Crusty's 20.63.1OB
- Thread starter Crusty181
- Start date
Ok, the last chapter of the shock absorber sage has finally come to a close
To recap, despite the Pedders branding plastered all over the Jtech 1 shock absorbers, Pedders won't entertain any requests to supply replacements products and will tell you to bugger off to Jayco where in my case I received a mixture of 4 x $150ea substandard Pedders labeled Jayco stamped offerings with missing overextension straps, missing strap rings and a mixture of part numbers. Despite this and the inability of Jayco to supply me Pedders still refused to help ... so Pedders is now dead to me, and their reputation with me is in tatters. During all this backward and forwards, Jayco spare parts confirmed that the Pedders OEM part is the same identical shock part number on every Outback Jtech 1 model, (excluding Silverline although the Silverline ones didnt look much different.) The same shock on a 2.5t van all the way to a 3.5t van smells like a compromise and inappropriate match up to someone's van, either the 2.5t or the 3.5t
I sent requests to a gazillion caravan repairers and suspension providers with the Pedders OEM specs looking for alternatives so I could avoid both Jayco and Pedders. Not a single repairer had a clue, nor did the numerous suspension providers have anything ...... except one, Dobinsons.
My crude measuring of the Pedders OEM is 274/379, the Dobinson is 280/395. Longer extended measurement of the Dobinsons is irrelevant and I'm happy to risk a 6mm longer Dobinson compressed dimension. The Dobinsons are a decent brand and the shocks charged, creeping open just lying on the ground, the new Pedders parts just sat there on the ground compressed and doing nothing like a red bratwurst.
The Dobinsons are a heavy-duty 4x4 shock, part number GS45-643 and $182ea. They are twin-tube, but I wont get into a debate over that. They are a replacement rear coil shock for a 2005/13 R51 Nissan Pathfinder, and knowing that now the options to source other brands both better and cheaper are endless ... and if you're dumb enough, ironically including over the counter at Pedders.
I cleaned up the overextension straps from the Pedders, fitted them to the Dobinsons and retained the staps with 8mm cable ties. Ill find out in 22 sleeps if they do the job
To recap, despite the Pedders branding plastered all over the Jtech 1 shock absorbers, Pedders won't entertain any requests to supply replacements products and will tell you to bugger off to Jayco where in my case I received a mixture of 4 x $150ea substandard Pedders labeled Jayco stamped offerings with missing overextension straps, missing strap rings and a mixture of part numbers. Despite this and the inability of Jayco to supply me Pedders still refused to help ... so Pedders is now dead to me, and their reputation with me is in tatters. During all this backward and forwards, Jayco spare parts confirmed that the Pedders OEM part is the same identical shock part number on every Outback Jtech 1 model, (excluding Silverline although the Silverline ones didnt look much different.) The same shock on a 2.5t van all the way to a 3.5t van smells like a compromise and inappropriate match up to someone's van, either the 2.5t or the 3.5t
I sent requests to a gazillion caravan repairers and suspension providers with the Pedders OEM specs looking for alternatives so I could avoid both Jayco and Pedders. Not a single repairer had a clue, nor did the numerous suspension providers have anything ...... except one, Dobinsons.
My crude measuring of the Pedders OEM is 274/379, the Dobinson is 280/395. Longer extended measurement of the Dobinsons is irrelevant and I'm happy to risk a 6mm longer Dobinson compressed dimension. The Dobinsons are a decent brand and the shocks charged, creeping open just lying on the ground, the new Pedders parts just sat there on the ground compressed and doing nothing like a red bratwurst.
The Dobinsons are a heavy-duty 4x4 shock, part number GS45-643 and $182ea. They are twin-tube, but I wont get into a debate over that. They are a replacement rear coil shock for a 2005/13 R51 Nissan Pathfinder, and knowing that now the options to source other brands both better and cheaper are endless ... and if you're dumb enough, ironically including over the counter at Pedders.
I cleaned up the overextension straps from the Pedders, fitted them to the Dobinsons and retained the staps with 8mm cable ties. Ill find out in 22 sleeps if they do the job
Last edited:
Is it possible to remove the spring and shock so the arm can be rotated to the fully compressed position so you can measure the minimum shock length?
