Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 21:11:23 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: 1st impression of my demo OME Shocks
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
The Fed-Ex guy dropped my a white box today containing my Old Man Emu
Syncro shocks.
In the box was two rear shocks and two front struts.
I opened the rear shock box first - this box is a flashy blue box with a
big cut-a-way picture of a yellow shock with the captions "Durable Pressure
Responsive Seal", "Reliable Teflon Coated Piston", "Tough 18mm shaft" and
"Extra long life polyurethane bushings" . The caption "Nitrocharger" and
Designed and Build in Australia. Inside the box is a bright yellow shock
with OLD MAN EMU - MADE IN AUSTRALIA - N37 embossed on the bottom. An "Old
Man Emu - NitroCharger - built tough in Australia" sticker is on the top.
Looks to be an all around tough ass shock, although it looks like it could
fit a number of vehicles other than a Vanagon. Tomorrow I will measure
this shock vs the Boge shock. The OME shock is held down with a thick
piece of metal wire and it takes a LOT of pressure to move the shock in my
arms.
The front strut is in a plain Jane white box with N38S on the top and "Made
in Belgium" - hmmm - that's strange, I thought these were made in
Australia. Upon opening the box I discover a shock that looks to be the
same shape as a Boge Syncro strut only bright yellow just like the rear
shock with the same sticker. On the bottom of the strut is the following
embossed words - Monroe - Made in Belgium - N38S - B11B96 Sooo... I will
have to measure these struts vs the Boge struts - they do look really
close! These are pressurized just like the other shocks - takes about the
same force to compress the shock.
So, my 1st impression of these shocks without installing them on my Syncro
would be a 9/10 for the rears - they look tough and are built like a brick
out house. The fronts I would have to give a 7/10 as they look like yellow
Boges and the Monroe logo really makes me think they are the same disign
only gas pressurized.
Time will tell tomorrow when I get them installed.
So far, am I happy with them. Well, they are cheaper than the Boge units
so yes. Now the next test is to see how they perform both on and off road!
Photos will be at http://www.fastforward.ca by midnight if all goes well
(9pm now).
-- David Marshall - - Quesnel, BC, Canada --
-- 78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Caddy, 84 VW Westie, 85 VW Cabriolet --
-- 87 Audi 5000 Quattro, 88 2.0L VW Syncro Double Cab --
-- David's Volkswagen Home Page http://www.volkswagen.org --
-- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning http://www.fastforward.ca --
-- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list) --
