Bilstein 5150s are trash

[snailwagon]

I never post bashing products, but I have to. I Have bilstein 5100's on an FJ55, they work great. I bought Bilstein 5150s for my toy pickup, and they are already leaking without ever being installed.

The kicker, they only have a 90 day warranty on that model. I took me a little over the warranty period to install them and new suspension, and they are leaking without ever being used or even having the compression strap removed.

Don't waste your money on Bilsteins and shame on vendors who have not discontinued them yet. They will make good target practice at least. Bilstein, meet lead.

 

[KLF]

I'm VERY happy with my 5100's. I bought them in 2003 when I did my SAS, they have almost 100,000 miles on them, still work great. I have the paperwork and receipt that shows they have a lifetime warranty, and it also says that "minor leaking of fluid from the seals is normal". Says the same thing on the current warranty page.

Run them, they're fine.

 

[PAToyota]

Looked up the 5150 warranty:

ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America warrants its gas pressure shocks against defects in material and workmanship to the original purchaser, as long as the original purchaser owns the car they were installed on. Using the shocks for off-road or racing, using the shocks on a modified vehicle that Bilstein does not make a specific shock application for, or the improper installation, use, or abuse of the shocks will void this warranty.

So I'm not sure where you're getting the 90 day warranty part...

 

[Tools R Us]

Yep, the warranty should be good, as long as you never drove off road.

 

[bryan89]

if the strap is still on them from shipping, i think you could easily make the argument that it is a manufacturing defect.

they could have been leaking like that in the box while they sat on the shelf for 6 months prior to getting to you.