Originally posted by SCoach:
On downtravel the bumpstop doesn't come into play at all as the limits on downtravel usually are either the shock, the brakeline, or axle bind from the tube or CV. Maybe the Xterra is different.

All IFS designs use 2 bumpstops, one for up travel, one for down travel.

If you take a look at all those super-flexy rock buggies, land rovers, early broncos, etc., you will notice they ALL use longer bumpstops.


No, they don't. They use bumpstops designed to work with the suspension. Sometimes they're longer, sometimes they're shorter, sometimes they're hydraulic.

As I said, perhaps the X is different and you can enlighten me.

Adding one inch to the bumpstop would decrease wheel travel by more than one inch, since the bumpstop is midway along the triangle of the suspension movement.
It's not acceptable.

As for springs that limit bottoming, I think you are grossly overestimating what is necessary. If you look at the problem logically, you will see that the most any one spring would have to manage on flat ground, would be the entire sprung weight on either the front or the rear. In offroading situations you can add an additional 30% for weight tranfer for uphill or downhill traversing.

30% ??? G forces can increase the weight of the vehicle by much more than only 30%.

In your case, your bumpstop is too short to protect your shock from collapsing all the way.

The bumpstop is the correct height, the shock is too long.

You've gone to a slightly longer shock and this kind of failure is common when that happens.

But the shock is advertised as being the correct length when compressed, it is not, and I verified this with Bilstein today.
Bilstein measures the shock length to the top of the boot, not to the mounting location like Nissan does.