Peace not War - Shock Question

[Joe Mc]

I'm familiar with the saying "you'll get as many different replies as there are members". So, I'm not looking to start a war here just looking for opinions that relate to my specific application. And yes, I'm also familiar with the saying "opinions are like . . . ".



Need new shocks to complement new tires. I rarely go off road and if/when I do it's very sedate driving, kind of touring at a low speed an occasional hill or bump taken at low speeds - so far. I don't pull anything - so far, on occasion I may have a load in the bed. Generally it's my daily driver, my daughter and wife will join me on short local and long cross country trips. So, I'm looking for a shock that will fit my "usually comfortable" ride. Of course I don't expect to end up with a ride like my wife's Volvo or mothers Town Car. I recognize it is a truck and should/will always ride like a truck. I just don't want to end up with a bone jarring ride that will alienate my family and dissatisfy me.



Let er rip guys . . .

 

[testraub]

Bilstien (sp)

 

[24V-DSL]

130K on my Bilsteins, and no sign of deterioration. My truck used like yours. Great shocks!



PN BE5-2549 and BE5-2550

 

[Bob Wagner]

I just shipped a set to marco :-laf free shipping in the lower 48 and 57. 99 each



http://www.offroadwarehouse.com click on the tdr icon

 

[B.G. Smith]

I too, like you, do not wish to start a war but it takes two sides to do that so here goes. I have no experience with Bilsteins but have read a lot of good reports here on them. When I first got my truck, I noticed a little front end bounce with the original shocks when towing the 5th wheel, it also rode awfully rough when empty. I cought a deal on the Rancho adjustable shocks so I bought and instralled them. Mine have to be adjusted by reaching under the front ones and crawling under the truck for the rears. I have been pleased with the performance, I have 116,000 miles on truck so the shocks have been there at least 100,000 miles. They seem to be a little stiffer than the original equipment when set for hauling and are much softer when backed off for empty driving. I'm through. bg

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Bob what's up with the "Mad Bilsteins" :-laf Or "CaTcHsTeInS" ???

 

[dslmacdown]

I am running Gabriel Max Control shocks. $50 a piece at Autozone. Very low miles so far but much better than the factory shocks.



Chris

 

[DHayden]

I went with the Bilsteins recently and I like them. The biggest difference I notice is going over speed bumps. It's 35% better in the front and 90% better in the rear. With DRW's even going over them slow would suck, now I almost like it .



Not knocking Rancho because I havent owned them but I saw alot of unhappy user's that had switched to Bilstein and like them better. Thats what made up my mind.

 

[Allnew2Me]

Does anyone with the Bilsteins notice that the freeway control joint bounce is reduced with these shocks? I still have factory shocks and it gets a little bouncy at times, I'd love to eliminate that if I could. If they don't cure the bounce, what benefit do they offer in regards to ride? Thanks

 

[desertbull]

I have run the following shocks on my 99 Dodge Ram 2500 in the dirt, road and highway.



Stock OEM - 75 miles of dirt road and the front shocks were done.



Rancho 9000 - 2 Trips in the dirt in Baja and they were done.



Rancho 9000 (Replaced) - Mojave Desert Roundup and they were done.



Bilstein - 50,000 miles of excellent use in the dirt, streets & highways. Bilstein's Off-Road Division is excellent to work and the product is very reasonably priced for the excellence in normal highway, street and off-road use.



King 2. 5's - 100,000 miles of excellent use in the dirt, streets & highways - however, I had three different times where the the front shocks locked into position and had to be removed and disassembled to repair. One rear shock leaked after extensive use... however, these shocks were abused and tested to the extreme.



Fox 2. 5's - 50,000 miles of excellent use in the dirt, streets & highways - Flawless performance as of this date with no issues. We are preparing to prerun for the Baja 1000 in the next 60 days with extensive miles in the dirt. This weekend we are racing in the Mojave Desert and this chase truck will again be tested to the extreme during race/chase conditions.



Oo. Got Dodge Ram



Desertbull

 

[Van Blom]

I have run the following shocks on my 99 Dodge Ram 2500 in the dirt, road and highway.



Stock OEM - 75 miles of dirt road and the front shocks were done.



Rancho 9000 - 2 Trips in the dirt in Baja and they were done.



Rancho 9000 (Replaced) - Mojave Desert Roundup and they were done.



Bilstein - 50,000 miles of excellent use in the dirt, streets & highways. Bilstein's Off-Road Division is excellent to work and the product is very reasonably priced for the excellence in normal highway, street and off-road use.



