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How is the ride quality after install?

Bilstein 5100 Shocks

6K views 25 replies 14 participants last post by  Grubrunner 
#1 ·
Please feel free to add comments reguarding ride/handling characteristics after your install.
 
#5 ·
I've read that thread. I gather he likes them a lot, LOL. There was a link to another thread where they said the 5100's stiffened the ride quite a bit.

I figured this poll would gather the general consensus.
 
#6 ·
I love the ride improvement of my 5100s. yes it is slightly firmer but feels more solid. I drive down a road on my way to work that is very badly cracked and the blacktop is breaking up in places it is about 1.5 to 2km and the stock shocks made the truck rattle and shimmy now i just cruise right over them no wandering banging or rattling. All said I love the ride in my truck now and the fact that it sits level is just a BIG bonus. Get them you wont be sorry!
 
#7 ·
i want them but cant find them i tryed the essex website but it wont work:(
 
#10 ·
I put them on my 11 1500 4x4 Quad last week. I LOVE the difference. Perfect stance and ride, for me. I will be putting on the rear Bils soon. It firmed up the front just enough. It felt a bit on the squishy side before the mod. I put the snap ring on the highest (2.8") setting. After putting roughly 80 miles on the truck with about 10 of them off road in 4 Hi theres no signs of the 4 Hi shutter or any front end "death wobble". Very happy!
I also bought the rear lift spacer kit from Ready Lift. I will most likely sell it because I like the truck just the way it sits.

BTW, I bought mine from 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers, but I know Central 4 Wheel has them too, for those looking.
 
#12 ·
From what I've heard, death wobble is usually in 2wd driving down the road. You hit a bump in the road and it feels like your front wheels are flopping around under the front of your truck. At higher speeds it can feel pretty crazy, from what I've heard. Never had it myself, but my buddy has an 08 2500. He put a spacer lift on the front and had it BAD a couple times and took off the spacers. Freaked him out big time! Supposedly lifting the front of these trucks with spacers, etc. changes a critical angle in the suspension that causes this. For a reason I dont know, it doesnt effect all trucks.
Maybe someone with more knowledge or experience with this can chime in!
 
#15 ·
How hard are these to install on a 2011 1500? I've done plenty of shocks on coil spring front ends, but never tackled the coil over design. How much compression is there on the coil over design compared to the coil spring design? Thanks for any feedback! I really would like to get the truck leveled and this seems the best way to do so. Bilstein says this shouldn't effect the factory warranty, is that true?
 
#17 ·
How hard are these to install on a 2011 1500? I've done plenty of shocks on coil spring front ends, but never tackled the coil over design. How much compression is there on the coil over design compared to the coil spring design? Thanks for any feedback! I really would like to get the truck leveled and this seems the best way to do so. Bilstein says this shouldn't effect the factory warranty, is that true?
The shop that put mine on is run by a friend of 30plus years. He said they were a pain in the ass to do but I didnt ask him why. He had a lot of questions about them for his ram as he thought they were very nice. I would imagine if you have a very good spring compressor you should be able to do it, but you will need an alignment after.
 
#20 ·
Yea the ride does get stiffer with the install of the Bilsteins. It does make for a much better ride
 
#21 ·
Pix would be great. With pix, did you do front/rear or just front? Highest settings? Also, did you use spacers w/ the 5100's?

Sorry, I just don’t want to have to take the front end apart twice. Once and DONE.
 
#23 · (Edited)
my 07 had worn factory struts when i bought it, so it was hard to judge compared to stock, but i Love the ride after. I dont think its to firm at all. rides great. I went top ring all the way with mine. Which made the front end sit up a smidge. after about a week of it like that i added a 1" block to the rear which added a slight rake. Im happy with it but to many leaving the front up would be fine. hands down though the best $200 bucks u can spend. if ur lazy spend the extra $150 and get the Rancho setup that comes with new coils and has adjustability. makes install much simpiler for the do it ur selfer. btw pro comp should have their adjustable ride hight strut out by the end of April. I spoke with them on the phone and theirs sounds pretty promising as an alternative to the 5100.

WITHOUT REAR BLOCKS


WITH REAR BLOCKS
 
#24 ·
I would say that the ride is very much better than the stockers. I have mine set at max height and did the rears at the same time. I don't get the feeling that Im on the bump stop when hitting big bumps here in Hawaii anymore. I will say that I need new end links for my sway bars as the front feels different. All in all very nice ride and really is an improvement over the stockers
 
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