Mike6158
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I'm glad I only bought Bilstein's for the front now...
Rear Bilstein shocks breaking at the shaft
- Thread starter virafp
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Mike6158
Random Pixel Generator
Oops. Forgot to check the post date. GOOD! I hated the idea of only replacing the front shocks
Last edited:
Hate to necropost, but I feel it's necessary since bilstein still has not fixed this. Installed bilstein 4600s and full disclosure, a 1.5" OME lift in the rear. Did this early Jan or late December. Lasted till late february when they broke exactly the same way as everyone else's. Unfortunately didn't have time to replace them for a good week and I'm a broke college kid with only the cruiser so I had to ride around lowrider style for a week. Replaced with OEM shocks and it riders super dreamy now. Have yet to contact them but I plan on doing so soon.
(put my own personal touch on the OEM ones)
(put my own personal touch on the OEM ones)
Sup guys, I registered to share my frustrations with these weak @$$ "premium" Bilstein 5100 rear shocks. This has happened TWICE now:
The threaded rod separates from the mount and dangles down, and then gets bent on rocks, ruining the shock. By the time I discover what's happened, the damage is done. This was my second set this happened to. Called for Bilstein for support and the guy on the phone basically told me to go pound sand. Granted I wheel moderately hard, but nothing that should be causing repeated shock failures like that.
So I'm replacing them with a set of Ranchos. I'm done with Bilstein. The Ranchos may not be monotubes, but I bet they wont break like this. Never ever had this happen with any other type of shock, on or off road, until these Bilsteins. I thought about tack welding the rods in place, but I shouldn't have to be modifying a premium aftermarket part like that just so it doesn't break.
/rant
The threaded rod separates from the mount and dangles down, and then gets bent on rocks, ruining the shock. By the time I discover what's happened, the damage is done. This was my second set this happened to. Called for Bilstein for support and the guy on the phone basically told me to go pound sand. Granted I wheel moderately hard, but nothing that should be causing repeated shock failures like that.
So I'm replacing them with a set of Ranchos. I'm done with Bilstein. The Ranchos may not be monotubes, but I bet they wont break like this. Never ever had this happen with any other type of shock, on or off road, until these Bilsteins. I thought about tack welding the rods in place, but I shouldn't have to be modifying a premium aftermarket part like that just so it doesn't break.
/rant
Not meaning to be insensitive, but this issue has been reported for 10+ years, and unaddressed by Bilstein for at least that long.
Yet, we still see the regular posts of “I loved Bilstein shocks on my ________. I’m going to ignore the conventional wisdom on this forum, and go with Bilstein, because you guys don’t know s*** about about shocks!”.
The callous attitude of the support employee was the cherry on top of this &@%# sundae. It was like he was there just to find loopholes as to not provide warranty coverage despite this being an obvious design flaw. Wish I knew about this issue before hand. Had to do a google search to find this thread.
Are you using shock that is too short for your setup(height/travel needs)? This is a 100 series section ( I noticed leafs in your pictures) and not to poke at your grievance but did follow the by vehicle shock application provided? I ask because this original thread was from guys complaining about the hd4600’s which bilstein states <1” of additional height increase over stock is within performance spec. So what I mean is your complaint may be legit but i caution that you inserted it into an old thread full of application violators.
Alternatively, if your shock are within performance spec (I would assume all 5100’s are made for some increased height) thysen krup’s care team out of San Diego has always been awesome to me and anyone I’ve talked to as long as you’re nice and treat them like people. I bought the 5100 adjustables when they first came out for my 04 sequoia and there was a known problem with the oil seals and they sent me new ones no problem with labels to return the others for their engineers to look at.
Anyways, I don’t have bilsteins on my ride anymore but I’d put them on any vehicle I ever own if the shock application specifics matched what i did to my vehicle.
Which Foxes?
Yes, I know how to measure compression and extension. It's a design flaw, plain and simple. Those rods should be WELDED onto the mounting loops, like every other rear shock of it's type. Typical German overengineering where they have to be "different".
Is the rod coming out of the shock body.
How is that happening?
The top mount on my 3rd gen 4runners rear bilstein shock snapped. When I called them, they said it is not designed for the 3rd gen so end of it. I then bought another Bilstein (yeah!) and kept the top mount bit flexible, so far so good.
The rod is "unthreading" or being ripped out of the mount. That attachment should not be threaded, it should be permanently attached ie welded.
