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front shock bushing problem

4

4x4JeePmaNthINg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
My second set of front shock bushings are 3 months old. They keep wandering around in the mount and i cant figure out why :banghead: I bought the new bushings and tightened them down to where they started to preload ( not too much, not too little). I did the same when i originally installed the shocks.

Please see the images i have on the other forum because ive never read of anyone else having this issue.

http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/jeep-xj-front-shocks-help-227835/#post3322499
 
Did you put a retainer (washer) top and bottom)?

Front_shock.png



Front_shock_parts.png
 
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I've had the same problem for years. I am going to switch shock types and go with one that has a bar pin and use an adapter.
 
How much pressure is there between the shock and the frame? Could it be that your shocks are "too short" ? What shocks are you using? Is the Jeep stock height? The nuts should be snugged down pretty good, but not enough that you start to deform the rubber. I usually tighten them with a short 9/16" wrench and stop when it gets difficult to turn.
 
If anything my shocks are too long. It does this even on the street with no bottoming out.

I've threatened to take a hole saw to the sidewall of a tire to get some bushing material.
 
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md21722 said:
How much pressure is there between the shock and the frame? Could it be that your shocks are "too short" ? What shocks are you using? Is the Jeep stock height? The nuts should be snugged down pretty good, but not enough that you start to deform the rubber. I usually tighten them with a short 9/16" wrench and stop when it gets difficult to turn.
Click to expand...

No sure if this is directed to me or old man, but my shocks are bilstein and I have an RE 3.5 lift, factory bump stopped.
 
You have to be careful with what you buy. The original stuff that comes on the truck, shot or not will never wander around. The stuff at autozone, advanced or napa... well that crap is hit and miss. Some of it is fine, some of it is absolute garbage. I dont recommend contacting Jeep as they are now totally chrysler.. But I recommend ordering this stuff from another location and checking the reviews
 
alexgalexg said:
You have to be careful with what you buy. The original stuff that comes on the truck, shot or not will never wander around. The stuff at autozone, advanced or napa... well that crap is hit and miss. Some of it is fine, some of it is absolute garbage. I dont recommend contacting Jeep as they are now totally chrysler.. But I recommend ordering this stuff from another location and checking the reviews
Click to expand...

The washers and bushings are from bilstein they are the direct replacement for the 5100 shock.
 
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You never answered the question about shock length/travel?
Urethane bushings will help along w/ a locknut to make sure they don't loosen.
The Bilsteins that don't have valving options tend to be pretty heavily valved!
 
they are a 4" shock. the lift is 3.5 and I went with the next size up shock per the recommendation of a local shop. They are the standard 5100 with no valving option/ or external reservoir.
 
There's no such thing as a 4" shock, they all have ext/coll lengths and that's what matters. You may very well be bottoming the shocks out !
What control (upper/lower) arms do you have? Extended bump stops might be in order! That's why you need to "flex" your Jeep out and measure before buying shocks!
 
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RE SF lowers, stock upper. I do not know the official collapsed or extended length as the 4x4 shop ordered them for me, though i believe upon discussing going to a larger shock and them ordering , they probably ordered the bigger of the two as it was to be on the safe side. What length would usually be paired with a RE 3.5" lift
 
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So unless you have modified any of the control arm mounts, you have a very limited range of travel( you haven't changed any of the parameters), meaning the shocks are probably to long!

Think of it this way, you didn't change the range of motion the suspension has, you only changed the ride height! This makes changing the shock length critical !
I'm at 5.5" lift with both the upper and lower bump stops changed.
 
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RCP Phx said:
There's no such thing as a 4" shock, they all have ext/coll lengths and that's what matters. You may very well be bottoming the shocks out !
What control (upper/lower) arms do you have? Extended bump stops might be in order! That's why you need to "flex" your Jeep out and measure before buying shocks!
Click to expand...

ok got some figures finally:

Collapsed Length: 16.97 extended Length: 28.44in
 
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