Bilstein Rear Shock Absorber Stone Guards

[twr7cx]

Are the Bilstein Rear Shock Absorber Stone Guards from Suspension Stuff ( Discovery Series 2 Bilstein Shock Stone Guards, Suspension Stuff (http://www.suspensionstuff.com.au/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1834) ) worth it?

[Slunnie]

They look the same as the ones fro Bilstein. I run these and they're pretty good. The only thing is that I run 2 per side to get better protection.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/05/791.jpg

[alpick]

Guards are a must have to protect the mono tube from stone damage off road.

[twr7cx]

No guards on the front I assume because the spring surrounds it?

[PhilipA]

I made some with perforated steel from Bunnings at a total cost of say $10.
There is a brand of perforated steel with diamond shaped holes that comes in angles corners etc and flat bits.
Looking at my shocks which have done about 30KK on dirt, 99% of the stone strikes are in the lowest 60CM.
So I bent 2 lots of straight bits and stood them off the shocks so that the airflow would not be disrupted.
If I get motivated I will get a photo, but I do not really agree with the commercial guards as I reckon they will inhibit cooling.
BTW , I was in two minds about even fitting the guards as I think the danger is highly overrated.
Could anyone advise if they have had Bilstiens actually fail because of dents or is it an urban myth?

Regards Philip A

[Alex 110]

never run Billies, but i once dented an OME shock about 7mm inward & it continued to work fine (lifted series 3 shortie).

[Slunnie]

The bilstein bodies are really thick for a shock, you'd be pretty unlucky to dent it. Other shocks have twin or more shells which are made from lighter material which is why the dent so easily and then keep working.

[Sprint]

what about nolathane #49112?

Nolathane 49112 Shock Absorber - Stone Guard (http://www.nolathane.com.au/product_detail.php?part_number=49112&sans_vehicle=1)

[stallie]

PhillipA -

I'd appreciate a photo as I have just bought a set of Bilsteins and plan to fit them shortly. I'm heading for a few thousand kms of off road and want stone guards. I'd thought about making my own.

[PhilipA]

I'd appreciate a photo as I have just bought a set of Bilsteins and plan to fit them shortly. I'm heading for a few thousand kms of off road and want stone guards. I'd thought about making my own.

OK tomorrow.( although it is my 43rd wedding anniversary and it might be vetoed.)
Regards Philip A

[twr7cx]

what about nolathane #49112?

Nolathane 49112 Shock Absorber - Stone Guard (http://www.nolathane.com.au/product_detail.php?part_number=49112&sans_vehicle=1)

Nice find, pitty there is no dimensions. I might give Red Ranger a ring.

[Sprint]

approx 175mm long, unstretched width of body ID is 70mm, reasonably flexible, comes with plastic zip ties, best secured with stainless steel zipties.... only problem is hardly anyone but redranger stock them, i had to order them in for myself..... also available in black if you want, but you need to ask redranger for the whiteline part number

[PhilipA]

Photos as promised
46936

46937

46938

46939

The shocks have done about 30KK on dirt, and the guards have done Cape York.
By far the most paint damage is in the lowest 60CMs so I only made the guards that long . They can be made much longer.
By standing them off and having material with holes , I aimed to give maximum cooling .
Regard sPhilip A

[Tusker]

Guards are a must have to protect the mono tube from stone damage off road.

I have to say my experience is different. About 450,000 kms now on several sets of Billies with two LandRovers. Never a dent.

Further, I'm wary of guards insofar as the shocks are prone to run hotter. I have been seen in the Simpson chipping dried mud off shocks, so they don't overheat.

This subject comes up regularly, & I don't recall a plague of dented Billies.

It begs the question which would get dented, & why. Fronts should be ok. Rears behind the axle would be a problem.

But rears mounted forward in the conventional way - wouldn't be stones off the rear wheels. They could be peppered by stuff thrown up from the front, in which case bigger front mudflaps would be more effective than guards.

Just my 2.2 cents.

Regards
Max P

[Fluids]

My D2a Classic Country came fitted with F&R mudflaps as well as a third set mounted infront of the rear wheels, set inboard slightly, to, as I assume, protect the rear shock absorbers from debris thrown up by the front wheels and not caught by the front mudflaps.

I just changed out my shocks, and there was very little if any stone damage on the lower portions of the rear shocks.

[gusthedog]

I agree that a full cover could increase temps in the shocks. To get over that I cable on section of rubber to the front of each rear shock in my defender. They survived a trip round oz with ease. Essentially I got a piece of rubber an inch and a half wide, put two holes in it about 1/2 and inch a part top and bottom of the rubber and put a heavy duty cable tie through it. It essentially looked like a flat piece of rubber cable tied to the shock -ie it didnt wrap around the shock at all so heat retention would have been negligable.

Total cost about $2.

I would look under the car and once every few days offroad and weeks onroad to ensure that the rubber hadn't moved about. Sometimes they would move a little to the side but only every few days. When you're outback though its a good idea to check underneath everyday, so I never found it to be a problem.

I am doing the same mod to my disco and will post pics to explain when done.

Cheers,

[Slunnie]

My D2a Classic Country came fitted with F&R mudflaps as well as a third set mounted infront of the rear wheels, set inboard slightly, to, as I assume, protect the rear shock absorbers from debris thrown up by the front wheels and not caught by the front mudflaps.

I just changed out my shocks, and there was very little if any stone damage on the lower portions of the rear shocks.
I think the set in front of the rear wheels is for the SLS.

[Fluids]

Thanks Simon ... never even occured to me, but I think that would be right.