2017 Honda Ridgeline: Edmunds Death Valley Shock Test
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- It's called Death Valley for a reason, with triple-digit daytime temperatures and punishing dirt roads. Can the 2017 Honda Ridgeline survive Edmunds' torture test in this brutal landscape? Our truck experts put Honda's car-based pickup through its vibrating paces on a washboard dirt road, along with the off-road package-equipped Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Titan XD. Watch to see which truck was the last one standing. You'll be surprised.
Edmunds Death Valley Shock Test Time Jump
0:01 Introduction
0:27 "It's called Death Valley for a reason."
1:23 New shock absorbers on the 2017 Honda Ridgeline
2:03 Meet the trucks: 2017 Honda Ridgeline, 2016 Toyota Tacoma and 2016 Nissan Titan XD
2:26 "If you have a four-wheel-drive truck ... then this road is nothing."
3:26 Examining Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline shocks
4:20 Examining Nissan Titan's shocks
5:13 "I like to test vehicles at full pressure."
5:54 At the Racetrack Playa
6:51 "It's been a long day on a brutal road."
7:48 Final thoughts
Read the full story: edmu.in/2tr2tLi
Have questions for our editors? Leave them in the comments.
I really appreciate you guys performing this test. While the average consumer would not punish their vehicles by putting all of the stress on the shock absorbers, it was still very interesting to see the results.
I did much less offroading but my #Bilstein failed too. They say they overextended...must have been a pothole? They didn't warrant it. Fraud in my mind. Failure here too...no surprise
Man Edmunds you guys really kill it with these complex/expensive/intensive shoots. Really enjoy watching these episodes and know it must be 10x the work that the in office or at the track shoots are.
That ridgeline keeps impressing me
Mr. Ash
Yeah sweet minivan. (With a bed)
@@Kunta1926 It is a sweet minivan. It did better then those "trucks"!
@@Kunta1926 My AWD minivan has what no other truck had when I bought it: AWD. It fits an 8'x4' piece of plywood inside, and fits in my smallish garage.
same. I really dont like that it looks like a car or that towing capacity is limited to 5000lbs but everything else is quite surprisingly good
I always see these truck videos and their run through a puddle off road tests. I always say, bring them out to the southwest and a plain ol off road washboard road for at least 100 miles and see what happens. There it is... lol Sure the Taco is king but the Ridgeline for the casual camper and off roader is awsome. Put some 16 inch wheels, level it out so you can get a good air down on those tires on you have a awsome little truck. Now you can go 50 down those roads all day.
Exactly, they always use rentals, bad tires and never check what kind of damage over long term/real offroad tracks.
Unfortunately, there are no shock upgrades for the Ridgeline besides oem replacements, or $3000 set of 2 shocks. If fox made an adapter plate, or an in house shock, it would drastically improve the longevity of it off-road. The lifts are just strut spacers and a 1 inch subframe drop. Max you can get is 3”.
We drove a Subaru Outback with 5 people and a Toyota Highlander with 8 people on this road without any issue. I think independent suspension helps a lot. That's why Tacoma and Titan broke rear shocks not front.
That’s a interesting point! I wonder what my new Gladiator Rubicon would beak on this road as both axles are solid?
the tacoma has a pretty small shock. in fact, most trucks have terrible rear shocks.
WOW 😳 Extremely eye opening. 👍 Honda!
This video shows that the engineering behind "Off Road" is just badge engineering. Honda does real engineering.
It depends on the type of driving you're doing. You accelerate faster and you gain more control on rough roads like that.
Love the idea but I don’t think that’s exactly what the other trucks were engineered for. Kind of like putting a body builder in a boxing ring. Not exactly what he trains for so he won’t perform as well as, say, a real boxer.
I'm impressed with the Ridgeline. Most pickup owners seldom venture off paved or well graded dirt roads, myself included. The Ridgeline looks to be a good daily use vehicle. Where I live I Canada, the AWD system would be beneficial in the varied driving conditions of snow, ice and slush. I am definately interested in checking them out this fall when I shop around for a new truck.
We DO recommend it - our expert review gives it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. ;)
I just wish Honda offered a slightly more rugged version of this, like 2 inches higher, all terrain tires, smaller wheels and better bumpers.
It has IRS, you cannot polish a turd as they say
@@laurencegrimwood5187 Ford is testing the new F-150 with full independent suspension and Chevy and Ram will follow the leader
@@laurencegrimwood5187 so does that mean that the Tacoma and Titan are a shiny turd? Butthurt much lol!
