Modified XJ Cherokee Tech XJ (84-01)
All modified tech questions. If it modifies your XJ beyond stock parts ask it here.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Bilstein 5100 front shock issues

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-12-2017, 09:13 PM
  #1  
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
 
s346k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: central IN
Posts: 2,282
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes on 11 Posts
Year: 1997
Engine: 4.0
Default Bilstein 5100 front shock issues

97 xj 4wd aw4. 100% stock except 2" AAL and pucks. as the title states, less than 1 year old. no off-road use, at all. i contacted builstein and the vendor where i bought them. ill update as everything progresses. they have 0 damage and no leaks. rebound was very strong and way too fast. made the jeep bounce and bobble on the road like a hoopty after 10k miles of use. the rears i installed at the same time are fine. i replaced all of them with monroe sensatracs. 100x better now.
Old 06-13-2017, 12:27 AM
  #2  
CF Veteran
 
EZEARL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: WV
Posts: 5,676
Received 298 Likes on 253 Posts
Year: '96
Model: Cherokee
Default

Hope they make things right.

Any chance they were the wrong shocks? Even to the point of being marked wrong?
Old 06-13-2017, 02:12 AM
  #3  
CF Veteran
 
TRCM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes on 37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
Default

Will have to keep an eye on this one......
Old 06-13-2017, 02:22 AM
  #4  
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
 
s346k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: central IN
Posts: 2,282
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes on 11 Posts
Year: 1997
Engine: 4.0
Default

i'm sure there is a chance. a very small chance. still doesn't explain why it would be perfectly fine for 9 mo and then, overnight, **** the bed. i'm not terribly upset about it. **** happens, i get it. ive used their products on several different applications and always been happy with the performance. i know this is a popular shock recommended highly by several. given bilsteins rep i'm curious if anyone else has seen a similar failure. i also am curious how many of these shocks see 10k+ miles of use...? i want to use this thread as a timeline and possibly as a means of direction for anyone else with a similar issue moving forward. the return process appears to be clunky and time consuming.

edit: i should've named the thread something less aggressive. i'm not trying to bash.

Last edited by s346k; 06-13-2017 at 02:24 AM.
Old 06-13-2017, 12:27 PM
  #5  
CF Veteran
 
TRCM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes on 37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
Default

The truth is the truth....some on here just don't like to hear it.

I have heard of several problems like you & I have with them, and I too have used them with great satisfaction on other vehicles.

Where did you get yours from ? kinda curious now.
Old 06-13-2017, 02:03 PM
  #6  
CF Veteran
 
Atmos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: City of Trees, CA
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by TRCM
The truth is the truth....some on here just don't like to hear it.

gtfo he just said the rears are fine and the fronts are fine too since they still have rebound. Yours are in perfect working order as well, a stiff shock just doesn't go well with the rest of your crap suspension components. get rid of the steins and quit your griping
Old 06-13-2017, 03:01 PM
  #7  
CF Veteran
 
TRCM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes on 37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
Default

Originally Posted by Atmos
gtfo he just said the rears are fine and the fronts are fine too since they still have rebound. Yours are in perfect working order as well, a stiff shock just doesn't go well with the rest of your crap suspension components. get rid of the steins and quit your griping

The truth is still the truth, sorry you don't like to hear it. And for the record, I wasn't griping, I was simply saying I was gonna watch where this went with his returns/service.




It is interesting that he replaced all 4 with monroe shocks (autozone crap as you called them), and his jeep is 100X better now. Hmmmmmmmm.............crap shocks ride better then bilsteins........who'd thunk ?




.

Last edited by TRCM; 06-13-2017 at 03:19 PM.
Old 06-13-2017, 03:39 PM
  #8  
::CF Administrator::
 
Rogue4x4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Blunt, South Dakota
Posts: 14,465
Received 770 Likes on 524 Posts
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.6 stroker
Default

Originally Posted by TRCM
The truth is still the truth, sorry you don't like to hear it. And for the record, I wasn't griping, I was simply saying I was gonna watch where this went with his returns/service.




