Shocks

[jadmt]

I ran Bilstien 5100’s on my ‘05 and they were better than OEM in every aspect, and excellent on the highway.

I don’t have the option for the ‘22, so when the time comes I’ll run 4600’s.

I ran rancho long ago, and thought they were awesome until I tried a different shock and then realized how bad Rancho was.

I will say that I put RS5000’s on my TJ last year because all the forums said they were better than 4500/5100’s in that application. They haven’t been as bad as the RS5000/9000’s I ran on several other rigs, but I’m not impressed with their paint job. All 5 look like they have 200K miles on them, not 6K miles. They started rusting out the week I installed them.

pretty sure they are painted with white chalk....I have experienced the same on JK's. decent riding shock for the money but absolutely crap finish.

 

[Gondul]

I'm sure this question has been ask many times, maybe even by me, but I am going to change my OEM shocks and am having a tough time deciding between Bilstiens 4600's and Rancho RS5000's.

I want shocks that will give me the most comfortable HIGHWAY ride. What have you guys switched to and what are your pro/cons.

Thanks to all.

Ray

I emailed both CJC and Shock Surplus and got told pretty much the same thing.
4600 is an OEM replacement and work just like OEM shocks, they are just built better/last longer.
For my need of highway/towing (sorry, forest roads don't count as 'off road') 5100s were recommended as a 'best choice'.

 

[desertskier]

I recently installed 5100's on the front but the rears are on backorder so still waiting. Maybe a mistake but they seem to work well. Much better than the stock shocks. With stock suspension they probably aren't operating in the sweet spot but still have plenty of travel.

Front PN#: BIL-24-251747
Rear PN#: BIL-24-302326

 

[McHenry2500]

For those of us with the Off-Road package, would upgrading to the 5100's be a big improvement? Any noticeable difference?

 

[Will_T]

I emailed both CJC and Shock Surplus and got told pretty much the same thing.
4600 is an OEM replacement and work just like OEM shocks, they are just built better/last longer.
For my need of highway/towing (sorry, forest roads don't count as 'off road') 5100s were recommended as a 'best choice'.

That is pretty much what Discount Tire told me and yet, many say they were told the 5100s cannot be used on a stock truck. Post 11 above implies that too. I am still waiting for an answer from Bilstein. Nothing yet.

 

[Gondul]

That is pretty much what Discount Tire told me and yet, many say they were told the 5100s cannot be used on a stock truck. Post 11 above implies that too. I am still waiting for an answer from Bilstein. Nothing yet.

Every forum I happened to run across where they asked this question, the response they got back from Bilstein was 'no'... my guess is simply liability.

When I made my inquiry about Fox vs 4600, I was told that the 4600s were simply better build OEM style shocks and that 5100s would be better suited as Fox are really for off-roading applications and not really made for towing/highway (though many use them that way). I told Shock Surplus the same thing I had read/seen (5100s were not supposed to be for stock trucks).

This is the response I received form them, take it for what you will.

So the 5100 will fit. We have compared them to 4600 with are OE replacements and this is what we get:
Bilstein 4600 Front
2 x 24-302074 - Extended Length: 21.45" - Collapsed Length 14.65"
Bilstein 5100 Front
2 x 24-268639 - Extended Length: 22.63" - Collapsed Length 15.03"
The compressed side is a little north of 0.25" and the extended is about a 1.25" difference. Your compressed side is what matters the most and the difference is marginally different which should be perfectly fine.

 

[Redfour5]

Has anybody done the switchover from stock to the Bilsteins 4600's? I have em as I have the off road package. Could someone describe subjectively what they feel like in terms of differences.

 

[Will_T]

I recently installed 5100's on the front but the rears are on backorder so still waiting. Maybe a mistake but they seem to work well. Much better than the stock shocks. With stock suspension they probably aren't operating in the sweet spot but still have plenty of travel.

Front PN#: BIL-24-251747
Rear PN#: BIL-24-302326

Thanks. Maybe there are others that will post here with results that have put the 5100s and some miles on their 19+ stock trucks.

 

[Pearce]

Just to have the information included in this thread, this is what I got from Fox for 2022 2500 4x4:

You have a few very good options. Our Performance series 2.0 IFP shocks are a good performer and definitely a good upgrade for a daily commuter and some trail use. The Performance Series 2.0” Reservoir Shocks are a step up from the IFP shocks and would provide better moderate off-road use when there is lots of tire/shaft movement for prolonged periods of time. You also have the Performance Elite Series 2.5” diameter body shocks. This is the next step up in performance, durability and compression adjustable. The 2.5’s are more of a sport tune for a daily driver and set up for a more aggressive off-roader.

