Just a heads up on Bilsteins

Pote · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:55 pm

Well I just got (almost) all my parts for my lift with Tommudd next Friday from JBA....save 2 things. My HD Bilstein front struts which had a big ol B/O - backordered. :shock:

I immediately got on the horn with Marlin and let me say again what a great guy he is. He's so helpful and always available. He informed me that there is a nationwide backorder on Bilstein shocks. Nothing at all being shipped out of Germany until at least end of March, beginning of April. Just wanted everyone to have a heads up in case you were working those parts into your lift and needed them as soon as I did. Marlin was gracious enough to same day ship me the OME fronts today which he has plenty of. I just received his UPS confirmation so the last piece of the puzzle is in route...Tom and Chris.... get ready to rock!!!! :BANANA:

EricR · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:28 pm

I think I must have gotten the last set of Bilsteins in the U.S., I'm glad I ordered when I did.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:28 pm

Dude seriously.... it's JBA.

RED_KJ_666 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:41 pm

Lucky you Bilstiens SUCK. If you wheel at all the heads break off

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:31 pm

RED_KJ_666 wrote:

Lucky you Bilstiens SUCK. If you wheel at all the heads break off

I thought Blistiens were regarded as "The Best Strut/Shock out there"? :dizzy:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:52 pm

Funny thing is my Bilstiens are made here in the US,had to wait 3 weeks for them only because they custom make the 7100 series per customers valving option.

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:07 pm

I'm buying Rancho Struts/Shocks instead of Blistien Struts/Shocks.

#1 Do not have the money to throw down $300+ on a new set of Blistiens
#2 Rancho's will suite my Jeep needs: 99% driving on highway, 1% offroad
#3 I have no plans on installing a ARB bumper, so no HD struts/springs needed

Sorry to jack your thread Pote, but...
How many think I should replace my Skyjacker Hydro 7000 rear shocks when I re-do my lift set-up? I just put the Skyjacker's on last year (late Sept.?) and they still ride nice (with maybe 15,000 or less on them). BUT I'm not re-doing my lift set-up til sometime in Sept. and by then the shocks may have 30,000 mi. ? BTW, I'm running a Daystar Spacer lift on OEM suspension parts. I guess this would be opinion based? My Jeep knowledge is better than it was 2 yrs ago, but I'm still learning. :POPCORN:

My new lift kit will include: OME Front/Rear HD Springs, Al's Upper A-Arms, extra rear upper ISO's and a set of Rancho Front struts. Oh and can't forget the clevis lift up front.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:11 pm

To bad they stopped making the Rancho RSX line,the 17004's and 17505's Rancho's rode the best on a lifted KJ,way better then OME.

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:17 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

To bad they stopped making the Rancho RSX line,the 17004's and 17505's Rancho's rode the best on a lifted KJ,way better then OME.

Yeah

too bad.
I'm not going to jump on the band wagon and buy Blistiens because someone said "They're the best!".
I want to test out different brands and see how they actually work. Not go on someone's :2cents:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:24 pm

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

To bad they stopped making the Rancho RSX line,the 17004's and 17505's Rancho's rode the best on a lifted KJ,way better then OME.

Yeah

too bad.
I'm not going to jump on the band wagon and buy Blistiens because someone said "They're the best!".
I want to test out different brands and see how they actually work. Not go on someone's :2cents:

I'm not saying Bilstirns are bad,they are really good.I like my 7100 series rears but need to get them re-valved just a bit stiffer as my KJ is very heavy(6000lbs).The rear Bilstiens I run are the perfect length for a lifted KJ that still has IFS,the 12" short body 7100 series,kinda spendy but rebuildable and re-valvable.I can use them on my SFA due to moving the lower rear shock mounts way up.

http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/products/sfID1/12/sfID2/156/sfID3/809/productID/39239

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:31 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

To bad they stopped making the Rancho RSX line,the 17004's and 17505's Rancho's rode the best on a lifted KJ,way better then OME.

Yeah

too bad.
I'm not going to jump on the band wagon and buy Blistiens because someone said "They're the best!".
I want to test out different brands and see how they actually work. Not go on someone's :2cents:

I'm not saying Bilstirns are bad,they are really good.I like my 7100 series rears but need to get them re-valved just a bit stiffer as my KJ is very heavy(6000lbs).The rear Bilstiens I run are the perfect length for a lifted KJ that still has IFS,the 12" short body 7100 series,kinda spendy but rebuildable and re-valvable.I can use them on my SFA due to moving the lower rear shock mounts way up.

http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/products/sfID1/12/sfID2/156/sfID3/809/productID/39239

Hey man, wasn't implying that you said Blistiens are bad. You know, Blistiens are probably a really good shock and work well under certain conditions. But since I drive mostly highway and very little offroading, Rancho's will do the job.