It is interesting that he replaced all 4 with monroe shocks (autozone crap as you called them), and his jeep is 100X better now. Hmmmmmmmm.............crap shocks ride better then bilsteins........who'd thunk ?




.
Who'd a thunk that replacing blown shocks with something new, no matter the brand, would make a difference?

C'mon, man.

He said the rears were fine. He has replaced them all, his choice, but also said it was fine for 10k miles. It is possible for a failure to happen.

Reserve judgement until he hears back from them.

He also stated he's running AAL's and pucks, not a terrible setup, but not optimal either. Hardware makes a difference.

Also, there's so many components out there, that there's virtually countless ways to set things up, and it's like finding unicorn farts. Hard to get it 100% correct but when you do, you hang on to it, LOL
Old 06-13-2017, 04:14 PM
  #9  
CF Veteran
 
Martlor13's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northern New Mexico
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 6 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Yeah I had aal and pucks when I first put the bilsteins and was not happy. Switched over to new coils and full leafs and bam 100x better.
Old 06-13-2017, 04:46 PM
  #10  
CF Veteran
 
TRCM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes on 37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
Default

Originally Posted by roninofako
Who'd a thunk that replacing blown shocks with something new, no matter the brand, would make a difference?

C'mon, man.

He said the rears were fine. He has replaced them all, his choice, but also said it was fine for 10k miles. It is possible for a failure to happen.

Reserve judgement until he hears back from them.

He also stated he's running AAL's and pucks, not a terrible setup, but not optimal either. Hardware makes a difference.

Also, there's so many components out there, that there's virtually countless ways to set things up, and it's like finding unicorn farts. Hard to get it 100% correct but when you do, you hang on to it, LOL
The point was, according to someone else, the shocks are fine.
Old 06-13-2017, 05:14 PM
  #11  
CF Veteran
 
Atmos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: City of Trees, CA
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by TRCM
The point was, according to someone else, the shocks are fine.
OP implied the shocks are fine when he stated they still have plenty of rebound. that's a healthy shock regardless of what the butt-O-meter says and I'll bet that Bilstein will agree. With the way the ride quality was described, you'd expect very little rebound and you'd have no trouble compressing them by hand

the good news is now the OP can in good conscious sell the used shocks and re-coup some cash. Don't bother shipping those back in, I would start with a phone call first and see if they can help you run a quick diagnostic by asking you a few questions
Old 06-13-2017, 05:41 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
GreaseMonkey17's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 645
Received 33 Likes on 23 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Default

Read his original post ... says there WAS plenty of rebound when they were now and now it bounces all over like a hoopty.
Old 06-13-2017, 05:54 PM
  #13  
CF Veteran
 
Atmos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: City of Trees, CA
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

Originally Posted by GreaseMonkey17
Read his original post ... says there WAS plenty of rebound when they were now and now it bounces all over like a hoopty.
hopefully he can clarify that. I read this there is still plenty (to much) rebound and him pointing the finger at that being the cause of the bouncy ride. I can't tell if the middle sentence here is past or present tense, maybe the "was" is supposed to be an "is"

they have 0 damage and no leaks. rebound was very strong and way too fast. made the jeep bounce and bobble on the road like a hoopty after 10k miles of use.
Old 06-13-2017, 06:14 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
GreaseMonkey17's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 645
Received 33 Likes on 23 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Default

Yeah there are still a lot of questions to be answered .
Old 06-13-2017, 07:14 PM
  #15  
CF Veteran
 
4WD4EVER's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: In a large sandbox
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
Year: 1998
Engine: 4.0
Default

I believe atmos is on the correct track here.

s346k,

What brand of coils are you running and do you know the spring rate?


Quick Reply: Bilstein 5100 front shock issues



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:22 AM.