Nick's POS thread.

[Jason]

Oh my.....
What did you tie into on the left hand side of the picture? Is that a ratchet?
Wouldn't a drop pitman arm solve his problems? The angle of the drag link looks a bit steep.

[aw12345]

I think that olde thing needs to be drug to a firing range and put out of it's misery! :-)

[RAT]

I think that olde thing needs to be drug to a firing range and put out of it's misery! :-)

Hell no! Shes good as new...

[inVERt'D]

You tied a knot in a chain. Actually that looks like a hitch--sorry, my mistake.

What part of the Bilstein broke, and how? I have ripped a stock shock mount off, but I have only broken a Bilstein once. Was either from overstuffing or overdrooping, but it wasn't the poor shock's fault--it was my fault for not properly limiting my suspension.

[1 Bad F N Z]

So Nick brings the POS to Ahole Fab today for some fixin. Welded the old shock absorber, AGAIN. I'm really not a big fan of Bilstien shocks anymore after seeing Nicks break at least five times, and Dougs broke on the trail in Colorado. Anyway, the old DW monster has attacked Nick and so I applied my new prototype anti-death wobble device, sure to be a hit across the country. But first, we ran the YJ over some speed annoyances, err, speed bumps on my street and sure enough the old DW hit hard and fast. Took it back to the garage and installed my new, super duper, extraordinary anti-death wobble device on the YJ and took it over the speed bumps again. No DW. Did it a couple of times and no DW. I will patenting the new device as soon as I can, and I reluctantly show a picture of it, but I know the technology is so far above anyone's head here at MJR that no one will figure it out...
And now, for the unveiling of the latest, the greatest new device the aftermarket will ever have to offer the owners of YJs for eliminating death wobble, The Ahole Fab anti-death wobble device... TAA DAAAAA...

anti DW device001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr
When you stop laughing, please clean up the spilled beer, milk or what ever you were drinking please. It makes the laptop keyboard sticky... :bonk:

I think that it's a case of overkill. Some baling wire, bubble gum, and duct tape would have been enough.

[USMC 0369]

[COLOR="darkred"]Made it home just fine. No more "holy crap!" moments.

Thank you A-Hole Fab for allowing my rig to be the prototype of this ground breaking tech. Now, we only need to come up with a way to keep it from being stolen on the street.

My Bilsteins have had the ends ripped out. The threads are merely for show and don't hold together anymore. This happened the first time, a while ago while driving down a washboard road in the forest. I'm currently looking for new shocks, mostly likely will not go back to Bilsteins this time.

ART!!! Nobody is shooting anything. It's a work in progress that will mostly likely kill me first.

Um...Jason...the problem isn't in the steering.

Kevin. Kurt always has to make things 'fancy'. Should see the revamped passenger seat in the ole Willys now. Looks like it was made that way.[/COLOR]

[inVERt'D]

My Bilsteins have had the ends ripped out. The threads are merely for show and don't hold together anymore. This happened the first time, a while ago while driving down a washboard road in the forest. I'm currently looking for new shocks, mostly likely will not go back to Bilsteins this time.

So the threads were stripped off of the shaft?? Unbelievable. And then it happened again after it was welded/repaired? Think about it: the only plausible way for that to happen would be for the suspension to be overextending the shock with considerable force. That could not happen if 1) it's the right length shock for your vehicle, and 2) your suspension is set up properly. What you have is a suspension problem that's trying to rip your shock apart. Blaming that on the shock is like blaming someone for falling down after you crown them with a baseball bat. I would be surprised if the shock isn't damaged internally as well. Now let's see, hmm...your front end is currently being held together with a chain--and it's a big improvement.

I broke a seal in a rear once, but as I mentioned earlier, the shock was not at fault. I have flat hauled ass through cobbly washes and roads, whoops, and ruts faster than that little Willy's could go on asphalt, and once I've ripped a shock mount off the rear axle, but I've never once done broken an end off.

BTW, those Bilsteins should have a lifetime warranty. I'd like to hear what the folks at Bilstein have to say about this. I've talked to their tech support. They were very available and helpful.

[RAT]

Bilstien wont warranty shocks that have been modified in any way, no matter what the reason. I doubt any mfg will. The pos has a lot of issues, all being worked out as fast as possible. But no matter what, id bet the pos will out wheel a whole lot of rigs ive seen around here, even with a custom chain fall suspension.

[RAT]

And btw, what is so unbelieveable about the shock mount ends stripping out? Im seeing more and more of them doing it of late. Are all the jeeps having this problem screwed up too?

[inVERt'D]

Bilstien wont warranty shocks that have been modified in any way, no matter what the reason. I doubt any mfg will. The pos has a lot of issues, all being worked out as fast as possible. But no matter what, id bet the pos will out wheel a whole lot of rigs ive seen around here, even with a custom chain fall suspension.

To be clear, I like the POS and I'm not putting it down.

Okay it's probably a little late for a warranty claim, but if Bilstein has a problem with their shocks, I'm sure they'd like to know so they could investigate and correct it. We're not talking about ProComp here.

And btw, what is so unbelieveable about the shock mount ends stripping out?

I think I've already explained it. I don't believe it would happen to decent shock, let alone a Bilstein under those conditions unless something was fundamentally wrong with the setup. If nothing else, the suspension pulling on the shock further than it can go.

