Bilstein shocks thread

rah7777777 · May 29, 2019

1 hour ago, jimbrown1 said:

I just installed the 5100 Bilsteins on front and rear but left the Rugged Off Road bottom strut spacer in place and have the front struts at stock height with the BFG LT275/60/20. I have no rubbing. The bottom strut spacer gave me 1.75” of front lift. Hope this helps with your decision.

Is the "rugged off road bottom strut spacer" the factory strut bottom? Or this an aftermarket item that was added?

Other than this, is your suspension all stock?

manderson7015 · May 29, 2019

Maybe with spacers to offset, but not at +27. You'll probably just move the rub from UCA / sway bar to the fender though.

Im not very tire savy. I was going off tire rack. Dang i want to go wider tires.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

manderson7015 · May 29, 2019

So whats the widest and tallest i can go with stock z71 wheels and bilstein set to max?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

jimbrown1 · May 29, 2019

3 hours ago, rah7777777 said:

Is the "rugged off road bottom strut spacer" the factory strut bottom? Or this an aftermarket item that was added?

Other than this, is your suspension all stock?

The Rugged Off Road spacer is similar to that of the Rough Country spacer and mounts at the bottom of the factory or aftermarket strut. I just added the Bilstein adjustable/leveling struts but left them at the factory setting and left the aftermarket strut spacer installed as I didn’t want to use the new struts to lift the front, I only wanted a more controlled ride. I have no rubbing with the LT 275/60/20 BFG All Terrain TA KO2 tires..

Edited May 29, 2019 by jimbrown1

rah7777777 · May 29, 2019

1 hour ago, jimbrown1 said:

The Rugged Off Road spacer is similar to that of the Rough Country spacer and mounts at the bottom of the factory or aftermarket strut. I just added the Bilstein adjustable/leveling struts but left them at the factory setting and left the aftermarket strut spacer installed as I didn’t want to use the new struts to lift the front, I only wanted a more controlled ride. I have no rubbing with the LT 275/60/20 BFG All Terrain TA KO2 tired.

oh ok! So was your spacer a 1.75"?

If you have the spacer and leave the bilstein on lowest (stock) setting, do you get a better ride than having the bilstein maxed out?

I'm just starting to get into all of this. Thanks!

Pivot · May 29, 2019

3 hours ago, MeanGreen1911 said:

Is this because of the upper control arm on the newer trucks?

I have a 2014 and was hoping to run 275/60R20 on OEM wheels with my 5100s set at the highest setting. Do you think I will rub with the older UCAs?

All GM 1500's produced after April 1st 2016 have the STAMPED STEEL UCA's. You should have the steel UCA's that are more TUBULAR in design. The Stamped Steel UCA's in newer trucks are flatter and seem wider. Basically you can upgrade the UCAs to an aftermarket Tubular design with smaller footprint if you had the newer version, which you don't. Some guys replace the stamped steel because if you lift to high, it becomes distorted and the ball joint could fail. My Stamped Steel UCA's have no retention clips for Ball joint. None of them do. Bilsteins are designed to keep the stock UCA's.

You should be good with the STEEL UCA's and the Bilstein's and the 275/60/20. The problem is none of this is 100% and every truck seems to be a little different. I'm saying this should work because you are keeping the exact width of stock tire, being ( 10.8" )tire width with the 275/60/20. With a 27mm offset the inner sidewall of new tire should be exacty where it is now. The outer sidewall should also be in the same positon. You will have a taller tire (33") vs 31.9" and increase the diameter of the entire tire by a hair over 3".

Pay attention to measurement of tires you are looking at.. Some are slightly taller or wider and even a more aggressive tread can come into play between two tires being sold in the same size.

Go out and start your truck and turn your wheel all the way in each direction and you will see their isn't a lot of extra room with the silly squared wheel well. They sell plates to cover up any trimming on the lower rear corner of the front wheel well. It's not hard, but damn, hard to get excited about trimming steel on your truck. I've watched vids and pretty simple. Big thing is not to break the plastic clips that hold the small black trim piece in place. Cut, Deburr the steel and hit it with some paint and cover the cut with a plate that is sold for this purpose.

