Bilstein 5100 shocks junk after 1 year!!

I put a set of bilstein 5100 10" shocks in the rear about a year ago (I have 3" of rear lift achieved by a 1" spacer and an 2" AAL) and now their leaking like crazy and the back is starting to feel a little squirrely. I do a lot of light to moderate (and some higher speed) off-roading. At the recommendation of a friend, I did cut the boots off when I installed them. I'm thinking maybe road salt (I live in NH) ate the seals? Could it really happen that fast? Should I have not cut the boots off? Pistons up or down? What shock should I replace them with? Dogs and cats living together!?

[this is in a 2004 taco 2.7L extracab 5 speed]

 

Is the 10 inch 5100 rated for a 3 inch lift?

You should definitely not have cut the boot off, why would you do that?

Sounds like you destroyed them, rather than them failing you.

edit: Also, what are you running for bump stops? If you bottomed out the shocks on your offroading trips because you didn't check your travel, you'll destroy even the greatest of shocks.

 

cutting the boot off doesn't do shit. (unless you live in the salt areas) but betting the reason yours failed was because of this second part. They are hardened cromo shafts, salt shouldn't affect it. I have had more issues with having boots on and collecting dirt and crap in them then not running them at all.

are the shocks being used as limit straps? are they bottoming out before the bump stops? this is what kills shocks.

 

awaiting ben to tell us all how shitty 5100s are

 

the shocks don't even come close to bottoming out. I put 600lbs back there and I had still had 2.5" of piston left. and of course I'm not off-roading with that kind of weight. Yeah, that's what my buddy said about the boots; he claims that they trap stuff. **Edit I also flexed the rear way out until one side was off the ground and the compressed side still wasn't even close to bottomed out.

 

Then you probably have too much down travel, your shocks are acting as limit straps. since you have 2.5 inches left of travel when you hit bump, you effectively have 7.5 inches of total available travel in that shock. Relocate the shock, or strap your axle if you intend to keep wheeling it hard.

 

Not what the point of the question was... You have to make sure your shocks are not your limiting factor in travel if so you have to correct it with limit straps and bumps.. My bet is this is the issue... Also if you run cheaper shocks hard they won't last forever... I doubt mine will last more then 2 years I tend to be hard on shocks.

 

"your shocks are acting as limit straps" What does this mean?

 

Your rear axle downtravel is limited by the length of the shock, rather than the spring/shackle. The purpose of limit straps is to make it so your rear axle doesn't travel past the intended length of the shocks. Since you don't have limit straps, your shock is what limits the travel. Hope that helps...

 

ooh, so I need limit straps? Would a longer shock be appropriate? When I look at my piston the last 2" are all cruddy because they never get pushed through the seal.

**Edit would a longer shock with bump stops be better?

**Okay I think I get it. Put it on a lift and see if the shocks are maxed out. If so, then use limit straps to raise the axel so that the shocks compress just a little at max extension allowed by the limit straps. Is that right?

 

Yeah, or just don't let your back end flex down that much, you might go over to the mid travel or long travel threads for some tips on how to correct your issue.

 

Well that's why I'm not 100% confident that maxing the shock out is what destroyed it. I do very little crawling where they'd be flexed out that far. The rear suspension is pretty stiff; so maybe a hard bump at a good speed is allowing the rear to max when my ass gets thrown up in the air.. but I still don't think so.

 

you can flex the truck, remove one bolt from the bottom of the shock and pull it off, and see if the truck flexes more.

 

no. you get the shack to fit your suspension

that is why you always order shocks last so you can measure your full droop and compression lengths.

what do you have on the truck for the rear?

 

this too. pull one end of the shock off and flex the truck on something (actually drive the truck on something, not just with a hi lift, to account for forced articulation) measure the shock mount eye to eye on the truck with the shock on and off. if it is a greater distance with the shock off you need longer shocks.

I know for me, i had just a 2" aal and the 5100s seemed to be fine. but i threw on some 6" shackles and the shocks limited droop by about 2", which is why they went to shit.

there are a number of variables that go into how well the rear performs so you just have to measure it

 

You need [urlhttp://goo.gl/KxkJkX[/url] for 3" of lift. If you have OEM part numbers, you've over-extended them and they are now junk.

Have you also lifted the front? Check the travel for those as well.

 

those are for a 2nd gen, op has a 1st gen

 

My bad... fixed it.

The only Bilstein option on Toytec covers up to 2.5" rear lift so I guess those are not an option for the OP.

 

yeah I have a 2" AAL with a 1" spacer lift. I have the toytec coilovers turned up to 3" with the diff drop; the front looks and behaves fine. Eric, the bilstien 10" on my truck are considerably longer than OEM. I replaced the rear shocks because after just a 1" spacer lift I had very little downward travel and then when I got in trouble with squat room with the longer shocks I put on the 2" AAL.

 

I have the same problem as the OP. Just a heads up OP those 5100's are not 10" travel.

Toytec doesn't have any extended length shocks. they are all about an inch or so longer than your stock OEM shocks.. (even the remote resi Icons are not extended length.)

Wheelers offroad has the 5125 billys 10" travel which is what you are looking for i believe.

EDIT: I hate the feeling of over extending my 5100's.. going over speed bumps sucks so much.

I do think there are a few different versions of the 5100's.. If you got it from toytec then they are for sure the wrong ones though.