Jump to content

Bilstein shocks thread

yanzhixiang

By yanzhixiang
in Modifications & Accessories

 Share

Recommended Posts

Snowcamo Senior Enthusiast

Snowcamo

Posted
Posted

I feel that given the total cost $400+ bills of either model should address the issues with gm trucks. Yea sure they are better then stocks, but hey which ones aren't? I like them to an extent given the money spent. I still feel as though kings which are tailored and have that cloud like ability are a better choice to rave about. Either way a better setup is needed for the stable/ cush ride saught after when folks come to this forum.

 

Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

  • 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

diyer2 Senior Enthusiast

diyer2

Posted
Posted

I see a lot of lip service about this.

A lot of info and opinions.

So would it be wise to say the Racnchos and the 5100 or 6100 are a stiff shock?

The 6100 is stiffer than the 5100?

 

:)

eyeball-inside-mouth.gif

Pivot Enthusiast

Pivot

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, amxguy1970 said:

That's the thing, when you lead everyone to thinking these are the greatest things since sliced bread and more people start realizing they aren't, word will get around and people will start trying other brands; it does the opposite when someone is too much of a fanboy or advocate. That is what has happened to BFG tires...

 

For example, people mention how it just floats over speed bumps or pot holes, that is absolutely not the case. On the way to work there is a torn up man hole cover that is rough, there was no change in how the truck felt when hitting it, maybe even slightly worse. Ditto with the speed bump near my office. The only change is if I hit it at a fast enough speed to launch the truck up (not going over it at the speed limit), it will then not rebound much at all after the hit which is what a shock is supposed to stop. That is to be expected though, my shocks had 60k miles on them of a not easy life. My truck didn't pogo much when new. I chalk up the overly positive reviews to the placebo effect. 

 

The biggest changes I saw with these are pulling in to my driveway it did mostly stop the side to side motion and bigger bumps at faster speeds. If I were to assign a number on improvement from stock to worn out to these new shocks on the same big bump at highway speeds. I would say stock was 7 out of 10, worn was maybe 3 or 4 out of 10 and these are maybe 9 out of 10. Small bumps all are equal at maybe 6 out of 10, might even the bilstein's down one to 5 out of 10 since they are a little rougher in many cases compared to new and especially worn. I have mine set at the 3rd notch (one from the top) for what it's worth.

 

Maybe more people will give these honest reviews so people realize they are a nice upgrade but not to expect too much out of them, I have already heard from many stating they didn't get anywhere near the change they were expecting out of them. Some see more change when replacing worn out shocks with 50k+ miles on them. I can't imagine I would be very satisfied if I replaced them when the truck was new at nearly $400 and an afternoon of wrenching, granted each person is different but I am not wearing rose colored glasses either.

 

Tyler

Tyler, nice write up with details. So much of this stuff is subjective and people love to spend money, modify, change things up. Some guys will drop decent coin for marginial improvements. Take the Cold Air Kits guys love to buy and install. Few hundred bucks and an hour to install. Some say it's a waste of money, no change in performance. Probably correct, but damn, it looks badass and I pulled a bunch of  plastic crap and baffles that dominated the front of the engine bay and tossed it in the trash. Cleaned things up and I swear I hear the increased whooshing sound when I step on the gas over stock. Some of it could be in my head.

 

I think a lot of guys start looking at 5100's as an inexpensive replacement or a better route to level vs a spacer. Guys looking for both, (replacement+level) than it's even a better deal. I think a lot of the interest, questions, excitement, has shifted to the 6112. Yes, a price increase but also higher expectations. 

 

I'll be one of those guys that's pulling new shocks off and replacing. Installation happens on Tuesday. I've been looking for setting info on the front adjustable, plus looking at wheels. I'll know after Tuesday and will be sure to comment. I hope the 6112 will be a big improvement over my stock struts and coils.  It's a much thicker strut with a larger piston rod and body size that should provide more damping  over what I have. More importantly, I'm interested in the new springs designed to match. 

 

My expectations aren't huge. I looked around a lot. Quite a few options,  with Bilsteins, Eibach and Fox 2.0 being lower mid range. Prices really start to ramp up to the $1.5k-$2k+ range after that with the more exotic options available like Kings.  Wasn't worth it to me, but I'm sure others would argue they are worth every penny. That's what makes these forums great. I basically wanted to just lift the front a bit.  I like a firm ride and thats what I expect. Hoping to correct a few behaviors I don't like. I have the Z60 with 20 inch rims. The current ride is firm. Some of the biggest differences I've seen over the years in ride quality came down to rims and tires. Lots of guys will trade ride quality for looks. A lot of my experience is with sports cars. Those larger rims that look bad ass, beat the hell out of me. The tires have tiny shoulders that are susceptible to damage. The ride is tough, but I keep doing it. I can feel the road through the tires and my steering wheel. Sometimes I wince when going down crappy roads, but most the time I love it. Hope that suspension settles in. Would be curious to know what size rims and tires you are running. 

  • Like 1
manderson7015 Enthusiast

manderson7015

Posted
Posted
Have you been over a railroad crossing yet?
Be prepared to loose your teeth!  LOL
I am just so thankful feeling that I'm not the only one with these negative opinions.
 
I forgot. I hit my head going over a RxR crossing.[emoji846]

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

rah7777777 Enthusiast

rah7777777

Posted
Posted

Maybe i'm one of the few....

I have a stock 2018 Z71 and I have no issues with the suspension. I got no beef with the Ranchos.

Its a truck, it goes over bumpy roads, plows over potholes, jumps railroad crossings, all in a way that has never made me think " this suspension is crap". 

 

But my old truck was a 2002 with all original suspension, that was a bumpy ride, so maybe i've just adapted. 

 

Now, I would like the 5100's so i can raise the front end to level it for some 33" BFG's :-)

 

 

Yondu Enthusiast

Yondu

Posted
Posted (edited)

I feel that there is a lot of difference in rake with our trucks.  I didn't have nearly as much as some had.  I put my 5100s on the 3rd setting and it looked nearly level, top setting would have probably been perfectly level. 

 

I'm not a fan of leveled trucks so I left it at the 3rd setting and replaced the 1.25" block with a 2".  Still has rake so when I put a full load in the back or am towing my car it's perfectly level. 

 

I'd really like to hear Frome so done who goes from good 5100s to 6112s.  I'm part of the group that says the 5100s are decent but far from blow my mind outstanding.  It's firmer than I want.  I do have 20s, but with a P rated 33. 

Edited by Yondu
amxguy1970 Senior Enthusiast

amxguy1970

Posted
Posted

I have stock 18's on a P265/70/18 General Grabber AT2 run at 32psi (had them at 36 for a little while to compensate for winter temps but started getting some center wear so I brought them back down).

 

Tyler

Pivot Enthusiast

Pivot

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, amxguy1970 said:

I have stock 18's on a P265/70/18 General Grabber AT2 run at 32psi (had them at 36 for a little while to compensate for winter temps but started getting some center wear so I brought them back down).

 

Tyler

Interesting. I was guessing you might have 20" or even 22". Those 18" rims with tires should be considerably softer than 20".  Tire your running is not 10 ply either. Pretty sure thats standard load. I've even looked at the 18" rims a few times when shopping wheels. That extra rubber, bigger shoulders, offer a little more protection on curbs, softer ride. I'll still probably stick with 20's, might try and avoid a 10 ply, but not sure I could tell the difference. It's a truck. I have 20"s on a car with summer bandaids on rims. Grips like the devil, but always dodging potholes. I feel everything, but car is tight. 

Sierra Dan Senior Enthusiast

Sierra Dan

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, rah7777777 said:

Maybe i'm one of the few....

