Which model is everyone buying? I went to the performanceproducts.com page and I can order the reguar Bilstein or the 5150 series. What is the difference between the two?
You do not need the 5150, they are a remote resevoir, aluminum plated shock, intended as more of a high performance (ie off road) shock. You just need the stock replacements.
Nowake- when you install the rear shocks- don't remove the banding until after the shock is installed with bolts reinstalled. ( It will open up and get real hard to push back in.)
Zip thank you for the heads up. I am going to do mine today, just woundering how everyone is torqueing the front top nut. I was thinking about getting a crows foot, because it looks like a deep socket would not be long enough.
Since 15 ft/lb. of torque isn't that much and I didn't have a socket long enough; I just tightened the top nut down until the rubber spacer bulged slightly then backed it off a bit. Everything seems to be working out fine. They haven't come loose and fallen off.
I still can't believe what a difference the Bilsteins have made. I didn't inform my lovely wife that I had put new shocks on. She commented the other day that the truck ride was much smoother than she remembered. I still haven't told her why.
I installed mine today and it wasn't too bad. The final hole/bolt alignment was the only thing tricky. For the fronts, I placed a beefy hole punch in one hand to align the hole and the other hand pushed the bolt in place. Much the same for the backs, except I had the hole punch in one hand and scissors in the other to cut the band. Worked like a charm even without a jack.
What a ride now!
One of the front old shocks had a couple of dead spots about half-way into the compression motion. The rears felt soft.
I thought that 15lbs would not be alot...I went out a got a crows foot anyway and torqued it...I was very surprised at how much the bushings compressed at 15lbs!
...maybe the Bilsteins bushings are softer than the factory's.
When I installed my nerf bars, I had to attach the Rear bracket to the Front end of the Rear leaf spring bolt. Does any one have the torque spec's on this nut and bolt in their books?
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