Did I buy the right shocks? Look too long to my newbie eyes. (1 Viewer)

[tdskip]

OK - taking another stab at this since I've resolved some other issues (made a decision to order a Painless wiring harness rather than chase the lamp cord wiring).

Found these candidate shocks for the front

Bilstein 5100 Series Ride Height Adjustable Shock Absorber - 24-187053

• Bilstein 5100 Series Ride Height Adjustable Shock Absorber
• Collapsed Length (in.): 10.55
• Extended Length (in.): 15.26
• Travel Length (IN): 4.71
• Lower Mount: Eye 14mm

So these look OK as far as compression goes static
pin to pin = 18.5
bump stop to axle = 6
minimum compression thus = 12.5

So far so good - if I am thinking about this right I won't bottom the shocks since the bump stops will hit before I bottom out the shock?

Is it an issue that I will only have 4.71 of travel upward? That seems limited.

Side note - it is soooooo much easier to buy shocks for sports cars.

 

[tdskip]

Wait - I'm a dolt.

If I have 18.5 pin to pin then this shock is too short since my pin to pin exceeds the extended length, right?

 

[pb4ugo]

In your search for the right shock, don't be stuck looking for just a 14mm pin bushing. 14mm is the same as 9/16". Most of the shocks I have used and are offered have been 5/8 pin bushing. Even though a little loose, it's not much, and the bushing gets compressed when installed.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks - turns out I have really weird shock dimensions. Most that compress enough don't have adequate travel.

Paging through the Bilstein catalog now...

Best match I could find;

25-187861
7.50’’ travel
19.80’’ extended
12.30’’ collapsed
No - Boot
170/60 valving
14mm shaft

25-187885
7.50’’
19.80’’
12.30’’
No
255/70
14mm

Those look like they will nominally work but if the truck rocks to one side e I think I could over extend them since I only have one inch of travel beyond what I measure level and static.

 

[-MaTTi-]

Coaching on shocks for a lifted FJ

Good morning. As I push forward on my build getting some shocks on the rig seems like a good idea. Most of my prior experience has been with sports cars, so figuring out which shocks doesn't include account for a lifted body. Ha. This '68 has a shackle lift kit on it but I've removed the body...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[-MaTTi-]

Hi guys - bought the Bilsteins after your coaching but I think I may have bought the wrong ones.

These are 33-185606 and should be good for between 2-3 inch lift, but they look too long to my uneducated eyes.

Could I get some eyes on these please?
View attachment 2053529

These look good to my eye. Should work just fine. Or what’s the problem?

 

[tdskip]

@-MaTTi- thanks for the post. The original ones wouldn't collapse / extend for the range I needed. My rig has been lifted and the geometry is a bit, um, weird.

 

[spdracr58]

Thanks - understand the clarification, helpful.

I may not have a problem with the shocks, just my brain. These compress way further than I thought.

I have 19” pin to pin rear. 18.5 pin to pin front.

The boot on the shock gets super wrinkled but I can compress the shocks to be one inch shorter than those measurements. That seems a bit too little however - yes/no?

@KimoTheBJ40 - my rig is a 1968 but it’s been modified.

So I recently went through this whole darn thing with my FJ40 and had to switch my front and rear shocks as I had them switched. I have a SOA on my FJ and my measurements were front 24.5" - 15" from pin to pin at full travel and it rode at 21.5", I used the 33-185552 Bilsteins. At the rear I was at 20.75"-13" from pin to pin and it sat at 18.25" and I used the 33-185606. Switching them to the "correct" way made a huge difference for me. Although I think I will still have to extend my rear bumpstops just a hair but its tons better. In my profile photo my rig had some weight in the back and this was prior to the switching of the shocks and I was bottoming them out on the pins, not good.

 

[peesalot]

What you got pin to pin ??? The 8 inch stroke shocks you got should fit. Measure the shock body on one of the shocks ?
You may have to extend the bump stops by the distance that the shock eye sits above the axle tune if that makes sense for the front.

 

[tdskip]

@peesalot - Cripes-it never occurred to me to change the height of the bump stop.

Let me play with that.

Thanks everyone, will get this solved.

 

[DEADSALT]

cut off the zap straps on the shock boots and your visual bunching issue will be solved.

if out wheeling and you actually hear clunk or junk from your shocks, thats different.

when i put bilstiens on my 80 bj40 i had the same reaction as you

 

[tdskip]

Thanks @DEADSALT - did some more checking if I loose 1 or two inches off the bump stops I'm golden for several Bilsteins

 

[tdskip]

OK gentlemen - how much shock travel do I really need? Is there a good rule of thumb for non-extremely use? This will be street, fire road and only modest off-road rig.

Thanks!

 

[tdskip]

Hi guys - hope everybody’s had a good week so far.

So the replacement shocks that I ordered based on everyone’s coaching measurements of arrived and I want to just check to see if this looks right, because the angle that the shocks are at appears to be a bit off, more specifically the mounting pens appear to be at the wrong angle for the opening for the shocks,
So the replacement shocks that I ordered based on everyone’s coaching measurements of arrived and I want to just check to see if this looks right, because the angle that the shocks are at appears to be a bit off, more specifically the mounting pens appear to be at the wrong angle for the opening for the shocks.

I am used to a neater alignment (less angle).

Is this actually correct for the rear?

Thanks!

 

[tdskip]

Oops - they go on OK if you do the top first and make sure the top pin is fully seated toward the rear of the rig.

 

[tdskip]

Little bit of dish soap is a big help in making it easy to slide then on to the mounting pins.

 

[airon23]