How to Install Bump Stops

Written & researched by Dakota Reyes Recovery & Trail Systems Editor

Published Nov 9, 2026

To install bump stops, support the truck, drop the axle far enough to get the springs out, mount the bump stop bracket, then adjust the stop so it bottoms out before any metal-to-metal contact. Not sure what they do yet? Start with what are bump stops.

DIY Bump Stops: What Can You Do at Home?

Many people search for DIY bump stops because the parts are simple. The work is mostly about lifting the truck safely and finding the right height. A bolt-in kit with a ready-made bracket is a sensible weekend job. Anything that needs cutting is different: King Shocks' front kit for the Jeep JK has you remove the shock, mark 3 inches up from the bottom of the factory mount and cut it off straight and level, with a face shield, before the new stop mounts. That's a job for someone with the tools, so check what your kit needs before you start.

If you only need to swap a stop on a strut, the job is different again. Bilstein's mounting instruction for one of its shock modules has you fit the bump stop over the piston rod, flush with the top of the chrome length, and its instructions for another strut say not to reuse the original bumper because the Bilstein strut has a built-in bump stop. Always follow the sheet for your exact part.

Step-by-Step Overview

These steps follow King Shocks' sheet for a front bump stop kit on an 80 series Land Cruiser. Your vehicle will differ in the details, so use these as a map of the process.

1. Support the truck. On level ground, set the emergency brake and block the rear tires. Raise the front with a floor jack, support the frame rails on jack stands and remove the front tires.
2. Remove the springs. Keep a jack under the axle while removing the lower shock mount nuts and the nuts at the top of the coil bucket, then lower the axle to remove the coil springs and factory bump stops.
3. Mount the brackets. They are side specific, so check left from right. King's kit fastens them with the supplied 1/4 x 1 inch flat head screws, washers and nuts.
4. Fit the bump stops. Remove the upper lock nut, slide the stop into the bracket and thread the nut back on, leaving the nuts loose for now.
5. Set the height. Reinstall the lower shock mounts but leave the springs off so the suspension can cycle. Jack the axle up as far as it goes. The shock probably won't be fully compressed because other clearance issues come first, so make sure it doesn't hit the brake line bracket, and check the drag link, track bar and sway bar. Once you've decided where the axle should stop, set the bump stop so it bottoms out before any metal-to-metal contact happens.
6. Lock it in. Back the set screws out slightly, tighten the lock rings, tighten the upper and lower nuts, then tighten the set screws.
7. Refit the springs. Unbolt the lower shock mounts, lower the axle enough to fit the coil springs, place them over the bump stop bracket onto the lower perch, jack the axle back up and tighten the shock mount hardware.

Getting the Height Right

Height is the whole job. Set it too low and you give up suspension travel. Set it too high and the shock or another part can reach its limit before the stop does, which is why King Shocks tells you to check the shock, brake line bracket, drag link, track bar and sway bar for clearance as you cycle the suspension. King Shocks says maximizing travel is important for performance, but that tire size matters too: with 35 inch or larger tires, fit a tire while you cycle the suspension, so the stop limits travel for tire clearance. After a lift, or when you add a spacer or leveling kit, expect to recheck the stops. See what is a leveling kit and how to install a leveling kit.

After the Install

Lower the truck, double-check that all hardware is tight before the tires go back on, and drive gently first. Inspect the stops after your first off-road outing. King Shocks says to recheck all hardware and lug nuts after 100 miles and periodically after that as part of routine maintenance. If you're also fitting a lift, how to install a lift kit and how to replace truck shocks cover the neighboring jobs, and the Off-Road Maintenance & DIY hub lists more.

When to Use a Pro

If the kit calls for cutting the factory mount, drilling the axle or fabricating a strike pad, or you can't get the truck safely supported, hand it to a shop. A stop in the wrong place can let the shock bottom out or the tire hit the body.

How We Research This

The steps above come from King Shocks' published installation sheets for its Land Cruiser 80 series and Jeep JK bump stop kits and from Bilstein's strut mounting instructions, not first-hand testing. See how we rank for the full method.