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Bilstein 5100s, Hell Bent, Daystar, ReadyLift ?

Are Bilsteins the number one way to level the new dodges?

63K views 173 replies 74 participants last post by  Warmachine1320 
#1 ·
Tons of threads on here for bilstein 5100s, Im just wanting to know which is best?

I a looking to purchase my own and would like to know which people prefer, it usually hell bent or bilsteins. Or at least thats what im seeing.
If i could get some help as far as which is the best for the 2012 ram, as far as ride and leveling....:4-dontknow:
 
#2 ·
Yes, they are a little more expensive than the spacer-type kits but if you want the BEST, it's Bilstein 5100s hands down. If you haven't already seen it you should find and read Bilstein's explanation of the differences between the 5100s and spacer kits. Their site is a little hard to navigate because it has so much stuff on it but it's there somewhere. The Bilsteins level the truck properly with no compromise and their ride is perfectly truck-like....not too soft, not too firm. What else would you expect from the name that comes factory on several high performance vehicles? Not to mention the huge number of end users and the extremely small amount of complaints...most of which I have seen are actually related to improper installation. This isn't saying that the other kits aren't quality products or that they don't work well but you said you wanted the best.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Longhorn, the adjustable 5100s are the only ones that give any sort of lift. The regular 5100s are just replacement struts. Some poeple like to order the regular ones to go on the back to compliment the adjustables in the front. This is what I did on my old 2006 Ram and it rode great....just right. My experience with the Bilsteins on that truck and the gobs of info that I have read about them is what I am basing my opinion on.

Here is the link to the comparison I spoke of earlier.
http://www.bilsteinus.com/fileadmin/user_upload/user_upload_us/pdfs/Bil_LevShks_WebArticle.pdf

And here is a link to the strut you would need for the front....
http://cart.bilsteinus.com/product/24-187367/1502249

And the rear, just in case you want those too....
http://cart.bilsteinus.com/product/24-187374/1502249
 
#9 ·
i love mine and would highly recommend them. do all 4 corners and wait till you see the ride improvement. less cadillacy and more trucky...if that makes sense....haha:devil:
 
#10 ·
I have read a LOT about the Bilsteins and have yet to read a complaint or issue that was not related to improper installation. That's not to say they are difficult to install....they really aren't. They are a relatively new, one of a kind product and some mechanics who aren't familiar with them just try to sling them on without doing any homework. That's what causes issues.
 
#12 ·
Being that your truck is basically new (assuming anyway since it's a 2012) I think the decision to put the Bilsteins on the rear is basically just one of personal preference and finances. If I were you I would probably consider getting atleast 40K miles or so out of the rear stockers before I switched but that's just me. The main reason I put them on the back of my 2006 was because it was approaching 70K miles on the stockers and I got a really good deal in them from someone who bought them and then needed his money back before he installed them. Good luck with your decision!
 
#13 ·
I ordered a set of 4 from THmotorsports about a week and a half ago... kind of lame, becuase the shocks were hard to find, one shipped from KY, one shipped from PA and both struts shipped from CA. So I got one shock friday, one saturday, and UPS slates delivery of my struts ond of day today. The plan is to get them in before the 4th.

The 2 reasons i went with the 5100s are the fact they are a true "upgrade" not simply a spacer. they increase ride performance, and are used in mopar 2" lift kits as well as OEM performance GM, TOYOTA and other catalogs.

the other reason (and this is preference and opinion) but on a 2011 i want something the dealer will stand by. i was considering the 2" spacers but those stayed in the mopar catalog about as long as it took to clear a fart in the wind. if the dealership wont offer it, i dont want to put it on my warrantied truck.

as far as warranties go, ive read a few things and per the MOPAR CATALOG, they are aperformace upgrade and arent under warranty, so if you blow a bilstien strut off roading, its your dime to repair/replace. but since its a mopar listed part it wont void other parts of the warranty, and if installed properly any damages it causes (under normal road conditions of course) will be warrantied. i have read on here that some dealerships will warranity the full kit-n-kaboodle but that seems to be an dealer independent gig, and id get it in writing.


STARQUEST, what issues have you heard of when shops installing them? i am debating between doing it myself or having a shop do it. they quoted me $125 to put them in and when i told them they were the adjustable 5100s they said 125, 150 if they had to re-adjust them to get the leveling right. my ram is a 2011 with under 6K miles on it and i have heard with under 10K everything should come out pretty easy, and i was going to rent a spring compressor, or see if the shop i plan to get it alligned at would for $20-$40 swap the spring to a new strut if i brought the 4 struts in off the ram..
 