Same. Or a lift that won’t negatively impact wear on Honda built parts.
All that is easily possible to do your self. Heavier springs will lift it, aftermarket offroad shocks to dampen them the springs, and you can always buy new tires. a 1 inch lift with bigger tires will give you near 2 inches of ground clearance.
The fox racing shocks on the trd pro would be perfectly suited for high speed desert running. The bilsteins are made for low speed off roading. Still a bit disappointed though.
They are monotube with not external reservoir so they will heat up to point of failure on a road like that. They probably needed to pull over rest the shocks every 30 minutes to keep them alive on that road.
Definitely not what I expected, especially from the Toyota...
These dirt or washboard roads may not push your truck's suspension to the limit from an articulation perspective but it does work the shocks hard. Great test to see how durable a vehicle's shocks are. Just don't go alone when testing.
That is just crazy to watch I would love to see a lot of videos tested this way
Wow, this was a real "shocker" for me. I just sold my 08 Ridgeline after 13 years to my son. He has been harassing me for several years to sell him the truck. I had a really hard time deciding, just like in 08. Almost got a TACO or Ranger. But in the end I got another RL, a 21 model. But this test of shocks is a real surprise, both in the amount of damage and that the RL had the least. I used to drive on AZ washboard all the time, though probably never for 25 miles straight. But back in the 70s and 80s I would do so even in Ford cars! Because that is all I had. Usually very slow, because it would feel like the car was going to fall apart. Though I would go at pretty high speed in a 4WD S10 blazer, but probably always way less than 25 miles. Also on the very 1st generation Toyota 4 Runner(solid front axle), but I could not go as fast and maintain control as I could on the S10 with independent front suspension. But, I never burned up a shock on any vehicle.(though I probably shortened their life) I figure that for decades there are all kinds of vehicles using this washboard Death Valley road to get to the race track. Are they all destroying their shocks? How are they surviving? Is it just a matter of driving slower? I'm guessing most of the trucks most of the time don't burn up their shocks. So what do they do different? Maybe airing down will help, but I didn't even know to do this with my cars back in the 70s, unless I got stuck in sand. Any opinions on how most trucks don't burn up their shocks?
Driving down washboard dirt road in a 80 - 100 heat can be brutal, it looks smooth and easy but it takes a toll on the shocks and other equipment. It would have been interesting to take a thermal reading of the shocks before, during and after the drive.
Oooh, agree! May keep this in mind for next time we visit DV, thanks!
I really appreciate this video as my wife and I are seriously contemplating a 2017 Honda Ridgeline as our next vehicle. I currently drive a 2010 Nissan Xterra Off Road that has proven itself very capable off road, and then I also have my billy goat, a 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that I have heavily invested in to the point it has much more off road ability than I do. Anyway, it's good to see that the Ridgeline can take the kind of punishment you gave it on those dirt roads. I'd be interested to hear what Honda says about the rear blown shock as they certainly touted them as being much more heavy duty than the Pilot's. Patiently waiting for Part 2. Thanks again guys.
I've you're keeping the Jeep for the rough stuff, the Ridgeline is a great truck for everything up to and (almost) including this. And it is unmatched on the pavement. And its bed is longer and wider than the Tacoma Crew Cab, etc.
Oh yeah, the Jeep stays. We really evaluated why and what we need in a truck and the Ridgeline is looking more and more appealing. Please let me know what you hear about the shocks. I plan to spend ample time on similar roads. Thanks.
Philip Hall get the Black Edition
I was a park ranger at Death Valley National Park from 2010 to 2015. During that time, I regularly patrolled the Racetrack Road in a variety of vehicles, including a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, a 2010 Dodge Ram 2500, a 2011 Chevy Tahoe (Special Service Package), and a 2014 Toyota Tacoma. Other than an occasional flat tire, I NEVER had any mechanical issues arise on the Racetrack Road or any of the other rougher or more technical roads in the park. This makes me wonder exactly how these drivers were operating their trucks. Maybe they were deliberately torture testing rather than driving more conservatively? I always moderated my speed to the conditions of the road and the ability of the particular patrol vehicle I was driving. Even on a long, seemingly endless washboard road like the Racetrack Road, to the extent possible, I kept the vehicle on the smoother tracks that paralleled the washboards along most of the road.
Oh and Edmunds, you might want to contact the Special Park Uses Office at Death Valley (deva_permits@nps.gov) and apply for a commercial filming special use permit after the fact, before the rangers there issue you a summons to court. Just saying... :)
The rangers can take their special use permits and shove them directly where the sun doesn't shine. "Just saying" ;)
tax payers own the national parks nobody else
118k, 2007 Ridgeline. Lots of roads like this in MT, tens of thousands of miles on gravel, washboard. Still on original shocks. Did replace bushings recently.
