Installed a set of 12" travel 5100 Billsteins on the disco yesterday. I took off a set of Rancho Rs9000s. The truck is like a pogo stick now! The ranchos were great and were set on 4.

1. I installed them body up , would body down be a better route?
I did pick up about a 1/2" of lift out of them.

The things we are willing to put up with for the BLING factor. Reminds me of my sister-in-law.....'I love these shoes but they hurt my feet' :flipoff2:

Ok for the tech response, body down shouldn't make that much of a difference, but then again its worth a try. Although, shocks should not effect ride hight, they are there to control movement only (unless I underestimated the bling factor and you have coilovers)

-Jeff

OS, as long as it's a gas shock Up or down won't matter...are they revalve-able (damn, is that a word?)?

RJ

Originally posted by JSBriggs
. Although, shocks should not effect ride hight, they are there to control movement only
-Jeff

There gas charged and and come with a strapped at about mid way in there travel out of the box. They are a PITA to compress by hand and I'm 6'1" 230lbs! When you cut the strap they will quickly expand to full length if not installed in the truck.


Figures that the D-web boys love these things! :rolleyes:

Originally posted by AV4x4
OS, as long as it's a gas shock Up or down won't matter...are they revalve-able (damn, is that a word?)?

RJ

Nope should of gone to 5150's

Originally posted by Old Scout
Installed a set of 12" 5100 Billsteins on the disco yesterday. I took off a set of Rancho Rs9000s. The truck is like a pogo stick now! The ranchos were great and were set on 4.

1. I installed them body up , would body down be a better route?
I did pick up about a 1/2" of lift out of them.


You installed them correctly. Don't change that. Did you get the 360/80 valving? You have two options, increase the Nitrogen pressure to around 225, this probably won't fix them. Or revalve them to something more suitable for the weight of the truck.

When I first put them on my Rangie I had the same problem. Ultimately I had to revalve them to get them where they need to be. Keep in mind these are racing shocks and are customer rebuildable for a reason. They really need to be tuned to each specific application.


Edit: I just realized you said they were 5100's. Unless they have a shrader valve to adjust the pressure your screwed. Call up Bilstein and tell them about your problems. Ask for Shane in the Off-Road Dept in San Diego. They will probably work with you to get you the proper shocks to make it right. I have been very happy with their customer service in the past.

Regarding the revalving, you can either do it yourself or send them to me. I have all the tools and the Nitrogen tank to rebuild them with. Another valvestack will run about $10/shock.

Originally posted by Old Scout


Nope should of gone to 5150's

Ok, so Im not familiar with the Blingsteins, but I'm guessing that the 5150 is not the Van Halen signature model?

:flipoff2:

-Jeff

What Rancho 9's were you running? Did they wear out, or were you not happy with them?

Originally posted by lwg




Regarding the revalving, you can either do it yourself or send them to me. I have all the tools and the Nitrogen tank to rebuild them with. Another valvestack will run about $10/shock.

The 5100's are not rebuildable nor can you change the nitro pressure.

O.S., see if you can exchange them for a set of 7100's, then you can customize them for your truck, you'll be much happier with them. Got 4 of them on my Disco and they ride great both on and off road.

Marty

They need to be revalved. The nitrogen pressur makes zero diff.

Originally posted by marty


The 5100's are not rebuildable nor can you change the nitro pressure.

O.S., see if you can exchange them for a set of 7100's, then you can customize them for your truck, you'll be much happier with them. Got 4 of them on my Disco and they ride great both on and off road.

Marty

Newbie, read the rest of my post!:flipoff2:

Sorry to here about your delimma (sp) OS.

You know, the Rancho's may fade after SEVERAL hours, but at least they're adjustable!

I rank 5100's up there with OME's.

(not 71xx's) But I am still not a fan of something that you have to dis-assemble to adjust.

Makes me wish Koni made shiat for our rigs.


j

Originally posted by redrangie
Makes me wish Koni made shiat for our rigs.


j

Koni does, I have a friend with a set. I don't think they are the adjustable ones your are referring to though.