#14 ·
I wouldn't have done any other level, the bilsteins are by far the best. I opted to keep the rear stockers for now and will switch them out with bisteins later this year when I get more miles on them.
 
#16 ·
see if autoplicity.com (thmotorsports) has all 4. it was a pain since they shipped form 3 locations but i now have all 4, and paid $380 dropped to my door, i dont think you can beat that. i have the part numbers saved if you cant find them, but looking them up that way yields more searches, i found. searching by vehicle turns out summit, 4x4 off road warehouse, and other bigger names. by PN i found more off name warehouses and found them all day for 100-105 each. this one company happed to have them at 95 and 74 strut/shock.

i havent slapped them in yet. im still sitting the fence on doing them myself or paying someone, since my trucks so new, but i think im being a (female body part)..

seeing has how its less than a dozen bolts to get the strut out, and a spring compressor from there. and the shocks are 3 bolts or something retarded easy, and i have done a cam and roller rocker swap in my driveway on a 95 lt1 camaro and it ran and even dynoed out over 300whp, i think i need to man up and do it myself.
 
#17 ·
itsreese.....The only problem I recall reading about involves a washer that goes on the top part of the front strut. It's been a while but to the best of my memory it goes on the bottom side of the strut mount but a few people have mistakenly installed it on the top of the mount directly under the nut. Just make sure whomever installs them follows the directions to the letter instead of installing them how they think it should go.

Also, not trying to discourage doing it yourself but if you do, make sure you have access to a heavy-duty, preferrably wall-mounted spring compressor. I have read about a few people breaking the cheap parts store rent-a-tool compressors. Also, the 4x4 shop that put mine on my 2006 said that the springs were some of the stiffest ones he had ever compressed...and that was with 70K miles, lol.

I paid $40 total to have the rears put on and $150 to a different shop to have the fronts installed. I had to wait on the fronts because I couldn't find the key to my locking lugs. Anyway, knowing what I know now I would definitely install the rears myself. Paying to have the fronts installed is a personal preference decision but I do think you were quoted a good price. As for the shop having to adjust the setting after install...they do realize that they have to come completely back off to adjust them, right? Kinda weird if they would do a job once for $125 but do it twice for $150. I would do some research and look at some pics and know what setting you want before install. Hope this helps.
 
#21 ·
autoplicity has the best price at 96.74 a strut and has 13 in stock... only one shock in stock but at 73.27 its worth cheching on a back order if you want to do all 4. if you are just doing a front jobbie, then i dont think youre gonna beat that. they arent free shipping, but youll have to find them at 110 each at free shipping to still break even.

Starquest, the whole $25 to redo the front seemed sketch as hell to me too. whos to say they dont get it right then charge me the 150. sure its a good price, but shady none-the-less. Pungo Off Road does them more often, and was at 150 for all 4.

I am active duty military, so i decided to call the base 5 miles from my house and for $5 an hour i can have access to a fill set of someone elses fully organized tools, an air compressor with air tools if needed, a lift and a wall mount and a c clamp style spring compressor. best of all there is another dude there to ask for a second pair of hands since my 100lb wife wont be the most helpful at heavy lifting.


im going to try and see if i cant get the rear shocks in friday after work using jackstands in the driveway or sat before the hobby shop opens at 10. that way i can measure the lift (if any on the rear) to estimate the height i will use on the front.

i have watched the hell out of theyou tube videos for pulling the strut since thats the part that isnt in the instructions with the struts, and it seems very straight forward. and i made sure that when i got my 5100s the struts had instructions, since my shocks had none. but the only things that come in that box are a nut and washer, everything else is re-used from the old strut.

so i think i have decided to do it myself having access to the tools for cheap, but im going to print out as much info as i can to be safe. have you heard anyhting about torque on those nuts for the ball joint or sway arms? all the videos use impact guns, so that means, get it on there 1/4 turn past as tight as you can, but didnt know if anyone here knew.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I wonder if maybe the shop that quoted you $25 for the redo thinks that the struts are adjustable without removing them? They certainly are not, lol. I don't see any need to have to adjust them anyway. There are enough pics of third and fourth gen trucks at the various settings to look at and make your decision. Most folks seem to go with the highest setting which is 2.8" on the fourth gens. I have also seen a few go with the next lowest setting, or 2.1". I decided which setting I wanted and put the snap ring in that groove myself. That way when I took them to the shop I didn't have to worry about them screwing it up, lol.

If you have access to that array of tools and have done your homework (which it sounds like you have) then I bet you can pop them in with no problem. Update and post some pics when you get it done!

