By GWILKINSON on Thursday, September 27, 2001 - 04:09 pm: Edit

I have OME HD springs all round and last weekend I sheared the top off one of the rear Bilstien Shocks. What got me alarmed was the dealer I purchased them from said he had a few to go back (oh no!!) how many of you out there have had this problem? I am waiting for the replacement, and certainly hope it will be covered under their life time warranty. Other wise they will all come off and I'll put OME's on. So this is a freindly warning to all and sundry who may be on the market for new shocks.

Dune.

By jay caragay (Jcaragay) on Thursday, September 27, 2001 - 07:37 pm: Edit

Well, I went up to Killington, Vermont in early August for some "mountain biking" and somehow my left rear Bilstein lower mount sheared right off.

I ended up taking it off and drove back to Maryland without it. Bouncy, Bouncy, Bounce!

Happily, the shock is under warranty and Trevor at TMS exchanged it out for a new one!

By Discosaurus (Discosaurus) on Friday, September 28, 2001 - 06:23 am: Edit

...which model Bilstein ? The standard gas shocks or one of the racing models ??

keith
discosaurus

By peter matusov on Friday, September 28, 2001 - 07:18 am: Edit

hmmmm

never had it happen to any of my bilsteins...

peter

By danno on Friday, September 28, 2001 - 08:42 am: Edit

seen it happen on a friends rear shocks on a D90. 3 different times. the hoop snaps off the shaft.

By Mike D1 on Friday, September 28, 2001 - 07:45 pm: Edit

I have the 12" travel bilsteins and love them. No problem. I have seen Ranchos fall apart on the trail 3 times.

By Alex Schubow (Alex) on Friday, September 28, 2001 - 11:00 pm: Edit

This is relatively common with the stock-replacement bilsteins. Has happened on 2 of mine. Never happned on the 6100s.

Alex

By tmsltd on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 09:01 am: Edit

I have installed several dozen sets of Bilstiens on all models of Rover and when Jay broke his at Killington, it would be the first failure I have encountered. In all fairness, most of the vehicles do not see much off-road action but on the other end of the spectrum, we have one Disco with a lot of additional weight, tall springs and a lot of action. So far so good. I would still recommend the Bilsteins for the occaisional off-roader. In case you might be curious- I have OME on my Disco and Bilsteins on my Range Rover.
Trevor

By peter matusov on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 09:10 am: Edit

FWIW,

I have stock-sized Bilstein shocks on my '96, with OME HD springs. The disco's primarily my wife's daily driver; I've put OME shocks in it once, and reverted to Bilsteins in a week or two - too much sway. I haven't had any problems with Bilsteins off-road - i never do any high-speed stuff, and yet to do anything crazy in the Disco. I have Bilsteins in my jeep (that gets much more off-road abuse than the Disco), and none broke or failed in any way.

Although, I liked OME's mechanical layout better than Bilstein's, they just were valved too soft.

peter

By PerroneFord on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 10:26 am: Edit

Interesting comment. Which OME shocks did you have? The Bilstein OEM shock valving is not much firmer than the OME HD valving.

-P

By peter matusov on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 12:51 pm: Edit

that i can't remember. I believe there were the shocks that came together with OME HD springs as a kit.

i only put the front ones in, and fount that the disco started pitching forward more under hard braking, and rolling side-to-side more than with the bilsteins.

it was difficult to part with these nice thick yellow bushings...

peter

By Chris Browne on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 01:26 pm: Edit

I run the standard bilsteins with the RN HD front and MD rear. I think more travel at the rear is called for - that or a locker. How much more travel can you get with the 6100? Anything else need changing?

By peter matusov on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 02:22 pm: Edit

i haven't changed anything, although OME HD springs call for shocks with the compressed/extended lengths about 2" longer. Or, some ExpeditionExchange folks mentioned $2 (or so) deal per corner that will make just that.
(shock extender)

ho, i couldn't find it on your site, would you please email me the details?

peter

By Ho Chung (Ho) on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 02:26 pm: Edit

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/dropnew.htm

thats' the link to the article.
just measure well and make sure you dont' bottom out on the shocks once they are "enlongated".

By Kyle on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 02:32 pm: Edit

Any shock will fail in that manner if its being topped out all the time. Driving style and lifts are probably to blame for most failures. I myself cant stand to hear a shock top out. Its like nails on a black board

Kyle

By peter matusov on Monday, October 01, 2001 - 02:33 pm: Edit

hehehe, mine wouldn't top out :-)
can't say so about bottoming out, tho.

I'd say 1-1.5" would be about right.

and now i need 8 of them.

peter

By glwilkinson on Monday, October 15, 2001 - 10:10 pm: Edit

Wow, I hadn't realized what A responce I would get, thanks guys. To Peter I think I have the standard Bilstiens, didn't realize there were different types. May be I should trade them in for some longer shocks?

Dune..