I purchased and installed Bilstein 5100 shocks with the 2" lift option. I must have missed something, because there was no way to make the 2" lift work without compressing the spring about 5". The shock is the same length as stock, so to get more height, the spring must be shorter. This means harsher ride. So, I put the snap ring on the stock setting and put them on. Ride height is the same as stock and I blew an extra $70.00. The shocks had no instructions on how to make the lift work. I'm trying to get someone from Bilstein to call me back on this. The good part is the truck rides fantastic, no more mushy rear end and handles much better. Anyone out there try these and get the 2" lift to work?

 

I'm confused, we're talking about the fronts right? One second you say something about the springs and than you're talking about the rear suspension. But, I've got them on the front in the 2" setting. Just put the snap ring on the upper groove and load the spring on. It's not hard at all and it rides better than stock IMO.

 

x2 very easy install

 

Yes, I am talking about the front shocks. I mentioned the rear because it made a big dif. in firming up the rear. Back to the front. A shorter spring = harsher ride. You are basicly preloading the springs. So if you compress these springs 2" it will not ride the same. The person that sold them to me did not know what he was talking about because I asked him specificly if it made the springs shorter. For the same $$, I could have purchased 2" spacers. This is an 06 4x2 and I like the way it rides with the stock springs. Is yours a 4x4?

 

The increased spring preload will only make the initial portion of your suspension's travel slightly stiffer.

 

Yes...pre load on a spring does not make it stiffer. Springs are usually linear in rate, meaning it takes the same amount of force to compress them a certain distance. Springs are rated in this force. Say it's a 500lb spring. 500lbs of force will compress the spring 1". Another 500 will be 2". You've pre-loaded these springs for the first inch or what ever, really doesn't matter. Because of the pre-load, the spring is already at it's new resting place and this is where it will compress from. It will still only take 500lbs to compress it 1" from this new resting place.

Progressive springs are the ones that get stiffer as they compress and you can tell a progressive spring because the windings usually get tighter at the bottom, where you would want the increased firmness.

You are correct about the shorter spring...but rember this, you don't have a shorter spring, you have a pre-loaded spring. Your spring is still as tall as it was before. There's a big difference between the two.

 

Getting the 2" lift out of the front with the shocks over the spacer are you putting the same stress on the ball joints like the AS does?

 

"Getting the 2" lift out of the front with the shocks over the spacer are you putting the same stress on the ball joints like the AS does?"


I would also like to know. Im thinking about doing the same thing.

thanks
jason

 

If I understand you right are you asking about running them both together? Yeah they do have the same affect I believe and cant be used together.
If I'm wrong I'll be corrected by someone.

 

I have the 2 inch billsteins on my truck it did make the truck ride a little harsher but the body roll isnt as much as it use to be. When i installed mine i had the strut spring compressors form autozone they wasnt enough to compress the spring to install the new shock so i had to have two sets of spring compressors to be able to put the nut on the billstein shock stem, it took me about an hour and a half per side to do the install.