You could work out (close enough) the full compression limit from the length of the bump stop sitting inside the coil, Ill have a look tomorrow. It is a Jayco and anything possible, but its an Alko suspension module. I'm going to stick my neck out and say it couldn't possibly be the 6mm of extra length I now have with the new shocks ....................... famous last words
Or possibly measure the spring coil diameter multiplied by the number of turns to replicate a fully compressed spring?
It shouldnt compress fully .... youd be hoping not anyway
Good work Crusty ,I had the same trouble with Pedders offering no info.I had an old mate on the Gold Coast a few years ago who had a shock rebuilding business,rebuild ,revalve old new ,vintage ,racing ,motor cycles etc had customers all over Aus and NZ offered it to me for zero,trouble info was all in his head.!, just closed it down.
The only obvious difference was they didn't have the overextension strap, but they may well have been from Jtech 2 for all I know. I didnt ask, I just knew they were for mine because of the strap. I didn't extend the Silverline ones, but compressed that looked the same length as the others sitting in the box together. Do yours have the seat belt over-extension strap??? With the R51 swap outs across different brands, I noticed that there is some minor variation, upto 8mm, in the compressed and extended lengths so if that became critical you could use that in your favour. Im pretty happy that the combined weight of our loaded up caravan spread across 4 x shocks would be pretty close to the loaded bum end of a loaded Pathfinder spread across 2 x shocks
I find Jayco and Pedders mutually beneficial manipulation both insulting, and infuriating. Pedders would want to get good value out of it, because they've lost me as a long-standing tiny fleet customer, and Ill be be pretty vocal about how they go about their customer support.
These turds won't sell me the OEM shocks or tell me that R51 shocks fit, but they'll happily sell me the R51 shocks after I finding out what they already know. Maybe they think this alliance with Jayco is worth it to them .... or maybe they just havent heard about this brand new fandangled internet and social media thing yet.
The old ones I just removed look identical to yours, with the straps. I think this is the only markings, check yours to match and if you find another number or marking let me know. I kept one shock to attached to the wall of shame
The straps look a novel idea, be useless in a year I reckon and are more likely there to stop the spring popping out, now that is fun.....If its supposed to restrict the shock a bit of flexable steel wire with eyes shackled on would be better. Thin stainless stuff works great, used it on trailers as the straps kept rotting away...
I would have just perused the catalogues till I found a shock that met the dimensions, I'm not a fan of genuine.
I would have just perused the catalogues till I found a shock that met the dimensions, I'm not a fan of genuine.
Ha, so much for the Silverline special edition shocks. Giving Jayco Parts the benefit of the doubt, maybe they were Jtech2, although the supposed correct 2 x shocks they supplied werent labelled 1404 anyway.
This is a pretty good reason why Pedders are dirtying the reputation wirh this stupid arrangement that forbids suspension experts managing suspension supply in favour of caravan parts retailers with no clue.
Good news for you tho, ive done all the hard work. My best unqualified guestimate is the R51 shocks should be a good match for us. Pathfinder GVM is 2880kg so guessing around 1440kg ish on the 2 x rear shocks, my van is sitting around 2800kg GTM on 4 x shock so seems like a match made in heaven .... that all sounds great until in 21 sleeps i bounced the van onto its roof of course.
Its probably part of the contract conditions between them and Jayco otherwise they would surely be happy to take all the money, bit like the Mercedes Jeeps, Benz parts were the same but cheaper, find the MB part umber and you were able to avail yourself of the parts and a better rate of $$$$.
That's exactly what it is. My issue is twofold, the racketeering market-protected pyramid selling where I'm forced to buy a substandard product at premium prices, when there's an alternative they have conspired to hide from me. Pedders have they brand plastered all over them, but won't sell them and Jayco have no clue what shock is what and from practical experience will happily supply the wrong ones. Take the Pedders labels off, put Jayco labels on and then we all know we're buying inflated junk and we all know where we stand