F-250,LD

Last week I replaced the stock rear shocks with a pair of 5100 Bilsteins. They have made a huge difference. The removed the double/triple bounce on dips in the road. They minimized the "off the line shudder" and also reduced the poured concrete slab highway chop. The body roll and stability are greatly improved.

Side by side (off the truck) I compressed both of them (stock vs Bilstein) and I could hear cavitation in the stockers and the compress about twice as easy. Obviously this directly effects their performance.

Why didn't Ford either produce or use a quality shock?

The Bilsteins have done such a great job, I just ordered a pair of fronts.
By the way, I only have 2500 miles on the truck.

iFord

Let us know how hard it is to do fronts. I've read it's not easy, but, hey, I don't know nothing.

F-250,LD

Replacing the rears was simple. Maybe took 10 minutes. I did them without jacking up the truck or removing the tires. Two wrenches, a 15mm and a 18mm.

The fronts will be more complicated.

azcoyote

I have the front leveling 5100s and they are wonderful.
GOnna do the rears next.

I would assume the "cheap" stockers are always due to economies of scale. Saving every dollar they can to get most profit and all that. A lot of trucks don't see dirt. Those that do, often get upgraded anyway.... Soo..... Great shocks though!

captainnemojr

iTrader: (1)

Did you keep the stock springs?

F-250,LD

Sorry, Rhetorical question

Yes, stock springs.
I'm sure I will be adding a custom second main leaf for better load handling (like dcfluid did https://www.f150forum.com/f38/accele...d-ford-112824/ )

Red13

I bought the upgraded shock when I purchased my level kit . I think the factory shocks are god for the general use of the truck.

HCFX2013

Ford has used the same damn shocks for 10 years now. They really do suck, I put a Rancho QL on the front of my truck and it rides fantastic, though the rear end still jitters and jumps with the cheap azz stock shocks. It doesn't really matter to me, Leaves more opportunities to mod. Rear shocks aren't expensive and is one of the most cost effective, rewarding mods you can do.

No truck is immune to cheap shocks, my Chevy Z71 was the same way. I bought a used set of Rancho shocks from a Sierra All-Terrain and they made a huge difference. After that, I did a full Rancho RS9000xl upgrade and the truck rode fantastic. If I knew for sure that I was keeping this Ford I'd pick up the RS9000xl shocks for the rear.

SkiSmuggs

Bilstein 4600 HD shocks greatly reduced the side step on washboard roads.

captainnemojr

iTrader: (1)

Sorry for the noob question, but with the leveling ones, do you have to get a leveling kit? Or do you just set the shocks to 2" lift and that is it?