I'm installing my tokico illumina 5 way adjustable struts right now, and i'm on the first one (front passenger side) and when i put the 'bushing' thing or w/e its called on there (that goes over the strut piston first) the little thing doesn't have a lip on it so it doesn't catch like on the stock strut.

The 'bushing' thing i'm refering to is the white thing next to the strut in this picture:


I can get a picture of the little lip that i'm talking about if you don't understand.

I'm trying to get this done today so the sooner you can help the better.

Take a pic of what you think you're missing.

From what I've read, you have no thing to catch the white bushing when you push down onto the metal center rod?

Yeah, that's what I mean. I can't get a pic of it right now cause I went home for a bit, but if I need to i'll get it in a little bit. It's just a little lip that catches the bushing. On the illumina strut, the bushing just slides all the way down. Is that bad?

Peace,
Are you referrin' to the part that's on the tip of the strut rod in your pic.? If so, that's the bump stop and with that bein' said, I'm sure you can conclude if havin' it slide all the way down be bad or not (it's bad)... I have Tokico HP's (Blues) and my bump stop installed fine and stood firm in place... I never heard of this problem before... Try askin' someone here on the board directly (PM) with those struts...

Perhaps you need new bump stops...


Peace,
Jem

[div class="dcquote"][i][b]Originally posted by
Jem09[/i][/b]
Peace, Are you referrin' to the part that's on the tip of the
strut rod in your pic.?  If so, that's the bump stop and with
that bein' said, I'm sure you can conclude if havin' it slide
all the way down be bad or not (it's bad)...  I have Tokico
HP's (Blues) and my bump stop installed fine and stood firm in
place...  I never heard of this problem before...  Try askin'
someone here on the board directly (PM) with those struts... 
Perhaps you need new bump stops...   Peace, Jem
[/div]

The bump stop fits fine on the stock strut. There is a lip on
the stock strut like the following:

      |   | 
      |   |
     _|___|_
    |       |
   _|_ ___ _|_
      |   |

the _ on each side is what i'm talking about... it goes all
the way around and keeps the bump stop from going over, but on
the illumina, it's like this:

      |   |
      |   |
     _|___|_
    |       |
    |_ ___ _|
      |   |

which lets the bump stop slide down past it and set down on
the 'cylinder' or w/e.

Did I get the wrong struts or something?

come on guys. I need some help. I wanna get this done tonight.

I understand now... I don't understand why it'll be like that... If I had those struts, I would've been able to help you out more... Have you tried askin' someone with those struts as I suggested?

P.s. I'm in the process of gettin' the boxes (I can't find any big enough, but I may build one up myself by tomorrow if all else fails) to have for the dash... I want to pack it safe and securely so I'm not tryin' to cut corners...


Peace,
Jem

Originally posted by Jem09
I understand now... I don't understand why it'll be like that... If I had those struts, I would've been able to help you out more... Have you tried askin' someone with those struts as I suggested? P.s. I'm in the process of gettin' the boxes (I can't find any big enough, but I may build one up myself by tomorrow if all else fails) to have for the dash... I want to pack it safe and securely so I'm not tryin' to cut corners... Peace, Jem

I sent a PM to Corbin. We'll see what he says I guess.

My hp's have the exact same shaft design. Yes, the bumpstop can go past the notch, but if you think about it, when the strut is put together again, the bumpstop would not go below the notch If you actually hit the bumpstop. The other pieces rest on top of the bumpstop, so when the strut is fully compressed and hitting the bump stop, it would be pushing upwards on the assembly and not down, so it would not come off the notch. Now if your bumpstop will not stay on the notch, that could be an issue.

I had those shocks on ym silver 97 and they had the collar for the bumpstop. No idea why yours dont.

As I recall, my bump stop kind of hung-up on the metal ring, but there was no lip to securely hold it. I could push the bump stop over the ring and let it fall down onto the strut body. The dust cover actually fit snugly around the bumpstop and kept it from falling. Worst case scenario is that the bumpstop falls down onto the strut body. This 2 ounce piece changes from "sprung weight" to "unsprung weight". Then, there is the added friction from the strut shaft sliding against the interior surface of the bump stop. Both of these will change the dynamic response of your suspension to input from driving conditions. I think the change will be negligible. Don't even worry about it.

