Rear Shock failure issue and TSB & Warranty Repair

[bdleonard]

Interesting:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/kyb-suspension ... y2010g20j1
The diagram shows what looks to be the new bump stopper but the photo shows a bump stopper that is completely different. Unclear if this includes the bump stopper or just the bellow and states it is for the front????

The SB101 is just the black "bellow" pictured next to the item description. It is a generic KYB part used for many similar applications. I'm not sure what that site is doing with the two pictures above.

[bootymac]

Ah, how misleading. An aftermarket solution would've been great.

I'd love to see comparison photos and measurements between the old and new bump stops!

[murcod]

Some drainage grooves cut into the top of the old design bumpstop and silastic type sealant on the top of the shock shaft might be a cheap DIY solution.....

[redmed]

Some drainage grooves cut into the top of the old design bumpstop and silastic type sealant on the top of the shock shaft might be a cheap DIY solution.....

I was just thinking about this, $70 for a couple pieces of plastic. JEEZZZZ! When you have perfectly good bumper stops, only the hole in them is too large and lets moisture in. What if I took a couple pieces of rubber (from a inner tube) cut them into a circle just large enough to cover the top of the existing bumper stops and made a small hole for the shock shaft in them? Would the rubber last very long? How much travel do the bumper stops do? If none, this might just work to keep the water out.

murcod, your idea of sealant is good but I wonder how well the sealant would bond to the plastic of the bumper stops. The sealant might come loose and not provide a moisture seal anymore. The weight of the car would hold the rubber tight against the bumper stops.

What about a couple small drainage holes drilled at a angle 1/4 inch below the top of the bumper stop drilled to 1/8 inch below the top in the inside of bumper stop?

What do you guys think?

[bootymac]

$70 is quite steep considering the shocks are only $90 for the pair!

Your idea is sound based off the TSB diagrams. The bump stops are attached to the strut mounts and don't move. I

[murcod]

murcod, your idea of sealant is good but I wonder how well the sealant would bond to the plastic of the bumper stops. The sealant might come loose and not provide a moisture seal anymore. The weight of the car would hold the rubber tight against the bumper stops.

Do you get products like Sikaflex where you live? Some of their adhesives/ sealants are very strong and I'm sure would hold if the surface was correctly prepared.

http://aus.sika.com/en/solutions_produc ... 08101.html
http://aus.sika.com/en/solutions_produc ... 08105.html

[Woodie]

Some drainage grooves cut into the top of the old design bumpstop and silastic type sealant on the top of the shock shaft might be a cheap DIY solution.....

I was just thinking about this, $70 for a couple pieces of plastic. JEEZZZZ! When you have perfectly good bumper stops, only the hole in them is too large and lets moisture in. What if I took a couple pieces of rubber (from a inner tube) cut them into a circle just large enough to cover the top of the existing bumper stops and made a small hole for the shock shaft in them? Would the rubber last very long? How much travel do the bumper stops do? If none, this might just work to keep the water out.

You're right, the price is outrageous, but I'm used to that. I'm in the copier business and I'm bowled over almost daily by some of the parts prices. I put an $800 clutch in a GBC Punch unit yesterday that was a little bit bigger than a globe grape, you could put two of them inside a cigarette pack.

Your rubber washer idea would probably work well. I'm suspicious of the whole story. The "bellows" part of the assembly does not form any sort of seal whatsoever, I'm sure there are certain conditions where water finds it's way between the tube and the body of the strut onto the shaft directly. Seems more likely than water going all the way up to the top and seeping through the bump stop portion onto the shaft. I've seen other strut/shock setups with the shaft far more exposed to the elements that never had problems.

Here are my new parts, massive file, guess I should have downsized it first.

[Ronzuki]

I've seen other strut/shock setups with the shaft far more exposed to the elements that never had problems.

Hence the earlier comment regarding OHV shocks...exposure means the debris can be washed away easily (or not even collect at all in enough qty to do harm) by simply driving, or removed easily by intentional washing. The cool looking shock boots that were so popular 20-30 years ago were harboring tons of crud and moisture causing corrosion and failure. Theses bump stop things on the Kiz are really no different, which is why my Suzuki service tech said he wasn't convinced the new design was going to eliminate a future failure as he was swapping out my shocks.

[Ronzuki]

Interesting:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/kyb-suspension ... y2010g20j1
The diagram shows what looks to be the new bump stopper but the photo shows a bump stopper that is completely different. Unclear if this includes the bump stopper or just the bellow and states it is for the front????

That 'strut bellow' is exactly the thing that will collect and hold moisture/crud inside. It's purpose is to prevent the crud from getting in, but it does nothing against moisture except contain it. We all know moisture can find its way in to the craziest of places.

[bootymac]

I'm having a hard time visualizing how the bellows will trap moisture... From Samir's pictures, it looks like the rust develops behind the bump stops: