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Bilstein 5100 vs. Leveling Kit

Xterrable

By Xterrable
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EagleRising Enthusiast

EagleRising

Posted
Posted
I've been debating this as well, but am leaning towards the simple GM 2in leveling kit my dealership sells.  I, and I may be the only one ever, am happy so far with the ranch shocks that came on my 2020 Elevation/X31 package.
 
I have read so much back and forth on the UCAs, angles, etc.  The GM techs indicate that I don't need anything beyond the kit, the install, and the alignment.  The people who seem to have issues with the leveling kits go above 2in, or already have 2in, and go 2 more, correct?
 
If I want to be safe, am I best just leaving it alone if I don't want to spend the money of the 5100s plus install, etc.?
 
Thanks all!
What kit? I know they sell the 2in TB/AT4 suspension kit. But haven't heard of a level kit

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Dunn
Dunn

if you want to go 2" it wont matter what kit gets you there (2" is 2").....you can buy eibach or bilstein kit and they will mimick the gm kit and they are cheaper and better quality.....the gm kit get

lapoolboy
lapoolboy

I just installed Bilstein 6112s up front with Icon tubular UCAs and Bilstein 5160s in the rear.  I already had the "Trailboss" 2" lift so I have the longer axles...the Bilsteins I bought were for TB/A

lapoolboy
lapoolboy

Yep, I've run across all kinds of ignoranance and misinformation on the lifts for regular trucks vs. TB/AT4.    It will ALL bolt up just fine....but like you said, it may not level it and yo

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Interleukin6 Enthusiast

Interleukin6

Posted
Posted

I am looking for Bilstein front shocks (part#: 24-293297) that look like "out of stock/back order"... Although Bilstein is so papular, why is it so difficulty to buy them?  Where can I buy them?

Dunn Senior Enthusiast

Dunn

Posted
Posted (edited)
16 hours ago, ero2 said:

I've been debating this as well, but am leaning towards the simple GM 2in leveling kit my dealership sells.  I, and I may be the only one ever, am happy so far with the ranch shocks that came on my 2020 Elevation/X31 package.

 

I have read so much back and forth on the UCAs, angles, etc.  The GM techs indicate that I don't need anything beyond the kit, the install, and the alignment.  The people who seem to have issues with the leveling kits go above 2in, or already have 2in, and go 2 more, correct?

 

If I want to be safe, am I best just leaving it alone if I don't want to spend the money of the 5100s plus install, etc.?

 

Thanks all!

if you want to go 2" it wont matter what kit gets you there (2" is 2").....you can buy eibach or bilstein kit and they will mimick the gm kit and they are cheaper and better quality.....the gm kit gets you longer CV axles (they do this becasue they didnt drop the differential in TB i believe )....but yeah 2" is pretty much benchmark where you can use stock componets and not worry too much.....aftermarket UCA will be stronger and have better articulation but not needed if just doing normal stuff light offroad

 

gm kit will run you $1000-1200 plus labor $500-700 ( can buy them on ebay for cheaper)

other 2 kits are probably under $1000 with labor 

king or fox kit is around $3500 installed

 

 Eibach and Bilstein shocks are better quality than the ranchos

however the ranchos dont ride bad and monotubes are better than the twin tubes....

 

king, fox, icon, make really nice kits but obviously $$$$

 

your truck will be safe either way.....its not a big deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Dunn
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lapoolboy Senior Enthusiast

lapoolboy

Posted
Posted

I just installed Bilstein 6112s up front with Icon tubular UCAs and Bilstein 5160s in the rear.  I already had the "Trailboss" 2" lift so I have the longer axles...the Bilsteins I bought were for TB/AT4 and I set the front to 1.2" height to level it.  I'm happy as a pig in slop.  Ride and handling is great.

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ero2 Enthusiast

ero2

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Dunn said:

if you want to go 2" it wont matter what kit gets you there (2" is 2").....you can buy eibach or bilstein kit and they will mimick the gm kit and they are cheaper and better quality.....the gm kit gets you longer CV axles (they do this becasue they didnt drop the differential in TB i believe )....but yeah 2" is pretty much benchmark where you can use stock componets and not worry too much.....aftermarket UCA will be stronger and have better articulation but not needed if just doing normal stuff light offroad

 

gm kit will run you $1000-1200 plus labor $500-700 ( can buy them on ebay for cheaper)

other 2 kits are probably under $1000 with labor 

king or fox kit is around $3500 installed

 

 Eibach and Bilstein shocks are better quality than the ranchos

however the ranchos dont ride bad and monotubes are better than the twin tubes....

 

king, fox, icon, make really nice kits but obviously $$$$

 

your truck will be safe either way.....its not a big deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for the insight on this!  When I said 2" "kit", I was referring to the basic 2in block for the front.  I WISH I could get a real kit for $500 installed.  With that said, based on your comment above, since it's still just 2in, but does not add or remove any parts but the block, all should still be good?