My wife and I were crazy (or dumb) enough to drive to race track playa on our rental Toyota Camry, we made it back and forth without a flat tire, but it was probably the most stressful drive I've ever done, definitely need to have the right vehicle and tires for it, the rocks on that road are very pointy and sharp.
Very good review, good job guys!
Thanks!
Just had a great visit to Dinosaur National Monument in my 2020 Ridgeline. It did great!
damn, that was a cool test. just goes to show how much temperature changes things. this might be a good test for a Raptor since it's more high speed, i offroad a lot but i'm going so slow it's not too hard on the truck.
How fast were you going before discovering the shock issues? In the 2005 story, Phil Reed said he settled at 10-15 mph. You never say how fast you were going in this video, but it looks a bit faster than 15 mph.
So much for bilstiens shocks....
They make decent stuff, but the ones on the back of the Taco are the skinniset ones they make. A bigger size with more surface area and more oil volume would have helped. Toyota didn't choose to fit them.
Dan Edmunds Toyota cut a lot of corners on the 3rd (turd) gen. if the drum brakes didnt give that away long ago.
they are still cheap a mass produced shock with nothing special about them and being very much built to a price point for a manufacture, aka mostly just being branded by bilstein and painted yellow
The Bilstein 5100 series shocks that I've had on my jeep are still working like brand new after 7 years of hard rock crawling, desert romping, and thousands of miles of washboard roads.
The trick is to match the right shock to the job. The shocks those trucks had were for normal road use with only occasional, light, off road use. They were also under sized for the weight of those trucks, especially if they were expected to carry weight in the bed. You can't really blame Bilstein for a manufacturer putting their shock in the wrong application.
You are absolutely correct. I love seeing people deck out their Tacoma's with tires, wheels, etc., but then leave the stock shocks on the truck. They're garbage.
I would buy the Ridgeline, slap some A/T tires and high-end shocks and call it good. I think this would handle everything I would need.
Most people don’t realize how punishing washboard roads are. They’ll make a vehicle show its age like no other. I’ve owned the 17 Tacoma and I own a 2020 Ridgeline. Both are fantastic trucks.
Is a cell phone a real phone? It doesn’t hang on the wall and doesn’t have a cord!
I have a real phone that hangs on the wall and with a cord...it's useless lol. It's like a 4x4 truck with all season tires from the factory that are nothing but a pavement princess that you see on the road on a daily basis lol.
@@squidusn71 ya, we have one of those as well, we don’t even have a LAN line, I just didn’t want to fill the hole during the last Reno! I guess we have a pavement princess as well then, but I do love my RAM 1500!
It's land line, LAN(local area network) is when people would hook up their PCs or game systems together before high speed internet.
👏
Best review and reviews so far thank you
Im impressed. No, not in the ridgeline, that you somehow wrecked so many shocks. I spend about 500 miles a year on roads like this and I've never seen a blown shock. I've got foam core shocks that get hot...but have never leaked or melted the rock guards. The other trucks I travel with never seem to have problems either - The Frontier with bilsteins have never leaked. And the Tacoma and other FZJ80 with OME gas charged shocked have never shown excessive heat or leaking. To be honest...I've never seen a shock fail like this. Again...Im impressed.
It is a deceptively brutal road that looks like you could drive a Prius down it if you had a trunkful of spares. Oh, and it was between 75 and 80 degrees on Racetrack Road on the day we were there. Full details in the written version of the story here: www.edmunds.com/car-buying/death-valley-torture-test-2017-honda-ridgeline-vs-2016-toyota-tacoma-trd-off-road-comparison-test.html
For Patrick Rich. Stop trying sound all smart and sophisticated by saying "Im impressed" for both the first and last sentences. STFU and go bake me a cake.
Patrick Rich because you drove in Death Valley at 120 degrees. I am impressed that you somehow made it this far in life.
I drive washboard roads all the time and have never had a problem like this. The only thing I can think of is that maybe they were going too fast for the road conditions?
In 120F heat?
Honda reliability at it's best.
A round trip to death valley and back in a brand new vehicle is not a test of reliability. Perhaps a test of small amounts of short term durability. But it is a far cry from the definition of reliability.
L Taka calm down. They are driving in flat areas. Throw some rocks and uneven road and grades I doubt it will do as well.
