Rear Shocks

[bgwolfpack]

Just to through this out there—You guys changing to 86 & 87s in the front what shock package are you changing to when you make the switch? When they fail at least no one now runs BDS in the front right? Have any of you sent a PM to the Rep for BDS? He may have some answers rather than a whole lot of guesses.

I would like to know a good shock for the front too, BDS doesn't make a front shock for our truck.

Really good question. I wonder who would know?

[Trail X]

I would like to know a good shock for the front too, BDS doesn't make a front shock for our truck.

Really good question. I wonder who would know?

Most of us run Bilstein HDs in the fronts. I don't think anyone has found a better alternative for the fronts.

[Zero]

the only options are

bilstein HD shocks - tried and true, just about everyone has these

Fabtech dirt logic (half moon spacer must be made to mount shock to lower dog leg mount) - See alekG's write up

Icon coilovers - May not be available to the public yet, but that is what the roadie is using. I know some further testing was need, after a part failed. Not sure what the status is now. - See the Roadies write up

[Gordinho80]

SHOCK ABSORBER SPECIFICATIONS: Part #55619
Raw Cylinder - 5266
Extended Length - 25.95
Collapsed Length - 15.42
Body Diameter - 2"
Top Mount - EB1
Bottom Mount - EB1


A - 5/8
B - 1.44
C - 1.25

Looks like a couple of Rancho Options...

RS5112
Extended Length - 26.80
Collapsed Length - 15.96
Top Mount - EB1
Bottom Mount - EB1
Travel - 10.84

RS5126
Extended Length - 26.82
Collapsed Length - 15.95
Top Mount - EB1
Bottom Mount - EB1
Travel - 10.87

[fishsticks]

Back to the rear shock topic... keep in mind that wide body shocks (like the later BDS design) rub on the panhard mount when the rear axle angles down towards the driver side. Teebes and I both have this problem and anyone who's run the wide body rears with disco'd/no rear swaybar should check for this. a longer shock than the BDS will only make this problem worse as the maximum angle the rear axle can take increases. The solution is relocation, which is why I was looking at the XJ brackets.

[HARDTRAILZ]

UPt a similar product..rockstar??? Relo and high clearance brackets on a JK a few weeks back. They relocated and you cut off the old brackets for clearance but they still bolted on. I will ask my buddy about them.

[Trail X]

Those look rattly... someone should try re-drilling their lower mount holes. There appears to be room to move it up by an inch or two... then you can grind off some of the hangy-downy metal.

[fishsticks]

hangy-downy metal.

This is one of those technical ME terms, huh?

[janesy86]

Haha, thats a pretty good idea JD. I'll take a peek soon.

[Gordinho80]

Tomorrow, I'll be drilling my lower mounts. JD had mentioned this before and I had intended on doing it when I got the BDS's... was just too happy to have new shocks then and skipped it.

I'm going to try to go up 2"... should be enough rooom

[bgwolfpack]

Do these change the resting length of the shock? If they will are brake lines an issue?

[Zero]

Id love to see more on the relocation of the rear shock by drilling a new mounting point a lil higher than stock.

I hate my z71 rear, cant wait to ditch it for skyjacker and rancho shocks.

[fishsticks]

I was out so I stopped by the 4x4 shop and picked up a pair of those brackets.

They are TeraFlex P/N 1544790 for a 97-06 Jeep TJ (not XJ, my bad).

I mocked one up using the third bolt hole in our flange. There is a threaded hole in the back of the brackets for something similar on the TJ.





I'll have to redrill the flange like JD/Mario were talking about... but this looks promising. It looks like the shock will compress about 1.5-2" farther at rest, which should put it closer to where it was designed to operate.

I'll have to wait until I'm ready to commit to this since the hardware used to adapt the BDS shock to our flanges is bent to hell on mine and won't be coming off without being cut.

[bartonmd]

My post about this from the OS:

I'm going to disagree that it has anything to do with the application being right or wrong or anything like that... Makes no difference, whatsoever, unless they overheat badly and dry out the seals, or something... We can rule that out by several of these being just driven daily.

When shocks start leaking, it's because something messes up the seals, in some way. I'd like to see some of these fail with those accordians on them their whole life... I suspect what we're seeing is the dirt and stuff dried onto the chrome damper rods, not getting completely cleaned off by the dust seals, and damaging the oil seals. The other thing that happens to motorcycle forks is rock chips/pits in the chrome, that then tear up the seals... This shouldn't be an issue with these, as they should be "hard chrome"...

Mike

[JoeyT]

Another alternative which I just installed last weekend and like them are the rancho shocks for an 08 tahoe with a 4" lift. I have no complaints about them as of yet. With shipping they were a hair over $100.

[HARDTRAILZ]

The BDS rep stated they always run without the dust covers and it was pointed out that the covers could trap salt and dirt. I would think they were ok to run the same as the rep does.

[Zero]

Another alternative which I just installed last weekend and like them are the rancho shocks for an 08 tahoe with a 4" lift. I have no complaints about them as of yet. With shipping they were a hair over $100.

Do you have the part #?

[06blazin]

Sooo....I just got my new bds shocks in the mail, and now not so sure about them. I ordered them before i got to see this thread and all the problems. Guess ill keep watching this and wait to install them.

[JoeyT]

Another alternative which I just installed last weekend and like them are the rancho shocks for an 08 tahoe with a 4" lift. I have no complaints about them as of yet. With shipping they were a hair over $100.

Do you have the part #?

They are rancho RS5274. I don't recommend these if you just have the z71 springs. You will need some kind of spacer also. I have the rear spacers from rough country. When I was up in the air installing the shocks the pass side spring had a little play so I will eventually be upgrading to a thicker spacer to keep them more secure.

[Trail X]

Sooo....I just got my new bds shocks in the mail, and now not so sure about them. I ordered them before i got to see this thread and all the problems. Guess ill keep watching this and wait to install them.

Don't fret. There are many people using these shocks with only a few that have experienced infantile failures of their seals. Look on the bright side - they only cost like $50 each.