Sorry to post this, but can anyone tell me or give me a link to the information (ideal) on the specs of the Bilstein HD shocks? I'm looking for the extended and compressed lengths. I want to compare them to my current setup. Here are the part numbers for my 2002 Screw FX4:

Front: F4-BE5-2574-H0
Rear: F4-BE5-2490-H0

Thanks so much! Found the info easily for the KYB, can't find it for Bilstein.

 

Bilstein doesn't have this info posted on a web site anywhere that I know of. I've called one of the US numbers (one's in NC) and got a tech guy that will give you the info.

 

Thanks Galaxy, thats actually what I did. So here's all the specs I came up with:

Current Shocks with 65,000 miles:

KYB Gas-A-Just Shocks
Front - KG54313 - 14.06" Extended Length / 9.57" Compressed Length / 4.49" Stroke
Rear - KG54314 - 26.85" Extended Length / 16.26" Compressed Length / 10.59" Stroke

Alternative Shocks:

KYB Monomax
Front - 565006 - 14.25" Extended Length / 9.76" Compressed Length / 4.49" Stroke
Rear - 565009 - 26.97" Extended Length / 16.5" Compressed Length / 10.47" Stroke

Bilstein HD Shocks
Front - F4-BE5-2574-H0 - 14.25" Extended Length / 10.25" Compressed Length / 4" Stroke
Rear - F4-BE5-2490-H0 - 27.3" Extended Length / 16.3" Compressed Length / 11" Stroke

So here are my questions. With those measurements, first off, how do they compare the old stockers I had on there before the KYB? Second, is there a certain one of those measurements that is most important for quality of ride? For example, is it more important to have a greater stroke length? Or is it more important to have higher or lower lengths? What I'm trying to do is help eliminate some of the jarring impacts I currently experience with the Gas-A-Just. Sometimes it feels like the shock is "too short". It feels like its reaching the end of its limit. Is that an indication I need longer shocks or more travel? And when people say Bilstein's are "firm", does that mean I will still get jarring impacts? Is there something else I should be looking for? I don't want it to ride like a chevy (bouncy), just a bit more comfortable. I forgot to mention that I do have my torsion bars cranked? I know that doesn't help the ride, but is that all I'm feeling or can I do something to make it better (other than uncranking them)? Thanks for any help!

 

OK...let's try to clear your thought bank here some, cause you've got the wrong approach to all of this. I'll try to break it down in bits;

None of the dimensions (extended length, collapsed length, stroke) affect your ride quality. That's completely internal. The only way one of these could influence ride/handling is like you said, if the shock is limiting travel because it's too short (the most likely culprit).

And you may very well be in a position where the shock is fully extended before the suspension reaches the end of its travel. One way to check (since you know the extended length of the shock) is to jack the truck, remove the torsion bar, and let the control arm hang to full travel. Measure the distance between the two shock mounts...it should be smaller, or at a minimum equal to, the extended length of the shock. If the shock is shorter, then you are experiencing what we talked about. Can you narrow it down when exactly you're getting that jarring experience??? Is it on the compression stroke or the rebound? (On a side note...most people misunderstand this as well...they press on a shock collapsing it to see how hard it is to determine if that will give them a firm ride or not, when actually the rebound stroke [how fast or slow it returns to the resting position from the compressed position] is a bigger factor on how a shock will perform, handle, and how it will translate ride quality)

There's no way to know how those numbers compare to the old stock shocks without finding someone that has a set sitting around to get us some measurements. But not a bad idea for comparison sake.

Here's another thing people misunderstand about shocks. It's all about having the right shock to control your suspension. Shocks do not dictate ride quality per se, they control the rate (speed) at which the suspension moves through and stops in its travel. Ride quality is a by product of that. But where the misknowledge comes in is you can't just throw a soft shock on a firmly sprung vehicle and expect it to ride and handle like its supposed to...you have to have a shock up to the task. On these trucks, that means a firm ride.

Here's another problem to introduce...Perception!!! Everyone rants and raves about the Bilstein shocks on the '04-'08 body style trucks and how firm they are. I installed a set on my dads truck and found them to be a bit soft for my liking. What one person describes as a firm and/or jarring ride, may be exactly what the next guy considers perfect.

Did that help any at all???

I don't want to say the KYB's are your problem or that they're a bad shock, but I've had a set and not overly impressed. It wasn't on my truck though, so take that for what it's worth.

 

Thanks Galaxy! That was very helpful. Helps give me a better picture of whats going on.

Did you mean to say remove the torsion bar or am I supposed to just remove the existing shock? Seems if I'm measuring the distance between shock mounts, it would only go as far as the shock between them lets them go. Plus if I mess with torsion bars at all, doesn't that mean I have to go get an alignment again? And whatever the answer is, do I jack just one side up and leave the wheel on or off?

Thats a good question. I don't think its during compression. I think its during the rebound when the shock would normally be traveling to its upper end of extension, it feels like at this point it gets cut short and pulls the truck down. Does that make sense? Also, if that is the case, is a 1/4" more extended length going to help? I know the Rancho 9000's are 14.5" extended.

Last, I know you are running Rancho's, is that because of your lift or do you prefer them over the other companies? Not sure the 9000's are in my budget, but I'm curious what you would recommend. I drive an 02 Screw FX4 with 20's and 33" MT's.

Thanks again for all your help! Really appreciate it!

 

That's a good point...you don't need to remove the torsion bar to check full droop of the suspension. Just remove the shock. Yes, just jack up that one side and remove the wheel...that'll make life easier. No, messing with the torsion bar does not require a front end alignment.

Yes, your description of your shock extension makes perfect sense and that may be what's going on. Also, keep in mind with the torsion bars cranked up, you have very little extension left anyways, so it's very possible you're at the end of your suspension travel anyways. That is possible. Don't know if a 1/4" will make a difference or not, but it can if that's how close the problem is.

The 9000's are really nice. I'm not dead set on Rancho stuff, I just really wanted to try out an adjustable shock this time just to see what the hype was about. Plus, I love running a remote reservoir shock and just so happened the 9000's came that way...but at $179 each. Regular 9000's are much cheaper. Next time around I'll probably do a custom set of Fox's since they make them with our mounting style now. If I had known that, I would have gotten the Fox's this time. Nothing looks better than a remote reservoir shock!

 

Thanks for the response. As soon as it warms back up (feels weird saying that living in San Antonio), I'll give it a try. I hope it gives me the answer I'm looking for and maybe an excuse to purchase some new shocks!