I have ordered some Bilstein shocks for my 3rd Gen.

The rears have now arrived.

The stock shocks have the main shock body at the axle end with the steel cover that hides the shaft on the chassis end.

When fitted the Bilsteins would have the main shock body at the chassis end with the shaft which is covered by a rubber boot instead of the steel casing at the axle end.....basically the opposite way around to the standard shocks....now the Bilsteins are obviously designed to be that way as the labels/Bilstein badge etc are the correct way around.

I have never seen a shock fitted that way round before......is that ok? does it change anything else with the handling?

At least any water would be able to drain from the shock boot as the cable tie would be at the top!

What do you think?

Many Thanks

Regards

Lewis

 

i thought my stock shocks were body side up, but i may be wrong. Definetly my tokico aftermarket shocks are this way. I would be questioning your "stock" shocks not the bills.

 

Yeah there's is no problem with that!!

 

post up a P/N or cross reference it to see that you got the right part.

 

Ditto. Lewis, I think your stock ones were put on upside down. The original shocks and my replacement ones are both body up.

 

FWIW, my trekmasters up front are body down, as are the stock fzj80 shocks in rear.

however, it doesnt matter.

 

on 3rd gens, they can only go one way BTW... unless you use an eyelet thing on top.

 

The part numbers that I have ordered are BE5-2778 for the front & BE5-2351 for the rear.

They list these on Bilstein Europe's website as mine is a diesel.(3rd Gen Hilux Surf) Same as a 3rd Gen 4Runner but diesel.

Apparently the fronts are also for a Landcruiser Prado with 3.0TD engine like mine.

I hope the part numbers that are listed are correct as I've paid for them as they were a special order.

 

I thought on the stock shocks the oil filled bit was in the bottom section of the shock....& the top section which is bigger is the steel cover which slides over the top when depressed.

I'm doubting myself now.

 

Yeah, the eyelet bit is attached to the axle & the top bit is a threaded stud.

 

Ah yes, now that I think of it, when removing the old ones, I had to grab onto the dust cover part with some big pliers to get the top bolt off. And the new ones have a rubber sleeve on bottom. Sounds like everything is in order there. As long as the eye is on bottom and the threaded part is on top you are good to go.

 

It depends on the design of the shocks. Some can be mounted any direction, some must be mounted can-up. Best to check with the mfg. to find out for sure.

 

A lot of gas charged shocks can be mounted with the body up and the piston on the bottom.

- Matt

 

Ranchos are supposed to only be body down... but that doesnt work with my /\ setup, so they are body up, no issues with them yet. I did manage to bend one shaft, thou not from being upside down...

Oh.. and dont use boots... all it is is a bowl for grime and crap, just run them bare.

 

mount them body up.

 

A shock can be mounted either way, the unit is sealed. It is the design of the shock (eyelets, post or tabs ) that determine which way it mounts. Some mans mount them one way, some mount them the other.

 

you know this is a 10 mo old thread... right?