I have adjustable Koni's - which are great but I very rarely change the setting as to adjust them you have to fully compress the shock ie. disconnect one end. Fine on the back but a PITA on the front.....

Originally posted by Bodgerover
I have adjustable Koni's - which are great but I very rarely change the setting as to adjust them you have to fully compress the shock ie. disconnect one end. Fine on the back but a PITA on the front.....

Had em on the porsche, now I just put a set on the volvo wagon!

Adjusting them is more like: fiddle fiddle - test drive, fiddle fiddle - test drive... etc.

j

Not trying to hijack the thread but was wondering if anybody had any experience rebuilding or revalving OME LTR shocks.

Just put a set on the Disco a while back, along with a lift and the wife wants to eliminate some of the extra body roll. Any ideas short of removing it all?

TrevorH

Originally posted by trevorh
Not trying to hijack the thread but was wondering if anybody had any experience rebuilding or revalving OME LTR shocks.

Just put a set on the Disco a while back, along with a lift and the wife wants to eliminate some of the extra body roll. Any ideas short of removing it all?

TrevorH

I'm not sure those shocks are as flexible as the Bilstein 7100's. I don't think they can be revalved, I understand them as essentially a Long Travel version of the standard OME shocks. No big design changes. I don't think they are that much longer travel to boot.

I could be wrong about this though.

Thanks for all the info guys.

I'm going to coil-over the scout and return the 99012s to the disco.

Originally posted by Old Scout
Thanks for all the info guys.

I'm going to coil-over the scout and return the 99012s to the disco.

DING DING DING DING

we have a winner!


j

Well I guess I give you an update. I drove it for 220 miles today. I put the front rancho's on 2 and the truck is now equally wishy washy!

yeah, but at least you can get out, turn the knob, and it stops being wishy washy.

j

If you don't mind some fabbing, you can get some very nice NOS Toyota specific Konis from classicgarage.com. The longest unit is for the rear of a 79 - 83 Mini w/ 3" lift. The word has gotten out, and the price is up in the $40 range, but still a deal for an 8241 series damper - twin tube, gas, external rebound adjustment, rebuildable/revalvable. Here's a picture of the various units.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid13/pea2d8f88774d1280fb4db279a27c7a32/fdd9124f.jpg

POS Bilstiens blew out today!!! 37k and there done! :mad3: :mad3: :mad3:

The things we are willing to put up with for the BLING factor. Reminds me of my sister-in-law.....'I love these shoes but they hurt my feet' :flipoff2:

Ok for the tech response, body down shouldn't make that much of a difference, but then again its worth a try. Although, shocks should not effect ride hight, they are there to control movement only (unless I underestimated the bling factor and you have coilovers)

-Jeff

the gas charged Billsteins do ride somewhat higher, I have seen this on both trucks that swapped to them from Ranchos. Some hate them but I really like my Ranchos, had them on my Jeep before the Rover.

hmm.. that's not good.

Have any of you ever heard of the brand "tough dog"?

I'm looking for some new shocks, and one of the local dealers tell me they are very good.

linky (http://www.rancho.com.au/ralph_shocks.htm)

The 5100's are not rebuildable nor can you change the nitro pressure.

O.S., see if you can exchange them for a set of 7100's, then you can customize them for your truck, you'll be much happier with them. Got 4 of them on my Disco and they ride great both on and off road.

Marty
All Bilstein shocks are rebuildable; nitro pressure has NOTHING to do with the ride quality. If you don't have tools to rebuild them, send them to Larry or directly to Bilstein's shop in Poway, CA - it takes them less than 10 minutes to take one apart, change the valving, put one back together, and run it on a machine to take the calibration curve.

yeah, but at least you can get out, turn the knob, and it stops being wishy washy.
j
I have a set of Rancho 9000s in the front of my 89. They are set at max firmness, and still soft like rusted out Gabriels from a junk yard.
Try Black Diamond or Skyjacker if you are looking for a middle ground. I have Bilsteins on the D1 and LWB, and they are very stiff; had 5100 series on my big jeep, and they felt pretty soft.

POS Bilstiens blew out today!!! 37k and there done! :mad3: :mad3: :mad3:

Their still better than Rancho's!! Besides, they should be warrantied...