Dunn Senior Enthusiast

Dunn

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, ero2 said:

Thanks so much for the insight on this!  When I said 2" "kit", I was referring to the basic 2in block for the front.  I WISH I could get a real kit for $500 installed.  With that said, based on your comment above, since it's still just 2in, but does not add or remove any parts but the block, all should still be good?

i thought you were doing susension lift.....i am not a fan of spacers but yeah they work and if your mall crawling wont hurt anything.....you do lose travel so if you hit anything remotelty rough it will bottom out prematurely

 

you can get eibach front shocks or bilsteins for $500 installed.....the fronts anyway or pretty close to that......dealers are crazy expensive usually in labor cost

 

ask lapoolboy.....he went from spacers, to gm kit to what he has now i believe so he would be good source on difference between. them in newer trucks.....ill never do another spacer kit again, they ride like ****** imo

Dunn Senior Enthusiast

Dunn

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, lapoolboy said:

I just installed Bilstein 6112s up front with Icon tubular UCAs and Bilstein 5160s in the rear.  I already had the "Trailboss" 2" lift so I have the longer axles...the Bilsteins I bought were for TB/AT4 and I set the front to 1.2" height to level it.  I'm happy as a pig in slop.  Ride and handling is great.

can you tell the difference now?......i remember on your first kit you said if felt about the same, but now you had it done several different ways....

lapoolboy Senior Enthusiast

lapoolboy

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Dunn said:

can you tell the difference now?......i remember on your first kit you said if felt about the same, but now you had it done several different ways....

Yes, cutting the droop stops off helped.  With the lift before, the stock arms were getting into the stops with minimal down-travel. There is no more "jarring" now and more articulation.

 

Dunn Senior Enthusiast

Dunn

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, lapoolboy said:

Yes, cutting the droop stops off helped.  With the lift before, the stock arms were getting into the stops with minimal down-travel. There is no more "jarring" now and more articulation.

 

Pretty nice setup you have now....so you just got 6112 made for TB and you are at like 3.2 up front now ......what did they run you $?....I think those are rebuildable as well....might even have increased your travel with those....I know the kings give another inch or so on theirs...probably others as well

 

The bilsteins and icons use same digressive valving so should feel somewhat familiar if you decide to change dtl...

Edited by Dunn
lapoolboy Senior Enthusiast

lapoolboy

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Dunn said:

Pretty nice setup you have now....so you just got 6112 made for TB and you are at like 3.2 up front now ......what did they run you $?....I think those are rebuildable as well....might even have increased your travel with those....I know the kings give another inch or so on theirs...probably others as well

 

The bilsteins and icons use same digressive valving so should feel somewhat familiar if you decide to change dtl...

That's correct.  The 6112 pair with springs was $730.  The rear 5160s were $410 for the pair.  I am at 3.2" up front with 2" blocks in the rear.  I spoke to Bilstein several times and they said their testing showed 3.2" was maximum safe height with TB axles.  I think they are a smidge more travel than stock Ranchos, I'm taking advantage of that now with the Icon UCAs and no droop stops.  My only gripe with the setup is the greasing of the UCA bushings....I can't get a wrench on the bolts to loosen them because the springs take up the whole coil bucket.  ?  Pumping grease to them without loosening is a no-no, but I don't really feel like tearing the front end down to grease bushings!  So, Icon coilovers probably going on order soon! They aren't as large diameter and I can get to the bolts.  

 

Final thing I want to do is try to fit some Ridge Grappler 35x11.5x20 on there.  I have the stock size 275/60R20 Ridge Grapplers on it now and they look puny.

Edited by lapoolboy
Gangly Senior Enthusiast

Gangly

Posted
Posted

I liked the Ranchos on my Z71 A LOT, they absorbed imperfections on and off the road remarkably well.  My problem was they didn't last 20K miles before the front end would float like a pontoon boat over every rise or swell on the roadway and would continue to bounce 2-3 times before settling down.  If it wasn't for that, and that fact that the Eibach kit came with new springs as well, I would have purchased the GM kit.  Holding the shocks side by side though, one looks like a child's toy while the other looks like a real, get it done, shock. 

 

Just remember, whatever you would pay to a dealership for a desired component or system, you can usually find a MUCH better equivalent for cheaper elsewhere.

NorthernAT4 Enthusiast

NorthernAT4

Posted
Posted

I went a similar route on my at4 but different components. Bilstein 5160 rear

bilstien 5100 front set to middle .55”

motofab 1” lower spacer

cognito upper control arms

seems to work well. Didn’t want to compress the spring to much so that why I decided on the lower spacers. This lifted me 1.75” and gave me a 1/4” of rake. I cut the droop stops off for the new UCAs. Ball joint angle is good and tire clearance with stock wheels is plenty. CV angle is no better off but not the worse I’ve seen. 

31BF446F-1035-4133-9371-E1D4E8016405.jpeg

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