What are the alternatives?
1) The shock is locking up internally--if that's the case, we're talking about a shock that's already broken/ shot. Could a defect in tolerances cause lockup when the shock heats up? Doubtful, since the tube would probably expand more than the piston. The shocks actually get a little softer when they're warm.
2) The mounting stud is defective, either due to bad metallurgy, malformed threads, or both. The odds would seem to be against this slipping through Bilstein's world class manufacturing and QA, but even granting that it's possible, how do we explain that (as I understand it) your welds/ repairs broke at least four times--on what, pavement?
3) The threaded stud design itself is fundamentally flawed and weak. Blame Jeep, Ford, and whomever, but not Bilstein.

Im seeing more and more of them doing it of late. Are all the jeeps having this problem screwed up too?

How many rigs, and how many brands of shocks? Only Bilstein? Are you asking me whether I'd give the benefit of the doubt to Joe Blow's modified Jeep over the world's premier shock manufacturer? That's a tough one, but I think you've already given me a hint:

The pos has a lot of issues, all being worked out as fast as possible. But no matter what, [COLOR="blue"]id bet the pos will out wheel a whole lot of rigs ive seen around here, even with a custom chain fall suspension.[/COLOR]

[RAT]

You sure know how to suck the fun out of a thread dude...

[USMC 0369]

[COLOR="darkred"]Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!

Ok gang...hold the phone here. I need to make it REALLY clear that I make NO CLAIMS that my POS has an awesome suspension system OR that I don't "like" my Bilsteins. I'm not TRYING to put them down to talk smack about at very popular and, from what I hear, reliable company. I went with Bilsteins for their reputation in the first place. But I also went with them because they were the company I found that had the right measurements for my application.

Kurt and I talked at length yesterday about the problems with my suspension. I have issues to work on. I can't see getting a replacement set of Bilsteins if I'm just going to yank the end out of them again until I fix my suspension issues. The external, but attached reservoir is another problem with my application. I didn't realize it at the time I ordered them that it would be such a problem.

Nobody needs to defend Bilstein, and certainly nobody needs to defend my POS. If the point here is to say my POS is a rolling death trap that needs work... point taken (but it's kinda common knowledge). I think it's also common knowledge that I'm not some master Jeep builder who has all the answers to things. I know just enough to get myself into trouble and occasionally have a good idea here and there. And for the record, those Bilsteins lifetime warranty...they have given a lifetime of work, and I'm still using them for the time being.

Lets just sit back, shake your head if you must & say, "that boy's gonna kill himself" if necessary. There's nothing going on here to get feathers ruffled. No need to defend anyones honor or start turning this into a Pirate4x4 thread. It's difficult to determine inflection in someones voice online, and all this could have just been friendly advice. It's not something to take personally; I don't take it personal when anyone tells me I have a LOT of work to do on my rig. Ask anyone who's name rhymes with Art.

:cocktail::beer::cocktail::beer::cocktail::beer::c ocktail::beer: all around!!![/COLOR]

[RAT]

[COLOR="darkred"]Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!

Ok gang...hold the phone here. I need to make it REALLY clear that I make NO CLAIMS that my POS has an awesome suspension system OR that I don't "like" my Bilsteins. I'm not TRYING to put them down to talk smack about at very popular and, from what I hear, reliable company. I went with Bilsteins for their reputation in the first place. But I also went with them because they were the company I found that had the right measurements for my application.

Kurt and I talked at length yesterday about the problems with my suspension. I have issues to work on. I can't see getting a replacement set of Bilsteins if I'm just going to yank the end out of them again until I fix my suspension issues. The external, but attached reservoir is another problem with my application. I didn't realize it at the time I ordered them that it would be such a problem.

Nobody needs to defend Bilstein, and certainly nobody needs to defend my POS. If the point here is to say my POS is a rolling death trap that needs work... point taken (but it's kinda common knowledge). I think it's also common knowledge that I'm not some master Jeep builder who has all the answers to things. I know just enough to get myself into trouble and occasionally have a good idea here and there. And for the record, those Bilsteins lifetime warranty...they have given a lifetime of work, and I'm still using them for the time being.

Lets just sit back, shake your head if you must & say, "that boy's gonna kill himself" if necessary. There's nothing going on here to get feathers ruffled. No need to defend anyones honor or start turning this into a Pirate4x4 thread. It's difficult to determine inflection in someones voice online, and all this could have just been friendly advice. It's not something to take personally; I don't take it personal when anyone tells me I have a LOT of work to do on my rig. Ask anyone who's name rhymes with Art.

:cocktail::beer::cocktail::beer::cocktail::beer::c ocktail::beer: all around!!![/COLOR]

You too buzz kill... It's all in good fun. I'll say this, the YJ isn't a death trap, more like a rusty guillotine. It might take your head off, but it might not, depends on how much oil you put on the mechanism...

[RAT]

I just looked at the picture again. That is the funniest GD jury rig I've ever come up with. And the fact it worked all the way home for you just blows my mind... Freaking Jeeps.

[USMC 0369]

I just looked at the picture again. That is the funniest GD jury rig I've ever come up with. And the fact it worked all the way home for you just blows my mind... Freaking Jeeps.

[COLOR="darkred"]You gotta remember we had been working on the Willys all day before we started tinkering with the YJ. So some WWII technology may have snuck in there. [/COLOR]