Jump to content

Bilstein shocks thread

yanzhixiang

By yanzhixiang
in Modifications & Accessories

 Share

Recommended Posts

jrob56 Enthusiast

jrob56

Posted
Posted

I replaced the black stock shocks with Bilsteins. I like to say the ride is more controlled now. Less shaking and bouncing with the Bilsteins. My wife used to say she felt like a bobble head when riding with the stockers, but not now.

Good to hear, yeah my wife and sister both commented on ride on bumps. They didn't know how to describe it but knew what they meant. What setting are you on?

  • Replies 2.8k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

bwilloby46
bwilloby46

I put the bilstein 5100s on the rear of my 14 High Country with a new 2" block a few weeks ago. Ride is unbelievable compared to stock. Liked it so much I got the adjustable 5100s for my front, remove

schloppy
schloppy

Hello, I'm not new to the forum but I just joined and figured I'd contribute to the community.   2016 Silverado 1500 "Z71" removed rancho's and swapped with Bilstein 5100's all around. So after d

Jullian is not my name
Jullian is not my name

I just got done with installing my 6112's on my 2014 GMC Sierra Crew Cab.  Reading some install guides on here really helped, along with printing some Chilton Repair guide torque specs that I got from

Posted Images

chuckl1218 Senior Enthusiast

chuckl1218

Posted
Posted (edited)

Good to hear, yeah my wife and sister both commented on ride on bumps. They didn't know how to describe it but knew what they meant. What setting are you on?

2nd from bottom (1 up from stock). I didn't care about "leveling". Just wanted a better ride.

Edited by chuckl1218
jrob56 Enthusiast

jrob56

Posted
Posted

2nd from bottom (1 up from stock). I didn't care about "leveling". Just wanted a better ride.

Thanks, I'm after both want a to leave little rake but not as much as stock. Hate nose high look. I'll try top setting and see how it goes.

  • Like 1
Donstar Senior Enthusiast

Donstar

Posted
Posted

Thanks, I'm after both want a to leave little rake but not as much as stock. Hate nose high look. I'll try top setting and see how it goes.

My guess is that you will be happy with the top setting. I was thinking the second from top would be a bit of a compromise on the firmness issue and I was originally planning on a 1.5" lift. However, I sincerely doubt there would be any difference in the ride except in one's imagination. The difference in looks would be hard to notice, but just knowing that extra little bit of lift was unused would probably annoy me for a very long time!! If I go Bilsteins, I believe the top setting is the one to use. I suspect that most people use the stock or top settings on these shocks and that the in-between choices are more for marketing purposes.

Mack207 Enthusiast

Mack207

Posted
Posted

I suspect that most people use the stock or top settings on these shocks and that the in-between choices are more for marketing purposes.

I just installed a set on the second setting on my truck today. I'm still running the factory goodyears and I didn't want them to look out of place. They gave .75" of lift as advertised. When I get new tires, most likely 275/60R20 or 275/65R20 I'll go up to the third setting. Ride is much better; I'm not bouncing all over the place now. Lift is noticeable to me as well, which is the most important thing lol.

Mack207 Enthusiast

Mack207

Posted
Posted

Does anyone have a pic of the top mount of the 5100's when they're on the vehicle, or can someone go take one? I torqued the top nut down to Bilsteins measly 25 ft/lbs, and that doesn't seem right. The top spacer right under the nut can spin when the weight of the vehicle is on it. The last set of these I did, on a Titan, had a definite stopping point.

jmd1487 Enthusiast

jmd1487

Posted
Posted

I have currently the Rough Country 2.5 lift/level kit with 275/65/20 cooper at3. The ride is ok. I did put bilstein 5100's on the rear which helped a ton! but the front is stock. I ordered a set of 5100's for the front. I'm trying to figure out if I should leave the kit in and run the front shocks on the stock setting or should I set the shocks at the .50 setting and run the 2" lower spacer...? Or run the shocks at the highest setting and run the 1/2" upper spacer...?

tvette1993 Enthusiast

tvette1993

Posted
Posted

I have currently the Rough Country 2.5 lift/level kit with 275/65/20 cooper at3. The ride is ok. I did put bilstein 5100's on the rear which helped a ton! but the front is stock. I ordered a set of 5100's for the front. I'm trying to figure out if I should leave the kit in and run the front shocks on the stock setting or should I set the shocks at the .50 setting and run the 2" lower spacer...? Or run the shocks at the highest setting and run the 1/2" upper spacer...?