I bought my blingensteins several years ago and have been disappointed with them ever since. Moreso when I broke one! At least I was off-road when it broke.

I've been considering the Pro-Comp remote reservoirs. I've spoken with some folks who intentionally buy the cheapest shocks they can get and expect to replace them every two runs off-road...

My Ranchos lasted 8 months. I now run 6100's and 7100's and have loved them for the past 3 years.

Wouldn't touch the 5100's.

Another vote for the 6100 and 7100 series. These are excellent shocks. I have been running the 7100s for almost 4 years and they are as good as new (except the finish--lots of surface rust). I ran 6100s before that and they were just as good as far as the damping, but I replaced them with the 7100s because I wanted to go with a short body shock. (still have a couple if anyone wants them, cheap!!)

I did break a couple of the "stock replacement" bilsteins way back when. The damping was fine. the mounts broke off. :rolleyes:

I'm in the Bilstein Crowd... I blew numerous Rancho 9012's out in less than a years time and eventually gave up... Seven years ago I bought my first set of 7100 Remote Res blingers (yellow even) and I'll never looked back.. Our fat butt LR's need stiff valving in the rear though... 100/400 is now available for the "baby got back!" Disco and RR crowd..

Keith

Their still better than Rancho's!! Besides, they should be warrantied...
NOPE only covered for 90 days! :shaking: :shaking:
http://beer.thisdysfunctional.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3460&stc=1

I have adjustable Koni's - which are great but I very rarely change the setting as to adjust them you have to fully compress the shock ie. disconnect one end. Fine on the back but a PITA on the front.....


You running the gas charged single tube koni's or the twin tube ones with no gas charge?

The twin tubes I have on the front are really easy to adjust. Undo the top pin, compress them, use your fingers to wind them around for adjustment. Then just use a screwdriver under the shield to ease them up, reinstall the top pin nuts and you're done. Don't even have to remove the top towers.

Does anyone know if the twin tube koni's are rebuildable? I'm going to have to cut the shield off to see if the topcap unscrews and once I've done that, noone will buy them off me.
Mine are "rally specific", meaning valved for catching a two ton vehicle after a nose first jump. Harsh even with a 400kg diesel riding on top of them.

400/100 in the rear and 360/80 in the front with 7100's and you're done.

Tough Dog are an Australian Made shock, Yes they are good, especially the Big bore Adjustables. bloody expensive though

400/100 in the rear and 360/80 in the front with 7100's and you're done.
I've used those on several customer trucks and they all seem very happy with the results.

Personally I prefer FOX remote res. with the 7/8" shaft....can beat the ever living snot out of them under a heavy RRC and never have a problem. Plus they don't rust like the Bilsteins. Also the hose for the remote res. is smaller braided stainless and much easier to deal with.

I guess the point is ...if you want to stick with Bilstien...7100's 400/100 rear 380/80 front and you're done.

Matt Browne
Overland Engineering

i didn't mount my 5100's because of this thread :flipoff2:

i have 7100's up front, and going SAW coilover in the rear. if i like those, i'll probably swap the fronts over to the SAW's as well.

edit: i really like the 7100's up front - they seem to be a great shock. we don't really have any salt or anything on the roads here, and mine haven't rusted after being on a year. i need to yank 'em out and clear-coat them while they still look good!

I've used those on several customer trucks and they all seem very happy with the results.

Personally I prefer FOX remote res. with the 7/8" shaft....can beat the ever living snot out of them under a heavy RRC and never have a problem. Plus they don't rust like the Bilsteins. Also the hose for the remote res. is smaller braided stainless and much easier to deal with.

I guess the point is ...if you want to stick with Bilstien...7100's 400/100 rear 380/80 front and you're done.

Matt Browne
Overland Engineering

Sorry for the highjack (the 2nd one on this thread) but with the FOX remote res. are they the 2.5" ones & what do you have them set at as I am not sure if the Bilstein settings front & rear that have been mentioned applies. I have a 3" lift on a '03 V8 Disco.I was thinking the 10" travel shocks with the SG rear Droop kit.
Sorry again !!

brooksy