I have a stock 2018 Z71 and I have no issues with the suspension. I got no beef with the Ranchos.

Its a truck, it goes over bumpy roads, plows over potholes, jumps railroad crossings, all in a way that has never made me think " this suspension is crap". 

 

But my old truck was a 2002 with all original suspension, that was a bumpy ride, so maybe i've just adapted. 

 

Now, I would like the 5100's so i can raise the front end to level it for some 33" BFG's :-)

 

 

Which was one of my points earlier.

Ranchos may be fine for some of you but does not offer any adjustability despite how you think they handle on their own.

Yondu Enthusiast

Yondu

Posted
Posted

Bilstein says the 6112 springs have a spring rate of 750lbs, linear. I've read oem is 560.  To me it sounds like these would be much, much firmer but I've read it doesn't quite work like that.  

 

Maybe someone smarter than me will be able to explain why, but I figured I'd share the info. 

Red_5 Enthusiast

Red_5

Posted
Posted

Here's a 6112 thread already started, maybe we should leave this thread 5100s to avoid confusion.

 

 

Sierra Dan Senior Enthusiast

Sierra Dan

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 6/7/2019 at 1:11 PM, Gearhead1000 said:

Serra Dan I have procomp pro runner. 

20190607_113620.jpg

How do you like them Phil?

I know they only have 2 settings on the front shocks.

0" lift (stock) and 2". You basically flip the collar/lower spring seat one way or another.

Otherwise they look similar to the 5100 on the outside and cost is comparable.

Also come with a 90 Ride Satisfaction Guarantee :thumbs:

Edited by Sierra Dan
Gearhead1000 Enthusiast

Gearhead1000

Posted
Posted

Sierra Dan, I thought they did a good job of managing the loads. Maybe a bit stiff empty but I never am so I would have bought them again if not for the premature seal leak. I think the ultimate shock would be adjustable. So I could soften it up for empty and then dial it up for loaded. But I can say they were night and day compared to stock. 

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

    250.4k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,847
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    FiLo
    Newest Member
    FiLo
    Joined

  • Who's Online   6 Members, 0 Anonymous, 654 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • wassupdoc
      Wiper Blade Replacements

      By wassupdoc · Posted

      sorry to bump an old thread, im a bit clueless with this stuff, would these fit a 2019+ Silverado? https://wiperpro.com.au/products/chevrolet-silverado-wiper-blades mainly wondering if the beam shape stays planted at highway speed, thats what seems to let the factory ones down imo
    • mysery1
      What have you done to your K2 today?

      By mysery1 · Posted

      I have a 2018 Silverado Custom with 156k on the odometer. In the last month I've replaced the plugs, wires and the driver side engine mount. My wife just returned from a trip of about 1500 miles and told me the brakes are making a grinding noise when applied. I drove it and looked it over and this is what I found with the driver's side rear rotor.   I'm going to order new pads and check about having the rotor resurfaced. Hopefully this is easier than the last 2 jobs.   Peace  
    • FiLo
      5.3 / 6.2 valve covers / oil burning

      By FiLo · Posted

      Any update if the new valve cover help with the oil consumption?  I have a 2014 GMC sierra and my truck is consuming a lot of oil so I’m wondering if replacing the driver side valve cover will stop some of the oil consumption. Thanks 
    • Deadwood
      primary drive belt tensioner

      By Deadwood · Posted

      I bought belts and pulleys for my '20 L5P at Rock Auto a couple years ago. I have used them for many years, and almost always save significant money, especially when I buy maintenance stuff ahead of time.   They carry many OEM parts, which is all I use unless an aftermarket is shown to be same/superior, or if it is an insignificant part or unavailable OEM part anywhere else. RA is usually lower priced, often by a bunch, but parts are sometimes unavailable or out of stock, and I do shop around and sometimes find better prices at other sites.   Be aware that you pay shipping, and if you buy multiple items and they are coming from different warehouses, the shipping can kill the advantage. Planning ahead is best if possible.   If you have a transmission service in the near future, check out their OEM (AC Delco ULV) fluid, usually MUCH less than anywhere else.
    • Deadwood
      10L1000 anyone with High Mileage ? I hate Damocles....