L Taka or the manufacturer they chose to supply the struts.
@@chrisconway6879 Automakers conduct short term durability tests to determine long term reliability...imagine that.
That Toyota Tacoma really disappointed me. Even with off-road packages, the Nissan and Toyota failed. Good work Honda Ridgeline this was a big surprise.
The shocks from factory are garbage but when it comes to traction the Nissan and Toyota have Skid plates and lockers on the rear. Shocks are the easiest thing to replace with whatever else is in the marketing. I'm thinking of going with Bilstein 6100 with external reservoirs on my 2010 Titan.
@@bryanmartinez6600 you didnt that before you watched this lol.
@@squidusn71 the yellow shocks are basic Bilstein 4100s and are decent but nothing for moderate to serious off roading. The 5100, 5160, 6112 and so on are far better but for the best Fox, Icon and King are definitely way beyond Bilstein. I really want Icon but that involves blowing $3k for a set of front struts and rear shocks for their stage 3.
Good job Honda.
Shocks are part of the reason I opted for the Z71 package on my Chevy Colorado. For the Z71 they put Nitrogen shocks in instead of hydraulic. Aka no overheating issues. The ZR2 Is hydraulic... but with lots of surface area (super massive actually) and fancy valvework that opens to let the fluid flow... decreasing heat on both accounts.
Interesting. I have the exact same Tacoma and due to my job spend a lot of time on gravel roads for long distances. 8,000 to 9,000 miles a year and running some where around 30 to 40 MPH depending on location. I have never seen a shock have those problems unless there is a lot of miles on the shocks.
According to our fuel sheet data, the Taco had just over 26k miles on it when we started this trip. With the bumper to bumper warranty lasting to the 36k mark, we think the mileage on the shocks was reasonable.
Yeah but under what weather conditions? The heat and dryness of the desert is brutal on cars and equpment.
Edmunds
I have 50k on my 2017 off road trd. Drove from Florida to Colorado, did Imogene pass and a host of other off road trails over a matter of weeks. Shocks did great even under a heavy load. I can't imagine what it would take to blow the shocks out given the torturous conditions I put it through. This looks like user error or just unbelievably bad luck. They blew out the shocks on all the test vehicles!
@@Bradington maybe had their trucks in 4 high.
Just got to reference and link this video on a TFL video today, when they were complaining about the way washboard was beating up an old SUV. I am now on my 2021 Ridgeline, having traded my 17, and it still is keeping up with my dad's Z71 everywhere he goes (I did upgrade to Falken Wildpeak AT Trail tires). Funny that the "off road" package full size has the same 8" of minimum ground clearance (and same body to ground clearance) as the Honda, the same approach angle, and slightly worse breakover and departure angles (thanks to the longer wheelbase and longer rear overhang).
I'm actually very shocked by this, no pun intended. I was on vacation in Wyoming and drove on plenty of dirt roads fully loaded in a 2008 SUV. I'm now wondering if my shocks are toast. Probably.....
Good review on truck OEM shocks, but not trucks. I have worked in Angola Africa for ~5 years and over 2 years in Kazakhstan (temperature range from -40F to 125F) and in both countries extreme environment, the Toyota Hilux performs excellent.
Lee Stewart but it wasn’t part of the review??
I will buy a ridgeline soon. Such a versatile truck.
We recommend it. Dan Edmunds gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars in our rating.
Dan
I've had mine going on 2 months and I like it more every day
Wildman Only transgenders need a "Man" card. Real men dont care what other "Men" think.
wildman ure dumb as fck
car*
The original shocks on my 2000 Ford E150 Cargo Van handled the washboard roads of Death Valley just fine when I traveled there in 2014. West Side Road at 45mph was very rough but the old van didn't break a thing. Queen of Sheba Mine Road wasn't bad either but I took it easy on that road since the 35-gallon fuel tank hangs a bit low...
You cannot deny Honda quality
I drove my Subaru Outback to the Death Valley for four times and never check the shocks, springs, and the sub frame at all. And each time I do my oil change at the dealer they never mention any problems on my car. I thought truck especially those call themselves OFF ROADER could have done better, but now you guys really change my mind. It just another advertising technique after all.
Wow, that Toyota shock is amazing in the way it self destructed.
I did this road last year in a brand new 2017 Ridgeline. Three people plus camping gear. Not overloaded by any means. Both rear shocks blew out on the drive back from the racetrack. Dealer replaced them at no cost to me. Now it’s one year later and I need new rear shocks. Looking for options (shocks that is). Still love my Ridgeline. Perfect car truck.
