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Crusty's 75th Annv PW #1590 build/mods adventure

So Fox wants $1000 to rebuild the shocks.
I can get the rebuild kits, 5 qts of fluid, HP schrader valves so I can charge them, and a 600PSI regulator for my nitrogen tank all for half the price.
Then next rebuild, it will only cost me fluid and seals for $250.
 
So the Fox shocks are the Thuren tuned ones from CJC Offroad. Really like them. But rebuilding them every 30K miles?

I can get Bilstein 5100 shocks from shock surplus for $500. They say they will last for 75 to 100K miles.

Fox says rebuild between 30 and 50K miles. Mine started going out at about 35K miles.

So which way to go? I don't mind doing the rebuild as I've rebuilt shocks before.
But for 2 rebuilds, I can buy the Bilstein and possibly get another 30K miles/ 1 more FOX rebuild out of them.
 
Well this just turned into a **** show
Now CJC Offroad says the 5100s have too much travel for the stock Power Wagon.

?????
 
I input a power wagon and no 5100’s came up.
 
Where did you input it? Which site?

If you Google Bilstein 5100 for 21 Ram Power Wagon, several sites come up.
Shock Surplus is one I was looking at. I've reached out to them and asked about it.

The 5160 is just a 5100 with a remote resi added.
 
Crusty old shellback said:
Where did you input it? Which site?

If you Google Bilstein 5100 for 21 Ram Power Wagon, several sites come up.
Shock Surplus is one I was looking at. I've reached out to them and asked about it.

The 5160 is just a 5100 with a remote resi added.
Click to expand...

Bilstein’s website. They only showed those two shocks in my image above.
 
Maybe they don't make them anymore.
The shock surplus site has 2 different part numbers
1 for 0 to 1" of lift.
1 for 2 to 3" of lift
And they have them in stock.
 
Another option would be the AEV Bilstein 5100 shocks with a custom tune developed jointly by Bilstein and AEV engineers so they are FMVSS No. 126 Compliant. I believe they retail for $400 for all four and have different part numbers for gas or diesel and 2500 or 3500. I ran them on my AEV Prospector for four years on every type of trail imaginable throughout these United States and they performed wonderfully. Keep in mind the Bilstein use digressive valving which is ideal for street and trail whereas Fox, King, Icon, etc. use linear valving which is poor on the street but great on the trail.

One additional option would be the AEV Bilstein 8100 shocks ($2.4k) which I upgraded to back in April of this year. Over the past five months I have completed around 4,500 miles of trails (Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route, PA Wilds Pennsylvania BDR-X, MABDR-NEBDR Connector, North East Backcountry Discovery Route, Trans Maine Overland Trail, TMOT - East Extension, Trans-Mass Trail) and my initial reports are good although I am slowly heading south then west for the next year hitting more trails. Once I have spent 5,000-7,000 miles on trails out west again I will have a better idea of how they perform all around.

RC 25-114.jpg

RC 25-118.jpg
 
Crusty old shellback said:
I think I'm just going to rebuild the Fox and call it a day. Or 2.
Got to order parts and wait for the snow to melt. Got another snow storm coming tomorrow. My truck won't fit in my garage.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great idea but please add an extra day so you can take pictures and share all your details with us regarding tools, technique, etc.
 
There’s quite a bit of tools that are handy.

Fox uses green loctite on the shaft eyelets and you can not remove them without heat so you’ll want a torch. It’s not like red loctite where it says heat required but it’s not. It is totally required for this stuff. Especially because the shaft is so slick and you’re just clamping it (see below)

I have a clamp block for 2.0s and 2.5s that clamps the shock body and also the shock shaft which is super helpful but you can do the job without it. 2.0 part number below.
you could make something similar with wood. In my experience soft jaws aren’t strong enough to hold the shaft while you remove the eyelet. That’s the hard part, as mentioned above.

A set of good snap ring pliers

I use this spanner on the end caps

Black Oxide Adjustable Face Spanner Wrench 2" - Amazon.com

Black Oxide Adjustable Face Spanner Wrench 2" - Amazon.com
a.co

And you’ll need some shock oil in case you spill any or if you want to change it out

If you want to change valving while you’re in there then you’ll need valve shims

Off the top of my head I can’t think of anything else it’s been a while since I revalved a set

You got this.

IMG_3251.jpeg
IMG_3458.jpeg
 
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Fox are different from the kings. Don't need to remove the eyelet.
Don't need a spanner wrench or ring plyers.
Nothing unscrews from the main body. There is a dust cap that you knock out with a screwdriver. Then you push in on the bottom seal block and remove the lock wire ring that's in a grove in the body and then pull the whole piston/seal block/shaft assembly out of the body.
Use compressed air thru the air fill hole to blow the IFP out of the body.
I don't plan on changing valving. But I am thinking of flipping each shim over. Basically making them bend the opposite way they had been bending. I don't think there is a up and down side when they go in the shim stack.
 
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