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Installing New Bilsteins.........

C

Cherokeekid88

NAXJA Forum User
Location
North Carolina
So my Bilsteins have been on backorder for 3 weeks now and I finally got the front 2 yesterday, so I went ahead and installed them. OMG.....I have never had such a problem installing shocks before. If you don't have alot of upper body strength, its nearly impossible to compress them while laying down. I finally got them in after almost having a heat stroke and blacking out for a sec.

I have just never had a shock THAT hard to compress, guess that means they are good. Haven't really tested them yet because I only have about a 1 mile trip to work from my house.
 
jack your jeep up, droop the suspension
that way you dont have to compress them much
 
let the nitrogen out? (if they are have a valve)

Or, use the shipping strap that came with them. compress them using your body weight, and install the strap, then bolt the top in, and cut the strap, just be ready to guide the lower in as it extends.
 
go to the gym more namby pamby haha jk
images
 
souske said:
Or, use the shipping strap that came with them. compress them using your body weight, and install the strap, then bolt the top in, and cut the strap, just be ready to guide the lower in as it extends.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem installing my Bilsteins on the rear. I ended up doing what souske suggested because I didn't have a jack tall enough to get the axle low enough. I put the shipping straps on to limit travel and lowered the axle to the point where I could install the shocks with the shipping strap. Once they were on, I just cut the strap and it was good to go. But man, are those things hard to compress! They sure do ride awesome though.
 
My rears should be here soon and that is what I am going to do. Ill just leave the straps on them till I have one end bolted up and then cut the straps off. I seriously have about 15 cuts on both my hands from trying to get them thems compressed and my hand slipping or getting cut up by my fenders.....

after all this ish, they better ride F'in awesome! BTW, I am upgrading from RC 2.2 shocks.
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
My rears should be here soon and that is what I am going to do. Ill just leave the straps on them till I have one end bolted up and then cut the straps off. I seriously have about 15 cuts on both my hands from trying to get them thems compressed and my hand slipping or getting cut up by my fenders.....

after all this ish, they better ride F'in awesome! BTW, I am upgrading from RC 2.2 shocks.
Click to expand...

Mine didn,t come with any limit straps(shipping) just full length in the box...
Floor jack to raise them up to the studs.
Oh, by the way ..my mounts are raised on the axle...
 
For the fronts, I bolted the bottom in, leaned my bodyweight on them and then guided them to the upper mount as they extended.
 
Prior to installing my 5100's on the rear, I used them to work out my pecs every day for a month......when I could compress them fully with by bare hands, I knew it was time to install them.

I'm now working out with my 5165's that will eventually go on the fronts....I should be ripped enough to install them in a few weeks......gotta run and grab a protein shake, peace.
 
Do you guys have toothpicks for arms, Do you go to your wife's for them to open a Jar of pickles for you also ? I'm not the the same shape I was 10 years ago when I worked out on a regular basis, And I never had an issue compressing my 5100's on my XJ An I never used a jack to lift the jeep so the suspension could droop .
 
Tom95YJ said:
Do you guys have toothpicks for arms, Do you go to your wife's for them to open a Jar of pickles for you also ? I'm not the the same shape I was 10 years ago when I worked out on a regular basis, And I never had an issue compressing my 5100's on my XJ An I never used a jack to lift the jeep so the suspension could droop .
Click to expand...

x2.....actually I farted while I compress one of the rear shocks....but farting is usual for me
 
Darky said:
For the fronts, I bolted the bottom in, leaned my bodyweight on them and then guided them to the upper mount as they extended.
Click to expand...

this is the only thing that works for the 7100s I have up front

for the rears I normally compress them all the way using the ground and my weight, then quickly put the lower mount on the stud and then guide the upper mount into place.
 
Tom95YJ said:
Do you guys have toothpicks for arms, Do you go to your wife's for them to open a Jar of pickles for you also ? I'm not the the same shape I was 10 years ago when I worked out on a regular basis, And I never had an issue compressing my 5100's on my XJ An I never used a jack to lift the jeep so the suspension could droop .
Click to expand...
Try it with some very stiffly valved 7100s....;)
 
Tom95YJ said:
Do you guys have toothpicks for arms, Do you go to your wife's for them to open a Jar of pickles for you also ? I'm not the the same shape I was 10 years ago when I worked out on a regular basis, And I never had an issue compressing my 5100's on my XJ An I never used a jack to lift the jeep so the suspension could droop .
Click to expand...

No but laying on the hot ground in 95 degree weather and trying to push these shocks up enough to bolt them up is pretty difficult.

The question is not compressing them out in the open...I can do that...its whe they are at a wierd angle or trying to push down on top of them without using all your weight.
 
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