Just purchased Bilstein 4600 HD shocks for my 2001 F350 4WD DRW Cab & Chassis (part #s 33-028187 for the front and 24-186032 for the rear).

None of the shocks came compressed (with a strap).

My question is whether the Bilstein 4600 shocks you purchased had a strap to keep them compressed.

I called Bilstein customer service and the representative told me that some shocks come strapped but these did not. However, to tell you the truth, he seemed very disingenuous.

On a side note, I originally wanted to purchase and install Rancho RS9000XLs but Rancho advised that they don't make a shock designed for Cab and Chassis trucks:
Thank you for your help.

 

Did you put them on? If so do they work? If yes what's it matter?,(curious no being a jerk). 734 area code.... A short drive for me and a few guys here... Maybe we can pay this Rob guy a visit

 

This is how many people would describe Bilstein's customer service as of late.

However, I agree, if you can get the shocks on, and they go up and down, they are probably fine.

 

mine came strapped. I thought, the 4x4 trucks', needed the 5100 series (silver bodies).

 

Mine were strapped, the 4600 shocks I bought were specific to my 4x4 crew cab. I agree that strapped or not, if they work no prob. If I were into a lot of off road I would have bought the 5100's but I primarily use 4 wheel drive in winter on highway.

 

I have not yet put the shocks on, and was thinking about returning them due to what I perceive will be the hassle with getting them mounted without the strap.

The reason I asked the question was that it seems like installation would be a lot easier if the hold-down straps were there. I don't really look forward to purchasing/borrowing a compression tool if one is needed to install the shocks.

I do have a bar clamp that might work, but I've never replaced shocks before and don't know how difficult it will be to get the shocks to fit when they are uncompressed.

I actually was impressed with Rob from Rancho since at least he told me up-front his company did not support my application. As Trey noted - and he warned me beforehand - the Bilstein guy didn't seem too customer focused.

As long as I'm laying it out there, the 4 Wheel Parts store personnel also put me on hold for over twenty (20) minutes the first time I called, and did not call me back when I left my name/number when I called later in the day.

Thanks Tim & Don for confirming what I thought - the Bilstein guy just wanted to get me off the phone when he said they didn't come strapped.

 

Bought my 4600's from Shockwarehouse in January and they were strapped.

 

put top bolt on and you can compress it with your hands . shouldn't be that much pressure . if needed jack on the frame to stretch the spring out

 

The trick where straps are useful is get the top mounted, cut the strap, guide it to the bottom hole as it expands and pop in the bolt at the perfect time. I can only manage that like half the time. So the other half the time is cursing and manhandling the thing into position anyway. A helper popping in the bottom bolt would be great. Your 300 pound brother in law manhandling the shock and you popping in the bolt would be better.

My understanding is the strap is really just to allow the shock to fit in a smaller box. I've heard of guys using a ratcheting tie down to compress shocks for installation, but never tried it. Seems like it would take longer to dork around with the strap.

 

Modern kayakers use NRS cam straps (although I often just use rope or flat tubing with a trucker's hitch) to tie boats down.

So I have used an NRS cam strap to hold Bilstein 4600's (on my wife's Dodge) in the proper compressed length while installing her shocks. Worked great.

 

mine came strapped and on a side note they do ride great.... I have rancho rs5000 on my 1995 f250 and I love to hate them they ride terrible really bad, I did have a strap let go and I seated the bottom bolt and compressed it by hand and got the shock in it is a ab workout and may take a try or two but was not aweful.

 

Thanks again to all - especially Tim and David for the suggestion of the strap. I tried the muscle route and it practically tore the stitches in my belly.

Now - the rears are done and the fronts should be done tomorrow.

Last questions - (1) did you use thread lock on the nuts; and (2) is there a torque spec for the top and bottom bolts or just tighten snug?

 

Bilstein (at least I couldn't find it) does not provide any useful installation instructions with their shocks.

This isn't going to help much, but I encountered the same lack of information that you are confronting. I own torque wrenches from inch pounds to 600 foot pounds (for the track bar Panhard bar) because I don't have the experience to trust my "feel."

But when I couldn't find torque specs, this is what I did. On my wife's Dodge I tightened the bottom "eyehook" till it felt right, then observed the amount of compression of the rubber and then tightened the top "pin" until it compressed but didn't appear that it overly compressed the rubber bushings there.

On another note, although I have always replaced oem with Bilstein, I will probably go with BajaSportsmobiles' (Ramsey, Agile Offroad) special valving of FoxShox when I do them on my van. Our 4x4 converted vans are unique, and he owns one, and FoxShox is close by to his shop in Carlsbad, CA, and he personally re-valves the the FoxShox to suit. His signature says: "Four time Baja 1000 winner, four time Baja 500 winner. Solo'ed the Baja 1000 to LaPaz/Cabo twice. 4-Wheeling since 1972, Desert Racing since 1989. " So, he knows more about shocks than me. If you are into shocks, the following link may be of interest:

Sportsmobileforum.com • View topic - Quigley and QuadVan - FOX Shox Ride Improvement Package

 

Update - all 4 shocks are now on.

Using the ratcheting strap on the front shocks only partially worked.

With the fronts, you have to insert the tops first and over compress the shock (with the strap on) so you have adequate clearance to insert the bottom. Then, if you put some blocking material underneath the bottom of the shock, you should be able to get the bolt through the bottom when you release the strap. Again, this would have all been easier had Bilstein strapped the shocks to begin with.

Two notes:

(1) right or wrong, I used the red Permatex thread lock on all bolts.
(2) Bilstein's quality control may be slipping as I had to file down the tube that goes through the bottom of the front shocks so it fit in between the forks on my truck.

Good luck to those installing shocks in the future. Given the problems I had with the install, I'm not sure I will buy Bilstein products in the future.