Ruined these shocks?

[chorky]

@Badunit you are not the only one this is happening to. Recently installed an AEV kit with the Bilstein 8100s and I’m having the same issue in the rear. I personally think the OD of the sleeve is too close in size to the ID of the factory shock mount hole which is causing it to slip in and crush the sleeve. I don’t believe it’s happening to the front because a bolt-on bracket with the kit is used to move the shocks outboard and those hole tolerances may be tighter or the bracket is thicker metal than the factory brackets. I’m currently working with AEV to figure this out. I’ll keep this thread updated.

They’ve already replaced the shocks and it’s doing it again. We will see what they come up with.

Oh man that's not good. I'l have to look at mine tomorrow - I dont think I am having that issue though, or at least haven't noticed it.

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[Vtur]

Both Jeep and Bilstein used metric bolt and hole size, but the Dana axles comes with bigger SAE holes diameter. I noticed when installing my 5160s as well. The bushing sleeves aren't wide enough, so the mounting bracket will folds out of square when tighting down the bolts. Best to adds some bushing washers in metric size to keeps it square.

Similar to the trackbar holes on the axles fits better with some 9/16" bolts instead of the 14mm factory bolts.

 

[mpboxer]

Both Jeep and Bilstein used metric bolt and hole size, but the Dana axles comes with bigger SAE holes diameter. I noticed when installing my 5160s as well. The bushing sleeves aren't wide enough, so the mounting bracket will folds out of square when tighting down the bolts. Best to adds some bushing washers in metric size to keeps it square.

Similar to the trackbar holes on the axles fits better with some 9/16" bolts instead of the 14mm factory bolts.

I think you hit the nail on the head. The hanger compresses so much it makes the sleeve not square anymore which pushes it into the already bigger holes. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Vtur]

The thread marks seems to suggest a few possibilites. Could have been torqued with the threads still inside the bushing, especially if done at even a slight angle.

Could be the bolt shoulder wasnt long enough and theyre threads always contacting the inside of the bushing.

Could be a diameter mismatch, unlikely though, but possible. This would require torque to get them thru the bushing since the diameter mismatches would typically bind.


But yeah those thread cuts in the bushing probably fractured the bushing and likely caused its failure.

Unlike Toyota, Honda....., Jeep used full threaded metric bolts and the holes on the axles are in SAE, made by Dana in the USA. Dana and Jeep has some miscommunication

 

[mpboxer]

Both Jeep and Bilstein used metric bolt and hole size, but the Dana axles comes with bigger SAE holes diameter. I noticed when installing my 5160s as well. The bushing sleeves aren't wide enough, so the mounting bracket will folds out of square when tighting down the bolts. Best to adds some bushing washers in metric size to keeps it square.

Similar to the trackbar holes on the axles fits better with some 9/16" bolts instead of the 14mm factory bolts.

Do you have a link to those 14mm bushing washers?

 

[Vtur]

Do you have a link to those 14mm bushing washers?

I used these 1/2" id bushing and reamed them out to 14mm as some 14mm aren't true to size. Measure your gaps first and purchase the required thickness.

https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Grou...31&sprefix=1/2+bushing+hillman,aps,148&sr=8-7

https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Grou...fix=1/2+14+gaugebushing+hillman,hi,165&sr=8-6

 

[mpboxer]

I used these 1/2" id bushing and reamed them out to 14mm as some 14mm aren't true to size. Measure your gaps first and purchase the required thickness.

https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group-2803-Machine-Bushing/dp/B00HYN41LU/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?crid=2RJ12DD7A6PCL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RuVi96BVyRfp-lGdDdjUW4fpKaSRg9laf3LfBtuSPnNARF7ok_cZG1MFBHHastKEV5MHRoKHJjgYBeXZgKXaFelmdRpA7kucqQGU-x_EN4OdVFpOVnwJWqvxY9c6xeW-AMBSqEC4u7zhzonWRC62v3ZCfq2sDkEE3S87LgSauWzDMD4ym_LT4XHArOrorK06bn4iHhUCX5lKHLGtBPdyGg.84rJAZn6x0O6rUcXLaJKYFVQ4m9V7zeTGkWjKe9dbFs&dib_tag=se&keywords=1/2"+bushing+hillman&qid=1716693831&sprefix=1/2+bushing+hillman,aps,148&sr=8-7

