I won't be buying Bilstein shocks again
#16
12-29-2011, 06:50 PM
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#17
12-29-2011, 07:48 PM
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But I do have a set of bilstiens on my Trailblazer 174k and are just starting to go.
#21
12-29-2011, 08:58 PM
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Long story short:
5 years ago shortly after puting a set on my truck, I helped my father put a set on his 99. He uses his truck a lot on mountain roads towing a horse trailer and some highway hauling hay on a gooseneck. The truck gets worked but not abused.
When doing something else he took the front shocks off and noticed they were very easy to compress and were very slow to rebound. So he bought a new set figuring he would send old ones to Bilstein in the boxes the new ones come in.
The new shocks arrived and he installed them. One of the back shocks wouldn't extend on its own at all. The other rear shock was not as bad as the front two. The new ones were of course a lot better than the old ones but didn't seem as stout as when the old ones were new.
5 years ago shortly after puting a set on my truck, I helped my father put a set on his 99. He uses his truck a lot on mountain roads towing a horse trailer and some highway hauling hay on a gooseneck. The truck gets worked but not abused.
When doing something else he took the front shocks off and noticed they were very easy to compress and were very slow to rebound. So he bought a new set figuring he would send old ones to Bilstein in the boxes the new ones come in.
The new shocks arrived and he installed them. One of the back shocks wouldn't extend on its own at all. The other rear shock was not as bad as the front two. The new ones were of course a lot better than the old ones but didn't seem as stout as when the old ones were new.
What makes you think the shocks should extend on their own?
The Konis on my track car don't.
The Bilsteins on my Spec Miata don't.
The stock shocks on my Mazda, BMW, Mini don't either.
Too many people think that a shock should act as a spring....
#22
12-29-2011, 09:42 PM
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#23
12-29-2011, 10:26 PM
Wow, that was the office that was so very helpful to me years ago. Shane at the West Coast office helped me out when I did my spring swap.
Not a spring, but they should extend when the strap is removed.
All of the Bilsteins I've used have extended when the strap was taken off. They didn't sproing up immediately, but they did extend with power behind it.
Stewart
Stewart
#24
12-29-2011, 10:39 PM
#26
12-29-2011, 11:41 PM
The Bilsteins for our rigs are gas charged, so they should extend when the shipping strap is removed.
#27
12-30-2011, 08:28 AM
Too many people try to compare little foreign cars to 3/4 or 1 ton diesel trucks...
Customer Service: Same little town as my Dad....Friend of his stops in a local autoparts store to tell them the shocks he bought from them 3 years ago are worn out on his Dodge. He shows them the receipt, they give him 4 new shocks and tell him to bring in the old ones after he installs the new ones so he won't have any downtime. He does. They refund him for the new ones and don't even open the boxes to look at the old ones. That is a Lifetime Warranty....
#28
12-30-2011, 09:45 AM
I've used the Monroe Reflex shocks before and thought they did a really good job on a half ton that I had. With that said;
The gas shocks on my Ford look like they have been on the truck forever. When I went and unbolted the rear ones they pushed right out like they came out of the box. I can't even tell you what brand they are but what ever they are they still work.
I'm sure Bilsteins are nice but they seem really expensive for the price.
The gas shocks on my Ford look like they have been on the truck forever. When I went and unbolted the rear ones they pushed right out like they came out of the box. I can't even tell you what brand they are but what ever they are they still work.
I'm sure Bilsteins are nice but they seem really expensive for the price.
#30
12-30-2011, 07:20 PM
