Rear shocks: boot up or boot down?

[mrlouie]

Hi, I installed OME springs and Bilstein shocks over the weekend and I ended up with one question that I'm not sure on. I ordered all the parts from Toytec, and they had there eye-to-stud adapter pre-installed on the shock to where the boot would be down.

However, when I tried to install it that way the rubber bushings that were pressed into the shock eyes were the opposite(only one end was big enough to fit over the axle mounting tab). I ended up installing them boot up so I could be done, but does it make a difference? I don't like the idea of the shocks oil reservoir being exposed to any sort of flying rocks and whatever else may be coming through, and the boot itself was set to drain to the bottom, and the stickers themselves seem to be pointing to boot down being the best.

I just can't understand when the pressed in rubber bushings would be backwards... to those of you running Bilstein shocks, what did you do? Can you just swap ends with the rubber bushing inserts?

 

[4-Ripcord]

I have the same shocks, the lower bushing fit with a little effort. Mostly aided with a set of channel locks to squeeze them on.

 

[mrlouie]

I didn't try to force it, but looking at it there seemed to be no hope of it fitting over that mounting tab without destroying something. I actually came inside and looked at your pictures of of relocating the shock mount to figure out if what I was doing was wrong or not, and since you mounted them boot down I thought I'd figure out what I did wrong with this post! haha

I wonder if my shock bushings were installed backwards at the factory or something...

 

[4-Ripcord]

Just put some grease on the inside of the bushing and squeeze it on. Its a tight fit, use a clamp or channel locks.

 

[Gerdo]

Most mass produced replacement shocks mount with the body down. This is because any air that is left or finds it's way into the shock will migrate away from the most usable part of the stroke.

Bilsteins can, and are, mounted up or down depending on the application. My 5125s are eye/stud and the body is down. My 2451s were also body down.

Do use the shaft boots but take a pair of wire cutters and snip a couple of 3/8" birds mouths in the bottom of the boots to allow water and dirt out.