• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Bump Stops

2

2kSVT

CEG'er
Joined
Mar 8, 2003
Messages
324
Location
Dayton,Oh.
Guys, I need help asap, I'm installing my new suspension and ran into a few problems.
1. What is the bump stop exactly(pic) and how do you cut it in half?? I'm guessing it is the white top of the rubber tube in side the hat? Do you just slice it down so it is half it's own height? These were bought from a CEG'er, and were installed on his car. Does anything need cut?
B&G/KYB setup

2. The driver's side steering arm won't come out for anything. I'm smashing it with a 6 lb. sledge..nothing.
It is saturated with PB blaster. I can't get it to move.

I have the rears on, it tucks the E1's The 18's are going to look lovely.

Thanks,
at a work stoppage
Rod
 
Ok I'll take a stab at your questions.

1. The bump stop is a rubber tube that slips over the hydraulic shaft of the strut. Basically it's there as a fail safe if the spring breaks completely and the strut gets completely compressed, the shock mount won't slam into the metal spring seat on the strut but will instead hit the bump stop. Here's a generic pic: http://www.rockymountainsusp.com/DA_EVS_shk.jpg

Now I don't know anything about the procedure that calls for slicing it in half though. Unless maybe you're re-using the stock ones with new struts and lowering springs? Then maybe the bump stop would be too long and you'd be bottoming out.

2. As for the steering arm, as long as you've got the cotter pin and bolt off the bottom it should come out. They can bind up pretty good though. We had one on my friends Jeep we were pounding at with a hand sledge and a couple socket extensions because it was in a hard to reach location. We just couldn't get enough force on it. When you're pounding it with a big ass sledge though you gotta be careful you don't mushroom the end of the post there or you won't be able to re-use it. I would say try a pickle fork and pry from the other side. You may have to get a piece of pipe to slip over the handle to get more leverage, or pound the handle with your sledge.
It could also be bound up because the suspension is hanging unsupported. Put a jack under the lower control arm and jack the suspension up to get some tension off the tie rod end. Then try tapping it out.

Hope this helps. I know how frustrating it gets when one stupid part won't come loose and is keeping you from finishing the work quickly.
 
I would also like to know exaclty how these are supposed to be cut??? I will be purchasing a new pair of bump stops today (as well as some F + R strut mounts) for my new suspension setup! Hopefully BJenkins will have some insight on this!

- amyn
 
qbcsvt said:
I would also like to know exaclty how these are supposed to be cut??? I will be purchasing a new pair of bump stops today (as well as some F + R strut mounts) for my new suspension setup! Hopefully BJenkins will have some insight on this!

- amyn
Click to expand...
i dont remember exactly how i cut mine a few years ago. i do remember that it was a real :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: to do. i think a hacksaw might work pretty well.
 
So the Bump Stops are completely symmetrical? Does it matter how I put them on the strut rod???? or how I cut them....

- amyn
 
Some are symmetrical, some are narrow at the top and wider and the bottom. If they have a taper I think you want to slide them on with the wide part on the bottom so that the fattest part is against the top of the strut. If you look at the picture I linked you'll see what I mean.
If they are symmetrical I don't think it will matter how you install them. One thing to look out for if you're going to cut it is that I think the rubber/plastic accordion dust cover that slips over the hydraulic shaft of the shock snaps onto the bump stop. If it's ribbed like the one in the picture, then you'll want to cut off the bottom half of the bump stop(as opposed to the top) so that you'll still be able to snap the boot over the narrower top part.

I don't know if that makes sense, but if you take one of your old shocks apart you'll see what I mean. And if you're using those hand cranked spring compressor tools, for the love of god be careful. If they pop off that spring can kill you when it uncompresses.

I've compressed springs on four different repair jobs and never had one pop on me, but take your time and don't rush and always make sure when you're handling the compressed spring that you are not in front of the open ends so that if it does pop it will not hit you. Don't want to see anybody get hurt... :)
 
i have actually heard stories of compressed springs popping off and shooting through a concrete block wall, garage doors, etc. :shocked::crazy:

the dust boot doesnt actually snap onto the front bump stops but it does rest on them. im not sure about the rears off hand but i think its the same way. however something that i should mention is that the GC springs are too small for the dust boots to fit. both in diameter and height. i actually just ran with the little plastic dust covers on mine for 2 years without any problems.
 
I know in the HOWTO it says you don't need to cut the rear bump stops. Not sure if that's still true or not but since you said you're already done with the rear and now asking about bump stops I assume you didn't cut those.

I didn't cut my front or rear ones :ponder:
 
from other threads i know that qbcsvt is installing GCs on Konis so there is a lot less room cause of the shorter springs so cutting them in half might be necessary for the rears depending on how low you go.
 
I believe they are white on our cars and they should be symetrical if i remember correctly. I installed my HR/Koni combo and did not cut them at first. The thing bottomed out on even the smallest bump.

As mentioned they are really just a fail safe so DO NOT stress about cutting them. So as to maintain the same top and bottom of the stop I actually just cut a section out of the center of each that equaled 1/2 the total height.

Hell, you could leave them off and probably would never have an issue.

Just chop them so they are half as tall, slide them on and be done with it.

Front and rear.
 
I ordered my bump stops on Monday.... They should be on there way anytime soon. Something else that I ordered wasnt available so BJenkins had to get it shipped to him and when he gets it! It should come directly to me in no time!!

I will post pictures as I did on my other thread. Also will make a final confirmation list thread for soem advice before tackling the whole project alone!

- amyn
 
I spoke to Bill Jenkins and some other part that I ordered was back-ordered and they were awaiting it to come in and then send everything together! All my stuff should have been sent on friday and I should get it on Monday/Tuesday! Bill Jenkins also told me the Bump Stops are also called Jounces or something like that! Well I grabbed one for each front strut and if anything I will re-use the ones that I have on my car!

- amyn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top