Some Bilstein questions....

[4Runnin Tahoe]

Lift about to be installed:
- Tundra springs/Bilstein 5100's.
- OME 890's/Bilstein 5125's.
All ordered from Toytec.

Questions:
- Why don't the 5100's come with a protective rubber or plastic boot for the shaft (similar to the ones that came with the 5125's) & where can I find them?

-With the 5125's, does it matter if the boot is facing up or down when installed? I know the stock ones are facing up, but the eye-to-stud adapters are bolted on like the boot should be facing down. Can I just switch the adapted to the other side? (I've read some threads about this but I thought I'd try to get a few more people's opinion)

-Does anyone recommend replacing certain stock parts during the lift installation? (bushings, nuts, bolts, washers etc....) Excluding the washers, bushings and bolt included with the 5100's.

Thanks in advance-

 

[NateMob]

The bilsteins are designed to be ran with the shock body mounted up. They are a monotube design meaning that if the shock body is dented in anyway that the piston wont be able to cycle through its full range of motion. The adaptors are on the body end on purpose, not at random.

RE: the boots, i never have run shock boots because they tend to hold dirt, mud, water and other contaminants inside them and in close proximity to the shock shaft and seal. No boot means everything can just dry up and fall away, most (90%) of shocks will be worn out and need replacing by the time the shafts so any kind of pitting or damage from rocks and road grit.

Just my opinion but look around at performance shocks on most trucks and crawlers, you wont find any shock boots.

 

[4Runnin Tahoe]

The bilsteins are designed to be ran with the shock body mounted up. They are a monotube design meaning that if the shock body is dented in anyway that the piston wont be able to cycle through its full range of motion. The adaptors are on the body end on purpose, not at random.

RE: the boots, i never have run shock boots because they tend to hold dirt, mud, water and other contaminants inside them and in close proximity to the shock shaft and seal. No boot means everything can just dry up and fall away, most (90%) of shocks will be worn out and need replacing by the time the shafts so any kind of pitting or damage from rocks and road grit.

Just my opinion but look around at performance shocks on most trucks and crawlers, you wont find any shock boots.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.
I agree with you on the boots holding contaminants but I feel like without boots, it would be easier for those contaminants to get on the shaft and just slide down into the body of the shock. I'm no expert on shocks and such so maybe I'm wrong about that. It does seem like most people do not use boots though.

 

[the great him]

i do not believe they make a boot for the 5100 struts, no need either, the seals around the piston(main shaft) will not allow anything down inside the body anyways, and you wont ever get anything to nick or chip the piston, and if you some how manage to do so, the boot wouldnt of made a difference anyways.

 

[4Runnin Tahoe]

i do not believe they make a boot for the 5100 struts, no need either, the seals around the piston(main shaft) will not allow anything down inside the body anyways, and you wont ever get anything to nick or chip the piston, and if you some how manage to do so, the boot wouldnt of made a difference anyways.

Cool, makes sense, thanks!

 

[afg10000]

Maybe check your UCA/LCA bushings, sway bar bushings and end-links. 2 things I experienced (and many others) Keep an eye on the adapter mounting brackets on the 5125's. They tend to come loose after a bit. Also, check your inner CV boot after install and driving for a while. My seals failed from changing the angles -

 

[Shibby!]

Boots are there to stop dirt from getting on the shaft, hardening, and then screwing the internal seals. The dust seals will only stop so much.

I bought them for mine (on the front) and the Tokico rears come with them.

Anybody who dirt bike knows this happens often with stanctions that aren't covered. Both in the dirt / mud and snow / ice.

 

[4Runnin Tahoe]

Boots are there to stop dirt from getting on the shaft, hardening, and then screwing the internal seals. The dust seals will only stop so much.

I bought them for mine (on the front) and the Tokico rears come with them.

Anybody who dirt bike knows this happens often with stanctions that aren't covered. Both in the dirt / mud and snow / ice.

Where did you buy the boots?

 

[Forrrrest]

When i did my lift i ran into a problem with my drive shaft. You might want to pull it and check the u joints. I got a nasty vibration. I had it rebalanced and new ujoints.

 

[Shibby!]

Where did you buy the boots?

On the front they are "dust covers". The hard plastic part that covers the shaft

I got them from Down South Motorsports. I think they may have them for the rear too, but they are the actual booties then.

The Trekmasters I used on the rear come with rubbers already.

 

[the great him]

post up some pics of those covers... cause i cant see how they would work, with the coil collar and the top hat, there is no place to them to go when that strut gets compressed other than to get crushed...

to my knowledge his is the reason that there is no cover for them. and fwiw, ive been mountian biking and used to race for over 15 years, and hardly anyone uses covers or boots on the shocks, most bikes with them are the cheep wal-mart bikes... they really do not help anything

 

[Shibby!]

Yes, most motorcycle and bicycle suspension do not have it, but guys that ride in gritty mud all the time know not having seal savers blows seals prematurely.

Often a few rides in the mud we have here and your forks are leaking. Most (as in almost all) MTB forks are conventional too which shows more as a weap than a leak like USD forks.

They do cause a bit of stiction, but I'd rather ride then be replacing seals non-stop on my dirt bikes. Our mud is clay/sand based and drys on hot suspension very similar to concrete after being stopped for a minute or two. A dust wiper isn't stopping that, nor is it stopping frozen on ice.

These may not be ideal, but for the ~15$ they cost me, I'd sooner have them on when I roll through mud or freezing slush / ice, snow. There's also a reason most factory suspension has them.



Sold by Bilstein, for Bilstein.

 

[the great him]

interesting, ive never seen a set, and figured they wouldnt work cause of the collar and top hat, but apparently they do make them

 

[4Runnin Tahoe]

Yes, most motorcycle and bicycle suspension do not have it, but guys that ride in gritty mud all the time know not having seal savers blows seals prematurely.

Often a few rides in the mud we have here and your forks are leaking. Most (as in almost all) MTB forks are conventional too which shows more as a weap than a leak like USD forks.

They do cause a bit of stiction, but I'd rather ride then be replacing seals non-stop on my dirt bikes. Our mud is clay/sand based and drys on hot suspension very similar to concrete after being stopped for a minute or two. A dust wiper isn't stopping that, nor is it stopping frozen on ice.

These may not be ideal, but for the ~15$ they cost me, I'd sooner have them on when I roll through mud or freezing slush / ice, snow. There's also a reason most factory suspension has them.

Sold by Bilstein, for Bilstein.

I can not for life of me find them on the web. Can you help a brother out and find the link?

 

[Shibby!]

Email or phone Down South Motorsports. I believe they are from Phoenix, AZ.

That's where I got mine.

We lifted my friends 13' F150 and the Billy instructions for his truck was to re-use the F150's shaft cover too. The bump stops would not fit though so the shop left them off. It's a mall crawler / pavement pounded so that won't be an issue. haha.

I figured they can't hurt for a few dollars. California probably doesn't have the mud / grit we do here, but once again, 15-20$.