Surprising that the Tacoma didn't do that good. Is there any plans to do the same test with an F-150, Ram, or GM truck?
No plans at this time, but after these results, we wonder what would happen for sure.
Mike Morrison The ZR2 would be evem more interesting. a good comparison of montube vs spool valve shocks.
For goodness sake DONT buy a Ram. FCA is HORRIBLE. I got burned and bought a 2017 Dodge Charger Daytona and had tons of problems with it for three months. I had to trade it in and get a Honda because I was frustrated and tired of fighting with FCA and the deallerships. Those UConnect radio consoles are absolute garbage and they use them on all their cars.
JohnnyBoyCali wow Johnny boy! Sorry to hear your story, but my Charger T/T AWD has been trouble free for 80,000+ miles in 3.5 years! So has my wife's Cherokee TrailHawk, both with the UCONNECT 8.4" 911/SOS NAV in the Cherokee and UCONNECT 8.4" Dr Dre in the Charger! Not a single issue in the Charger and just the two recalls in the Cherokee, one for the UCONNECT hack threat, the other to reflash the transmission controls. Both done together at my dealer in one hour , wash and vacuumed!
JohnnyBoyCali wow Johnny boy! Sorry to hear your story, but my Charger T/T AWD has been trouble free for 80,000+ miles in 3.5 years! So has my wife's Cherokee TrailHawk, both with the UCONNECT 8.4" 911/SOS NAV in the Cherokee and UCONNECT 8.4" Dr Dre in the Charger! Not a sightless issue in the Charger and just the two recalls in the Cherokee, one for the UCONNECT hack threat, the other to reflash the transmission controls. Both done together at my dealer in one four, wash and vacuumed!
Those twin tube rear shocks on the Hondas are no jokes... I do off road with my MDX and those suckers have been pretty darn reliable when it comes to these types of terrains, Granted I travel at a slower pace than this but in no way shape or form my MDX is marketed as an Off Road "Capable" vehicle it simply have GREAT OEM SHOCKS..
Nice review! Would be great to see how some other trucks in the segment compare.
you guys have the best job in the world.
Wonder if the shock issue is because of the off road pkg shocks are a high pressure nitrogen filled
Good question. The shock's design is supposed to give them better heat dissipation. It probably does, but that solid axle is a lot of energy bouncing up and down.
Very insightful testing. Thank you! Despite me never going off-road this solidifies the Ridgeline in my top 3.
I do however, have concerns over the Honda V6 long term reliability vs. Toyota. Will you be doing a long term review?
That 3.5 is bulletproof.....the 9 so ZF transmission is the piece to watch for LTR.
How fast were you going? I drive on corrugated dirt roads here in Wyoming constantly and never had a problem on my 05 Mariner or my 13 Pro 4X Frontier, and our forest service roads are in waaay worse conditions than those. It never gets that hot here however. But I don't do 65 mph on them either.
Yes, the Ridgeline really is a great truck. I still love the first gen look far than this redesign, but Honda continues to make a great product.
Looking at pictures of the 1st gen and we're curious why you like that look more than the 2nd gen look?
Northstar7 I also like the look of the Gen 1 better it just looks more truck like and has its own identity. The Gen 2 looks like a Pilot because it basically is lol. This being said I'll be considering a Gen RL when my Canyon lease is over.
I'd like to know how you could like the looks of the new one honestly.
To Edmunds: The first one at least is unique, staked a claim to a whole new approach and with the Baja legacy was clearly capable. The new one went all suburban. I get it, likely to sell MORE, and all the reviews show new one also really capable but...some serious boring...I also like older driving position.
The new one has the same fugly front end as the CR-V.
Great video. Would love to see more comparison videos like these. Thanks for the video
The Honda ridgeline is gaining more popularity. Pretty good truck.
Thank you all for this.
This was a setup. Why didn't they show the shocks prior to driving these rigs down this road.
You checked these trucks before heading out right?
Always :)
im actually shocked that the off road package on tacoma and titan did not hold up. that is like false advertising to a point. Honda showed that their team did their homework and the others cut corners for profit. wish they would take other trucks out to show their true craftmanship.
“ItS a pILot WiTh A BeD”
Yeah... and?
Rj Echols it’s not a bed it’s a small storage container
It’s an SUV el Camino. Selling point for me. Very practical.
A gladiator is a wrangler with a bed yet nobody says that..apparently that's a "real" truck.
