Again, not true. Edelbrock and Bilstein are two examples right of the top of my head that build OE replacement, non-lifted shocks with the body up, front and rear! I had the Edelbrocks personally and I've seen photo's of the Bilsteins. And like was already stated, the rears cannot be mounted either way due to the eye mounting on the bottom and the rod mounting on the top. It's a byproduct of manufacturer design wither they're mounted one way or the other. I don't know of ANY manufacturer, designed body up or body down, that would build and recommend a set of shocks that did not match front to rear…never seen that.



And I agree with that. However, your logic was (or at least from your comments I perceived it to be) the mounting style was due to the subjective risk of damage. My reference to those trucks were in a sense, if risk of damage were the case, I don't think they'd be mounting them that way.

As far as the logic to which design is better or safer, to each his own. There's must be arguments and evidence to support both because you can find both.

 

I have replace 3 different trucks with Bilsteins. A 97, 01, and 04. In all cases the fronts were body down and with the 98 and 01, the rears were body down. The 04 had a choice, either way. I chose body down.

PS - I just went to the Bilstein site, and most of the pictures I saw, except for reservoir shocks are body down, including the 5100. Don't know what pics your were looking at.

 

On an '04 you in theory had a choice because the mounts on both ends of the shock are the same, but I don't think the intent is to give you a choice. The manufacturer (Bilstein) intended for them to be mounted body down if the fronts were body down. On Bilsteins, the label indicates the mounting direction; i.e. mount so the label is not upside down. Yours were built to be mounted that way. It's technically not an option. Can any harm come to the shock from mounting upside down?? Who knows.

 

Here are pics of the 01 Bilsteins.

http://cart.bilsteinus.com/search/mm.../drivetype=4WD

As far as the 04 rears, they can be mounted either way. It does not matter. As I said, I chose body for a reason, mainly dirt and water getting into the silicon shaft covers and being a least partially stuck there.

 

My bilsteins are body up on my 98. Everything galaxy has said is true and has proved you wrong over and over just give up man ha. And I personally would much rather a rock hit the rod on the shock over the much weaker body. Next time you change shocks take one of your old ones and hit the body then the shaft with a hammer to simulate a rock hitting it at speed, you'll notice the difference.

 

Did you even bother to take a look at the pictures of the bilstein shocks I posted? If you didn't you need to as they are all body down.

How about some pictures of your Bilstein body up shocks on your 98 to prove it. I have supplied them from Bilstein. I want to see your different shocks.

 

Don't sweat it pizza, he's right about the Bilsteins. I also could have sworn they were body up for the old body style, but can't find the pics I thought I had seen. No biggie. My point being was that not all shocks, and not all OE replacement shocks for the old trucks are body down. The Edelbrocks are absolutely body up. Here's a pic of a stock replacement shock on a non-lifted truck. And yes, the fronts match…


So you called Bilstein and they said this shock can be mounted in either direction and they told you it makes no difference??

 

No but others have. This has been discussed more than once.

EDIT - some more info on mono-tube shocks on mounting.

http://www.ast-usa.com/ast_monotube_...technology.php

http://www.monroe.com.au/trade-corne...er-design.html

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech...ght_Shocks.htm

There are many others with the exact same info.