Hey everyone. Just upgraded the shocks on my 2010 FX4 SuperCrew. I have 68,000 miles and was ready to make the switch. I was running the stock suspension with a 1.5" AutoSpring Leveling kit (gives roughly 2" of lift). I had the shop pull those out and went with Bilstein 5100's on all 4 shocks. Obviously used the adjustable ones for the front and had them set on the 2" setting.

Sidenote: Used the relatively new Black Jack Speed Shop here in San Antonio. This is the shop owned by Tim Duncan. Huge Spurs fan and figured with it being backed by Duncan they'd be inclined to do solid work. I also had pre-shopped in there a few times and noticed that one of the main guys from Planet Pickup had moved over there, so I was confident in the work they would do. All in all, the process went pretty well. Had a few hiccups. The first was that when they received the shocks from their distributor, only 3 of them were correct, the 2 rear and 1 of the fronts. So I was one adjustable short. Distributors had no more in stock and Bilstein was saying backorder until mid-March. I wasn't that patient, so I hopped on Amazon and had one drop-shipped to the shop. Funny story was Amazon is actually who somewhat hijacked the shops original order of the Bilsteins and why their distributors couldn't get anymore. So finally after about a week without my truck, I went to pick it up. I immediately checked it out and noticed the rears hadn't been done. Told the guy I had been working with and he couldn't believe it. He pulled it back around and made guys abandon other projects to put my truck up on the lift and knock out the rears. So this wasn't ideal, but everything was resolved quickly and I was happy. I would still do business here for sure. They handled everything well.

Back to the Bilsteins. These things are awesome. I read so many reviews my head hurt and I'm so glad I went with these. I read reviews of harsh rides or being too firm for some peoples liking and honestly, I don't see that at all. I feel like that review could only come from someone who likes the traditional chevy suspension feel. These things are smooth as silk. I've been so impressed with the "feel" of the truck and the ride. When I turn into inclines and declines, there is no longer the plunge my truck had with the stock shocks. They just soak it up and the truck feels solid. I noticed I'm getting better tire clearance as well during these turns. I had started to get scrubbing again when making these turns into inclines. Now, the same turns, all good. The other thing I noticed, and I mentioned this on my old truck when I upgraded to the Rancho 9000's, is how much easier it is to stop with the new shocks. You don't get the pitch forward so the truck seems lighter up front and stopping is noticeably easier. I'm very happy with these shocks and just thrilled to be driving the truck again. Don't realize how much you miss it until you spend a week without it driving a Volvo s40 sedan, a minivan (on a work trip), and then a suburban 1 day after getting it back. Love my truck!

 

Great review! Now post some pics!

 

Nice review, glad you finally got them installed!

 

 

^That

 

Hahaha. Yes, I will get some pics. Weather has been crap here. I live in San Antonio and it seems to forget we are in the south!

 

Haha probably still better than the 7 degrees with snow like it is here right now. Even though yesterday it was 70 and sunny..

 

Good deal man, glad to hear you are happy with them!

 

Alright, sorry y'all. Here are the pics.

Here it is with the AutoSpring 1.5" level (slight decline to the driveway, so even though the truck appears level, you can see from the houses behind it that its not)



And here it is dirty and with the Bilsteins at the 2" setting

 

Looks very similar, which is good. Love that TX hillcountry in the background too

 

Thanks. Yeah, I thought it looked pretty much the same as well. May have gotten a very little bit more out of the Bilsteins but I'm happy with the look. And more importantly, the ride.

 

I may go with Bilsteins down the road as well. Looks good. Awesome looking truck too.

 

Congrats man.. The Bilsteins are great no doubt, I love mine. Although on my 04 I was one of those guys that thought the front end rode alittle rough with my 35's. I ended up lowering them back to the 0 setting and added a 2 1/2" leveling kit and now it rides incredible.. Either way I have no regrets, and wouldnt buy anything else. There Awsome and look great too. Enjoy

 

Great looking truck man! I need to do this to mine. What size tires you running? Anything else you had to change/affected by the leveling?

 

^says 295/60/20 in his signature (33.9x11.6")