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I am needing to put new shocks on all corners of the truck. It is lifted 2 inches in the front and rear. What brands? Part numbers? And where can I get them? What can you tell me about the ranchos and bilsteins that are available for my truck and any others?

The truck is a 2003 ram 2500 quad cab 4x4.
 
Here is what I have.

- Bilstein Front 5100 Series F4-BE5-6681-H5

- Bilstein Rear 5100 Series F4-BE5-6647-H5



The Bilstein site lists those for 2500s with 2" lift in the front and no lift in the rear. Kore sells those same ones but modifies the valving in the front ones (or maybe it is the rear ones). Edit: It is the rear ones. See post #17 in this thread: https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132971



When I had a 4" lift in the front and 2" lift in the rear, I had the same front listed above and Bilstein 5125 Series F4-BE5-6249-H5 in the rear.
 
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I phoned KORE and got 4 Bilsteins for my Dodge which will accomodate a 2" lift. I suggest you look up their website, or search this forum for 'KORE', and give them a call.



I am perfectly happy with my 'KORE' Bilsteins. The fronts are stock Bilsteins, the rears have been modified by KORE to meet their spec.



Worth every penny in my opinion.
 
AlexWV said:
Here is what I have.

- Bilstein Front 5100 Series F4-BE5-6681-H5

- Bilstein Rear 5100 Series F4-BE5-6647-H5





I have the same shocks on my 2" RevTek spacer leveled truck. Got them from shocks.com for about $75 each. Worth every penny.
 
I doubt you can get KORE modified rear shocks from Shox.com. Fronts yes since KORE does not modify Bilstein fronts for Dodge.



You can save money at Shox.com. But I am sure you cannot get KORE Bilstein HD rear shocks anywhere except from KORE.



There is a difference worth paying the small difference in price!
 
I agree, KORE modified shocks are only available from KORE. I did not state that KORE products could be purchased from shocks.com, I was pointing out that I ordered the part numbers listed from shocks.com for $75 each.



I've never ridden in a "KORE" vehicle, so I cannot speak to thier performance or worth. I can say that I am quite pleased with my "standard" shocks, and have no buyers remorse in not purchasing from KORE.



If the KORE front Bilstein is unmolested and is part number F4-BE5-6681-H5, then why would I want to pay $110 (or whatever it is) instead of $75?
 
Andy:



It's 83 a piece.

Best price I found was 67 from offroad wearhouse, I think.

I ended up ordering from KORE for all 4. And I did that for one reason. Bilstein 5100 front shocks are in transit from Germany, should be available state-side mid august. That was too long for me to bounce around. :) and Kore is the only place I found that has them. correction, HAD them. :)



My total from Kore was just under 100 per shock, but I had to buy lightly used ones (at discount & w/ full warranty) because the front 5100 supply issue.



~Matt
 
I stand corrected. KORE charges $83/ea for the 6681's and $110/ea for the 6647's ($386 total). Shox.com had them (Plain Jane Billstein 6681's and 6647's) in stock for $73. 70/each ($294. 80 total). $91. 20 cheaper. Even though mine are not custom valved for the rear application, they are still Billstein shocks. I stand by my decision.



Let me also clarify that I bought from shox.com and not shocks.com
 
I'd be curious to see what kind of difference my extra $70 - 80 bought me in the rear. I'd imagine it isn't much, but curious minds want to know. :)



Andy- Any DW issues with your truck before you went with bigger tires?



~Matt
 
Yep, I didn't put on the bigger tires until AFTER "curing" DW. I drove probably 20k miles with the RevTek pucks before DW surfaced. I had DW four times in two weeks, then took the truck to the alignment shop. Yada yada... It either got cured or masked... not sure which. So far, the tires haven't made any difference. Thankfully. There was a big thread by Yo Hoot, something to the effect of "Death Wobble Cured... thank you Kent Kroeker". There's a LOT of DW info in that thread. Pray that you NEVER have to go through experiencing DW.
 
I'm fighting it right now.



