So I installed the rear check, super easy, just make sure you have an 18mm open end wrench or something that will fit in the 18mm nut side. You need something like a deep socket, but i didn't have the room for a deep socket,.

Anyway, it's 2 bolts that are pretty easy to get to and remove old part, pop in the new shock and tighten.




Keep the top loose until you line up the bottom



Shock in place

 

Quick question, the video I was watching said torque the two bolts to 66 ft lbs, everyone agree?

Also, I forgot the stupid locktite, I'm going to pick some up and loosen the bolts to add the locktite, dumb.....

 

Yeah, I torqued mine to 66 lb-ft (according to service manual) and threw blue loctite on mine.

 

I've been running Bilstein 5100s on all four corners of my truck, and after I had installed 1" drop shackles. The overall bottom (suspension compression) travel does not change, and as far as I know the shocks are not position-sensitive; they are simply valved for the lighter aluminum-bodied trucks.

The ride will be firm but not harsh. And I tell everyone that they're cheating themselves and their trucks by not installing all four. The factory front dampers are also near-worthless.

 

I will be doing this mod as soon as I am done with the ACC retrofit. I agree with you that the front struts are almost useless. I wonder why the original poster wants to drop the rear with shackles and not upgrade the fronts at the same time. You can raise the front to level the rear. Kill two birds with one stone.

 

I only did the rears because it is a lease and I will most likely not keep the truck. For the fronts I would pay someone to install and i didn't want to spend the money on a lease.

The rears for 180, self installed, made a nice difference.....

 

^ ^ ^ In your case, I agree with you! I do too many little things, anyway, to the vehicles I own. Makes it a real hassle should the entire vehicle ever need to be replaced... fortunately for me I keep my rigs at least 10 years.






I can only speak for my situation: I wanted to preserve the factory ride height (in front) because the truck's steering is excellent; I did not want to compromise any factory alignment specification, or limit the existing up-/down-travel. I did not need any additional ground clearance.

I lowered the rear only an inch to also preserve a little forward rake so that when I tow or haul, the truck would not sit lower in the rear than the front. Should the need arise, there are some great AirRide rear suspension accessory air lift applications for the future.

I also stayed conservative with my wheel and tire sizes; I went 1/2-inch wider on the wheel and only 1" larger in overall tire diameter, choosing a tire that weighs 40 lbs and not 50 lbs+ to maintain brisk performance without the need to re-gear.

With the Bilsteins, I now have the option to, if I were to run an even-larger tire, raise the front ride height *slightly*, and to restore the rear ride height as I have kept the 16,550-mile OE rear spring shackles.

I like splitting hairs.

 

Sorry to the OP, but Apples, what rims are those?? I really dig them. Are they wider than stock?
Thanks

Trevor

 

Thanks. They're listed in my post signature.
ION Alloy 135s. They're 17 X 8 (I would have gone 8.5" had it been offered), -10 offset; aligns perfectly with the fender lip, but the tire sticks out a little farther than that.

And they're priced about 20 bucks less per than what I paid four months ago.

 

Great tips and thanks to all who contributed. I got mine installed yesterday. No more big hop when hitting bumps at high speed. However I will say that it seems like I can feel every crack in the road much more then before. First time changing shocks I missed the part about locktite. Is it important enough to go thru the trouble of going back to loosen the nuts to add it?