Bilstein honest review please?!?!?!

zogg · Feb 28, 2017

My 2016 2500 is a daily driver and i have lowered the tire air pressure to 40 pounds front and rear.

It is my daily driver and I only tow 8,000 pound 5th wheel about 4 times per year.

I know it'll never ride like a 1500, but I'm trying to figure out how to make it more comfortable.

I've read hundreds of reviews on bilstiens shocks but every opinion seems different.

A few folks have said they are firmer but better, some say stiffer, and a guy on YouTube posted a video saying that his 2500 duramax rides at least as good as any 1500 with only the shock change (certainly I dint believe that one).

I looked at soft ride springs, but they all raise the truck....it's too high already for my 5th wheel and barely fits in the garage now.

Help....can I get an honest review on bilsteins (or something else) that will help this wonderful truck ride at least somewhat better...

Thanks in advance....

bobbo7915 · Feb 28, 2017

like i have posted before on your threads....i replaced my shocks with 5100's, small bumps or imperfections in the road is the most noticeable difference, much better ride quality. low speed hits are improved as well. big bumps are still going to be big bumps.

bcbouy · Feb 28, 2017

you may want to look at kyb monomax shocks.fantastic shock for stock height trucks.i had them on my ford. also pro comp's were very good.both were softer than my bils.

G. Mcpherson · Feb 28, 2017

I replaced my shocks with 5100's. Noticeable difference in ride. Softer at slow speeds over speed bumps and nice ride.

HvyDuty · Feb 28, 2017

zogg said:
My 2016 2500 is a daily driver and i have lowered the tire air pressure to 40 pounds front and rear.

It is my daily driver and I only tow 8,000 pound 5th wheel about 4 times per year.

I know it'll never ride like a 1500, but I'm trying to figure out how to make it more comfortable.

I've read hundreds of reviews on bilstiens shocks but every opinion seems different.

A few folks have said they are firmer but better, some say stiffer, and a guy on YouTube posted a video saying that his 2500 duramax rides at least as good as any 1500 with only the shock change (certainly I dint believe that one).

I looked at soft ride springs, but they all raise the truck....it's too high already for my 5th wheel and barely fits in the garage now.

Help....can I get an honest review on bilsteins (or something else) that will help this wonderful truck ride at least somewhat better...

Thanks in advance....

I don't have a review to post yet but I am looking to purchase Bilstein 4600s.

I run 43 PSI cold in the Rear and 53 PSI cold in the Front (and the TPMS display warning is out for the front tires at least). When heated up, the tires read about 3-4 psi higher. The ride is much better than 60/80 the manual calls for.

FWIW, I used to run 48 front, 43 rear but at my first tire rotation, I noticed very mild tread abrasion on the front outer treads. So I bumped up 5 psi in the front. YMMV

I've been wanting to go test drive a 2017 Laramie or upper trim level that now come with the Bilstein 4600s from the factory, just haven't had a chance yet.

Test driving a new one with bilsteins equipped might be the best way to make a decision, instead of trying to analyze everyones subjective opinion on them. The dealer should let you air the tires down to your pressures too.

Ratket · Feb 28, 2017

My 2 cents-
Get the thuren Soft rate coils up front " The lvl ones"
Also a good set of tires will aid this over the factory ones. The shocks alone are not going to help-
I got a noticeable change when I went to my coopers from the stock fire stones.
Yes the front springs will lift the truck so It will sag a little more when you tow but they will deffinetly help. It is a 3/4ton truck after all and I think your best bet is the lvl springs up front " and u get new shocks with the kit" wrapped up with some new tires and you may be supprised.

huntergreen · Mar 2, 2017

what there pressure are you running?

mtofell · Mar 3, 2017

Shocks alone will not substantially change the ride of a 2500 truck, no matter how vigorously the folks that spent a bunch of money of theirs try to convince themselves and you.

Sorry folks.... it's just reality. I've driven HD trucks for years and have been through many different shocks and it's like a 10% difference at best. I've spent a bunch of money on Billsteins and KYBs and at first thought they were great only to get in a stock truck and realize it's really the same.

If you really want to make the truck ride nicer you have to get into replacement coils and air suspensions. It's just plain physics. You can't get a truck with 2X the payload of a half ton to ride like anything close to the half ton.

Trust me, I wish this was not the case but you can't fight Newton and his laws.

Bilstein honest review please?!?!?!

zogg

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bobbo7915

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bcbouy

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G. Mcpherson

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HvyDuty

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Ratket

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huntergreen

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mtofell

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