How often should I change struts?

[CadillacLuke24]

2015 Silverado DCSB Z71 6.2L, stock Ranchos

 

48,334 miles, a good portion highway, but he's seen some dirt roads in his day. 

 

How frequently should I change struts? The ride is still nice, not much different from what over the past few thousand miles, but I'm getting some slight noise over the speed bump in the parking garage at work. It sounds more like a rubber insulator than the actual strut, but ya never know. That and he's getting a little floaty at top speed when I go flying by semis on state highways, that had previously not been present. Not anything major, but they seem a bit softer than what they usually are, kinda like my Cadillac got right before I replaced struts.

 

I'm well aware of the quality perception on Ranchos, as well as the perceived improvement that Bilsteins provide. I'm certainly considering those, just want to know how much time I have left so I can budget accordingly. I imagine many of you would say I should have ditched the Ranchos long ago, I would just like to know how much life they might have left based on current symptoms. That and what industry experts suggest.

 

Thank you in advance, appreciate the advice (and possible shock war, those are fun!) 

[m3n00b]

Honestly the ranchos should be changed at 0 miles. As for a general question about struts, you should change them when they start leaking.

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[mookdoc6]

^that!  Factory shocks @ 10-15 miles and Ranchos less than 500 miles!  They both blow goat

[ChevyRoofer]

Honestly the ranchos should be changed at 0 miles. As for a general question about struts, you should change them when they start leaking.

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Exactly - when they start leaking. Stock struts sucks.

For off-road struts like Fox, King, Icon: I would get them reconditioned every 40-50k miles.


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[Donstar]

Under normal driving conditions and with stock suspension you should have many more trouble free miles.  I typically keep my trucks for close to 100k miles and can't recall having to change a shock due to wear-out or failure.  I would seriously consider replacing my stock shocks with Bilsteins for leveling purposes but not out of need.

[Eddie 70]

I changed mine out just recently be sure I had a leaker at around 90k miles. I put Bilsteins 4600's on it.

[Gofas]

Change em when you want. New struts feel great compared to old.

[L86 All Terrain]

23 hours ago, Donstar said:

Under normal driving conditions and with stock suspension you should have many more trouble free miles.  I typically keep my trucks for close to 100k miles and can't recall having to change a shock due to wear-out or failure.  I would seriously consider replacing my stock shocks with Bilsteins for leveling purposes but not out of need.

Happy to see some good advice still given on the forums. Short answer, if you want to be one of the cool kids, need lift, or are seriously off-roading change them right away. If you are realistic and don't like to spend money on things you don't need and occasionally drive down a dirt road or two, run them until the seals go. You should see 120,000 miles out of the stock absorbers in primarily paved conditions. 

[cbrsilv15]

I had 89k trouble free miles with my last truck. I want the 5100’s for mine now, but like most mods, do I need them?  Lol. I have 52k on the oems now and they still feel great. I don’t have the rough ranchos though. 

[tbare54]

Used to be they recommended struts life span was 50,000 miles and shocks were 25,000.

[crushNchowda]

I had a '14 w/ 42k miles on it got totaled had the ranchos, then bought a '15 AT truck exactly the same options/color except short bed 6.2, wow - upon taking delivery immediately realized that this new '15 truck rode WAY WAY better than my '15 which was essentially the same minus the engine/bed configuration - well, that pretty much told me the stock rancho shocks were straight garbage like everyone else said for me to feel such a tangible difference in ride even though my old truck only had a little over 40k on the clock.

I swapped out to bilstein 5100s before my '15 cracked 12,000 miles & couldn't be happier. I could compress the ranchos by hand w/ ease once off, so couldn't my wife, w/ 12k miles!!! 1 was definitely leaking too.

 

Take that FWIW

 

Got the bilstein 5100's all 4 corners for less than $400 shipped my door.

[MBSierra17]

My stock Rancho shocks made it about 3k miles on the rear before they started to go, but I don't think that's typical. My father has the same truck and at 35k they're still fine for him. 

[Nasty]

Atomic fab coilover brackets with Viking Double adjustables.  I got mine for 800 shipped