dtrkstan

I'm 1500 miles from my tool box although I do have some good sockets.and a garage..so how hard is it to install some new Geno's Bilstein shocks, I heard good things about those shocks, with a fair price. Truck is stock ,drives straight and true, but I'm feeling the road a lot more. I'm ashamed to say I got 65000 on these originals. Any thoughts?

bradler

good floor jacks and stands would help also. I foregot what the factory towers look like that work with the pin tops, but all you should need to do is undo tower bolts, undo lower shock mount bolt, pull out old shock, drop new one down into coil, re-install lower bolt, and push tower down and install bolts. if you can get jack stands under frame and let the axle drop you won't fight compressing the shocks to get it all back together. rears are pretty straight forward.

MoparNut

It's not hard at all if you have the right size sockets. I don't remember the exact sizes but you need one for the rear shock bolts and lower front shock bolt and one for the front tower and one for the top nut on the front shock shaft. I found the top bolts on the rears to be difficult with a wrench, so I used some long extensions on a ratchet to reach in from the wheel well to get at them.

diesel4play

I just put the Bilstien 5100s on my stock height truck a 2 months ago. It is pretty easy.
The backs will require a 3/4" socket and a wrench or another socket. The extensions mentioned above are a huge help as is 1/2" drive rachet for breaking loose.
The fronts are just like bradler said but I think you needed metric sockets and end wrenches. I did not lift the truck and compressed the shocks by hand, I go abut 230# so it was not hard.

bruce03

I had over 100k on stock shocks, replaced with Bilstein 5100s. The rear was fairly easy but the front was next to impossible by myself. Between fighting the shock compression, limited space on driver side front and trying to bolt the shock tower down I gave up and waited for my leveling kit. It was much easier after I dropped the axle. Probably could have done it with an extra set of hands without dropping the axle but I had to drop it to put the leveling spacers on. Bruce

adamsmarshall

Not hard at all, the passenger side front will come out with the shock tower and then you can just take the shock off the tower once out, the drivers side can but it's easier just to take the tower loose first (from the shock) just take the bottom bolt out first though, I found that easiest. Going back in do the exact opposite. The rears are self explanatory and very easy. If you have any trouble feel free to shoot me a message I'm happy to try to walk you through it if you need

Rednecktastic

I think you need a 13/16th socket. It's pretty easy just crank them down tight.

dtrkstan

Thanks to all you guys that answered...thats why I love this forum, everyone is so helpful. STAN

adamsmarshall

Anytime Stan

ozpall

you don't even need to jack up the truck.

D-Roc

How does everyone like the ride on the Bilsteins? Are they any rougher, or smoother than oem? Obviously they are going to be more durable and of better quality. Just curious about how they affect the ride before I get some.

homewrecker

Those Bilsteins make it hard to compress the shock tower.I figured out its easier to leave the nylon banding strap on that they come shipped with and drop them in and get the bottom bolt started and get the tower nuts on and then cut the strap and let them expand into place.No leaning over the fender pushing with all your might this way.

ozpall

bilstein shocks are great, 100 times better than oem. i got 100k miles on my truck so i'm sure my shocks were the stock ones so it really made a difference. i had bilsteins in my off road truck before and i really like em so now i have em on my dually, still gotta change the rears thou.

radshooter

Does anyone tow heavy with the bilstiens? We have a fiver that weighs in around 17500 lbs. We tow all over western US.

Rednecktastic

They make a couple different kinds, I think the yellow ones are the HD ones. Ask around, I buy my stuff from Lorenz and he could probably help you to.