Bilstein failure
Submitted: Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 13:47
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Echucan Bob
A front Bilstein shock failed on me on the Sandy Blight
Junction Track last week.
The track was very corrugated so we had been moving pretty slowly at 20 to 40 kph on the long straight section south of Mt Leisler. I noted a burning smell so checked under the bonnet and noted that the L hand shocker was smoking.
I was in a group of five vehicles, so we pressed on slowly. Soon afterwards it was apparent the shocker had completely failed as the front axle was bouncing wildly on the corrugations, and the car was floating up and down over the larger dips and peaks in the track. The R shock had gone out in sympathy.
When we pulled into our camping spot for the night I heard something rubbing on the tyre. It was the Bilstein shock. The shaft was broken and it was wedged sideways through the spring which had jumped out of its upper mounting point.
So the car was no longer driveable, and not towable without extensive work.
I bought the Bilsteins some 18 months ago. They were always on the firm side but had performed
well on the Mount Davies Road in April last year. I expected the Bilsteins to last a bit longer than this. Maybe they were just too firm. I read this article in the Age today, and it could be that the Hun sets their shocks too stiff for our corrugated tracks.
http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/no-testing-in-australia-says-benz-20110805-1iexa.html
Reply By: Dust-Devil - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 15:51
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 15:51
Bob
Just go up
forum home page to 'Text Search' (top left hand side) & type in Bilstein.
You will be inundated with posts/threads on these shocks which will keep you occupied reading same for the next week or so.
DD
AnswerID:
462115
Follow Up By: CSeaJay - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 19:32
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 19:32
Interesting - did that
The first page has one PRO Bilstein thread, the rest is littered with ANTI Bilstein experiences
FollowupID:
735858
Reply By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 16:49
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 16:49
Hi Bob
Funny my front Bilstein's on the Prado 150 just failed too on the way back from
Oodnadatta, the rear ones are fine and think that is due to the poly air bags keeping them from bottoming out. The front ones bottomed out quite a bit through the
Simpson Desert and I think that is what killed them. 18 Months old and just 19000Km.
Lucky I had them fitted by Jax Quick Fit and they offer a 2 year warranty on gas shocks. They will be replaced tomorrow under warranty after they checked and tested them last week.
Regards
Derek from ABR
AnswerID:
462116
Reply By: Member - Matt M - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 17:11
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 17:11
Glad you are safe and sound Bob. The 'support' crew did a fine job on the
forum.
Cheers,
Matt.
AnswerID:
462121
Follow Up By: Echucan Bob - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 18:40
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 18:40
Matt
Yes, very appreciative of the assistance given. Many thanks.
The vehicle itself was also safe. The guy from Outback Vehicle Recovery drove out from AS that day, picked up the vehicle, turned around and headed back. Apparently he had a bit of dune trouble.
Sounds like nice work if you can get it ;-)
The cost of the recovery was very reasonable, given the car was about as far off the beaten track as you can get.
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Reply By: Crackles - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 17:23
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 17:23
Might be worth checking if they were the correct length for the vehicle Bob. Have had after market front long travel shocks fitted before that were a fraction long & when the
the springs bottomed out with the bump stop fully compressed, it blew the foot valve out of them both. Being of single tube design they are also a bit vunerable to stone damage on some vehicles. Out of intrest how hot were the rear shocks at the same time the fronts let go?
I actually had a seal fail on one of my Billies a few weeks ago but that was my fault for dropping off a big
rock & scratching the shaft. Bonus is they are serviceable so was able to be repaired in quick time. Possibly if you'd fitted your spares when you 1st noiced the burning they may have been salavable ;-)
Cheers Craig............
AnswerID:
462123
Follow Up By: Echucan Bob - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 18:48
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 18:48
Craig
I didn't
check the rear temps.
They were selected and installed to match the King Springs by a
suspension specialist so I am guessing they were the right length.
No spares carried. In twenty years of bush travel I have never had shocks fail, and only once has a travelling partner lost shocks (80 series in
Simpson desert).
My gut feeling is that it was thermal damage rather than mechanical.
Bob
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Follow Up By: Member - DOZER- Tuesday, Aug 09, 2011 at 00:12
Tuesday, Aug 09, 2011 at 00:12
Also, what type of car? There have been a few 100 series ifs problems, as the ifs does not have bump stops but relies on the shock. As stated b4, if they were too long, that hammering closed will cause issues.
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Echucan Bob - Tuesday, Aug 09, 2011 at 09:37
Tuesday, Aug 09, 2011 at 09:37
Andrew
Its a Series 2 Discovery.
I would have thought that if it was a problem of incorrect size it would have shown up on a previous trip which also included major corrugations/
suspension workout.
Bob
FollowupID:
735903
Reply By: patsproule - Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 18:34
Monday, Aug 08, 2011 at 18:34
My current set of Bilstiens have been fitted to their second Gen 3 Pajero and have clocked over 210,000km, This includes 2 heavily loaded Simpson crossings, numerous high country trips, a few loops out around
Menindee lakes district and countless other shorter trips including a lot of towing. While the rears are a little tired on their rebound they are otherwise fine. On one of the Simpson trips we measured the rears at 90 degrees C after one particularly bad section of corrugations. But they were still working.
I'd suggest there is a mis-match in shock length / spring height & the shock is bottoming out. It is reasonably common for this to happen to te rears in an LC100.
Pat
AnswerID:
462127
Reply By: Member - Alastair D (NSW) - Wednesday, Aug 10, 2011 at 13:13
Wednesday, Aug 10, 2011 at 13:13
I have Bilstein shocks F/R on my LC100 and have only positives.
I was advised when I fitted them 3 years ago to get ones with extended travel as the dealer who supplied them had heard of problems with failures due to being fully extended on rough tracks. This needs to be done with caution as it can then lead to problems with bottoming out.
I am now hoping that Mr Murphy is not listening.
cheers
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