im installing bilstein shocks on my truck. the front shock has been hell, been 2 hours and cant get it in. when i compare the bushing from stock to new the bilstein is a much wider. the shock bracket is to small. maybe shocks are wrong? part #f4-be5-6136-t5 5100 series.

im stuck with this big time, got it in, but stud doesnt stick up enough any suggestions please.

did you try bolting the bottom and putting the weight back on the tires?

maybe you left the washer on underneath by accident when sticking the shock up through the hole?

Are you sure you got the right shocks? 5100 series is for lifted trucks (BTW can't find part number f4-be5-6136-t5 on the Bilstein website.....????? :confuzeld). Standard height partnr BE5-6081-H0 front and BE5-6082-H0 rear.

Noreaster,

I had Bilstein gas shocks installed on my truck last summer. Here are the part numbers on the invoice:

Front - BE5-6081
Rear - BE5-6082

These are the gas shocks, painted yellow, with the light blue boots. The truck is stock -- no lift. As I recall, they have different models in this series for the 2500HD trucks. I think they vary in length depending if your truck is stock or lifted. I suggest you log on to Bilsteins web site and see what model number they list for your truck. Assuming your truck is stock like mine (2500 HD), I don't know why the part numbers would be different.

You do have the blue plastic boots slipped over the shock's shaft, right? There is a spacer in that boot, also, there is a spacer from the factory shocks that goes over the shaft, between the rubber grommetts of the factory hardware. I used the factory hardware, and mine fit great.

think i got it figured out.
this is what i got when i talked to the company i bought my kit from, the sleeves & bushings come in various sizes. "just sand them down." I told them a 1/4 ya right, cut down sleeve to bracket size & shaved bushings a little.

going to call bilstein about this & instructions being in every language, except english.

i looked on bilstein website & the numbers werent listed hmmm. these are the new silver ones & these are longer than stock for leveling purposes.

thank u with the suggetions
i just did a comparison between stock & new. from the stops on the stud, stock 3 3/8, new 2 1/16. something doesnt seem right. if i was to use factory bushings on new shocks, end up with 1/2 inch of stud showing.