I get a little shimmy and it wonders a bit when I hit a bump a certain way . I can't get torque on my front shocks . It wants to keep smashing the top bushing down to far before the torque spec is reached. The bushing right below remains loose..??

No lift and I have the Bilstein 5100's HD's. I have the right part numbers..

I don't get what I'm doing wrong - there isn't really good instructions on installing the front shocks and I can't see an alternative way of installing them . It's as if the shocks are to short.

Anybody have this problem before? What am I missing???

 

One thing I'm confused about is the type of shock...5100's and HD's are two different shocks. 5100's are for lifted shocks and are a silver/plated color. The HD's are for stock applications and are the traditional Bilstein yellow and blue. So which do you have?? If you have no lift and the 5100's, I'd think you would notice they don't work.

Did you compare the shock extended and compressed length to the old shock you took off???

As for the bushings on top, I've always just tightened the nut until the bushings (both of them) baloon out to about flush or slightly further out past the sides of the big washers. If you've got one flatening out more than the other, it may shift around when you drive it. Don't get too wrapped up in the torque of the nut. It has a lock nut so it's not going anywhere.

Interesing results though...

 

There the yellow ones - No I didn't compare with my stock shocks. Crap!! I have to go get the box - I checked that before and there the right part number..

 

Yep! Those are HD's, not 5100's. The proper shock for a no lift truck. I'm curious though...looking at the picture, the front shock does not have a strap on it. It's pressurized, no?? That means it's fully extended in that photo?? If so, then yea, it looks pretty short to me. Definately compare to stock.

You could also jack the front up by the frame and let the suspension hang to full travel. Measure between the two shock mounting points. Then measure the extended length of the shock at it's eyelit/rod. See what you get. If the shock is shorter, that's not good and you have the wrong shock. The shock will fully extend before you run out of travel and something will eventually break, so don't run it that way. Too short a shock would explain your symptoms...especially the one about the bottom bushing not flattening out. The shock is limiting suspension travel which could also very well explain your driving symptoms. Keep us informed.

 

Well , I'm going to have to live with it - I'm done pi$$ing money away on the truck for awhile.

It's costing to much keeping gas in it these days..

 

Dude...you can't "live with" that!! If that shock is too short, it's limiting suspension travel and not designed to do so. How does it cost you any money to dispute this with whomever you purchased the shocks from...or straight with Bilstein for that matter. Keeping running it like this and break something then you are out more money.

 

Well , I installed them last summer - Just burnt out from working on it at the moment..

 

They look like the normal length for fronts, close as I can tell anyways. I've been looking for new shock ideas, not crazy about the stand out yellow. Considering I won't see them much anyways, I'll probably end up with the Bilstien's too.

 

Yea , I'm just confused why the top bushing seems to compress and the bushing below that is not??

Like galaxy said - I should compare them with my stock units which broke taken them loose, I still have them and will compare when I'm working on it next.. Even the bottom bolts broke in half when removing my stock fronts. The only bolts that didn't break during the install was rear lower bolts. The top of my stock rear shocks both broke in two pieces as well - It was a biatch getting those off..

BUT , when I jack the front up now the front suspension drops down quite a bit . That fact right there makes me think that they are the right ones. It just bothers me that they won't tighten right - or it doesn't seem right - maybe it is .

Theres on bump I always hit during my commute home that causes a little shimmy in the front end. I have taken the loose and re-tightened many times thinking it just didn't tighten right. I wrote Bilstein with no answere.

I haven't compared them yet to my stock shocks and yes Blue, from what I recall , they look the same.

My daughter used the truck tonight to pull two hay wagons in the Parade - No Problem!!

 

for my 01 f150 supercrew the front bilstein shock part # is BE5-2574-H0. My stock one fully extended is 17 3/4" form tip to tip(first pic), and 15 1/4" from the center of the bottom hole to the top of the first bushing on the top stud(second pic). I know that the tape measure doesnt look lined up, but trust me it is(I work with a tape all day, and these measurments are accurate!)

 

Looks like mine except my bushing is smashed down like a pancake - do you have a 4x4 ? I didn't get two nuts for the top , just the one nut with the plastic insert..

 

I bought my bilsteins off of ebay and somehow I got the wrong size nuts with the front shocks...so I had to make a trip to the hardware store and bought some of the locking nuts with the nylon insert, and decided to add an extra nut just for the hell of it. So the kit only includes one nut but I didnt know if the ones that came with the shock are stronger then the ones I bought so I just put 2 to be safe
And yes I do have the 4x4, and I was reading about those bushings that you shouldnt over tighten them...so if yours are really flat I would back them off a little. http://eshocks.com/Mounting.asp Look at #4

 

Yea, I thought they where to tight - but per instructions , I was trying to get the recommended torque spec out of it - Never got there..

Thanks for the link, but to get them like that , the nut has to just barely touch the top washer - I guess that's the reason for the nylon washer ehh..

Also theres no threads showing on the shaft with them that loose..I barely have enough to get a nut started..Maybe I have a torsion rod problem - I never adjusted those.. Or my struts are bent...

Freakin A - I'm going to go out in the shop and get my box to see what numbers are on there..hang on..


F4-BE5-2489-HO

Well !! I have the wrong ones ..Sh^t!!! Now what? How did that happen? Crap!!

 

Yeah there is something fishy about that...
On mine i tightened them down a little past the threads(enough to get the other nut on...about 1/4") but I just tightened them until the bushing balooned out a little. I couldnt torque mine to specs because the center rod would just turn without the wrench holding it steady.

 

Thanks - look at my post above ^^^^ I must have the 2WD version..