sam-on

Will the 5100 series Bilsteins work on a 2005 stock 2500 QC 4x4 or do you have to have a lift or leveling kit to use them?

bansh-eman

They will work

http://www.8lugtruckgear.com/Suspens...e-HD-p266.html

sam-on

Thanks I assume the stock shocks are shot after 60K so 5100s are on order.

bansh-eman

Those guys have the best price I have seen on them too. Genos I think is the only other place that sells them that cheap.

Grit Dog

Bought mine from Genos. Yes they'll work from stock up to a 2" lift/level If I remember correctly. FWIW I didn't notice much improvement over stock. Didn't do anything for ride quality. Eliminated some bouncing over high spped highway dips/bumps. From past experience though they last a LONG time, which is good.

Highway 4x4

Are the stock shocks done at 60k? I have 78k on mine and seem to be OK. Will 5100's make the highway ride better or stiffer?

Rush Rider

At 35K my stock shocks were shot, almost scary at hi speed on/off ramps. I put the HD Bilsteins and it transformed it.
Mike

Raspy

The stock shocks are junk and should be changed right away. The problem is they don't have enough compression or rebound damping and I got a lot of topping out and bottoming. I also got a lot of skating on rough surfaces and especially around curves. Not good.

I went to Bilsteins on the front and Ranchos on the rear so I could adjust the rears.

On the front the Bilsteins are too soft and I get a lot of bottoming at low speeds, but they are WAY better than the stock ones. I've got about 160,000 miles on them now and they may be getting worn out.

On the rear the adjustable Rancho 9000s are great for variable loads. They can be turned up to prevent wallowing with the heavier loads or when towing.

Both kinds keep the wheels on the ground over rough pavement much better than the stock shocks. They are just safer and make the truck handle better.

The best shock for the front might be a Bilstein that has heavier initial damping, or low speed damping. But they are not that great on the rear if you plan to tow or haul.

BroncoAZ

I added the Bilstein 5100's on mine with about 25K miles on the truck. I noticed that it didn't jump nearly as bad on curving ramp expansion joints. The ride seems better on the highway, and definately better on dirt roads. I couldn't tell you how they compare to the Bilstein HD or other replacement shocks on these trucks, but on my three F-150s the Bilsteins were much better than the Rancho, Edelbrock, or Monroe shocks.

The Bilstein rep told me that on a stock truck the HD shocks were valved specifically for the application, while the 5100 were more generic. Since I wanted the option to add a leveling kit later without replacing the shocks I went with the 5100 series.

bansh-eman

The HD shocks are a "performance shock" for stock trucks. The 5100 are designed for lifted trucks. The HD's are the yellow tubes with bule cover and the 5100 are the Silver zinc shocks.

BroncoAZ

Didn't I just say this in the previous post?

Highway 4x4

To say a truck rides better is a poor way to describe the ride as better could mean different things to different people depending on where and how they drive and what feels good to them. Example, corners better also usually comes with a stiffer ride.

BroncoAZ

By better I mean the shocks are doing a more effective job of controling the axle movement without an increase in the harshness of the bumps. The ride is more comfortable while handling characteristics are improved.

The factory shocks are garbage, and are designed to do the job as cheaply as possible. The factory units can not react smoothly to control the tire motion (you feel more from each bump until the shock catches up), but once they do react they can't control the motion effectively (truck leans more or front end bottoms out).

Highway 4x4

I have decided to keep the 03 so new shocks might be on the way. The fwy's are so torn up here in So cal it's a wonder they don't cause accidents and might be. When I tow I do notice some up and down in the rear from the TT. I just don't want the thing to ride stiff. Controal the bounce and dive, yes, make it float over the wash board and torn up fwy's, yes.

BroncoAZ

Control the bounce and dive without making the ride harsh, yes. Nothing but an air ride system will make these trucks float over the washboard. I noticed an improvement with the Bilsteins, but not a magic bullet to make it ride like a 1500.

I get some up and down bounce in the rear when towing my 20' trailer, but I don't think it's from the shocks. I think it's caused by the spring tension of the equalizer hitch. I've been meaning to try towing it without the load bars in place. I only towed the trailer twice with the factory shocks, and about four times with the Bilsteins. I honestly couldn't tell you if there was a difference from the shocks.