      By Deadwood · Posted

      New member here, very long time occasional guest. Saw this thread, thought it would be a good time to contribute someting. It is only my experience and not a claim that everyone will have the same.   I bought my '20 3500 L5P new and have put 99.9% (literally) of it's current ~400k miles on it myself, with over 50% of that towing loads between 4k to 15k, and to me this truck has been nothing short of amazing. For the first 235k I had zero issues, and from there until 321k I replaced a NOx sensor, two failing glow plugs, and three of the notorious injector connectors. I believe this truck is in part, a testament to good luck, but also good care and following a decent maintenance schedule (I also keep meticulous records.) As a result, it looks as good as a well cared for 70k rig, up and down, inside and out.   At some point before that 321k mile mark I began to get a little spooked about the 10L1000, especially the valve body. Word of mouth about potential issues prompted me to jump on the net to sift through all the noise and determine what all the fuss was about. I routinely take long trips, coast-to-coast and points in between, so roadside breakdowns can be '...a thousand miles from nowhere' and a bit of a challenge, and though I had no issues, my guard was up and activated.   And then I stumbled across a chance to salvage some parts off a new 2025 that had been wrecked in transport. I grabbed a few wear items (alternator, pulleys, etc.) and on a whim asked what the ten speeder would cost me. It was cheap...really cheap. I knew some changes had been made in the '24+ version 10L and were supposedly not compatible, but I called service/parts at my local Chevy dealer and asked why and they didn't know. A call to a well known aftermarket transmission outfit revealed it was very likely it would be fine, but to them not 100% sure.   Because it was cheap (really cheap) and I was spooked, I took the chance. Had it installed by a local shop and it worked like a champ, shifted just like the original. At it's first service at 37k, I had the shop put in a Next Gen valve body kit, which after some initial hiccups and rough shifts, smoothed out though with somewhat firmer shifting.   All that said, I have a very serious concern about my newer transmission as just two weeks ago it suddenly began to exhibit a strong reluctance to engage forward or reverse. It was a bit past due anyway so I took it in for service. The reason it was sticking was due to 'glitter' in the fluid clogging the filter...not good folks, often indicates a converter giving out. We ended up going ahead with the new filter and fluid, first to see if it would move and shift, and then if so buy me a little time. It did, and I've driven it over a thousand miles and it is shifting smooth, no noises or slipping. Regardless, it looks like a third gearbox is in my future so I can resume taking long trips with some confidence. In the very short term, my curiosity will have me examining the fluid to check how much glitter has reappeared.   An earlier poster had alleged, in the context of 10L100 failures, that it is another example of how we seasoned citizens somehow descend into hysteria, lose control of our senses, and react irrationally after brief encounters with the idiocy of the internet infosphere. Let me say (and I have used and abused said internet since it's infancy) there is no segment of the populace that has a corner on over-reaction to digital garbage. Just as my offering of experience in this arena is purely anecdotal and should not be considered gospel or all-encompassing, I believe it is still worthwhile information to consider, along with other relevant anecdotal experiences about things like complex transmissions, especially when balanced with other sources.   So to answer the original question, yes I got high miles out of my first 10L, trouble free for 321,000. Now I really wonder how much longer it would have went. Did I 'overreact' to the internet ghouls by replacing a 'good' one with a 'bad' one? Maybe. Who knows, the thing might have taken a puke a 100 miles later. So I'll just fix it again, then move on and start thinking about all the other stuff that will eventually wear out. It still has the original brakes (they're at ~60%), original injectors/pump, turbo, water pump, etc....pretty much original everything. Knock on wood.

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...