question on shock travel. Possible issue

[Number1olddog]

Just installed front and rear bilstein 5100 shocks. I ordered the 3.5-4.5" front shocks and 1.5-2.5" rear shocks for the lift I have installed.
I only have 4.75" of piston travel on the rears while the bump stock to the axle measures right at 4". Should I have bought the rear shocks for a 0-1" lift so it would give me more travel? I don't want to damage my frame in the future but I may just be paranoid and will be fine. Not sure on this one. The front shocks have 6.5" of pistol travel and I measure 4.5" from bump stop to bump stop. Any help appreciated.

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[Blade1668]

Not much help here but bump stops rubber can be compressed probably at least 3/4 inch under hard impact. I've beat the hell out of bump stops on my Jeep's to the point of failure of them in past. The last thing I want is to be using shocks as bump stops (or as limiting straps). The shock mounts and where they are attached are normally not made for that stress.

 

[bleda2002]

What's the lift on your truck? Buy the shocks based on the lift to give yourself the most total travel, then set the bump stops to either prevent shock bottoming out or your fenders being ripped off, whichever comes first.

If you have a 3 inch lift then grab the 3 inches all around and set bump stops accordingly.

 

[Renegade]

Just installed front and rear bilstein 5100 shocks. I ordered the 3.5-4.5" front shocks and 1.5-2.5" rear shocks for the lift I have installed.
I only have 4.75" of piston travel on the rears while the bump stock to the axle measures right at 4". Should I have bought the rear shocks for a 0-1" lift so it would give me more travel? I don't want to damage my frame in the future but I may just be paranoid and will be fine. Not sure on this one. The front shocks have 6.5" of pistol travel and I measure 4.5" from bump stop to bump stop. Any help appreciated.

You need to cycle the suspension to test everything if you don’t have shocks specifically matched to your lift. Depending on your other components, you may not be able to achieve full articulation, and the suspension may stop before the rear bump stops compress. Mine is that way (I have stock rear arms and track bar). Do you know the extended lengths of your shocks? Have you installed longer brake lines and sway bar links in the rear, or a new driveshaft in the front? Without them, generally 29” is the max in the front, and 28” is the max in the rear.

 

[Number1olddog]

You need to cycle the suspension to test everything if you don’t have shocks specifically matched to your lift. Depending on your other components, you may not be able to achieve full articulation, and the suspension may stop before the rear bump stops compress. Mine is that way (I have stock rear arms and track bar). Do you know the extended lengths of your shocks? Have you installed longer brake lines and sway bar links in the rear, or a new driveshaft in the front? Without them, generally 29” is the max in the front, and 28” is the max in the rear.

I have a Teraflex 2.5" coil spring with teraflex 1.5" spacer in front. Rear has a Syjacker 1" rear coil with daystar .75" comfort ride spacer on top. I have been slowly getting rid of the skyjacker components and the skyjacker springs just went off today for the bilsteins. The bilstein rear shocks are for a 1.5-2.5" rear lift so that's why I bought them accordingly for what I have installed. I've noticed the bilsten shock bodies are longer then most shock bodies which I think is the issue here, but not really an issue in the big scheme of things if that makes sense. The bilstein shocks for a 0-1" rear lift would be too short as why I didn't purchase them.

Longer extended rear sway bar links but no new driveshaft in front
The skyjacker rear shocks are 27.07 extended. 15.94" collapsed
The bilstein rear shocks are 28.41 extended. 17.91" collapsed.

 

[Renegade]

I have a Teraflex 2.5" coil spring with teraflex 1.5" spacer in front. Rear has a Syjacker 1" rear coil with daystar .75" comfort ride spacer on top. I have been slowly getting rid of the skyjacker components and the skyjacker springs just went off today for the bilsteins. The bilstein rear shocks are for a 1.5-2.5" rear lift so that's why I bought them accordingly for what I have installed. I've noticed the bilsten shock bodies are longer then most shock bodies which I think is the issue here, but not really an issue in the big scheme of things if that makes sense. The bilstein shocks for a 0-1" rear lift would be too short as why I didn't purchase them.

Longer extended rear sway bar links but no new driveshaft in front
The skyjacker rear shocks are 27.07 extended. 15.94" collapsed
The bilstein rear shocks are 28.41 extended. 17.91" collapsed.

Those rear shocks are a little long for what you have going on. You risk ripping the brake lines out of the calipers (or other brake line damage) with shocks that long. The rear shocks don’t compress in proportion to suspension travel because of their angle, so you might be ok on up-travel. How about the length of the new front shocks? You really need to find a way to test the travel. Do you know anyone with a forklift? That’s how I test mine.

 

[bleda2002]

You may be ok then, a poor man's way to get full droop is to put it back on stands take the tires off and let it hang by the shocks, that's the max droop and should let you check for the main issues of, brake lines, abs lines, parking brake lines, and rear coils unseating.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

What's the lift on your truck? Buy the shocks based on the lift to give yourself the most total travel, then set the bump stops to either prevent shock bottoming out or your fenders being ripped off, whichever comes first.

