Are Bilsteins garbage?

[HoosierJeeper]

...starting to think that. Rear passenger one bit the dust in March, with about 40k on it. Rear driver is seeping now it seems, with 42k on it.

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Is there any warranty I could use? I bought the passenger one, but since it's the second time I'm sick of it. :boxed:

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

WOW!! :Frustrated:

I can only go on my own experience as so far mine (on all four corners) have been great. I've wheeled it pretty hard, flexed the rear pretty extensively, but no seeping yet. About 15,000 miles on the set at this point.

That *****, HJ. I think a call to customer service is warranted (pun intended) to see if they'll cover a PAIR of rear shocks for your trouble.

Again...WOW.

Bob

 

[tjkj2002]

Just remember Bilstein does not warranty any shock on a lifted vehicle.Any of there shocks for lifted vehicles only carry a 90 day warranty.

Having the incorrect compression and extension is what killes shocks fast and I know those rear Bilsteins are not engineered for the rear of a KJ with a lift.

 

[05renny]

Hopefully they warranty that out. Hopefully you didn't "abuse them".

 

[05renny]

Warranty

There ya go bud, hopefully this points you in the right direction.

 

[tjkj2002]

Warranty

There ya go bud, hopefully this points you in the right direction.

WARRANTY RESTRICTIONS

The limited warranties set forth above do not cover normal wear and tear and are non-transferable. The following are warranty exclusions:

• Original equipment shock absorbers (vehicle manufacturer warranty)
• Improper installation
• Racing, driving competition or off-road use
• Modified use or other than Bilstein-recommended vehicles
• Commercial vehicles
• Bent or broken Rods showing abuse or abnormal wear

Bilstien does not make any "lifted" shocks for a KJ,JBA and the like supply Dakota stock rear shocks for the 2.5" KJ lifts so not the recommended vehicle.


There 7100 series shocks are avialable in the correct compression and extension lengths for a 2.5"-3.5" lifted KJ's.

 

[05renny]

Bummer on that for sure. Get some ome long travels!

 

[HoosierJeeper]

The warranty also requires (if I read it right) that you have to send it in, which would render the Jeep not driveable and I can't do that. Still might call them.

Now that both will be new, I'll try to get another 40k or so from 'em, by then the fronts will be done probably and I'll go another route.

 

[05renny]

Take a look lower- it does say that the coating of film is ok ? Are you noticing any differences?

 

[HoosierJeeper]

The other shock doesn't look like this...but maybe I should email to ask if it's normal. Doesn't clunk yet or anything.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I've been doing some research on this. Since the oil is all on the boot...and not on the shock at all, is the shock really leaking? I've noticed that a lot of shock manufactures say that a light film of oil on the body of the shock is normal, but no reference to the boot. A lot of people don't even use the boots.

 

[tjkj2002]

Under full compression your bottoming out the shock,which is where the oil is coming from.Those boots just keep dirt and junk in contact with the shock shaft and seals which reduces there life.Since they are Dakota shocks if your not correctly bump stopped you will bottom out the shocks and they will self destruct rather fast.You generally want the shock to have at least 1/2" father travel to full compression and full extension when you fully articulate your suspension.so it never bottoms out or tops out.Granted full extension rarely ever hurts the shocks but repeated full compressions will.

1st thing I do to any shock that I buy is throw those boots in the trash where they belong.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

So I should have more bumpstop? I have the Teraflex ones in now. If I extend the bumpstops now (maybe a hockey puck under each Teraflex one), do you think that'll save the shock? Or is it already on its way to failure?


Sorry for all the questions...but I really appreciate your knowledge.

 

[tjkj2002]

Once it starts leaking that bad it will only stop once all the shock oil is gone,nothing can stop it now.

To know how much bumpstop you need or which shock you need try this............

-Remove rear shocks
-Remove all bumpstops
-On level ground jack up one rear wheel till you get it to the hight( AKA "full stuff"),you want(a forklift works best)
-Measure on the lifted side from shock bolt hole to shock bolt hole,that is full compression
-Again measure on stuffed side the space between the upper spring seat(where bumpstop goes) and bottom spring seat,this is how much total bumpstop you will need
-On the otherside measure the same and this is full extension
-Measure the current shocks at full compression and full extension
-If the current shock have plenty of full compresion and full extension re-use or adjust bumpstops or find correct length shocks

This when I was measuring for bumpstops and shocks for the rear............

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[05renny]

Mega informative right there. ^^ Can we sticky posts??

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I screwed something up...I said Teraflex but those are the front. I meant to say I have the Daystar rear ones...so those must not be adequate? I'm only running the OME med duty rear coil and the Bilstein shock...not even an extra isolator or anything!

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I had my son take the boot off today and look around...he sent me some pics.

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The current Daystar bumpstops (seems like a decent number run these ok with these shocks)

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What came out:

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After the boot was off:

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The other side (this shock the new pretty much)

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Comparison of boots:
Driver's (the one in question)

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Passenger:

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He said nothing felt really oily, a little slick but not like the previous shock failure. Maybe this hope against hope, but is it possible that the boot was so full that it was pushing stuff out with the compression?

 

[tommudd]

Kind of looks like the "bumpstop" is hitting the lower on on the side and possibly slipping off to the side and not doing its job.
One reason I like the hockey pucks, large enough for the upper one to make contact

 

[tjkj2002]

Kind of looks like the "bumpstop" is hitting the lower on on the side and possibly slipping off to the side and not doing its job.
One reason I like the hockey pucks, large enough for the upper one to make contact

I use 4" round HDPE stock,cheap and super strong,for the bottom and then used 2" soilid stock steel with a el-cheapo hard rubber snubber that can be trimmed for the upper.For the fronts I used the same 4" HPDE and the uppers are JKS ACOS Pro's(nitrogen bumpstops) but you guy's don't have to worry about that,yet.

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[HoosierJeeper]

Kind of looks like the "bumpstop" is hitting the lower on on the side and possibly slipping off to the side and not doing its job.
One reason I like the hockey pucks, large enough for the upper one to make contact

It looks like that in the pics...but in real life it hits good. I've checked before.

Any response to my theory of the crap getting pushed out? Hope against hope, probably.