New shoclks after torsion keys...

therick · June 17, 2005

I apologize if this has been covered, but the search window isnt working for me.

04-Sierra - Extended cab

I recent replaced the torsion keys and blocks giving me about a 2 in lift.

Im bouncing down the road. Can anyone help me with locating the shocks I would need to replace the stock shocks?

Im kind of lost because any site i go to asks me for year, make & model, but that just gives me what i already have.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Rick

silverad03 · June 17, 2005

I'm interested to hear as well. I did quite a bit of research before I decided to go ahead and put Ford keys on my silvy, but didn't stumble over any shock answers around here while researching.

Also, I am putting Bilsteins on and the next step up from OEM replacement appeared to be for 4" or 6" lifts - so I ordered the OEM replacement Bilsteins. Will these be long enough to get that last bit of extra travel or is it time to go shopping for washers?

Thanks

1st new GMC · June 17, 2005

I actually did a lot of research about this a few months ago, and tried a few different brands of shocks. I cranked up my T-bar keys to level out my truck and found out the front shocks were completely extended, making a horrible ride quality,and a bad steering "feel".

The short version of the story is: there are no shocks availble that will fit properly with the T-bars cranked up. The only different lenght shocks that exist are made for 4"-6" lift kits, and they won't compress enough to be useful.It will make the shock be fully compressed just to fit into the mounting points.

I ended up lowering the T-bars to the point where the lower control arm is centered between the bump stops, this gave me a decent amount of suspension travel, and my truck wasn't completely "nose down". I used some "OFF-Road" package shocks that I bought from someone in the classified section. The truck rides decent and steers like "stock".

Hope this helps you.

silverad03 · June 18, 2005

I actually did a lot of research about this a few months ago, and tried a few different brands of shocks. I cranked up my T-bar keys to level out my truck and found out the front shocks were completely extended, making a horrible ride quality,and a bad steering "feel".

The short version of the story is: there are no shocks availble that will fit properly with the T-bars cranked up. The only different lenght shocks that exist are made for 4"-6" lift kits, and they won't compress enough to be useful.It will make the shock be fully compressed just to fit into the mounting points.

I ended up lowering the T-bars to the point where the lower control arm is centered between the bump stops, this gave me a decent amount of suspension travel, and my truck wasn't completely "nose down". I used some "OFF-Road" package shocks that I bought from someone in the classified section. The truck rides decent and steers like "stock".

Hope this helps you.

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Thanks 1st new GMC!

Although not quite what I wanted to hear it is nice to get an educated answer.

Ok, when I cranked the T bars I noticed that the sticker on the cross member warns against raising the height above the recommended Z-height because the shock may break and take out the brake line.

I didn't completely level my truck out because I think it looks better with just a little bit of rake. Anyway, the ride is rougher, but not overly harsh.

Anybody know if I should be concerned about my new Bilsteins breaking and ripping a brake line out sometime down the road since they will be topping out fairly often? Or is that sticker just another product of blood-thirsty attorneys

therick · June 19, 2005

I ditto that!

Thanks, but not quite what I wanted to hear.

1st new GMC · June 20, 2005

Glad I could help, even though it wasn't what everyone wanted to hear.

As far as the shock tearing apart, I doubt it could happen,because when the T-bar is cranked all the way, the upper control arm is just about resting on the "stop". I had about 1/4" of clearance on my truck, which gave me less than 1" of droop, or downward, travel.(A wheel dropping into a hole is downward travel)

When I mounted the 4"-6" lift kit shocks, they were completely compressed, so if I went down the road and hit a bump, the compression, or upward, wheel travel would have ripped the upper shock mount clean off of the frame.(all of that impact force will have to go somewhere).

After I realized all of this, that's when I decided to adjust the torsion bars so the lower control arm will be centered between the bump stops. I think the end result was the truck was about 1" lower in the front compared to the rear, not enough to be worried about.(for me,anyway)

I'm positive that if someone could fabricate a "shock extender", stock shocks would work well w/ cranked T-bars. The shock only needs to be extended about 2".

I tried to locate some of the extenders, but I could only find them w/ standard threads, the OE shocks use metric threads on the top mounting stem.

Another thing to remember is when the T-bars are cranked, you will get alot of "bump steer" because of the angles the outer tie rods are on.

therick · June 20, 2005

Question: What is "bump steer"?

juicy · June 20, 2005

one fo my friends just put on the off road unlimited hd leveling kit for his 2500hd and i believe he either put bilstein shocks or fox shocks on his truck, i know they make a siz for it... ill have to get with him on it to find out

silverad03 · June 20, 2005

one fo my friends just put on the off road unlimited hd leveling kit for his 2500hd and i believe he either put bilstein shocks or fox shocks on his truck, i know they make a siz for it... ill have to get with him on it to find out

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Keep us posted juicy

Wingnut · June 20, 2005

ProComp makes a shock for our trucks with 1"-3" of lift.

How do I know?

I have them on my truck.

Wingnut · June 20, 2005

The part numbers they gave me were: 325509 and 314580.

silverad03 · June 20, 2005

Would you expound on your Pro Comps Wingnut?

-Which model do you have? I assume the ES Series?

-How do you like the ride of the Pro Comps? How does the ride compare to the factory Z71 Tenneco's?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

silverad03 · June 20, 2005

The part numbers they gave me were: 325509 and 314580.

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Thanks for the part numbers! Looks like the ES 3000 series.

Wingnut · June 20, 2005

Yup, it's the cheap ones...But so were the stockers...So that's a wash.

I cranked my bars probably an inch and a half, and the ride was shaking the fillings out of my teeth. These shocks corrected that, and restored the ride close to stock.

silverad03 · June 20, 2005

Yup, it's the cheap ones...But so were the stockers...So that's a wash.

I cranked my bars probably an inch and a half, and the ride was shaking the fillings out of my teeth. These shocks corrected that, and restored the ride close to stock.

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Great info. Thanks Wingnut!