 

[Gondul]

Thanks. Maybe there are others that will post here with results that have put the 5100s and some miles on their 19+ stock trucks.

Sadly I'm lazy and have installed none of the suspension components I've purchased (which includes the 5100s).
Debating on whether to do it myself (doesn't seem complicated, just time consuming), or wait until I need new tires and just do everything at once...

 

[neutroniens]

Thanks guys, I am leaning toward the 4600 Bilstiens.
Riddick, I looked at Fox but, I am pulling a 5'r so a lift is not an option.
Thanks

Just to have the information included in this thread, this is what I got from Fox for 2022 2500 4x4:

You have a few very good options. Our Performance series 2.0 IFP shocks are a good performer and definitely a good upgrade for a daily commuter and some trail use. The Performance Series 2.0” Reservoir Shocks are a step up from the IFP shocks and would provide better moderate off-road use when there is lots of tire/shaft movement for prolonged periods of time. You also have the Performance Elite Series 2.5” diameter body shocks. This is the next step up in performance, durability and compression adjustable. The 2.5’s are more of a sport tune for a daily driver and set up for a more aggressive off-roader.

I had the Fox 2.0 on my 2019 2500 CTD 4x4. Loved them. Much better than stock. Kept the tire planted without being too firm. I towed my 5th wheel on a 5000 mile trip and the shocks worked great.

 

[thecastle]

I'm doing the shock instal myself. I have done shock installs before, so the ram is pretty simple. I think it will take me about 3 hours with less than optimal hand tools. The only thing I recommend that would help a ton, is a racheting 19mm socket wrench for the top bolts on the front shocks. I'd say its a 10-15 minute job with the right tools per shock. You don't have to remove the tires to replace any of the shocks. I didn't. I also just market the bolts so I could re-torque them to the same spot with a breaker bar. Its the easiest shock job I've done. Its a lot harder with struts.

I would think a shop would charge 2-4 hours of labor to do the job. But if your mechanical I'd give this maybe a 3/10 in difficulty. No lifting, no tire removal, and etc. Its pretty easy.

 

[ClawSS]

You also have the Performance Elite Series 2.5” diameter body shocks. This is the next step up in performance, durability and compression adjustable. The 2.5’s are more of a sport tune for a daily driver and set up for a more aggressive off-roader.

I'm headed in this direction...reluctantly.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I'm doing the shock instal myself. I have done shock installs before, so the ram is pretty simple. I think it will take me about 3 hours with less than optimal hand tools. The only thing I recommend that would help a ton, is a racheting 19mm socket wrench for the top bolts on the front shocks. I'd say its a 10-15 minute job with the right tools per shock. You don't have to remove the tires to replace any of the shocks. I didn't. I also just market the bolts so I could re-torque them to the same spot with a breaker bar. Its the easiest shock job I've done. Its a lot harder with struts.

I would think a shop would charge 2-4 hours of labor to do the job. But if your mechanical I'd give this maybe a 3/10 in difficulty. No lifting, no tire removal, and etc. Its pretty easy.

It's 18mm and you'll need a ratcheting box wrench.

You'll also need a 9mm box to hold the stock shaft.

Just did mine yesterday. Driver side was cake, passenger side the wheel liner is in the way buy can be moved to gain access without removing it.

Turn the wheel out on each side for easier access to the lower front bolt. The front side is a captive nut on a flat bar that will drop.

You'll need to drop the spare (likely) to gain easy access to the driver side top rear nut. Those are 21mm. Can't recall if the lower bolt head was 18 or 15.

If you're a stickler for torque specs (I am mostly) the rears are 133lb.ft. The front lower is 37lb.ft +105°. Bilstein states the top nut is just "tightened" down to the shaft shoulder. That one takes a 6mm hex in the top slot and the same 18mm box wrench.