 

I had the same dilemma....RC 2.5" kit which gave me 2.25" of actual lift over stock.

This weekend I installed the 5100's all around. I put the fronts on the top setting, took out the lower spacer and left the upper spacer in place. End result is a true 2.5" of front lift. I haven't driven it a ton yet but ride is already improved.

 

If you are going to put the fronts in yourself...give yourself some time...its not a quick job.

jmd1487 Enthusiast

jmd1487

Posted
Posted

I had the same dilemma....RC 2.5" kit which gave me 2.25" of actual lift over stock.

This weekend I installed the 5100's all around. I put the fronts on the top setting, took out the lower spacer and left the upper spacer in place. End result is a true 2.5" of front lift. I haven't driven it a ton yet but ride is already improved.

 

If you are going to put the fronts in yourself...give yourself some time...its not a quick job.

 

Thanks for the info! Did you leave the rear RC block in or put a larger one in?

tvette1993 Enthusiast

tvette1993

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the info! Did you leave the rear RC block in or put a larger one in?

 

I had switched out the 2" block for a 3" block when I ordered the kit.

So now have 2.5" in front and 3" in back...looks pretty good IMO.

jmd1487 Enthusiast

jmd1487

Posted
Posted

I had switched out the 2" block for a 3" block when I ordered the kit.

So now have 2.5" in front and 3" in back...looks pretty good IMO.

 

Ok did u need new UBolts or did you just swap the block ?

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.5k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,894
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    TopBo
    Newest Member
    TopBo
    Joined

  • Who's Online   0 Members, 0 Anonymous, 1,234 Guests (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • davester
      New to Me 2010 SLE (Quirks, Issues)

      By davester · Posted

      not all plugs will be used.  gm uses more generic harnesses that support most/all options, and if your truck doesn't have a specfiic option, the plug won't be used (commonly will have a dummy insert in the plug , or it'll be taped up, but some may just be left as is).  But it's sldo possible some p.o. has installed the wrong/cheaper parts that aren't correct for your vehicle...
    • fm2176
      New to Me 2010 SLE (Quirks, Issues)

      By fm2176 · Posted

      First off, I'm not trying to just get easy advice/fixes for the issues I've noticed so far.  I'll be combing through the site via searches and such, and if past experiences are any indication, should find what I need.  For the sake of conversation, though, I figured I'd post the handful of things I've noticed in the 12 hours since buying my 2010 SLE CCSB.     Indicator lights: Airbag and TPMS.  The tire pressures aren't reading for any of the wheels, so I'm pretty certain the sensors were either removed, are damaged, or are otherwise inoperable.  I used to mount and balance tires 25 years ago but am pretty much ignorant when it comes to TPMS.  My 2006 didn't have the sensors and this might be the fourth vehicle I've owned that does.     Radio: Rear speakers aren't working.  I removed the driver's side rear door panel and checked the speaker and wiring.  I also removed the sill and b-pillar covers to check the wiring.  A few minutes of Google Fu showed that this is potentially a head unit issue.    Switches: Power mirrors don't turn left/right.  I ordered replacement driver's door switches that should arrive tomorrow.  The windows and locks work but it was only about $20 for all of them.  The driver's side rear window switch lets the window down but won't put it back up.  I think the passenger rear doesn't work at all.  In the coming days/weeks, I'll break out my multimeter to check all of that.   Unknown wiring harness: There's a box attached to the front driver's side of the engine compartment, right where the second battery shelf is located.  There are three plugs, one of which looks like it fits a standard headlight-style bulb (9007 or similar).  It doesn't look like it's plugged into anything.  I'll do some digging and if I don't see anything elsewhere on the site, post some pictures here.   Unknown plugs on brake booster: There are at least two female plugs on the brake booster that aren't being used.  I think it might be a replacement/aftermarket, so maybe those are used for a different application, as there don't seem to be any unplugged harnesses and no indicator lights are on.   Little squeaks when turning: Sounds almost like a bushing around the bed of the truck.  I'll have to pay close attention as I get more familiar with the truck.   Clunk on acceleration: possibly the infamous drivetrain clunk.  My 2006 had it and I'm just not familiar enough with this truck yet to fully grasp what it is.   Anyway, my apologies for the vague and all over the place post.  This truck is new to me, and it's been four years since I drove my 2006.  With 200k miles, I know I'll need to learn this truck quickly to avoid having any major issues, despite being confident it's got much more life to it.  My 2006 had nearly 320k on it when I parked it (nearly 300k of which I put on the truck), and it was still drivable then, though I suspected the head gasket might have blown.  I'd hoped to have that truck back by now, but it's gone forever, as I detailed in my reintroduction thread.  
    • lowrider
      Range RA007 DFM Module

