I was wonderin' if anyone has either Bilsteins or KYB MonoMax shocks on their truck??
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/cgi-bi...b_monomax.html
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/cgi-bi...bst_truck.html

I've always had KYB GasAdjusts on all my vehicles and loved 'em. Lived in Pothole City (NYC) for alot of years and they survived there no problemo. I marveled at the ride my Screw had when new - now i got 50K and the factory ones are BEAT (what a surprise I know) . I got the Offroad package which I think had stiffer shocks to begin with . I do about 85% highway driving (my offroad is beach and firetrails) so my fear from what I've read in other posts is that the Bilsteins are gonna be a HARD ride, and it's not like I'm gonna be frothin' my shocks up on woops somewhere.
I 've had the 17" Goodyear RT/S tires that everybody hates and they've been fine for me. I run em at 36PSI or more and will replace them with maybe the Dayton Timberline AT's next week. (BTW at 50k they still have decent tread on em) The new tires are not steel belts so i don't know how they'll change the equasion.
So please anybody with the above shocks tell me how they ride and how you like (love) 'em.

Thanks
WT

 

Go with Bilstein's.

I had them in my Chevy Silverado (when I had it) and they were great. Firm yet smooth ride with increased handling abilities. Made in Germany. Lifetime warranty.

My brother just installed a set in his Ranger and loves em too!

My 02. cents

Jim

 

Jim,
Smooth ride better handling. That's what I like to hear.
From what i saw the Bilsteins are charged to 360psi the Kyb's to 280. The difference there is that the Bils will take more mashing without foaming - it's the valving though, that makes the ride different from what I'm told. I think the difference in price is about 40-50 bucks when all is said and done at my door. Kyb's were OEM on lots of teutonic iron as well for years- May still be and has a lifetime warranty as well.

Thanks,
WT

 

WT,

The ride is FIRM yet smooth. These are not Monroe's from Sears if you catch my drift. But when I had them I felt a huge improvement from the stockers.

I think I will put a set in my Screw when the stock ones (Rancho's) from the FX4 package are shot.

Jim

 

Jag,
Thanks i know EXACTLY what you mean about the Monroes from Sears (been there done that- they were worse than the BEAT ones i took off)!!- and man do i hate to do somethin twice but i went around the block pulled back in the garage and put the old ones back on went to Sears and threw a fit then left and learned you NEVER buy cheap shocks- that might have been my intro to KYB's back then- I was ALOT younger.
At this point I might just flip a coin-I think they're probably both great shocks.
I'm thinking about a Heliweg rear sway bar as well.
Thanks for your input.
WT.

 

So between the Bilsteins and the KYBs it's a toss up?

What about the Rancho RS5000 or the Rancho RSX?


Tom

 

I have the bilstiens on my truck and love them. They are stiff but you will notice the extra control imediatly. The KYBs are great but not as stiff and are a diffrent design that will last a long time but maybe not like the Bilistines. Now the Bilstiens on my last truck actually got stiffer over time with the offroad abuse.

I will give you an example of what I mean by stiffer. Park you truck next to a wall or car or something, open the door so it is about an inch away from the object next to you. Now step off the truck and see how much the truck goes back up.

On my truck (I weight 260 pounds) when I step up, the gap on the door next to the car dosen't even move! It feels very solid and this is just from replacing the shocks!

The old shocks did have a more car like ride where they smoothed out bumps on the freeway a bit and dips were more of a "floating" feel. If you like that car like ride more then the KYBs may be better for you, if you don't care about the car like ride and just want the extra stiffness and control (I take corners a lot faster than I could before and braking is better too) then get the Bilstiens. As far as the Ranchos go, I don't think there bad shocks but there not quite up there with the KYBs or Bilstines.

Oh yea and because there stiffer you can carry a little bit more weight in the back and tow more. And you may get about a half an inch of lift on a 4x4.

 

Thanks D, and everyone else

Well , I ordered the Bilsteins about 5 oclock (EST) today.
Got em from http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/
$60 for the front 65 for the rear - 8 bucks shipping that's $261 to my door.
FYI the fronts listed for the 4x4 SCrew and F 150 4x4 are different. The backs are the same. In the info the ones for the 97-02 f 150 4x4 are for those trucks WITH OR WITHOUT THE OFFROAD PACKAGE. The ones for the SCrew don't differentiate. I happen to HAVE the offroad package on my SCrew.
I called Bilstein and actually got a tech guy on the phone immediatly. He must have pulled the specs on his screen cause he said the rebound on both was the same but the compression on the non-SCrew was higher (meaning Ford doesn't expect you to REALLY thrash a SCrew offroad - that's my interpretation not his). I called my dealer and they said weightwise, the two comparably equipped would weigh about the same (139 " wheelbase) sooo, I basically ordered the standard 4x4 shock set instead of the SCrew set. Hope I didn't get carried away...... But I'm thinking I may not have to get the rear swaybar if they're as taught as D says.
BTW I called and got a guy at KYB but he didn't seem nearly as on top of his game as the Bilstein guy, though he was candid and honest. I couda gone either way but decided to roll the dice and try somethin new- i can always sell em here if i hate em.

Now i gotta attack the tire issue.......
WT

 

WT,

I am sure you will be very happy with your purchase. Let us know how they work out.

Jim

 

What !!!! Am I the only one that likes Edlebrock?


The ride is stiffer and it handles better but Off-Road is where they work the best .

 

Off Road Warehouse is located here in San Diego. Really nice people. My dad actually sells motor oil and lubricants to them. Congrads on your purchase, you won't be sorry.

 

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I'll give yall a review when i get em and drive em for a while.

Canyonsliker,
i considered the Eldebrocks- the people here that have em like em. When i was searching around I found a comparison on the KYB site . Check the suspention forum i posted the link there . I think the thread was "if you're thinking about new shocks read this" or somethin like that it's within the last week so it might still be on the 1st page .

WT

 

Does anyone have any experience with Tokicos'
Trekmaster line of truck shocks?

 

I had them on my old 96 explorer and I loved them! I bought it as a "handling kit" that had 4 shocks and 2 composite leafs that replaced the bottom load leafs. That thing handled very well in the turns for a heavy suv. I am going to replace my shocks with Trekmasters real soon.

 

Newbie, 4 yoear old post? WTF?