Shocks....

[CWLONGSHOT]

Anyone running BILSTEIN 5100 shocks??

 

http://www.bilstein.com/offroad.php#5100

 

I am going to need new, longer shocks for the RE Drop Brackets and am strongly considering these.

 

Remember the MJ is more of a well equiped daily driver than a strect wheeler but will get wheeled on easy/moderate trials.

 

What about these new EVS shock stem mounted bump stops? Is it just a gadget or worth while addition?

 

http://www.daystarweb.com/ItemForm.aspx ... &Category=

 

Opinions welcome!!

 

CW

[dakal]

i'm running bilsteins 5150's. on my bmw i use bilstein sport shocks. they are a great company and build great shocks.

[Mitch]

Are your current chocks any good? If they are what lift are they good for and can I get DIBS!?

[CWLONGSHOT]

Old shocks are just fine...very new actually...

 

Only trouble is Oizarod115 was quicker on the button. He PM'd me last night, just before you!! So hes already got dibbs.

 

I'll let everyone know when I get the new ones on and old are ready for the auction block.

 

If Oizarod115 passes Mitch, I'll be callin ya!! :brows:

 

BTW, Thanks for the tips!! Any more experiences?? I have always herd they where a great shock.

 

CW

[Mitch]

Story of my life... 30 minutes late always! lol

[Andy in Pa]

I have been running 12" travel Bilstein 5150's on the front of my XJ for years now, best shock I ever put on (for the price). I just lifted my MJ and got a set of 12" travel Bilstein 5125's for the front. They ride nice too. Make sure you get the heavier valving (255/70) for the front. In the rear you can use the lighter valving (170/60). The XJ has 8" of lift and the MJ has 6" of lift. Both have custom shock mounts in the front at the axle. Both have tabs welded to the side of the LCA mount on the axle. I don't know how much lift you have, but if your sticking with the factory mounts with the upper eye conversion and your around 6", you may want to consider a 10" travel, or maybe even an 11" travel shock. The 12" travel shocks are a little too long if you use the factory mounting at the axle at 6" of lift.

 

A.

[CWLONGSHOT]

Thanks for the tip Andy!!

These shocks are the BOMB!!!

 

I had a bugger of a time removing the bushings. The sleeves DO NOT come out!!

 

Image Not Found

 

Once I got the factory ones out I installed the replacements, the EVS bump stops and the BPE's ready for install!!

 

 

Image Not Found

 

Thanks for the tips everyone!!

 

CW

[Twisty]

Looks great man!

[Rob S]

I have always liked the OME shocks, figured that is what I would go with on my MJ. How do the OME shocks compare to the Bilstein?

[feerocknok]

CW, have you tested those bumpstops yet? I like the design.

[CWLONGSHOT]

Couple more things to do first....hopefully the MJ will be back on the road this week end!!!

 

I'll heading out there now hopefully I can get alot done... I'm going Turkey hunting in the AM!!! So I'm not going to be acle to get back out there till Sat afternoon.

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

Looks like I miss memeasured the front shock legnths.... They are a bit long.... Would have been fine but I lower the front.

 

Cannot return them as I have already pressed out the bushings.

 

The way I see it, I have two options, buy the right ones (sell these) or make a new mount(s) to utailize the extra length.

 

I bought BE56457H5 and they are 28+" long, I need 26" long. Its not a huge difference, but enough to make we want to change... (pic below) Ideally I would like to see the end of the shock body about even with the end of the spring.

 

BEFORE:

 

 

 

I can run the long ones, its only gonna hurt my compression. As it sits now with the long shocks I have about 4" of uptravel and close to 8 droop. With the EVS bump stops I put in any bottoming will be MUCH less harsh.

 

Leaning towards just ordering new ones..... trouble is they do not seem to make exactly what I want in a 5100...they do in a 5150.

 

UPDATE:

 

Well I just bought new ones. I was able to return the too long ones afterall!! :cheers:

 

 

The length of these is almost 26" extended. but I have about 70% of that in up travel. SO, I need to make a spacer that I can add to the bottom so I can transfer my extra compression down to droop!! I'm thinkin about 1.5" - 1.75" is about perfect and will have the shocks sitting about dead even. OR the same up and downward travel.

 

 

AFTER:

 

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

Old shocks are out of truck, packaged and ready to ship....

 

Image Not Found

 

Here is the measurements:

 

Image Not Found

 

Ozard has first dibbs...

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

OK, here is what I did for my front shocks.

 

I used 1x3/32 square stock and some 5/16x2" bolts and made spacers for the bottom on my shocks.

 

I wanted to use these:

 

 

But the threads where wrong. My extentions are std thread and the Bilsteins Metric. So I needed to move the bottom up.

 

First I cut the stock into four pieces 1 1/2" long.

 

 

Then I maked center and drilled them all with 5/16" holes.

 

 

Then painted.

 

 

 

Here they are, all bolted in place.

 

 

Again with what I have for room 27 1/2" would be about perfect. The Bilsteins I have are 25.6" extended. But as they sit, I have about 3" of droop and 7" of compression. Totaling just over 10" of travel. Now with this addition the spacers, the shocks sit at just over 4" inside the shock at ride height. Or 60/40 compression/droop instead of 70/30.

 

OLD:

 

 

NEW:

 

 

CW