https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group-2802-Machine-Bushing/dp/B00HYN41T2/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=RW5C4IZXUG0D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ppHUMuODTkbh1htj3qErDmeA2UNPMTiyy0fj79mJDKF_8qWE9tAkK-nvrPg0TjOu2vjitYEJ3qm3N3yXtEuwGodMrGBKRUN5xNit7k_Ucu0SVU7BesFYmrfJ2iYmmSLcNFeAGgnr3qLLhsAyUqp2muxqtsYWraZnGp2j6tsDf8y4OxoOqvymFCp4pefvi1z0uHXCbLeb21p_4_JpW8KPvA.0eB3V26NragbKD5u_G5t9ORWdCqXNO6q8xPg_oML3vk&dib_tag=se&keywords=1/2+14+gauge+bushing+hillman&qid=1716694641&sprefix=1/2+14+gaugebushing+hillman,hi,165&sr=8-6

Thank you!

 

[mpboxer]

Just updating this thread. Bilstein has been a pleasure to work with. New thicker/sleeves supplied. I can’t imagine this not being a change for them moving forward.

Mike

 

[Fender9682]

Just updating this thread. Bilstein has been a pleasure to work with. New thicker/sleeves supplied. I can’t imagine this not being a change for them moving forward.

Mike

We're those bushings and sleeves for both the front and the back shocks? Or are the bushings and sleeves different between the front and back.

I'm going through this same issue right now.

 

[mpboxer]

We're those bushings and sleeves for both the front and the back shocks? Or are the bushings and sleeves different between the front and back.

I'm going through this same issue right now.

Just the back. The front uppers are offset and different than the rears. Plus, the front lowers have brackets to bring them outward from the frame and I think the brackets have tighter tolerances than the rear factory mounts.

 

[Glassco]

This “Aev” kit of mine is slowly turning into a nightmare and leaving a sour after taste….

considering I dropped 2k for this kit, which I had high hopes AEV is a reputable company that uses “Better” components

but I guess I was wrong.
There are other things that bothers me about this kit, but this shock bushing thing is definitely taking the cake.

I follow instructions to the T
Torqued according to what AEV stated in their instructions manual.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I installed some new Bilstein shocks recently but decided to remove them and put Fox 2.0's back on it. The lower rear shock bushing sleeves (both sides) got crushed when I installed them. I used a torque wrench so it shouldn't have been from excessive torque but they are a mess. The Fox shocks had a similar but much less severe crush on them. All the other bushing sleeves on all the shocks are fine. Personally I place blame on the sleeves being so thin walled (small outside diameter), barely larger than the bolt hole in the mount . It looks like some slipped into the hole and some stayed where it was supposed to be (with the the Fox shocks it was definitely this) .

Are these ruined for resale or only good for someone willing to file them straight and shim with a washer?

Just replace the bushings.

 

[WILDHOBO]

This “Aev” kit of mine is slowly turning into a nightmare and leaving a sour after taste….

considering I dropped 2k for this kit, which I had high hopes AEV is a reputable company that uses “Better” components

but I guess I was wrong.
There are other things that bothers me about this kit, but this shock bushing thing is definitely taking the cake.

I follow instructions to the T
Torqued according to what AEV stated in their instructions manual.

I retract my previous post having not read this one. Looks like
Junk parts. Return the entire kit. Aev in my opinion provides low end to average parts and marks them up after putting their decals on. Lipstick on a pig from them imo.

 

[mpboxer]

This “Aev” kit of mine is slowly turning into a nightmare and leaving a sour after taste….

considering I dropped 2k for this kit, which I had high hopes AEV is a reputable company that uses “Better” components

but I guess I was wrong.
There are other things that bothers me about this kit, but this shock bushing thing is definitely taking the cake.

I follow instructions to the T
Torqued according to what AEV stated in their instructions manual.

I would reach out to Bilstein for replacement bushings if you decide to keep the kit. They can easily be pressed in with a vice.

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