@@365handle Really? The only bed in the mid-sized segment wide enough to haul 4x8 building material is a small storage container? The bed with a 1580lb payload (2nd best in segment) is a small storage container? The bed with the extra 7 cubic feet of space under the bed that can be a cooler as well is a small storage container? The 5'4" long by 4'6" wide bed (note 4" longer than the shortest bed in the Tacoma and others, but yes shorter than the 6' beds nobody actually buys that are available in only some of the others) is a small storage container? Get your head out of your-you-know-what and actually take the time to think before you speak and pollute the air with this nonsense.
Also, for comparison, the Ford Raptor has only 980lbs of payload in its 5'6" bed that is only 4'2" wide (that is 2" longer but 4" narrower than the Ridgeline). I guess by your logic, most short box, crew cab, F150s are carrying small storage containers (although the non-Raptor trims at least give more payload in some configurations, with between 1485 and 2311lbs).
@@jg8263 👏
I remember my brother test driving a Nissan pick up many years back (1990-95?). Anyway, we pulled out on the street and it started to rain. As soon as my brother turned on the wipers, one of them flew off! I see with the trim flying off this Nissan that their quality hasn't improved much in all this time.
thorandmoljnir I'm guessing that truck was a D20 Hardbody?
Those have a rep for being reliable so not sure what happened there.
OR somebody replaced the wiper and didnt install it correctly. Also I would be just fine with a bad windshield wiper compared to transmission problems, engine problems, suspensiion issues and all the other more serious problems other cars have.
Atleast it still drove.
Yes we've learned the Bilstein shocks are not a great as believed. I have to say I'm amazing the Bilstein shocks blew out! But I'm also dismayed the drivers had to damage the trucks before lowering the air pressure in the tires! That's the very first thing I would have done! I've ran dirt roads and beaches all over but not Death Valley, I've never had any problems with the suspension on any of my Chevy Silverado's Avalanche or Colorado with the Z71 packages and Rancho shocks! The heat there had a huge part in the failures of the shocks!
The Nissan was carrying stuff . You could have divided up the loads on all 3 trucks
If you go fast over bumps, jutted roads for long stretches, almost all trucks will have shock trouble, especially in the rear where shocks usually arent as good as the front.
would like to see how the Tacoma TRD Pro does since it has the FOX 2.5 internal bypass shocks, that the TRD Offroad doesn't have
probably pretty good. I'd like to see that too.
Did rigid axle and independent rear suspension system made the difference
too bad you didn't include the canyon/colorado...i really like seeing explosions!
So the first gen Ridgeline Edmund mentioned that he went down that same road and came out all 4 shocks leaking? Was the first gen all stock? stock suspension,off road tires?
What was your average speed at first? Seems like you were going way too fast on the washboard.
I don't think this review shows much beyond demonstrating that IFS/IRS suspension is typically a lot better than solid axle suspension at absorbing bumps at higher speeds. IRS in the Ridgeline basically gave the Ridgeline's rear shocks an easier time of it compared to the Tacoma and Titan (with solid rear axles). As a result, the Ridgeline's rear shocks lasted longer.
My god?!? What do people normally drive on that road? Tanks?
Hovercraft
I drove my CRV on that road. Thankfully I didn’t have any shock issues, but i was only driving 10-15 mph tops.
A lot of unpaved desert roads here in AZ have that "washboard effect" as well, it's caused from storm runoff from when it rains (yes, the desert does get rain, though not a ton)
you can drive most any car but just have to go slow. real slow. very slow. very very slow.
I don’t understand how all those shocks are getting blown out by that. I drive a 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid down that road a couple times a year and the struts are original. No leaks.
Does your highlander have a solid rear end and leafsprings or is it independent rear suspension?
@@squidusn71 it must be the speed hitting the bumps the faster you hit, yeah the smoother it is but your adding stress and heat in the shock and eventually just blew
Damn Bilstein shocks seem to have dropped in quality but are Honda made by them or who supplies them
Drove the Dempster Highway in 2015 in a a 2013 tacoma. 750 km on washboard one way. 750 km washboard the other way. stock shocks.. still driving my taco on the same shocks. np. every experience is different.
The road to the playa is brutal. Some of the gnarliest washboard I've ever driven on.
stough77 very true, however I have never lost a shock to it in a much older truck and I have been in it in some of the worst years.
I just now am seeing this video for the first time. Since this video aired nearly 3 years ago, has Toyota, Honda or Nissan commented? I am shocked (pun intended) and am interested to see if these issues were recalled or addressed in later year models.
They did an update video where they took all 3 trucks into dealerships. It's basically the part 2 to this video.
