Our New Nitrocharger Sport Shocks...For the Truck

Among our other vehicles, we have a favorite 2002 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.  This is our down home practical utility, hauling, and snow vehicle.  It's our workhorse.  My husband is attached to it the way I am to the Porsche, and previously was to my BMW.  The last several years have seen more snow on the Eastern seaboard than previously, which has led to a lot of rust on the truck.  In fact, the 2002 model Tacoma is known for its undercarriage rusting out.  But at 149K miles, ours is still going strong.  We change its oil frequently using Mobil 1 synthetic and Mobil 1 filters. All other transmission, transfer, and differentials are filled with Red Line Oil products.

We've been managing the rust at least.  This past summer, the Tacoma's front and rear brake calipers rusted out and we replaced them.  Then a month ago I took it to the dealer for a factory safety recall repair on the plate which holds the spare tire on underneath; the old one was deemed unsafe because of their tendency to rust through.  On a brighter note, last year I bought my husband a brand new set of Michelin LTX tires for the truck, and they ride nicely, and are less noisy than our previous BF Goodrich Radial all Terrains. Living on the urban East Coast, off roading isn't a frequent option, although the BFGs did last for 80,000 miles.  But I love Michelin and always had that brand on the BMW.

By far the most exciting thing we did with the Tacoma was have new shocks installed on it last week. These were not just ordinary shocks: we got ARB Old Man Emu 4X4 Nitrocharger shock absorbers-- some of the best on the market.  They're manufactured in Australia based on extensive testing in the Outback.  My husband knows Jim Jackson, who started ARB in Seattle and attended a few SEMA shows in Las Vegas with him. Jim has moved on from ARB to another position within the automotive industry. While most drivers purchase Bilstein, KYB, or other brands, ARB are more robust but just not as well known or advertised.  Old Man Emu is the Snap-On tool of shocks while Bilstein and others are more like the Sears Craftsman version.

We had this done over at Arlington Motorcar Service, where Eliot, the General Manager, did a great job advising us on what to get and explaining how these shocks work, are installed, and what to expect.  Overall they did an outstanding job. 
 
The Nitrochargers give a great ride: very sporty but still comfortable and adaptable to the road condition.  They give you a noticeably increased sense of control.  We haven't taken it off road yet but are looking forward to that someday. 

Compared to these babies, the factory shocks looked like toothpicks.  Their installation even raised the truck by an inch or two.  They're definitely quite an upgrade, and well worth it for a vehicle we use all the time for just about everything other than pleasure/performance driving, which is what the 911 is for.