If you have a 3 inch lift then grab the 3 inches all around and set bump stops accordingly.

Buying shocks based on lift height is how you end up with the wrong size.

If you buy shocks based on their collapsed and extended lengths, you’ll always get the right size.

 

[Renegade]

Buying shocks based on lift height is how you end up with the wrong size.

If you buy shocks based on their collapsed and extended lengths, you’ll always get the right size.

I agree with this, and wonder why more suspension companies don't list the minimum compressed and maximum extended lengths of the shocks needed with them. Probably so they can sell you the entire system rather than individual parts. Synergy does a great job of specifying exactly which shocks work with which height springs.

 

[Number1olddog]

Buying shocks based on lift height is how you end up with the wrong size.

If you buy shocks based on their collapsed and extended lengths, you’ll always get the right size.

Just looked at my buddies Mojave with an AEV spacer lift. He added the bump stop extension bracket which only gives him 2 1/2" of lower travel with his shocks before the upper and lower bump stops meet. I haven't added a bump stock extension on the axle since I put this lift on so I will do this and my issue should be solved. I did let the axle droop with the tires off and nothing is binding so I am good on that end. If I go with the next size down on shock I'm basically at the same length of the Factory fox shock.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Just looked at my buddies Mojave with an AEV spacer lift. He added the bump stop extension bracket which only gives him 2 1/2" of lower travel with his shocks before the upper and lower bump stops meet. I haven't added a bump stock extension on the axle since I put this lift on so I will do this and my issue should be solved. I did let the axle droop with the tires off and nothing is binding so I am good on that end. If I go with the next size down on shock I'm basically at the same length of the Factory fox shock.

You’re extending your front bumpstops, right?

Your friend having 2.5” of travel is odd. If I’m understanding correct. That usually doesn’t work well.

 

[Number1olddog]

You’re extending your front bumpstops, right?

Your friend having 2.5” of travel is odd. If I’m understanding correct. That usually doesn’t work well.

No issues with the front only the rear.
In the rear, I have a total of 4.75" of downward compression travel with the new shocks before the bump stop hits the axle so technically I'm fine. The distance between the rear bumpstop and the axle is 4". However, only having an additional 3/4" makes me nervous as I don't want to bottom out with the shocks as the bump stops could give at least this much given the material they are made out of.
My buddy has the same rear bump stock distance with his Mojave however he installed the AEV 2" spacer lift and they included a 2" rear bump stop spacer. So essentially, he has 2" of downward shock compression before the bump stops hit the extension bracket.
I have not added a rear bump stop extension bracket with my lift so I'm thinking of adding a small extension and my issue should be resolved. Hope this helps.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

No sir the rear. My front suspension setup with the bilstein shocks is perfect in conjunction with my bump stops. The issue I'm running into is the rear. I have a total of 4.75" of downward compression travel with the new shocks before the bump stop hits the axle so technically I'm fine. The distance between the rear bumpstop and the axle is 4".
My buddy has the same rear bump stock distance with his Mojave however he installed the AEV 2" spacer lift and they included a 2" rear bump stop spacer. So essentially, he has 2" of downward shock compression before the bump stops hit the extension bracket.
I have not added a rear bump stop extension bracket with my lift so I'm thinking of adding a small extension bracket and my issue is resolved. Hope this helps.

I must not be understanding.

If you have 4.75” of shock travel and only 4” between the bumpstop and the axle, you’re good. The bumpstop will hit before the shock bottoms out.

With your buddy’s setup, adding a 2” spacer plus a 2” bumpstop extension puts your bumpstop back to where it was originally. So travel is the same as stock. I’m not sure what you mean when you say it has 2” of downward compression before it hits the bumpstop.

Do you have exposed shock shafts, or do you have boots on? Can you measure available shock travel when sitting at ride height and compare that to distance between the bumpstops?

 

[bleda2002]

Now I get why I'm confused the bilsteins are upside down compared to everything else so by downward you mean what people typically call up travel, aka the wheel moving up.

Measure between your axle and the bump stop cup (the metal part) that will be the absolute max up travel. The foam bump stops will compress quite a bit on hard bumps so I don't usually count on them for calculations of bump stop.

 

[Number1olddog]

Now I get why I'm confused the bilsteins are upside down compared to everything else so by downward you mean what people typically call up travel, aka the wheel moving up.

Measure between your axle and the bump stop cup (the metal part) that will be the absolute max up travel. The foam bump stops will compress quite a bit on hard bumps so I don't usually count on them for calculations of bump stop.

Sorry I'm being so confusing on this lol. I agree totally about not relying on the foam bump stops which is where my concern lies. While I agree with wheeling98TJ that I should be fine as the bump stop will hit before my shock bottoms out, the foam stops will give more than 3/4'' on a hard flex and then I will be bottoming out with the shocks.
The front bilstein shock is mounted backwards however the rear shock is mounted normal. I think when I have been saying downward compression I may have been saying it wrong.
How much distance should there be between the rear upper bump stop and the axle bracket that it hits on? If AEV is correct with their lift and the bump stop extension brackets they provide, there is only two inches of clearance before they hit each other.

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