Thank you, Dan, this was very interesting and educational. I was in Death Valley in February and decided not to take the rental Nissan sedan :-) to Racetrack Playa, and now I'm glad I didn't! (Who reads the fine print about off-pavement driving in those car rental contracts anyway?) I was really surprised that the road blew the shocks on the Tacoma TRD, which is a vehicle that I was thinking about buying. Maybe there should be temperature sensors on shocks like there are pressure sensors on tires!
It's true that due to less un-sprung weight of independent suspension, the suspension components doesn't get as much of the "shock" as those without independent suspension! I would still never discredit trucks with leaf spring, live axle suspension because of this outcome. Just drive them at a more sensible speed on such roads or upgrade your shocks to beefier ones if you must drive fast over such roads.
Agree. There's a conversation to be had for the middle ground between rock crawling and smooth road driving, though. Especially for the mid-sized truck market. Driving at a more sensible speed to avoid harming equipment could be another way to say independent suspension is the better tool for this job.
mhtl48 or lower the air pressure in the tires!
Or go buy a Ridgeline and never slow down!
Bilstein is supposed to be an upgrade...not.
Interesting that both Toyota and Nissan equipped with bilsteins shock absorbers had failures.
wow just wow..... looks like all auto makers and aftermarket part makers need to take a run down that road to test their shocks lol
Interested how Colorado and Colorado ZR2 would perform also
Us too! We were impressed at the first drive for the ZR2. Maybe we'll get the chance to see how it or its little brother does in the future.
Spool valve shocks should produce less heat (so should have a better chance at nose exploding loke the Tacoma), all while doing a better job of smoothing out the ride.
LOL, At times you can hear the road bumps in your voice.
Ive driven Apache Trail in the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix Arizona and it was 5 mph at times because it was gonna vibrate the car apart goin any faster. There were several parts from cars that virbated off along the road. The scenery was worth it though
Well played, Honda. Well played.
Is this for real? A rough road blowing shocks? What's the answer?
this is UNACCEPTABLE... not that everyone will drive on a washboard. BUT... this points out the WEAKEST links. this is the reason why ppl need to waste $$$ to change the shocks periodically. next time you should bring a Colorado ZR2 with you...
What are you talking about exactly? The Colorado would fail this test worse than the Tacoma.
how would the suspension be worse than blown out? lol
@@NytronX The ZR2 would shit on the Tacoma in this situation.
@@endocry Nope, the ZR2 shocks are leaking under normal on-road usage. There's been a recall. The ZR2 would fail this test as well, probably sooner than any of these trucks.
@@goitoutdoors Whoever blows it out soonest is the worst. The ZR2 shocks are leaking under normal on-road usage. There's been a recall.
I wanna go to the Racetrack in my Legacy but I just replaced tires and suspension and I dont wanna do it again rn lol
The Ridgline beat out the Tacoma?
im genuinely shocked on how the ridgeline performed :o
ha punny
I would like to see the new chevy Colorado on that road just to see how it performs. I think y’all have found a great road to test trucks on
most trucks come with trash suspension out of the factory though. I blew my trd off road shocks pretty quickly. I also have a trd sport and those were way better in my opinion. now both of my trucks have bilstein 6112s and 5160s in the rear. I off road a lot and I can fly through stuff no problem and have so much more control over turns and everything. also putting weight in the rear is so much better. I personally would recommend every truck owner to upgrade their suspension.
very surprising very cool
Does anyone know how something like an F150 would do on this?
Not sure. I'd be willing to bet a Raptor would crush it, but I'm not sure about a regular one or an FX-4. I used to think it'd be a cakewalk for a Tacoma before we did it.
Honestly I was a little sad when the Tacoma failed, would love to see a Chevy Colorado try
JimsBagels they need a zr2 for sure
Very interesting! That's a real life road anyone can drive down for some adventurers. Very punishing on the vehicles but if you're going to claim your off road prowess, better get your shit together. I'm disappointed in the off road packages.
very entertaining video. thx.
At the 6:32 mark. there's a 3-way split screen. Except, two of the frames contain the Tacoma. Leaf springs and solid axle is a dead giveaway. Not only that, but the under-bed spare as well. Ridgeline is independent front & rear suspension, and the spare is stored inside the compartment underneath the bed.
Yes. I saw that. I think the square one was supposed to have the Honda in it to show the difference. Someone really liked that lengthwise shot of the Tacoma's leaf spring. I don't disagree, but I absolutely see your point.