Btw, I'm not that knowledgable on shocks :mrgreen:

Always good to learn something new :wink:

I would LOVE to have a Liberty like yours, though. Maybe I'll get there in a few years. :lol:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:34 pm

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

Hey man, wasn't implying that you said Blistiens are bad. You know, Blistiens are probably a really good shock and work well under certain conditions. But since I drive mostly highway and very little offroading, Rancho's will do the job.

Btw, I'm not that knowledgable on shocks :mrgreen:

Always good to learn something new :wink:

I would LOVE to have a Liberty like yours, though. Maybe I'll get there in a few years. :lol:

I know your not saying they are bad,just thought I would throw out another option that could be tailored to your liking.

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:45 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

Hey man, wasn't implying that you said Blistiens are bad. You know, Blistiens are probably a really good shock and work well under certain conditions. But since I drive mostly highway and very little offroading, Rancho's will do the job.

Btw, I'm not that knowledgable on shocks :mrgreen:

Always good to learn something new :wink:

I would LOVE to have a Liberty like yours, though. Maybe I'll get there in a few years. :lol:

I know your not saying they are bad,just thought I would throw out another option that could be tailored to your liking.

Oh okay!

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:08 pm

blackwidowkj06 wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

To bad they stopped making the Rancho RSX line,the 17004's and 17505's Rancho's rode the best on a lifted KJ,way better then OME.

Yeah

too bad.
I'm not going to jump on the band wagon and buy Blistiens because someone said "They're the best!".
I want to test out different brands and see how they actually work. Not go on someone's :2cents:

Rancho RSX line was my favorite as well,
But then I have also installed OMEs and Bilsteins , while valved a little softer the ride is still ok. I have had all three brands on the rear of my KJ so did my own testing as well.

As far as the Rancho RS line up, don't like them wouldn't run them
and on the front we don't have "heavy duty" shocks

bigjimslade · **Joined:** Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:37 pm **Posts:** 100

Yep. I finally got my tax return Friday and ordered all of my parts. I ordered the Bilsteins from shockwarehouse. I thought about switching to OME or Rancho but from what I've read the Bilsteins would be better. Anyway, they are back ordered there as well for a couple of weeks I was told. :furious:

LetFreedomRing · **Joined:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:51 am **Posts:** 268

bigjimslade wrote:

Yep. I finally got my tax return Friday and ordered all of my parts. I ordered the Bilsteins from shockwarehouse. I thought about switching to OME or Rancho but from what I've read the Bilsteins would be better. Anyway, they are back ordered there as well for a couple of weeks I was told. :furious:

I've been waiting since I ordered Feb 14th(shockwarehouse conveniently showed that they were in stock, didn't tell me until 2 WEEKS later they were on backorder....) ....... The front shocks are the only thing I need to complete my lift.......

Not to mention I had first got an email stating back order until the end of February, then on March 2nd, got the 2nd email stating end of March. Honestly, I'm expecting ANOTHER email at the beginning of next month stating backorder..... :banghead:

LibertyCRD · **Posted:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:14 pm

The main reason I went with Bilstein is because they were the cheapest front shocks available (other than KYB or Monroe factory replacements). The OEM replacement brands at the local auto parts stores were running about $80 each, and I got the Bilsteins for $95 each so I went Bilstein.

Rancho, OME, etc. were all going to cost WAY more and it wasn't worth it to me. My original front shocks were fine at 90K miles so in my honest opinion, it doesn't matter which shocks you go with. ALL of them will be the same length and last just as long and truthfully are probably valved about the same since they are all designed for stock KJs. Just pick what brand you can find and go with it.

bigjimslade · **Joined:** Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:37 pm **Posts:** 100

Been curious about my lift parts so I called JBA and Shockwarehouse today. Surprisingly Shockwarehouse said my Bilsteins are on their way! Now, where are the rest of my parts from JBA??? Waiting for them to call me back.

arengant · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:04 pm

Ordered mine, expected not to ship until Mid May... So still on back order?

Cherrie 274 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:19 pm

I paid off my JBA lift on March 11th. Thought order would ship.I finally contacted 3-25 Marlin claimed to be waiting on bump stops and would be shipping soon.On that Friday or Monday,on Thursday with out any warning (no shipping info) I found 2 boxes on my back porch. I was so happy (before opening boxes) I call my friend with a shop.Said I could use his lifts, cool. Put down the phone and opened the boxes.NO SHOCKS! Now I haven't been able to find out anything. This is the second time I have had problems with a vendor that has been highly praised. :grim:

I also got spam email from JBA today but still no answer to when.
If I get the shocks I will not be able to use my friends shop. He is only open on Saturdays in the winter. :banghead:

Just a heads up on Bilsteins

Who is online