King 2. 5's - 100,000 miles of excellent use in the dirt, streets & highways - however, I had three different times where the the front shocks locked into position and had to be removed and disassembled to repair. One rear shock leaked after extensive use... however, these shocks were abused and tested to the extreme.



Fox 2. 5's - 50,000 miles of excellent use in the dirt, streets & highways - Flawless performance as of this date with no issues. We are preparing to prerun for the Baja 1000 in the next 60 days with extensive miles in the dirt. This weekend we are racing in the Mojave Desert and this chase truck will again be tested to the extreme during race/chase conditions.



Oo. Got Dodge Ram



Desertbull

Desertbull;

How do the bilsteins work with stock suspension on a 3rd gen truck?

Do they kill the freeway expansion joint problem?



Paul

 

[BNeathery]

I changed out my factory shocks with Bilsteins at 40K and was very happy with the results, at 97K I went to KYB and the difference over Bilsteins is significant, much better handling on curves at speed, better bounce control on freeway expansion joints. When I took the Bilstiens off they were still in good shape, they just don't measure up to the KYB for my use.

 

[Lorenz]

@6K miles with Rancho 9000s and a Lance camper (3000lb+), and 5k miles with an Outfitter camper ( just under 2000lb).



My Ranchos are being sent back for warranty and will be sold on ebay when I get them back. Compression is non-exitent on both rears no matter the setting, and rebound is fading on one rear. I swore by them when new because they were adjustable. W/O compression my rear axel bounces after most bumps.



Im going to Sway-a-Way shocks. High end off road race shock! Sway-a-Ways (SAW) are adustable with a little elbo grease and a couple $3 valve shims. Im banking on this being the key to getting the right personal trade off between "cush" and better weight management and off road ability. Being able to make a shock do what YOU want, rather than picking from manufatures and thier valving is key!



****Edited because I can't spell at 12pm

 

[JPittinger]

@6K miles with Rancho 9000s and a Lance camper (3000lb+), and 5k miles with an Outfitter camper ( just under 2000lb).



My Ranchos are being sent back for warranty and will be sold on ebay when I get them back. Compression is non-exitent on both rears no matter the setting, and rebound is fading on one rear. I swore by them when new because they were adjustable. W/O compression my rear axel bounces after most bumps.

Don Thuren set me up with some incredible Fox 2. 0's for the rear. Very LITTLE resistance to compression and alot of rebound. I have custom rear leafs, no blocks, and still rated to 3/4 ton. The rear of my truck is PLANTED to the ground; no bounce. Give a setup like this a try if you like driving fast on dirt roads.

 

[desertbull]

Desertbull;

How do the bilsteins work with stock suspension on a 3rd gen truck?

Do they kill the freeway expansion joint problem?



Paul

Paul,



I can't answer that question... as I haven't had them on a 3rd Gen Truck... YET!



My experience with those particular shocks in that particular order was on my 99 Dodge Ram "Dez Tank"...



DB

 

[CSnyder]

I took my factory shocks off at 185,000 miles last week and installed new Bilsteins. I tow 99. 5% of the time and I can honestly say that in the 3500 miles since I installed them that I cannot tell a difference at all in how the truck rides while towing. I was going to order the adjustable Ranchos until I read hundreds of posts about how users didn't like them and a fellow TDR guy gave me a sweet deal on these Bilsteins. I hope if I ever get to unhook my gooseneck that the truck rides nicer empty. Chris

 

[rivercat]

anyone know if there is a bilstein that is longer for a 5" lift I would love to find a set!



Bobs link seems to be for direct factory replacement only



There must be an off-road series that will accomodate 4-6 inches of lift on a 2ndGEN

 

[rivercat]

ttt . . . . . . . . . .

 

[Dave M]

Does anyone with the Bilsteins notice that the freeway control joint bounce is reduced with these shocks? I still have factory shocks and it gets a little bouncy at times, I'd love to eliminate that if I could. If they don't cure the bounce, what benefit do they offer in regards to ride? Thanks

About 2 months ago I put Bilstein's 2549/2550 front/rear on my truck along with 6 new BFG TA's. I put in Energy Suspension control arm bushings and sway bar bushings and replaced the sway bar links. Also rebuilt the track bar with Lukes Link and bushing on other end and had it aligned.



Previous to all that I too noticed a particular section of freeway that made it sound like when you were talking as if you put your finger to your lips and went up and down fast over your lips and sounded like... . Bla. . Blu... bla. . Blu... Blaaaa. It had lots of up/down bounce thrown in too. Hmmm. I gues you had to be there?



Now its not even noticable ... . I love my Blisteins .



Dave

 

[Joe Mc]

Thanks for all the replies - Waiting on F & R Bilsteins and leveling spacers to arrive.