Bilstein shocks for lifted rears.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Cody, you might try running disco-ed in the rear. With the stiffer springs/shocks it might work for you so you don't need to replace the end links.

Did you read his post? The end links were not the issue.

Also, have you ran disco'ed in the rear? Usually better to not recommend something you have not tried.

[navigator]

Cody, you might try running disco-ed in the rear. With the stiffer springs/shocks it might work for you so you don't need to replace the end links.

Did you read his post? The end links were not the issue.

Also, have you ran disco'ed in the rear? Usually better to not recommend something you have not tried.

I read all the posts about it, I read pretty much everything posted on this board. He mentioned earlier needing end links. He mentioned them again later on. He didn't specifically say that he didn't need end links. I guess with kids running around in the background I didn't piece in his last post that he figured out (because of no more clunking) that he doesn't need end links.

I've read several members mention running Z71s in the rear disco'ed full time, several members have actually removed the sway bar. What harm is it to mention to him to "try" running disco-ed? I didn't say pull out the sway bar and throw it away. "Try it", disconnect them, run around the block if you like it try going around a more aggressive curve. "It might work" for you. If he actually had bad end links it might save him a little money to use on something else.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Cody, you might try running disco-ed in the rear. With the stiffer springs/shocks it might work for you so you don't need to replace the end links.

Did you read his post? The end links were not the issue.

Also, have you ran disco'ed in the rear? Usually better to not recommend something you have not tried.

I read all the posts about it, I read pretty much everything posted on this board. He mentioned earlier needing end links. He mentioned them again later on. He didn't specifically say that he didn't need end links. I guess with kids running around in the background I didn't piece in his last post that he figured out (because of no more clunking) that he doesn't need end links.

I've read several members mention running Z71s in the rear disco'ed full time, several members have actually removed the sway bar. What harm is it to mention to him to "try" running disco-ed? I didn't say pull out the sway bar and throw it away. "Try it", disconnect them, run around the block if you like it try going around a more aggressive curve. "It might work" for you. If he actually had bad end links it might save him a little money to use on something else.

Go ahead and try it yourself. No harm in trying it. Might save some wear on your swaybar and links.

I read about everything as well. I also try things and test things and can give advice based on real life experience... road and Trail.......

[Opeth]

Sorry for any confusion. The end links are just fine, just needed to buy larger bolts than OEM. $12 in hardware was cheaper than a new end links. If the bolts hadn't worked, I was going to drop the sway bar and see if that cured the clunks.

[navigator]

Go ahead and try it yourself. No harm in trying it. Might save some wear on your swaybar and links.

I read about everything as well. I also try things and test things and can give advice based on real life experience... road and Trail.......

I thought about it this weekend when I was installing my spacers and rotated my tires and remembered that the sway bar gets in the way of getting jack stands under the rear axle. I thought to myself "you know if I took the sway bar out I could get jack stands under there".


I tow a good bit though and wonder how disco'ed would affect towing. Besides I live in the flat lands of NC, the only thing I really have here is sand or mud.

[sker13]

Got mine from low range today. Super fast shipping. Waiting for lift. Review to follow.

[Opeth]

Which ones did you go with?

[sker13]

5125....255/70

[Lauron]

I originally installed the 5125's with 1/2" washers but I was not happy with how rigid the shocks were. So I followed Opeth's spacer suggestion and made some 1/2" ID spacers (3/4" pipe - 0.120 wall).

But when I pulled one of the shocks, the boot was half full of water. Looking at the boot, it has holes on the connection end, so the water spray from the road, has no where to go but become trapped inside.

While it is more common to install shocks boot up, at least in my experience, it appears to me Bilstein meant the boot to be installed down!

So I am trying it. Thoughts?

Ron

[Opeth]

Yea I noticed mine had some water in them too, I sliced cuts up each opposing side and re sip tied the boots, problem solved. That's how most boots are anyways, being upside down and the piston rod becomes vulnerable if you go off roading. That's why I won't run mine down like that.

[bartonmd]

I think they're supposed to be tube-down.

Mike

[v7guy]

Yeah "tube down" is the standard way. Some racers started installing shocks "rod down" to reduce unsprung weight. Some shocks don't tolerate the rod down position.
If it makes you feel any better I was working on a trailblazer that had boots installed on a tube down shock arrangement and it had significant amounts of water built up in it.

[fishsticks]

Gas charged shocks go rod down. Hydraulic shocks rod up. (Ignore our front shocks)

See Bilstein 5150s as an example.


If you run without a rear sway bar and flex the left rear wheel all the way down, the panhard mount will dent the tube if you run them rod up.

[Lauron]

To stir the debate a little more, Bilstein US got back to me and said I could install the shocks either way. I was very surprised the shock doesn't have a preferred orientation for better operation and/or reduced wear. If there is, I was surprised that Bilstein wasn't willing to inform me of it.

So for damage reasons I am going back to tube down. I will be punching holes in the boot close to the base of the tube end to drain the water.

[Opeth]

To stir the debate a little more, Bilstein US got back to me and said I could install the shocks either way. I was very surprised the shock doesn't have a preferred orientation for better operation and/or reduced wear. If there is, I was surprised that Bilstein wasn't willing to inform me of it.

So for damage reasons I am going back to tube down. I will be punching holes in the boot close to the base of the tube end to drain the water.

Just make a slit on the back side and re zip tie it back on so the slit is a tad bit open. That's all I did.

[bartonmd]

Has anybody run these 2.7" longer shocks with only 2" of spacer on stock rear springs? I've got airbags for the weight, but I'm concerned about the shocks being longer enough to allow the springs to pop out on full flex?

Mike

ETA: For posterity:

Stock shocks:
Collapsed Length: 14.86 in / 377.5 mm
Extended Length: 23.35 in / 593.2 mm

[Gordinho80]

I'm not running these... but am running Brendan's (IrishBoy's) old BDS shocks that are longer than they should be. The valving on them is correct, but they are a bit longer than the other BDS shocks for our trucks. I had to run limiting straps to keep the springs from unseating.

[bartonmd]

Hmmm... Do you know what the free length was?

Mike

[Gordinho80]

I want to say it was 27" ish? I am running 26" straps mounted at the same points as the shocks.

[bartonmd]

OK, good... These shocks I'm using are 26", so should be OK, then...

I'll post up what I end up doing, this weekend...

Mike