 

[thecastle]

Interesting. 19mm for the nut for me and a 6mm hex to hold the shock on the bilstiens 4600. The 18 wouldn’t quit fit for me. Also the stocks for me were 19 on top. I tried 18 on them as well. Yeah the rears I did today were a mish mash of sizes. I ended up using a breaker bar to do the top bolt little by little. Thanks for the torque specs. I should hit them when I have a chance. I just marked them with a sharpie to get them back to where they were which is imprecise. I tighten the tops of the fronts to good and tight. But it was just finger tight with my hand near the racket. Last time for me doing shocks was a couple of years ago. It’s the 4th set I’ve done. Can’t say the bilstiens are bad. But not a substantial improvement over oem. I replaced mine as the truck had been lifted with out changing shocks. I returned it to stock ride height and replaced the shocks just to be sure.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Interesting. 19mm for the nut for me and a 6mm hex to hold the shock on the bilstiens 4600. The 18 wouldn’t quit fit for me. Also the stocks for me were 19 on top. I tried 18 on them as well. Yeah the rears I did today were a mish mash of sizes. I ended up using a breaker bar to do the top bolt little by little. Thanks for the torque specs. I should hit them when I have a chance. I just marked them with a sharpie to get them back to where they were which is imprecise. I tighten the tops of the fronts to good and tight. But it was just finger tight with my hand near the racket. Last time for me doing shocks was a couple of years ago. It’s the 4th set I’ve done. Can’t say the bilstiens are bad. But not a substantial improvement over oem. I replaced mine as the truck had been lifted with out changing shocks. I returned it to stock ride height and replaced the shocks just to be sure.

It took quite a bit to compress the top rubbers with ~3/8-1/2" of the rod threads showing.

 

[thecastle]

That is where a self ratcheting wrench or an impact could save a lot of time. If I was to do this over again, I would have a self ratcheting 18/19 mm wrench for the fronts. I saved the nut from the old shocks and they were 18mm, along with the lower bolt on the rears (they were torqued enough I used a breaker bar). Or at least it was the socket I still had on my breaker bar. That was the most time consuming part was for me using a curved spanner to move the bolt a quarter of a turn at a time. Both front with top bolt and rear using a breaker bar. But this was still trivially easy compared to doing coil overs, or struts and swapping springs to the new shock body. Thats one thing I like about trucks they are easy to work on.

https://www.amazon.com/Jetech-Indus...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

That would save a ton of time. I just put the allen in place so its wedged against the liner, then go to town with the wrench. I did take the old ones off by just attaching vice grips to the shock shaft wedging them and hitting them with an impact. taking off the old ones I didn't care about preserving the shock.

I also found torque specs for bilstein top nuts.

What are the torque specifications on the top nut of my shocks?

Take a look at our torque specifications to ensure proper installation.

academy.bilsteinus.com

Overall swapping from the stock shocks to the bilstien's for me was a minor improvement. I mainly did it becasue, it was cheap, The previous owner had lifted the front 3" with the stock shocks, and I figured they were tired from being abused with a lift. But give me road surfaces and time to see if my opinion changes.

 

[Riddick]

Once you break the top shock nut loose there is no need to use the 9mm on top of the shock. While installing my Fox 2.0s I did not have to use a second wrench to hold the shaft in place, I was able to hold the shock body with my hand as I tightened the nut down and compressed the bushing. Also, the ratcheting wrenches really speed things up but make sure you have one with a swivel head

 

[dieselscout80]

Once you break the top shock nut loose there is no need to use the 9mm on top of the shock. While installing my Fox 2.0s I did not have to use a second wrench to hold the shaft in place, I was able to hole the shock body with my hand as I tightened the nut down and compressed the bushing. Also, the ratcheting wrenches really speed things up but make sure you have one with a swivel head

Did the Fox 2.0 shock help with the ride of your truck? What are the details of your truck?

 

[Riddick]

Did the Fox 2.0 shock help with the ride of your truck? What are the details of your truck?

Overall I would say minor improvement in ride quality. The best way to describe them would be increased dampening all around. I have to enter my driveway at a slight angle and on stock shocks when each front tire hit the entrance my truck would bounce you from side to side in a harsh manner. With the new shocks it smoothed it out a bit, you can definitely still feel the curb entrance but its a lot more mellow. I no longer feel like my head is going to smash the windshield or go through the side window, lol. Also, while driving around town when you hit the bigger bumps the truck stays planted now vs getting bounced around. When I removed the stock shocks I was surprised at how easy they were to compress. They had 6k miles on them and took minimal effort to compress.

My truck is basically stock, 1" spacer lift on front and stock 20 in wheels and tires.