TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Dec 03, 2022 2:26 pm

I’ve had the yellow 7100 shock, but felt too much like a buckboard.

I’ve the 7100 with the reservoir. Had them valves with 180/75 and feels smoother. Beam is cut and turned a bit and have 3” raised spindles.
After blowing through ball joints, added the limiting straps. So far. So good.

Sat Dec 03, 2022 2:29 pm

The hook and rod kit I bought is specifically for ball joint front ends. It just seems like more people skip them than bother installing them (in the show your baja thread anyway). Either way I'm going to go ahead and finish them up because I already have the rods welded into the beam so it'll look half finished without the hooks and because I don't want the shock to be sacrificial if I upgrade to expensive Bilsteins later. I've done most of the other mods in the Hibbard book too so I might as well.

I'm definitely leaning towards the reservoir 7100's

Sat Dec 03, 2022 2:45 pm

TD, I may go the hook and rod method at some point. For now, I’m satisfied with the limiting straps.
Good luck and have fun.

Sat Dec 03, 2022 4:21 pm

Oh sorry I was replying to DesertSasquatchXploration, we just posted at almost the same time.

Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:20 pm

Mikedrevguy wrote: I’ve had the yellow 7100 shock, but felt too much like a buckboard.

Yes exactly feels like your tires are at 80psi. I'm not sure why Bilstein hasn't acknowledged that everyone hates them and change the valving its completely wrong.

Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:37 pm

I would only install the droop hooks to save the ball joints, with the uppers installed it will hit the stops and bust your teeth out. Unless your racing I don't think you need them.

eQ

Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:14 pm

If you hit a bump big enough to bottom it out and hit the hook wouldn't you just be hitting the ball joint instead without the hook?

Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:31 am

The ball joint front end wont give you the confidence to go fast enough to bottom it out unless your trying to wreck the car. Once you get a feel for what it can take you will learn how to read trails and know what the correct speed is for your car. The guys that are always breaking ship are the incompetent ones who cant drive.

Mon Dec 05, 2022 6:07 pm

TDodge7 wrote: If you hit a bump big enough to bottom it out and hit the hook wouldn't you just be hitting the ball joint instead without the hook?

I don't know, I have never bottomed it out, I did a 5/16" cut and turn and it rides on the hook all the time and clunks over small bumps. I don't know the Class 5 guys do a 9/16" cut and turn, its got to be hard!

eQ

Mon Dec 05, 2022 6:34 pm

Ok I'm a little confused,

I don't understand why I would want to leave the upper hooks off. Both of you say I'm unlikely to bottom out which is fine, but lets say I do, why would I rather let the ball joints take the hit instead of the hook? And if it's unlikely to bottom out why should I worry about clanking off the upper hook and busting my teeth? It sounds like with it lifted I'm much more likely to be annoyed by the lower hooks clanking as the front suspension unloads. Just trying to understand before I weld anything.

Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:16 am

They will be loud its metal against metal. That's why limit straps are more popular. Weld on the hook to save the ball joints on the rebound because that's a given its going to blow them out. Save the other hooks you can always weld them on later. Don't stress over it. If your keeping the stock rear suspension I have a good on my setup. Been 4 years and thousands of offroad hours has yet to fail me.

https://youtu.be/PiFnx9D9k0U

Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:59 pm

I’ve never really heard my front stops hitting on Normal washboard roads and woop de doos. I don’t think they hit during typical travel. I don’t do a lot of jumping with hard landings and probably wouldn’t hear the stops with all th other noise . But I can hear my rear stops .. when my car is unloaded.

Thu Dec 08, 2022 4:38 pm

I'm still thinking this over

Does anyone on here with the 7100's with the rubber bump stops know if the compressed and extended lengths listed in the catalog include the bumper and washers length or not?

For anyone interested in the 3" longer KYB 343135 shocks I did order some because having a shock I could swing by any autozone and grab a cheap replacement was an attractive idea but as soon as I got them in I saw they weren't going to work. The empi catalog says they fit and I suppose all the other VW parts shops just take their word for it . The issue with them is the lower bushings that are set up to work on old American boats like Vista Cruisers and stuff so they have the hourglass bushing with the 5/8 id. They tell you you need Kit 107 for them to work but Kit 107 just supplies you with 12mm idx32mm sleeves that are too short for the bushing. You'd either have to trim the extra rubber away, or find a longer sleeve which in my opinion would take up too much shock post so you'd barely be able to get a single lock nut on.
Also in my case the compressed length on paper works but once you add the washer and top bushing the compressed length cuts into my ball joint travel ever so slightly so it looks like I'm sending them back and getting some Bilsteins.

I need a compressed length under 12" so B46-0493VW should be the best fit for me but it looks like they also sell the F4-BOA-0000304 which is a little fancier , has a bump stop,. and also claims to be for cut and turned beams, but every site I go to has a different set of lengths listed for it so I dunno what to believe.

Fri Dec 09, 2022 12:30 pm

TDodge7 wrote: I'm starting to feel like I'm going kinda over kill for a baja that's going to see 7-11 parking lots more often than dirt. I'm still doing them though.

Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:22 pm

...Well I gotta do something, it's not going to suspend it's self.

B46-0493VW's inbound.

Sat Dec 10, 2022 5:57 pm

The Bilstein catalog has the collapsed and extended lengths.

Sat Dec 10, 2022 7:18 pm

I know the catalog lists it but a lot of the places I was finding them to buy were listing different measurements which is what was confusing me. But I ended up going with the B46-0493VW because it should be the best fit, and they were in stock and fit the budget.

Annoying they don't come with the boot, or do most people run them without? Anyone know if the blue plastic accordion bilstein boots work on these, not a huge fan of the smooth ones.

Sat Dec 10, 2022 11:57 pm

Your too funny. Its a cut and turned ball joint front end they suck in all honestly. But we deal with it and go have fun. Your not going to race or impress anyone. Once you really use your bug the shock travel is going to be the last thing your worried about.
Measuring 3/16 of lost travel is not going to matter

Sun Dec 11, 2022 7:01 am

If you think this is funny you should see the shit I'm too embarrassed to ask about. Not everyone knows everything about baja's right off the bat. I've only had stock Beetles and Things in the past, setting up a custom font suspension isn't something I do every day (or ever before). I try to figure stuff out on my own and not annoy everyone about it most of the time as is evident from how long I've been here and how few posts I have. It's just me out in the garage trying to figure this crap out with a Hibbard book and no actual experience so I'm glad this is at least amusing for someone because I'm having kind of a shit time with it.

Thu Dec 15, 2022 2:49 pm

Everyone has helped with good info. If the shock is to short I posted a pic how to shim it to fit the extended travel. You claim its welded up but then its not fully welded no pictures of what your working with everyone has moved on.