Corbin

'95 ESI-T
Now with more power and fewer leaks



Gimme fuel...Gimme fire...Gimme that which I desire

The only thing that I'm really worried aboout is when the strut piston comes down, the bump stop will be kind of at an angle because it's not around the ring to hold it straight up and down, and the ring will come down on the bump stop and hit it wrong, and tear it all apart and eventually it 'll come completely apart... but I dunno if that would actually happen or not...

I'm going to go ahead and put it on there like it is but I'll take it off later if somebody tells me its going to be a problem.

I searched up this problem when I was installing my illuminas about three weeks ago. Mine didn't have the lip on that ring either to keep the bumpstop from falling below, however the answer I was given lends itself to common sense.

The bumpstop is the last line of defense for the strut so that it doesn't 'bottom out' when you hit a huge ditch or pothole that would exert a ton of force on the strut assembly. It provides a few inches of area where the piston won't compress any further and thus won't 'bottom out'.

On your original struts, that little lip really doesn't do much to hold the bumpstop in place. I know because I basically hit my bumpstop lightly with a hammer to dislodge it from the ring on the stock strut, but I hit it down instead of up, and knocked the whole bumpstop below the lip. If that little force can knock it off the ring, what makes you think it would hold it there under driving conditions like a large pothole? Its just meant to keep it at a certain spot on the shaft, having it below that ring does no damage and will have no effect on your suspension's feel or performance.

p.s. in fact I've read many posts hereof people who simply didn't install bumpstops when they switched their suspension. Smart? No. But technically you don't need it unless you're driving through any area that might possible have a large pothole or big bump of some kind.

Originally posted by EclipseSix
I searched up this problem when I was installing my illuminas about three weeks ago. Mine didn't have the lip on that ring either to keep the bumpstop from falling below, however the answer I was given lends itself to common sense. The bumpstop is the last line of defense for the strut so that it doesn't 'bottom out' when you hit a huge ditch or pothole that would exert a ton of force on the strut assembly. It provides a few inches of area where the piston won't compress any further and thus won't 'bottom out'. On your original struts, that little lip really doesn't do much to hold the bumpstop in place. I know because I basically hit my bumpstop lightly with a hammer to dislodge it from the ring on the stock strut, but I hit it down instead of up, and knocked the whole bumpstop below the lip. If that little force can knock it off the ring, what makes you think it would hold it there under driving conditions like a large pothole? Its just meant to keep it at a certain spot on the shaft, having it below that ring does no damage and will have no effect on your suspension's feel or performance. p.s. in fact I've read many posts hereof people who simply didn't install bumpstops when they switched their suspension. Smart? No. But technically you don't need it unless you're driving through any area that might possible have a large pothole or big bump of some kind.

Alright thanks man. I'm headed back in to put them on here in an hour or so. Can't wait! :)

I am a little late... but here is my input. When I was changing struts on my car. one of the bump stops was of the ring... the other three were still there on my old car 150K w original struts all the stoppers were off the rings but still there. The reason some people don't put it there cuz they lower the car and each time they hit a pothole they hit the bump stop so the ride becomes harsh harsh. If you take out or cut the bump stop you get a little more shock travel but you loose the protection for the shock. If I were you I would put them on there, may be you could even attach them to the bottom of the strut not sure if this could hold up. So unless you have a ridiculously low drop they will just jump around on the strut shaft and hopefully will elongate the life of your struts.

You're suppose to saw your bumpstops in half when you lower your car, which keeps bottoming out from being an issue, but still protects the strut.

I've had my Talon lowered on Sportlines with Illuminas for 4 years and I don't recall ever bottoming out, I do drive smart though. As for the bump stops resting at the bottom of the shock it makes no difference at all, the friction and weight of the bumpstop is so minute it's irrelavent.

Little late as well but I just installed my illuminas a few weeks ago and my bump stops wouldn't stay in the little notch either. I just let them fall down because I don't see a problem with it. I havn't noticed anything wrong with them so far so it shouldn't be a problem :)