Bilstein shock help

[Ted Constantine]

Well mine definitly have the metal sleeve. i remember bottoming it out during the install. I will have to check the rubber as it feels like I ahve something new moving around up there recently. Mine came from ORW on the GP a little over a year ago. i guess it is about time to give the front end another good going over now that it is warm out.

Ted

 

[rspinks]

Just checked and no sleeves on mine either, got the shocks from ORW a month ago and the installer never said anything which makes me think perhaps there were no sleeves on the stock setup either. Anybody measure one of the sleeves? Maybe something can be fabbed up out of pipe temporarily.

 

[Rogue Ram]

I think the sleeves came OEM on the trucks, if I hear right. I just don't recall seeing them when I swapped shocks..... Bilstein says these sleeves came with the truck from the factory, tho. It may not be on them to fix something that is possibly my/our problem (i. e. , did I throw away something?)..... or, did this thing not have them from the factory?



I have possession of a digital camera now, and will shoot a pic of the sleeves when I get them (unless its next week, then I'm gone all week).



R

 

[DoddS]

I put mine on this week(I hope I never have to do it again, the fronts were a pain!) and they DID have the metal sleeves with them. The OEM shocks DID NOT have sleeves but had a "collar" made into the shock shaft where the Bilstein sleeves go.



I will say it made a HUGE improvement in the ride and drive of my truck. The stock shocks had 120k on the and were beyond shot.

 

[Pit Bull]

OK, I bought my shocks from autozone and had a local shop install. That was 6 months ago. How do I tell if I have a problem? What do I look for?

 

[Rogue Ram]

Hay there Pit,



See if your retaining nuts on the top of the shock bolts are loose... ..... do they tighten down against anything other than the rubber bootie, which might be squished down onto the shock tower? Do you even have a boot/grommet left to cushion between the tower and the retaining washer (under the nut)? Loud clunking noise (shut truck off on bumpy road and listen) from the front going over potholes? It is easy enough to take off the airbox, then the upper retaining nut and maybe peer down in there with a flashlight, and/or probe with a screw driver. If you dont' have the sleeves, there is nothing but rubber boot for the nut to tighten against, and in my case, my rubber boots are history... ... ... .



R

 

[Pit Bull]

Thanks Rogue, I will check it out. Based on my service manual there should be from the top. A nut then a retainer then a grommet then the Bracket (that holds the shock in place) then the lower grommet and then the lower retainer. I would hope that my local installer would put it back together the way he took it off. I guess I will see? Could you give us the number you are using for Bilstein and the name of the person you are working with so if we have the same problem we don't have to go through every thing you have? Thanks

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I installed my Bilsteins in Feb. Bought from ORW. They came with the upper metal sleeves.

 

[KYOUNG]

Bilstein

Mine have been on 8 months and the upper rubber is hammered out also... i called Rickson Truck who i ordered shox from and told them about problem... ... they called Bilstein and told about problem, Bilstein sent me new rubber to put on top of shock bracket. there is no spacer on the top shaft . . the washer bottoms out on the shaft. . i am getting ready to install new rubber today... . i hope this takes care of it.

 

[Pit Bull]

Re: Say what?

Originally posted by Rogue Ram



I didn't see a steel sleeve that slides down on the threaded shock bolt... ... . and I didn't get anything out of the dealer that there was ever supposed to be one. Bilstein says YES there is supposed to be one, that without it, your retaining washer would tighten against the rubber boot down onto the tower and ruin the boot. So, my contention is that there never was a sleeve... . I never saw one before.





Regards,



"R"

I'm looking at the picture in the service manual and all it shows is a retainer then the grommet and then the shock tower bracket. Same thing on the lower side of the shock tower bracket. The service manual also states that if youget a knocking or rattling noise from a shock absorber that it may be caused by movement between mounting bushings and metal brackets. They state to tighten and if that does not work replace the bushing, must be a common problem . We need poly bushings, anyone have a source?

 

[Pit Bull]

OK, I checked mine today and they look like new after 6 months. I will say that the bottom retainer is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Must have the right stuff since they look like new after 6 months of use no rattle and ride great. Hope you guys that are having trouble get the parts you are missing.

 

[Cooker]

I have a set of new upper bushings sitting here with the old rubber sleeves. I will take a few pics and post them maybe that will help sort some of this out?

 

[bighammer]

I can't remember what I put in there. Maybe I should go have a look at some point...

 

[Cooker]

Here is the pic of the bushing (left) and steel steeve (right).

 

[bighammer]

Can't remember seeing anything that looks like that. It seems like I may have gotten the more typical looking rubber dognuts and washers with mine.



Thanks for the picture Ryan. (Just another GD thing to worry about. THANKS A LOT )

 

[Cooker]

Sorry bighammer

 

[tractorface]

upper bushing?

I don't get it. Is there only one bushing. The picture looks exactly like what DC sold me as replacement bushings. They say lower on them so I installed them under the shock tower. Looked like I needed something on top of the tower so I fashioned my own from the old Lowers. What is supposed to go on top? I have ordered some poly bushins from Daystar. They look nothing like the picture. They look like standard bushings for bayonet style shock mounting. I am going to leave the OEM lower bushings on and cut off what sticks through the top of the tower than I will install the poly bushing on top. Hope this works, if not I am trashing the OEM bushings and just installing the poly bushings. Wonder what the DC engineers were thinking. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by bighammer

Can't remember seeing anything that looks like that. It seems like I may have gotten the more typical looking rubber dognuts and washers with mine.



Thanks for the picture Ryan. (Just another GD thing to worry about. THANKS A LOT )

Mine also. Plus nothing that looks like this in the service manual? Could this be for a 2wd?

 

[Bud Fox]

the bushing is correct for 4x4. You have to push it in half way and the metal sleeve is inserted in the bushing. i hope Bilstein steps in and helps everyone out

 

[KYOUNG]

bushings

the new upper bushing bilstein sent me, fixed the problem. the upper part of old bushing got cut off & relaced with a normal looking upper rubber & yes there was a steel sleeve on shaft. i tightened the shock up until rubber started to swell and quit, the ride is much improved