Dobinsons Adjustable Monotube 50mm lift kit installation on Colorado 7
rj1952
Member
Well done!
But still looks like one of those DIY jobs that quickly becomes a knuckle scraping nightmare.
I would be looking for a well-equipped and experienced fitter.
Surprisingly, my Tough Dog lift, which was the only one available in Adelaide in 2013, is still going well after 120,000 km, ( and the majority of those kms have been done towing a camper-trailer or caravan, with a great deal of off-road stuff thrown in.)
Hope, and expect, your set-up to be equally as good, if not better.
But still looks like one of those DIY jobs that quickly becomes a knuckle scraping nightmare.
I would be looking for a well-equipped and experienced fitter.
Surprisingly, my Tough Dog lift, which was the only one available in Adelaide in 2013, is still going well after 120,000 km, ( and the majority of those kms have been done towing a camper-trailer or caravan, with a great deal of off-road stuff thrown in.)
Hope, and expect, your set-up to be equally as good, if not better.
Lewy_88
Active Member
It nearly became a nightmare until we worked out how to get the front strut out from inside the control arms. I enjoy this stuff and have done similar work to most of my cars. Wouldnt recomend it without the right tools and two people.
Yeah I am hoping it last a long time! The Dobinsons Monotube gear is good stuff!
It's not that bad if you have a decent range of standard tools (socket set, ring spanners). A relatively easy job actually, once you know how to tackle it. I've had my RG Colorado front struts in and out at least 3 times (for various reasons). It can easily be done solo if you work smart and safely. (I found a good tip is to use a bottle or trolley jack to support the lower wishbone when removing and reinstalling the strut.) Last reason I had to have the struts out was the factory strut shock absorbers failed at 60,000 km (they couldn't handle a couple thousand km of gravel roads (corrugations and washaway dips on occasions)), so I replaced them with upgraded struts (Dobinson's Coil Spring and ARCHM 41mm foam cell shock - all good + 3 years warranty on the shocks)
Last edited:
Lewy_88
Active Member
Yeah the key for us was working out how to make enough space for the strut to slide out. Once we eorked it out it was straight forward. How do you find the ARCHM shocks? I looked at those initially, they are very well priced.
it's too early to tell as they are only a month old and have been restricted to use on bitumen. But the ride is comfortable enough and now quiet. Certainly beats the clunking of worn out original shocks.
Yes, they were well priced. I did plenty of internet research at the time and found enough stories and opinions on most brands of shock absorbers, to convince me that getting a decent warranty and good company to deal with was more important than which brand, so I'm happy to give the ARCHM ones a try.