Bilstein 5100 Steering Stabilizer did nothing!?!?
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Bilstein 5100 Steering Stabilizer did nothing!?!?
So I took the advice from many on here and promptly purchased a Bilstein 5100 stab (p/n 24-196284). "Oh sweet, something that should make a dramatic difference in the steering wheel shake and slop from bumps," I thought.
No such luck. Been on for about 1500-2000 miles now and it sucks. As soon as I put it on in fact, I noticed it seemed to be even looser than the factory stab!! With the bilstein, steering for corners takes less effort and I've got ALL kinds of slop while driving. And when I say driving I mean in a straight line, over bumps spanning the width of the truck, bumps where just one wheel travels, holes, dips, etc. Everything. The steering wheel will actually oscillate probably 2-4" back and forth!! Awful. Does this seem right?? Did I get a bad shock?
The truck has 20x9 +18mm offset wheels on it and 275/60/R20 tires, which is nothing outrageous or too far away from factory size. Some say its the wheels/tires but I have trouble believing that, especially when the Ford stabilizer seemed to handle it better than this "upgrade"
No such luck. Been on for about 1500-2000 miles now and it sucks. As soon as I put it on in fact, I noticed it seemed to be even looser than the factory stab!! With the bilstein, steering for corners takes less effort and I've got ALL kinds of slop while driving. And when I say driving I mean in a straight line, over bumps spanning the width of the truck, bumps where just one wheel travels, holes, dips, etc. Everything. The steering wheel will actually oscillate probably 2-4" back and forth!! Awful. Does this seem right?? Did I get a bad shock?
The truck has 20x9 +18mm offset wheels on it and 275/60/R20 tires, which is nothing outrageous or too far away from factory size. Some say its the wheels/tires but I have trouble believing that, especially when the Ford stabilizer seemed to handle it better than this "upgrade"
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 209
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The wheels and tires can do it, I had a 97 F150 4" lift with stock wheels and tires, slightest bump would put it into death wobble; all the front end alignment shops could do nothing to help so on a gamble swapped out tires and wheels 8.5" wide wheels and 33" tires no more wobble, put on many miles with it. I traded it in on another truck put the stock wheels & tires back on, death wobble was back. Have you tried varying the air pressure on the fronts?
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The wheels and tires can do it, I had a 97 F150 4" lift with stock wheels and tires, slightest bump would put it into death wobble; all the front end alignment shops could do nothing to help so on a gamble swapped out tires and wheels 8.5" wide wheels and 33" tires no more wobble, put on many miles with it. I traded it in on another truck put the stock wheels & tires back on, death wobble was back. Have you tried varying the air pressure on the fronts?
I still have trouble with the wheel argument, you say you went from a factory set up (probably pizza cutters?) to a larger wheel/tire and it got better?? Isn't it usually the other way around? Mine are 9" wide and equivalent of 33" as well
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 73
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From: Castle Pines
I'm not sure if you have the same problem I did or not but on the highway cement seems the wheel would wobble bad. This was after I installed after market wheels and 35in tires. This wobble only happens on the cement hwy in my area, asphalt is fine.
I also added the 5100 and it helped about 30% but I still wasn't happy so I bought a BDS dual setup and it fixed about 80% and I'm now happy. It was expensive but worth it to me, hope this helps!
I also added the 5100 and it helped about 30% but I still wasn't happy so I bought a BDS dual setup and it fixed about 80% and I'm now happy. It was expensive but worth it to me, hope this helps!
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 535
From: Chandler, AZ
IMHO, the steering dampener is present on these trucks to reduce NVH. It was not designed to dampen oscillations due to worn out parts, poor alignment, geometry issues, or tire problems.
OP, Since your truck is relatively new and doesn't have giant tires, there should be no oscillations in the steering wheel with either dampener. Something is wrong.
What is the caster value?
OP, Since your truck is relatively new and doesn't have giant tires, there should be no oscillations in the steering wheel with either dampener. Something is wrong.
What is the caster value?
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 535
From: Chandler, AZ
After reading this I believe I had the same experienced with the Bilstien stabilizer. I also changed springs, shocks, dampener and tires so had no idea what from exactly. The steering effort would go to zero when the tire hit a bump and lowered contact pressure for a fraction of a second. Guess it may also be due to the stabilizer..... I change shocks (stiffer) and that helped as they keep the tires on the ground better as they are a better match to the progressive rate spring.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 209
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No i haven't tried pressure up front, but they are running what's recommended and equal between the two.
I still have trouble with the wheel argument, you say you went from a factory set up (probably pizza cutters?) to a larger wheel/tire and it got better?? Isn't it usually the other way around? Mine are 9" wide and equivalent of 33" as well
I still have trouble with the wheel argument, you say you went from a factory set up (probably pizza cutters?) to a larger wheel/tire and it got better?? Isn't it usually the other way around? Mine are 9" wide and equivalent of 33" as well
The F450 I just got rid of had lousy handling if I put over 85psi in the fronts, it was all over the road. That's what has happened to me.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2014
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IMHO, the steering dampener is present on these trucks to reduce NVH. It was not designed to dampen oscillations due to worn out parts, poor alignment, geometry issues, or tire problems.
OP, Since your truck is relatively new and doesn't have giant tires, there should be no oscillations in the steering wheel with either dampener. Something is wrong.
What is the caster value?
OP, Since your truck is relatively new and doesn't have giant tires, there should be no oscillations in the steering wheel with either dampener. Something is wrong.
What is the caster value?
After reading this I believe I had the same experienced with the Bilstien stabilizer. I also changed springs, shocks, dampener and tires so had no idea what from exactly. The steering effort would go to zero when the tire hit a bump and lowered contact pressure for a fraction of a second. Guess it may also be due to the stabilizer..... I change shocks (stiffer) and that helped as they keep the tires on the ground better as they are a better match to the progressive rate spring.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2014
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The alignment shop told me I would amplify the problem going from 950/70/15s to the 1250/70/15s, this was on a F150 but it reacted the opposite, go figure
The F450 I just got rid of had lousy handling if I put over 85psi in the fronts, it was all over the road. That's what has happened to me.
The F450 I just got rid of had lousy handling if I put over 85psi in the fronts, it was all over the road. That's what has happened to me.
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 344
Likes: 5
From: North Shore MA
Funny, I have the Bilstein 5100 too and when I first got it I loved it, but now I feel like it's failing. Maybe it is, maybe it's just me adjusting to it and becoming more picky, but I will probably change to a dual setup in the future. I can't speak for whether or not you got a bad part, but when I first put it on it did make a noticeable difference from stock and from a Rancho RS5000.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,944
Likes: 2,652
From: The Great State of Texas
I tried the Rancho 9000 shocks and noticed my trucks steering shake started getting really bad and that's when I started to realize my new shocks were toast. I put back on the Motorcraft branded Rancho shocks and now my steering is very stable like it supposed to be.