On January 2019, My son took his 2019 brand new Tacoma Off road alone this wash board to the Race track, and went over to the other side of the road. We had the same issue with the rear shot of his Tacoma just like the one here. I guess Tacoma need to beef up its off road package. We took his truck to Toyota, and they said it's impossible for the rear shot to be in that shape. The Toyota dealer refused to fix it. We mentioned this video clip to Dealer, and told them that we took this truck on the same washed board road, and there was evident that Tacoma off road package failed. The dealer told us that they need contact Toyota before they can do anything. Within a week the dealer called my son to bring his truck in as it is still under Toyota's Warrantee, and Toyota finally agreed to replace a new rear shot on his truck. I am not a Honda guy, but Honda must do something right with the Ridgeline to survive the punishment of this washed board road.
ມ. ເມືອງເຫນືອ tell your son to check te torque on his wheels nuts, body mounts, suspension and drive train too.
It's called independent suspension. The Tacoma has a solid rear and leafsprings. You ever wonder why your son's Tacoma front shocks are okay but not the rear?
@@squidusn71 The front shocks handle this wash board road ok. Tacoma has rear leaf springs to help out but it burned out. Just the rear.
@@k.mouanoutoua5374 i don't think you understood me. The reason why the ridgeline survived the washboard is because all of its four wheels are independent from each other, suspension wise. Your son's Tacoma only has independent front suspension which were fine but not the rear because of it being a solid axle with leafsprings.
The Tacoma's rear tires are connected with each other via the solid axle. Then the axle is connected to leaf springs which are very rigid in comparison to a strut such as the ones on the Honda. Any road imperfections that ONE rear tire goes through, the vibrations will resonate throughout the entire rear suspension of a solid/leaf combo such as the Tacoma. Not only that, the frame of the Tacoma do flex whereas the Ridgeline doesn't due to its unibody construction. Now, you add up all the flexing, twice the vibration of a solid axle, you get that blown REAR shocks on the Tacoma...bu not the fronts.
I wonder if the manufacturers pay attention to these videos. Unacceptable that the Nissan and Toyota off road trucks could not handle the dirt road in the Death Valley , even if it’s 110 degrees.
Take the ridgeline and drive up a steep hill for awhile in 4wd. Watch your dash for the hot transmission oil warning to come on. It will.
At least it will have shocks when it gets to the hill...
You saw this on one video one time, you cannot call that a consistent issue. Furthermore, if I recall, they had it in sand mode, locking up the rear diff, which is likely going to cause more heat than say mud mode. Plus, when is the last time you took your truck up Gold Mine Hill. Why would be buy cars/trucks based on what we could do with them, rather than what we do do with them?
Brian Randolph Unless you get the optioned transmission cooler
Not true. I own a Black Edition and tow with it in Colorado all the time (3,000lb SxS and trailer) - many of the trails we go to are like this video - LONG drives on very rutted roads, steep hills, etc. The Ridgeline does exactly what I need it to without any issues. It's a brilliant vehicle.
grisa12345 - You forget, those who don't buy the RL are often not buying because of perception and capabilities they want a truck to have they'll never use... the RL was specifically designed to check all the boxes of actual use by 95% of truck buyers... unfortunately it seems most truck buyers don't buy based on what they actually use the truck for... What I don't understand is, in that case, why aren't they all buying 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups! They obviously can do even more yet that you will never use them for!
...well how many miles were on the trucks....???....;--(,,,,,,,,,,,
Welcome the Colorado ZR2 with Multimatic shocks.
speechless, please bring f150 to this test
Then they'd need a tow truck. Domestic half tons have cooling systems that are barely adequate. The Super Duty would hold up since it still uses a mechanical fan and has a large capacity radiator. All shocks will lose some oil when they are worked hard. The Tacoma had 26k miles on it. Shocks are good for 20-50k depending upon how hard the truck is used. The shocks on the Tacoma were made in the USA not Japan (not that it would make any difference). If the RL was run like the Tacoma was for 26k miles it would be scrap.
I took a 2013 2wd F150 out to the racetrack in 2013. I did have some good off road tires on it which I aired down to 20 psi. The truck also had an elocker but, I never used it. I did a couple of other off road trails in Death Valley. No issues at all. I ran the ac the whole time and didn't overheat. I want to go back, maybe next year.
LOVE my Ridgeline. Just curious though (not to discredit the Tacoma) but was the TRD a "press" car? I want to make sure the test was treated fairly. Because if the shocks were already worn BEFORE the test started, its not a fair comparison.
Why doesn’t Honda make V8’s?