can be a bit cold if you deal through ARB let me assure you.

A search of the forum will find quite a few members with similar sentiments.

I have done two trips in the roughest terrain and over long distances of poor outback roads with Tough Dog big bores fitted in my new vehicle which is quite heavy. The T/D’s have performed faultlessly and that ability to adjust damper control really helps with corrugations.

My experiences and opinions only. You’ll best know your intended needs and travel style. If you can’t afford Koni’s then my opinion, in shocks at least, is go the Tough Dogs but go up a level to the adjustable.

Cheers Mick

P.S. I think Olcoolone has the Tough Dogs on his vehicles as well from memory.

TVanmick

You mention Loni's.

My next shocks are either Koni's or Toughdog.

Was on OME, now on OME Sport. The previous ones (standard, not the Sport) failed - one inside and one outside warrenty.
Thing is, that wherever you are, you are bound to find an OME replacement shock before any other.
The Sport is better, but I second the comment made here and elsewhere that they fade when they get hot on corrugations. They are quite ok after they cooled down again, but there is quite a difference to when they are hot.

I have only heard good reports on the ToughDogs. They came out tops on a recent (rather thorough) test by $WD mag.

Koni would be my choice, but should something happen out there then a replacement would be much harder, it is the only reason I would consider another brand