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Help with shocks!


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I've been searching the forum for old posts on shocks. I still don't know what to get. I have a 03 Sierra 2500 HD with 130000 miles. I think the original shocks are on the truck. The truck is not lifted. I've read Bilstein 4600, Monroe Reflex and Fox. Fox is more than I want to spend.

 

Anyone have a truck close to mine and can tell me their experience with the shocks they have used?

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I've got an '04 3500, and like the Rancho RS9000 adustable shocks I got for it. In particular, the rear of my truck rides pretty rough when empty, but the front is relatively soft, so while I dialed in the rears to be pretty soft at 1 (out of 8), I could dial up the fronts to 4 and that got rid of the front end bouncing I had when they were at 1.

 

And just recently, I replaced the bump stops for the front end, and they help the front end as well (they are part of the front end suspension, along with the torsion bars, shocks and the anti-roll bar). You might consider replacing them as well, as if they haven't been replaced, they are likely worn out. One of mine was partially collapsed, and the other I could easily compress with my fingers, while the new ones feel (by hand) very hard.

 

I used GM 15835667 bump stops, which are the ones for the z71 model, which are a bit stiffer than the original "OEM" ones (GM 15835666). I can't give a comparison against new original style ones, but I like how these ones work. The front end doesn't dive as much when going over larger bumps.

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I'm also interested in this subject for my '03 1500 z-71 that I bought in 2016. I'm a little frustrated because I've searched a lot and thought this would be a pretty common concern, but only found a few threads that didn't address the problem like my situation is. My suspension seems extremely stiff. I have new tires that I'm not changing on 16" rims (plenty of sidewall to absorb bumps). Question is, how can someone get more compliant suspension behavior in an '03 1500 Z71 so it rides more cushy like maybe a Tahoe or something? A couple times a year I put about 600 lbs in the bed.

 

I see some are saying 5100s, but this is the internet and I don't know who's talking. Some people like a firm ride or haul heavy loads or they 4x4 and don't want bottom out, etc. Are 5100s also best for a normal 75mph 5-hour trip on the highway with no load?

 

I'm also saying "suspension" to avoid saying shocks or springs or leafs or bump stops or whatever because I just want a recommendation on how to make the truck more like a street-truck. I also certainly admit that various parts may be original or in need of replacement, so jounce bumpers or shocks or springs or all of them may be totally shot. I think I'll start with shocks so I wonder if, when a website asks for the type of truck I have, maybe I shouldn't select Z71? Do you think the shock of a non-z71 would work well in an old z71 truck? Even if I choose Bilstein 5100s, I wonder if I should get the one for non z-71 trucks?

 

Any thoughts?

 

Last thought- If torsion-bars were cranked way up to compensate for totally baked 14-year-old springs in the front, would it ride harsh in front? It feels like the orifices inside the shocks are plugged so oil can't move through. Or the shock oil thickened over time and now can't flow through some orifices. But I grew up being told that when shocks are bad, then the car floats like a boat... or push on the bumper and see if it oscillates 2 or 3 times. But times change and I wonder if seals improved and now oil inside a shock can get so old that it thickens from heat or shear over many years? My truck doesn't oscillate but something definitely feels not right.

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shocks won't prevent the suspension from bottoming out. And you either have torsion bars OR springs, not both (at least, that's my understanding).

 

cranked torsion bars reportedly (I can't say first-hand, as I haven't cranked mine) make the suspension ride very poorly. It generally is recommended to switch to a low lift instead, to keep the suspension angles correct so it rides properly. or do you mean cranking them so the truck is back to the regular height (as this would be fine).

 

you might be able to get it to ride a bit softer by switching the jounce-bumpers on the front. The z71 ones are supposed to be stiffer than the 'regular' ones.

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