I have a few things left to adjust. I added a DSS to the PS box, and 1 of the bolts broke off the front sway bar, (in the mount, might I add) so replacing that should help. My shocks are shot- I've noticed that when I hit bumps, and the shocks can't handle the abuse- that's when the truck gives up & goes into psyco mode. So the 5100 should adjust that. After that bolt has been replaced, & the shocks are on, I'll get it alligned again (NTB, $130 3 year all-you-can-align) and see where we are at.



~sigh~ I "think" that should do it. If it dosn't, I'll take a closer look at my front ball joints.



If I had the $$ I'd love to buy your truck Andy, it looks like you've done a great job with it. I'd hate to see you in a minivan. Maybe a Megacab??





~Matt
 
BTW, NTB keeps telling me that around 3. 7 positive caster is all they can get on my truck. Are they shooting strait w/ me?



~Matt
 
First thing I did when I got home after "Near Death Experience #3" was crawl under the truck and crank the caster bolts in circles, settling on what appeared to be the full forward position (read: as you crank the bolts in a circle, you can visually see the axle moving toward and away from the control arm. I turned the bolt until the axle was as far away from the control arm as it would adjust, & tightened the bolts back up). After having FULL POSITIVE caster, I expexted DW to go away. Not so. Next day, I had "NDE #4". At that point, I decided that pro's needed to work on the truck. So, I took it to my most trusted friends at a local alignment shop and requested an alignment with as much positive caster as they could give me. Alex (owner) immediately asked if I was trying to cure Death Wobble, to which I responded "yes I am. ". He said "put it on the rack, let's see what we've got. ". The Checked ball joints, pitman arm, tie rod ends, u-joints, track bar, etc... pretty much everything under the front end. Said everything was in spec there. Then they performed an alignment, balanced all 4 tires, putting the two best tires in the front, and removed a turn and a half of play from the steering gear, and told me to replace the shocks. So, I parked it until I got the shocks as I didn't want to risk DW again. Got the new shocks, took it immediately to a known DW inducing spot, and sure enough, 71mph+freeze joint = wicked DW. SO, I drove her back over to Alex. Rotated caster to NEGATIVE 4. 5 degrees (had been at 7 degrees POSITIVE), and put on a Fabtech Dual Steering Stabilizer. No DW Since. With the big wheels and tires, it seems to have completely disappeared. Although I still whince every time I go over a bump.



Before running across Alex Hendry Alignment here in Nashville, I always used NTB with great results. When I was in college, I worked for a Hunter rep. I did a lot of machine calibration and training. The NTB shops always had the most knowledgeable techs and ALWAYS kept equipment in good working condition. So if you're going to go somewhere, I'd have to recommend them. WITH THAT SAID, I think they should be able to crank more than 3. 7deg positive out... I am a testament to positive caster not always being a good fix.



Thanks for the compliments on the truck. She's a beauty, and I hate to see her go... I've got a bad habit of buying trucks, making them better and then selling them to start another. I usually don't start with this good of a base stock though!! :D
 
Andy is correct that the Possitive caster that we recommend on setup is not always a cure. I have seen positive and negitive caster cure DW. I have also seen the replacement of the 315 BFG AT cure it by itself. No adjustment needed. Most of the people who call us, that are expiencing DW have a setup like Andy. Spacers and 315's. I am not trying to put blame on the spacer or the tire. It is just what we hear all the time. A good alignment shop with a sharp tech can set your truck up to be fine. Adjusting Toe in, caster and the steering box are the most important adjustments you can do to help cure DW.

Greg
 
If you're out of ideas, and your local shop doesn't seem to be much help, I would strongly suggest talking to Greg and/or Kent. Some guys I work with that also drive these trucks and I talked to Greg AT LENGTH one day. He was very helpful and his information helped me to discuss the issues intelligently with my alignment guy. The KORE guys know this suspension inside and out. It's hard not to know it well when you break every piece of it so that you can figure out how to make a better replacement. :D
 
AndyMan said:
The KORE guys know this suspension inside and out. It's hard not to know it well when you break every piece of it so that you can figure out how to make a better replacement. :D



Now thats not fair!!!!! :-laf I only have only broke half of the stuff!!! :eek:



Greg
 
Look on Andy's face when something breaks = :(

Look on Greg's face when something breaks = :)



I think you need to lay off the "gnarly coffe" dude!! ;)
 
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