      By lowrider · Posted

      I always drive in Sport mode. With more driving, I am finding the initial response when accelerating is much quicker now🖕 Lou
    • Tyler Gibbs
      2022 2500HD with a new RSI SmartCap

      By Tyler Gibbs · Posted

      Is it an optical illusion in the pic or is the truck really squatting that much horribly?
    • fm2176
      It's Been a Long Time...

      By fm2176 · Posted

      My initial introduction was here.  It's hard to believe that I last posted in February 2013, having just deployed to Kyrgyzstan.  Since then, I've retired from the military and the 2006 Sierra SLT Z71 that first brought me to these pages was lost.  I went forward to Afghanistan in March 2013 and did a lot of sitting behind a computer on brigade staff.  Within 18 months of getting back to the States, I was selected for Drill Sergeant duty, after which I moved back to Virginia (my home state and where I served from 2004-2008).  That '06 Sierra did a lot of driving between Louisiana, Georgia, and Virginia, and ended up with nearly 320k miles by 2022.  By then, the registration had been expired for a couple of years, but the pandemic had all but eliminated tickets for such transgressions.  Admittedly too, I usually drove my wife's SUV or son's car the 2-3 times a week I had to report to work.  Teleworking sure was fun while it lasted.   I started my retirement leave four years ago and stored the Sierra at my sister's house.  A big mess was made when her fiancé passed while she was taking care of business out-of-state in late-2024, and his son pretty much mismanaged everything to do with the estate.  Even so, I was assured that my truck was safe... until it wasn't.  I found out that my truck had been scrapped about four months after the son took over everything.  There's nothing I could do; I'm 1000 miles away and it was technically abandoned property since he'd even trespassed my sister from her own house (she had no claim to it as she wasn't married, and the fiancé was the sole owner).     Anyway, today I got my second Sierra.  This is a 2010 SLE 2WB CCSB with a little over 200k miles on it.  It's got the 5.3L I'm familiar with and should handle what I need it for.  Hauling stuff that won't fit in the Transit Connect (yep, I sold out, but that's the wife's vehicle) and towing a few times a year tops.  The price seemed decent, considering how much people sell their trucks for in the Deep South: $4500.  I've seen similar trucks listed for more than double that.  I got it from a coworker who left his tag on until we transfer the title next week (Louisiana requires a notary for transfers), so I've been driving it all day.  The rear speakers don't work, which is one of the things that brought me back to these forums earlier.  I can't say how active I'll be as a poster, but I'll be scouring the archives while I find out every little thing I can about the 2010s and particular nuances/problems with my truck.   It's definitely not a GMC, but I got another Willys Jeep a few months back as well, so I'm almost at the same place I was when I first joined gm-trucks.com.  My old 1960 DJ3A was sold back around 2010 or 2011; my current Jeep is a 1946 CJ2A.  So, I've got a slightly newer GMC and a much older Jeep.  I kind of wish I still had that F-250 I had way back when too.  The Dakota is long gone and was technically my brother's truck, though I had it registered and insured.  The F-250 had to go when my grandmother's house was foreclosed on due to mismanagement around 2012 or so.     Hopefully anyone that made it this far isn't too annoyed.  I tend to be long-winded, but I'll be doing more reading than posting in the coming months.

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...