Who can Add Bypass tubes

[sirhk100]

I've got a set of smooth body Bilstein 9100 shocks that I want to add bypass tubes to eventually. I get the shocks at a pretty good price so I priced new ones vs. having tubes added and it's cheaper for me to buy new then it is to have Bilstein add tubes. Are there any companies out there that can add tubes? I'm just checking my options to see what will be the cheapest route!!!

[Mike_HKmtrsprts]

I know King gets around $125 a tube to add to his shocks but I doubt he will do those bilsteins cuz they are made different but you can always call he would be the fastest SAW is not much faster that bilstein on getting stuff fixed and shipped back...Mike

[michael_loomis]

ahh cmon .... we can do that...just get the tubing and the check valves. we'll pull the shocks apart , you can get them tigged at work cant you ?then we'll hone the cans and reassemble .

[MNotary]

I just got mine back from Kent Lothringer.... nice work. They were FOX though.

[Kritter]

Kent is hands down the number one authority when it comes to Fox shocks!!!

[homey]

Curt LeDuc does them too, but I'm sure he's back east for the CORR series right now.

[michael_loomis]

lol kritter , i would have said john marking , but thats just me .

[ACID_RAIN28]

From what I understand LeDuc's tubes internal design makes them a "hair trigger" to adjust. They have the cone shape check valves, where as king's have the flat plunger, making the flow rate grow exponitially when turned just a hair compared to the flat plunger.

[Greg]

Curt goes back and forth every race, but i bet hes pretty busy right now. I have 18 of his adjusters on my truck, and i re-did alot of the internals to flow more linerally (nice to have a machine shop at my disposal). But they do work.

[Dillon]

King can add a third tube to a 2-tube bypass later on right?

[fishd00d]

Yes

[redline]

they can add another tube but then you need to also get them replated or they will rust

[orvacian]

I think the valving and the piston design is different too.

[arizonaE]

I have SAW 18" travel threaded body shocks I would like to add two compression tubes. I'm assuming the threads on the upper section of the body can be filed down for a flat spot to weld to. can I get a contact number for someone who can do the installation for me? I am considering buying the parts myself at $100 per tube and doing the installation myself, but I prefer to send them out to someone knowlegeable.

[Brad Falin]

Depending on who installs them the tube is going to warp when the welding is done, most peolple that do this have the tubes honed after the bypass tubes are added tube are added

[Random Thoughts Racing]

Call Lee at Raceshock Co. about adding tubes or send them in to the Bilstein Off road dept. The plating will be compromised in the welded area.

Raceshock Co
203 W Lone Cactus Dr
Phoenix, AZ 85027-2904
(602) 493-3700

[zetapsi827]

Try calling Steve from ADS. He does really good work, and might be able to do it. He's down in Tucson, so it might be closer for you too. 520-748-0005.

[Brian_Goleta]

Did you ever think of buying just the bypass can with all the tubes and adjusters installed from bilstein? Just a thought, I have no idea on pricing.

[cosmo]

Buying just the cans with adjusters added will cost more than the shock itself! You will have to hone the cans after welding also. Try Foutz in AZ. He should be able to do the work(TIG weld only). THEN,ship them (without the screw top on) to Bilstein for honing.Then,you can reassemble them. You will also have to change out the working piston. Bilstein has a new 60 mm piston they are using,ask them about valving specs as it's still kind of "new".

[arizonaE]

My shocks are SAW so I havent considered bilstein shock body. I did however have Lee at race shock try to get me new bypass shock bodies, but SAW wasn't interested in helping. I've found a fox bypass kit that includes the bypass tubes and adjusters for $110 each so getting the parts isn't an issue any more, there just a bit much in my opinion. I'll give steve at ADS and foutz a call and see what their opinions are. I'm not afraid to do the welding myself, I'm more concerned about the honing. It would be nice to find someone that could do the entire job for me, but it diesn't seem to be working out that way.

[cosmo]

You can do your own layout (sharpie) and send them off to Bilstein. Get a $$ cost estimate though first. Bilstein then sends them to their welder. Then Bilstein hones them for you. It gets spendy though and ..................time consuming also!

[Chris_Wilson]

Was thinking the same on some old Kusters. DIY bypasses. Who can do the honing?

Seems silly to send them to Bilstien who then sends them out for honing.
Is the honing a common thing any good machine shop can do? Or does it require a
machine not commonly used for engines and such? They don't do it with a hand held
tool do they?

[Ryan_P]

Why does everyone keep mentioning bilstein? He has SAW shocks.

-Ryan

[Brian_Goleta]

Why does everyone keep mentioning bilstein? He has SAW shocks.

-Ryan

[QUOTE=sirhk100]I've got a set of smooth body Bilstein 9100 shocks that I want to add bypass tubes to eventually.

They guy who started the thread has bilsteins.

[gwm]

[QUOTE=sirhk100]They guy who started the thread has bilsteins.

That was three years ago.

[Kritter]

Was thinking the same on some old Kusters. DIY bypasses. Who can do the honing?

Seems silly to send them to Bilstien who then sends them out for honing.
Is the honing a common thing any good machine shop can do? Or does it require a
machine not commonly used for engines and such? They don't do it with a hand held
tool do they?

If you use the proper insert inside the body while you weld you probably wont need to have them honed...especially with a SAW since its just DOM tubing and not 4130.

[Kritter]

My shocks are SAW so I havent considered bilstein shock body. I did however have Lee at race shock try to get me new bypass shock bodies, but SAW wasn't interested in helping. I've found a fox bypass kit that includes the bypass tubes and adjusters for $110 each so getting the parts isn't an issue any more, there just a bit much in my opinion. I'll give steve at ADS and foutz a call and see what their opinions are. I'm not afraid to do the welding myself, I'm more concerned about the honing. It would be nice to find someone that could do the entire job for me, but it diesn't seem to be working out that way.

Bryan Nye who used to weld for SAW can help you out...call and ask him 805-341-4745

[cosmo]

Chris, Bilstein does their honing with a drill mounted hone.Clamped in place.Not very 21st. century .Does get the job done though.Done in house. Welding is done outside(in Santee).

[Brad Falin]

Any shop that rebuilds hydraulic cylinders ( properly) can hone the tubes round again, Most caterpillar dealers have this ability, I can also weld your tubes and have them honed round again,

[Kritter]

another thing to note about honing...if you dont weld them correctly and end up warping them, no matter how much, you are going to have to remove that much material to make them back in round again and run the risk of leaking past your static seal due to decreased squeeze. Have somebody who knows what they are doing and has the proper tools for the ID to keep them from going out of round, hence requirng honing.

The hone shop I mentioned above has done a lot of work for a lot of top TT teams and shock makers.

[sigmatero]

I'm curious, how is the metering done on the bypass tube? Is it integrated into the check valve or seperate? What type is the check valve (ball, poppet, etc)?

I helped design the air(nitrogen)-oleo strut for the aircraft company I work for and am curious what the racing shocks use from a design standpoint.

Thanks.

Joa