Oh yeah, as for the rears....I'm not certain but I was under the impression that you didn't even have to jack up the rear to change them? Also, on my third gen the rear 5100s provided exactly zero lift.
 
#23 ·
yeah... either way i didnt get the warm and fuzzy from them. So, since i have found access to a base hobby shop with all the goodies. i am going to do it myself Sat.

im going to put in the rear shocks take a measurement, then shoot at the front height. if its that bad, the second time you do it is always faster anyhow. i will try to get pics up as soon as i can get it alligned and its sunny out.
 
#24 ·
I am looking at the Bilstein 5100 kit on downsouthmotorsports.com
It includes 2 front 5100 that are adjustable and 2 rear 5100 stock replacements to compliment. The price is only $360 w/ free shipping. Does anyone know if the rear 5100 help at all to keep the rear of truck from sagging the bed is loaded or when towing minor loads.

Link to kit:
http://downsouthmotorsports.com/i-8...stein-5100-series-ride-height-adjustable.html
 
#26 ·
Unfortunately, having them in front and rear, i can attest, there is no height difference in the rear, only the front.

as far as payload thats not how shocks (or struts work). they, hence the term "shock absorbers" absorb the initial impact going over bumps. so they solely affect ride condition, or in a performace application can take a higher amount of shock before compressing keeping your cars frame parallel to the road in a sharp turn. the bilstein 5100s are in fact hand compressable, meaning unless you are built like my wife you can compress them by hand.

payload is affected by your progressive rate coils. so if you want to affect the rear sag loaded, you can try and find stiffer coils, or get a coil spacer, to hike up uranus.

the bilsteins are a performance/off road application, not really a payload or towing enchancing application.
 
#28 ·
The shops I talked to recommend them but after I found out they only work on 4x4's I went with the daystar and I went with daystar which gave me a great level on my 2wd. I wanted a 4x4 but the used prices on them were too high for something I wouldn't really use much but there are soo many better lifts and level kits. I figure I will just do some bilstein hd shocks and struts later. I have to say if I had the 4wd I would have used them I have always had adj coildovers on my cars more for lowering but being able to adj to the height you want it what makes them great.
 
#29 ·
itsreece....thanks for the awesome explanation. I hadn't thought about it that way but that makes perfect sense.
 
#31 ·
Before

After

 
#33 ·
itsreese,

Which base did you go to? How long did it take you to install them? Did you actually disconnect all the crap that most videos show or just remove the shock, compress the spring and swap out shock?
 
#46 ·
itsreese,

Which base did you go to? How long did it take you to install them? Did you actually disconnect all the crap that most videos show or just remove the shock, compress the spring and swap out shock?
Sorry for the delay, I thought I was subscribed to the thread. I went to Ft Story (Little Creek VA) and just used the standard impact tools and a lift.

I am not mechanically incompetent but im not a total grease monkey either and, got to the shop when they opened at 9 on the lift by 10 and had it to Tread Quarters for alignment by 3. In my posession after a shower and change on my way to hooters for beers at 6.

The rears I did without removing anything, just using a floor jack in teh driveway, but using a wrench doesnt tighten them enough, I got rattle. While in the shop i popped off the inner fenders to get clearance on the nuts and hit them w/ the impact and it went away.

On the front, I took the nuts off the Steering control and and sway bar, but put the nut back on to keep everything in place. I had <5500 miles on it so my ball joint just slid right off. after that, 3 nuts and one bolt/nut and the strut was out. Used a hand type compressor on the spring and whammy. Put it back in, hit it all with an impact... drove around the block on gravel in 4hi, then rehit it all with the impact again. it was actually real easy IF you have access to the right tools and can pay attention to detail.. i.e. not forget to tighten something important like a ball joint or steering arm.
 
#34 · (Edited)
It's a daystar 1.5" spacer for the 2wd Ram. The tires are Cooper Zeon 305/55r20. For $40 it was a good deal. Will probably ride better after some new shocks and struts since mine have 100k but I didn't notice any ride difference before and after the spacer. With I had a 4wd the bilsteins would have taken care of 2 things at once.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Just thought I'd show before and after pics as well on the 5100 adjustable install, set at 2.1" up front on my 4x4. Went from OE height of 36.25" to Bilstein height of 38.25". Wasn't hard at all for the DIY'er. This is the third truck I've owned and put Bilsteins on, and on each one, it has always improved the ride tremendously. Sorry for size difference in pics; two different cameras. As far as the threads question; is this the best option? Price wise with a lifetime warranty on the shock; the best ride enhancement for my 4x4 most definitely. As for a 4x2, you could probably get away with coilspacers and have no problems with speed wobble.
 

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