Rear Bilstein 5100

Here's a question for you guys that are running the Bilstein 5100's. I installed the 5100's front and rear and after 6000 miles or so I noticed fluid around where the boot is zip tide to the shock body. It has not run down the shock just to the bottom of where it is zip tide . I have cleaned it and after a couple of weeks its back. Question is . Has anyone else had this issue and is it normal ? I have read the post where Dan from wheelers explains that the 5100's are designed to do that to lube the seal. I just not sure if that is what my are doing . Any clarification on this would be much appreciated . Thanks in advance !!

 

this may help:

 

Yeah that is the post I read from Dan also. Just not sure if that is what is happening with mine. Thank you tho!

 

So I decided to go out and cut the zip tie and investigate. The top of the 5100's have a recessed lip. In the lip was all full of oil and it was running over the lip down to were the zip tie was. This was on both rear shocks. So my question is , Is that what yotaDan means by minimal oil leakage ?

 

man, i'll have to look, but I haven't noticed anything like that on mine. and im pretty crazy about fluids leaking, no matter the amount of bird-crap on my paint

 

Post some pics?

 

Yeah I have tried and having a hard time doing so . I will try again.

 

That amount of leakage sounds more than minimal...keep an eye on it, at that rate of leakage, the shock will pump dry fairly quickly.

Howard

 

Yeah that is my feeling as well !!

 

I am pretty sure that isn't supposed to be happening. Mine never did that

 

Sadly, I've read lots of posts about the 5100's leaking from the seals. It's weird that both shock are leaking, typically it's just one. Try contacting whoever you bought from and see if they can replace the shocks, especially since there's only 6k on them.

 

Yeah I talked to Dan at wheelers offroad . He said to send him pic's and he would start the warranty. He did say that amount of fluid was excessive. So hopefully they will be able to warranty them .

 

So I heard back from Dan at wheelers today. He said I need to ship them back to RCD Suspension so that they can determine if they are going to warranty them. I appreciate Dan's help but here's is my dilemma, I have to ship them on my dime and he said it can take up to a couple of months to hear back. In the mean time I have to order new one's and put more money up front and hope that they decide to warranty them. I feel that Bilstein should stand behind there produced alot better then that . Where is the costumer service in that. Not sure what to think of Bilstein at this point. I thought that they where a stand up company.

 

Sounds to me like it's Wheeler's Off-Road who you need to be mad at, as they are the ones selling you the product, not Bilstein. I got my Bilstein 5100's from Wheeler's, but had no issues, so I can't say whether or not their customer service is good.

You could try contacting Bilstein directly, but I'm sure they're just going to tell you to contact the people who sold you the shock.

I dunno what to tell ya. I'd be kinda mad, too. It sucks because it's not something you can just pop off and mail back, hassle-free.

 

It's Bilstein who ultimately decides on the warranty, not a distributor. http://www.bilsteinus.com/products/search-service/warranty/

 

^^^^well, there ya go! Give Bilstein a call, OP!

 

Well I am disappointed that wheelers just pushed me off to someone else. I feel that wheelers should of warranted them sins I purchased from them and they deal with Bilstein direct.

 

Could abuse be suspected? That would make Wheeler's hesitant to warranty them.

 

Nope never off roaded !!

 

Up date. So I decided to give Bilstein a call. I got a hold of the warranty dept. A very nice Lady answered and I explained my situation to her. She told me to ship them back to them and that she would look at them. She said from what I had told her that they would more then likely be warranted. I called them back a day after they received them and they told me that they where going to warranty them for me and that they are shipping me two replacement 5100's. I have to say that this very nice lady was very helpful and Bilstein stepped up !! So a very big thank you to both !!!