I'm adding variables for other guys trying to figure this out. Go to Youtube and search Norcal mod.Also, Zone makes a spacing plate for trimming. This is a pretty helpful video.

jimbrown1 · May 29, 2019

1 hour ago, rah7777777 said:

oh ok! So was your spacer a 1.75"?

If you have the spacer and leave the bilstein on lowest (stock) setting, do you get a better ride than having the bilstein maxed out?

I'm just starting to get into all of this. Thanks!

I like the ride now as compared to having the stock Ranchos with the bottom strut spacer. I can’t answer as to how the truck would ride with the Bilsteins maxed out in lift. Paying $50 for the spacer and leaving the struts in stock position only costs $50 more. I didn’t want to rely on the strut giving me the lift as I wanted the Bilsteins for the controlled ride as compared to the Ranchos. If you don’t like having the spacer you can always take it out later and changing the setup on the Bilsteins. Just my opinion.

I also upgraded the rears to Bilsteins 5100 series and think this is how the truck should come from the factory.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Yondu · May 29, 2019

On 5/27/2019 at 2:16 PM, manderson7015 said:

I have an '18 z71 and im going with the 5100 setup. Will go 1 setting below max on billsteins and not sure on the rear tho. I think i will go 1" taller than stock. Will run 305/65/r18 when my stock are done. I like the z71 wheels and will powdercoat. I got a quote for $80 per wheel from a local shop.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I think you're gonna to have fitment issues with that size tire. Plus a 305 shouldn't be mounted to a 8.5" wheel, it's too wide.

265/70r18 or 275/70r18 is what you want.

Yondu · May 29, 2019

On 5/28/2019 at 5:50 PM, MBSierra17 said:

275/60/20 rubs with bilstein max height. Pretty sure 305 wide is gonna rub, even at 3rd setting.

Mine don't, what's your offset? I'm on a 1.2" setting and 20x9 +24.

rah7777777 · May 30, 2019

How do I find out what my rim is, as far as offset? factory 20” rim.

MBSierra17 · May 30, 2019

1 hour ago, Yondu said:

Mine don't, what's your offset? I'm on a 1.2" setting and 20x9 +24.

Stock. +27.

Mine were at max height. Point isn't can 275's fit, point is that 305's very likely won't since 275's are very hit or miss. Also depends on which UCAs though.

rah7777777 · May 30, 2019

I’m pretty sold on 275/60-20 with either the Bilsteins maxed out or a 1.5” lower strut spacer.

Ive had my truck a year now (2018) and I really don’t have any issues with the rancho suspension it came with (Z71).

So lower strut spacers are sounding like a good idea at the moment. As long as it’ll still let me run 275/60-20.

Edited May 30, 2019 by rah7777777

Pivot · May 30, 2019

28 minutes ago, rah7777777 said:

How do I find out what my rim is, as far as offset? factory 20” rim.

Those are OEM wheels that came with the truck? What year is your Truck? If that's a late model 1500, the 20" OEM rim measures 20x9 with a +27mm Offset.

Battle Born Offroad · May 30, 2019

On 5/22/2019 at 3:20 PM, 4weight said:

Well folks I have had a build up of anticipation in reading these threads about the Bilstein's. I will only say they have so far exceeded expectations. The dampening is just so much better than the Rancho's, much less bounce in every setting I drove in today. They do seem to keep the truck much more stable when taking on the road. I was only able to hit some thoroughfares up to 55 or so and drive the bumpy busy streets that I travel and it was night and day.

Cannot wait to get them off road and see how they feel in that scenario as well. Putting the Ranchos on CL tomorrow. Maybe I can get someone to buy them. Bottom line..... money well spent.

Just do it, don't wait.

4W

Awesome to hear the positive reviews so far! Let us know how they do when you get them offroad

Yondu · May 30, 2019

27 minutes ago, MBSierra17 said:

Stock. +27.

Mine were at max height. Point isn't can 275's fit, point is that 305's very likely won't since 275's are very hit or miss. Also depends on which UCAs though.

To quote myself from the thread above that "I think you're gonna to have fitment issues with that size tire. Plus a 305 shouldn't be mounted to a 8.5" wheel, it's too wide.

265/70r18 or 275/70r18 is what you want"