So the question I have been asking myself was, am I wasting my money just changing from one level to the other, or am I even going to make it worse and have to go back to the coil spacer? So today I got my answer, and thankfully it was no. In fact the Bilstein 5100's maybe be the best upgrade I have ever done on any of my past 4x4's, and I have done total shock upgrades 4 previous times.
So the ride was similar between the ranch bumper and stock bumper with stock shocks. However, the ride became very harsh when I leveled it. I spent over an hour driving around in every condition I could, and Burla is breathing a big ol sigh of relief today my fella's.
I have ran Bilstiens before and hated them. They were the heavy duty Bil's and I had a 4 front shock setup. So bottom line the shocks had no give. These 5100's not only have proper give, but it seats that damn truck right into the road like I've never had before. Also, the coil spacer binded me up on country roads and turning. The immediate thing I felt driving away from the shop was how good it handles and feels.
So if you notice the top pick, the coil spacer puts the factory spring into the 10 inch compressed position, when you get the 5100's it immediately releases it back to the stock relaxed position of 12 inches. If you have a good eye, you can see that in the top pic each spring is less then and inch, and with the Bil's it goes up to about a perfect inch. Prior to making the changed I manually tried rocking the truck back and forth, and with the spacer it was very hard to rock back in forth. The first thing when I got my truck was do the same thing, and the truck easily rocked back and forth.
But there is more at play then just that. The spacer also puts the shock into a position where you will bottom out with any needed travel. Furthermore, if you use a coil spacer with the factory shock, then you are also using the factory shock which is nowhere near as good as just about any upgraded shock.
I am in the top position on the 5100, and it erased any rake in the truck. I knew there would be a risk of vibration, but I opted for it anyhow after talking to the shop who does these all of the time. So, my truck when it is in 4x4 and you gun it, has a little shimmy. Honestly it is so minor I fell it isn't worth mentioning, especially with the way the truck is running, but it does exist. I tried everything I could to get the shimmy in 2wd, and could not at all zero nada zelch. And like I said, only when the truck is gunned in 4x4 and only early in the power band.
If I have any recommendation in leveling a truck, it will be with out any doubt to use the leveling shocks. Yes, coil spacers work and many guys don't have problems, but ask yourself if it is the best thing for your truck when you can have this option for just a little more money, and as a bonus you are getting rid of that junky factory shock.
I really wasn't happy that I had to spend all this money to level the truck a second time, but I am absolutely ecstatic at the results. Thanks Ram Forum for the great information regarding the shocks, I literally fell in love with my truck again. There is a short cut to my home but I never take it in any of my vehicles previously, it is just a gut busting road. Well, no joke I went down this road three times today testing my shocks, and I have never seen anything like this in any truck I ever had. I will take the short cut every time now. It is not just the level, but it is the rebound and over all quality of this particular Bilstiens even when compared to their yellow shocks.
The 5100 is the proper way to level a truck, the coil spacer is not IMO.
