Set my mind at ease....Shock question...

A couple weeks ago while trying to figure out what I was stuck on (a tree stump) I saw one of my rear shocks was leaking all over the place. After I wire brushed enough rust and crap off them, figured out they where Monroe brand...who knows how old...(looked very old)

Ordered and installed some Bilstien 4600s tonight. (had to cut the top bolts off the old shocks with no clearance, which was fun) Of course, once I was all done, I realized that I was just guessing on how where the shock shroud actually goes, as the instructions that came with the shocks only showed the washer and rubber cushion arrangement.

So starting from the bottom, my 'stack' components is, that shock shroud and its brass bushing that catches on a comically small clip in a groove in the shock rod...A larger washer cupped upwards, rubber bushing, smaller, differently shaped washer, cupped downwards, then the shock 'tower' mount itself, then another rubber bushing, another large washer cupped upwards...and then the nut.

Is this right? Mostly wondering if maybe the shock shroud was supposed to go somewhere else in that stack....and as a side question...does that tiny little metal clip at the bottom actually hold up? Its the only thing for the truck to push against when the shock is compressing. Other shocks I've had in the past had a lip caused by a change in diameter to hold the bottom washer, which seems a lot stronger way to do it.

 

This is what Bilstein shows, but it’s generic.

 

That...sorta helps...different parts than I got of course, but it shows the shock protector as the bottom of the stack.

 

got a pic?

 

I could take one of them installed on the truck, didn't think to do so before hand.

 

This is the hardware….

 

Yup. Exactly what I got. My only concern is if the plastic shock protector sleeve with its built in brass bushing goes at the bottom of all that on the shock or somewhere else in the stack

 

The sleeve should be at the bottom IMO otherwise it would get destroyed with the washer or rubber bushing pressing against it from underneath. Or so it would seem to me.

I’m a little unsure about the smaller washer there and where does it go. ( I’ve got my Billy 4600 rear shocks sitting in the corner)

Maybe that is used first before the shock cover?

 

The rubber sleeve has a solid brass bushing at its top so I think it could go anywhere without getting squished.
The small washer goes on top of the bottom rubber bushing, right before the actual frame mount, at least according to the instructions.

I was pretty sure the sleeve went on the bottom, but started second guessing myself after the job was done.

 

That makes sense to me although I think the smaller washer is overkill unless the hole in the shock tower on the frame is bigger.

With my front shocks, I left the dust cover off and just put the support washer at the bottom only because when I stacked it, I couldn’t get access any threads to get the top nut on it.

 

It is actually, about twice the diameter of the shaft.