Bilstein 5100's on stock LT Trail Boss?

[Atlas]

I'm not a fan of the OE Ranchos...they make the truck float like an '84 Cutlass Supreme. Swapping the rear shocks is as easy as cake...it's the fronts that give me pause. A few questions:

 

1. The front shocks may provide some lift/leveling, depending on where the spring perch is set. I don't want to take all the rake out of the truck (fuel economy IS cool) but maybe a notch or two, just to lessen the extreme front squat a little bit. Should I replace control arms and/or anything else if I do that? Or, like the upgraded/aftermarket Rancho 9000xl's, do the 5100's not provide any additional lift on the TB?

 

2. Do I need a spring compressor to do the fronts? I really hate to mess with those if I don't have to.

[taze]

It looks like the 5100's can be set to give you up to 1" lift(level) on a Trail Boss. I can't comment on the control arms. I will say I went with 6112's/5160's on my RST and love 'em.  Be sure you get the Trail Boss specific part numbers either way.

 

You will need a spring compressor unless you buy pre-assembled from some place like shock surplus. I also can't help on difficulty of install. I watched a video and said no thanks. I dropped it off at a shop at open one morning and picked it up at noon the next day as it came back from alignment.

[silveradosid]

a very good spring compressor is a must. i have just about every tool known to man in my shop. i work on everything from cars to transport trucks. i had to compress mine twice as the amount of lift you get is different if you have the 2.7 turbo. after i was done i threw that compressor in the garbage

[Joe Drives]

Concur with the performance of the stock Rancho's. I kept the stock height on a non-Trail Boss suspension truck and went with the Rancho 9000's shocks and struts. Total was a little over $1500 taking to the dealer for installation. Well pleased with the ride. I set the rear about 3 and the fronts at 7. I do not tow or haul heavy and a daily driver. 

[Gangly]

I would steer away from the 5100's, not because they are bad, but because there are better options nowadays.  

 

Check Eibach out.  I swapped my Eibachs out with another set of Eibachs after having over 100K miles on the first set, and they were still in good shape.

[johnnyquick]

Yes on spring compressor, no the job is not that bad.

About 4-5 hours of commitment if you keep at it and follow instruction.

Detach at upper control arm not lower.

Bilstein is good maybe better out there, maybe not.

My experience with the Big Bilsteins (6112's ) was terrible as it rode like a 1978 C30 Pickup, which is NOT good at all...lol 

Stock springs and better shocks is what I should have done.

Edited November 2, 2025 by johnnyquick

[asilverblazer]

On 11/2/2025 at 4:11 PM, johnnyquick said:

Detach at upper control arm not lower.

What are you detaching?

Knuckle can usually be left alone.

[johnnyquick]

15 hours ago, asilverblazer said:

What are you detaching?

Knuckle can usually be left alone.

Taking upper control arm loose, so that you can swing it up enough to pull shock and spring assembly up out of there, otherwise there is no where for it to go, I tried the lower last time and it was much easier through the top than through the bottom.

[175vTrailbossLT]

The Trailboss comes with a stock 2" block from factory. If I buy the 0-1" 5100 Bilsteins, and replace the stock blocks with 1" aftermarket blocks, that should lower the rear of the truck a tad right?