So I know that the Bilsteins are good and that's probably what I'll end up with, but what other options are there? I'm not thrilled about the blue/yellow of the Bilsteins. I also can't afford to spend $200 a corner for some of the really good ones. So are there any others that are a little easier on the wallet that would compare to the Bilsteins?

 

the blue and yellow ones are the hd replacement shocks. the 5100's are silver, and the ones to use if your truck is lifted- the 5100's are very good shocks for the money, imo.

 

check out the Bilstein 5150 piggybacks too. Theyre really nice. Have them on my jeep. And are silver and black.

 

the 5150's won't fit inside the coils.

 

I'm in the same boat, and also don't care for the blue/yellow look. I thought your truck had a lift on it?

 

KYB Monomax is another option.

 

No lift on my truck. I bought a leveling kit, but not going to put it on because my truck appears that it won't quite clear going into the garage if I do, and also because it could slightly hurt mileage. So stock height - except the tires.
I thought that the 5100 were only for lifted trucks, but I was on Bilsteins website and it lists a part number for applications of 0-2.5" lift in the front and 0-1" lift in the rear. The only thing I'm concerned with is that it's the same shock as for a 1500 truck. So are they too stiff for a 1500 or too weak for a 2500. They cannot be right for both. The yellow/blue HD ones are valved for the 2500 and so they must be a better application.

Has anyone run more than one aftermarket shock (on a 2500 Ram) that could give a comparison of the cheaper options? The two different Bilsteins, KYB, ProComp, Rancho, etc?

 

I still have the stockers and will need to change soon as well. I can't remember who it was, but someone here has run the KYB Monomax and really liked them.

 

i've run pro comp es 3000's (on a previous ctd), and pro comp es 9000's on my current truck. if you need to save $$$, the es 9000's will be fine, but my fronts were blown within about a year and a half. i got full credit for my pro comps under warranty from the shop where i bought them, and went with the 5100's. where the pro comps seemed very stiff, and like they deflected you over uneven terrain, the bilsteins seem to compress and rebound (cycle), giving me a much better and more controlled ride, and imo, are worth the extra $$$. the pro comps are made by rancho, so i would think performance would be much the same with rancho shocks, and probably with any of the white painted shocks (superlift, tuff country, etc.).

 

They are right for both. Bilstien uses velocity sensitive digressive valving. Simply put, the faster the shaft speed of the shock, the firmer the valving gets, to a point. Hard to describe, but if you saw the damping curve for the 5100, it ramps up as the shaft speed increases and then plateaus (flattens out) in a linear rather than progressive manner.

Don't get hung up on the weight difference between the 1500/2500, it makes little or no difference with the 5100's. Valving in the 5100 is a little more aggressive than the valving in the OEM replacement.

That's why they work so well for the scads of other folks on here that run them, and why all the performance suspension system fabricators offer them in the entry level systems

 

Amen Cowhand...

Get the 5100's...worth every penny of the 75 bucks each.

 

A little black paint will cover that yellow, perhaps?

 

So why do they make the HDs specifically for the 2500 if the 5100s are so great and adequate? It seems like they must think they're an improvement?

 

my first set of the 5100's(zinc coated) rusted up really bad with in a year-but i did get 60,000 miles out of them. my second set that i bought a couple of weeks back-have been primed and painted. they are ready to be installed.

 

omaha...you sure like to argue. No offense...

I have run both...I had the yellow/bue ones (regular) on a non lifted flatbed..one of my shop trucks...it doe snot ride as well as the 5100's.

Anyways...I have had a bunch of shocks...and I KNOW cowhand has done this a time or two. We are just trying to help. Find the closet one to stock length and run with it IMHO. 5100.