Thread: D2 Bilstein Questions

Originally Posted by CJT

Some of the builds I have read from the US seem to use Fox shocks etc. or fit the Terrafirma full lift kits.

I've got 10" Remote Res Fox shocks all round on mine mated with a Rovertym 3" lift. They are an awesome shock. But definately not a swap out the old shock and mount the new shock job, especially at the front where fitting Remote Res shocks can be a little tight.
I'll get an under guard photo and put it up tonight.
Cheers

George.

Some more pics. One is of the Rovertym adjustable front shock tower and Fox shock and the other is on it's first trip out to test things before i put larger tyres on.

George

George your Disco looks awesome - nice work!

I notice you've got a bilstein steering damper. I was thinking of changing mine to a bilstein at the same time as the shocks. How do you find its performance?

Also where did you get you're sill protects? They look very neat.

Originally Posted by georgesadlik

Some more pics. One is of the Rovertym adjustable front shock tower and Fox shock and the other is on it's first trip out to test things before i put larger tyres on.

George

Yeah, the rovertym kit would be nice, however i'm after a simpler bolt in option but with the most travel i can.

G'day Russ,

The Bilstein steering damper has been in for over five years now and still runs good, even with the large tyres. For a bolt in lift i would have a look at the new Terrafirma kits getting about, but i don't know to much about them. I ran bilsteins and Lovells +2" springs for a few years before the RTE lift and it was great. I had standard Bilstein shocks all round and had Heasmans in Sydney lengthen the shafts by 40mm. This was before they had an off the shelf item though. I'm sure by now people like Suspension Stuff of LR Automotive can supply these items to suit a 2" lift.
The rock sliders / sill guards are from 4x4Intelligence in Melb. I think they are also on this forum somewhere??

Anyway goodluck with the search and i'm more than happy to try and answer any questions if i can.

Cheers

George.

Originally Posted by georgesadlik

I've got 10" Remote Res Fox shocks all round on mine mated with a Rovertym 3" lift. They are an awesome shock. But definately not a swap out the old shock and mount the new shock job, especially at the front where fitting Remote Res shocks can be a little tight.
I'll get an under guard photo and put it up tonight.
Cheers

George.

Nice work with the disco.

Pretty much the same suspension I am looking at for my next setup with either remote Fox or Bilstein shocks.

Do the 10" shocks work well or if you had your choice again would you go to a 12" and some dislocation cones etc?

Originally Posted by CJT

Nice work with the disco.

Pretty much the same suspension I am looking at for my next setup with either remote Fox or Bilstein shocks.

Do the 10" shocks work well or if you had your choice again would you go to a 12" and some dislocation cones etc?

@ CJT,

For a good allround setup and if you choose the fox's i'd stick with the 10" all round valved at 85/100. It rides really well like this. In the future i may try 95/110 in the rear for a firmer ride and 11" Remote Res for 1" more travel, but at this you are pushing the limits of a stock rear end with watts linkage and is it really needed ? I doubt i'll try this until i get them rebuilt in a couple of years. With lockers and this much travel there are not many places i won't get into without serious pain. Rovertym have adjustable front shock towers so you really don't need more than 10" travel anyway and you are once again limited by the radius arms here as well.
Now, If i was to go down the bilstein route it would be 7100 12" SB all round with 360/80 valving all round.
Bear in mind that all these shocks mentioned come standard with Heim joints instead of bushings and hence you end up feeling the smaller imperfections in the road as there is no rubber to absorb the shocks. You can swap them out with bushings but i'm sure this limits articulation as well and binds up alot easier which is against what you are trying to achieve with these setups.
So like with any suspension setup there are comprimises all round. For me, i'm fairly happy with the setup bu i feel there are things still yet to be done and certain linkages like the watts angles still need to be tweaked a bit before i'm happy.
With the question of retained springs or dislocation cones. I'd prefer retained springs. Dislocated looks good, but once again what does it achieve and what do you want from your truck ?

Cheers, got to go and eat dinner...

George.

just some info re the 994/995 bilstein shocks v stock heights mentioned earlier.

The "standard LR shock on SLS rear is 570/360. open/closed"

But when the sls is let down to the bumpstops the shock only closes to 420! I measured it.

the "extended" BE5B994 (front) are 618/388 and
BE5B995 (rear) are 615/390.5mm ,
opened/closed respectively.

so in the extended bilsteins there appears to be enough extension for a 40mm lift of the sls. and they close enough for the 420mmm physical down limit

(According to the counter guy at heasmans in sydney (yesterday) the billy 994/5 is their part number, they developed the shocks specifically for a 40mm lifted sls D2 that is still capable of using off road mode height?)

(If stock 570mm top out handles off road mode height, 618mm in the billies should handle 40mm lift and off road mode right?)

I have an ARB bar and winch and fitted the dobinson C51-032 springs which gave a hub centre to fender measure of 525mm at the front, should settle to about 520mm. ( I tried the C51-42 but they gave 545mm hub to fender)

When i pump up the sls to give a 85mm bumpstop clearance (25mm lift) the car sits about level, just above the "stock slight nose down attitude".

I aim to put in a 25mm lift spacer under the sls.

so the bilstein/dobinson combo is good for improved ride (still soft but firm and way less body roll) and small lift if you dont want to get involved with longer brake/ABS lines and crossbar spacers etc.

Cheers