Bilstein problems

[t-man]

Bilstein sucks!

For real, I've come to hate them! I've blown a front and now both rears out completely in less than 2 years, and now the fronts have completely screwed the washers that go up above the top hats too. They don't ride worth a damn offroad, can't take any amount of bigger holes or any whoops at all. They literally are for the pavement princess! So done with them, will never buy again, really need to step up to something worthwhile!

Edit: Fixed title for moderator.
Edit #2: ok, to be fair here, for the average driver who might hit the occasional dirt road and two track the Bilsteins are fine. For guys like me that bomb down the trails at 45, climb Hills, rock crawl, mud bog, Shit that then you NEED to save up your money and buy something better!

Current rear breakage. Shock ran out of oil and got hot inside seizing up the piston. Ripped the threads right out from the lower mount.

bent shaft

 

[calvinv8sr5]

I don't really care for my rear 4600 they are stiff as shit

live action!!

 

[steezemcqueen]

Rename your thread please

 

[t-man]

Rename your thread please

I figured it would block the word, one second and I'll fix it.

 

[steezemcqueen]

I figured it would block the word, one second and I'll fix it.

I changed it for you. Let this be your warning

 

[t-man]

I changed it for you. Let this be your warning

I had already changed it, I blocked out the letters. For real though, there's swear words all over this forum and it's a bunch of adults. :third:

 

[Silver_midlife_t4r]

So what will you go with in place of Bilsteins?

 

[07V8]

I had already changed it, I blocked out the letters. For real though, there's swear words all over this forum and it's a bunch of adults. :third:

Some are super sensitive. eep:

 

[t-man]

So what will you go with in place of Bilsteins?

I'm trying for MT long travel with radflo shocks.

 

[Shadow]

I wish this thread was around a month ago when I decided on putting billies on my rig... hahaha.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[CXS]

I've never understood the popularity of Bilsteins. I don't know anybody that wheels their truck that is happy with them. They just don't last worth a damn.

Sorry you learned the hard way.

 

[t-man]

Edited first post with more info for the noobs.

 

[gm350reratliff]

So far, folks seem pretty happy with the 6112's up front. Mixed reviews with the 5160 and 5100's out back though. I've been mostly happy with my 5100's even though I've been driving around with a rear leaking. That being said, they are lacking on fire roads and nowhere near the Icons on my 5th gen, especially out back. I may try some 6112's on my 4th gen but will probably go with something different out back.

 

[Oneluv13T4R]

[MENTION=101553]t-man[/MENTION]
Funny you bring this up right now, being that I just snapped my rear bilsteins out on the trails Saturday during our monthly T4R SoCal Meet & Run up in Big Bear.
Within the first hour I heard what sounded like a bullet ricochet, I said "something broke" over the comms, and asked my buddy Al behind me if he seen anything fall off or if he can see anything wrong with my rig from behind since nothing felt wrong. Lol

He said yeah I heard it too and it looks like your dragging your shock boot? So we stop to check it out well I was dragging more than a blown out torn boot but also a snapped shock at the top stem completely off and pulled the bottom of the shock rod right out of it threads with so much force it stripped the threads right off. Picked it up laughed about it and then ratchet strapped the bottom of the spring to the axle so it wouldnt fall out on me. So I continued the trail run from 10am til 7pm like this with no issues it worked great and felt better than that dam limiting bilstein.
But yeah I'm with you 100% that Bilsteins suuuuuk asssssss!!!! If you actually wheel your rig.

 

[Az4runnin]

Wow This Sucks

Very Disappointing to know this is Happening. Instead of Bumpin the Billies Up I may Bump Them Out for sone Kings or Fox Sooner than Later. Thanks for the info [MENTION=101553]t-man[/MENTION].

 

[t-man]

Very Disappointing to know this is Happening. Instead of Bumpin the Billies Up I may Bump Them Out for sone Kings or Fox Sooner than Later. Thanks for the info [MENTION=101553]t-man[/MENTION].

I know, I hadn't heard anything bad about them so I wanted to voice my complaints. I thought it was springs, but they've been replaced, then thought bushings, but replaced them. In the end they just aren't capable of handling anything more than mild trails and the road.

 

[BioHAzard050]

My billies have been ok, but the most i've seen is dirt roads and pavement (Albeit in the really backwoods spots around here the paved roads are worse than the dirt!)
Then again my opinions on ride quality were tuned by driving the Warrior for 4 years, and the tires were the only thing keeping my teeth from being jarred loose!
In all seriousness though...my billies are starting to feel a little squishy (better than the shot XREAS though...)I think next time shocks come around Im going with a different brand + a mild lift. TBH the billies were a quick solution to my xreas woes without breaking my recently drained bank.

 

[t-man]

My billies have been ok, but the most i've seen is dirt roads and pavement (Albeit in the really backwoods spots around here the paved roads are worse than the dirt!)
Then again my opinions on ride quality were tuned by driving the Warrior for 4 years, and the tires were the only thing keeping my teeth from being jarred loose!
In all seriousness though...my billies are starting to feel a little squishy (better than the shot XREAS though...)I think next time shocks come around Im going with a different brand + a mild lift. TBH the billies were a quick solution to my xreas woes without breaking my recently drained bank.

I was in the same boat. No money for anything different and really hadn't heard anything bad about them. I will definitely be stepping up when I'm able though!

 

[Az4runnin]

I was in the same boat. No money for anything different and really hadn't heard anything bad about them. I will definitely be stepping up when I'm able though!

Agreed at the Time it was a Fast way to Lift with the idea of Upgrading. Haven't had the Time or $ Yet.

 

[Morphyne]

I will pile on. I have 5100's on my t4r and one blew after 50,000 miles. I drive street queen. it never gets dirty. But I will likely buy new 5100s to replace because they are so cheap.