Which shocks?
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 344
Likes: 7
Slight detour to this thread, but why has Ford been putting crap shocks in their pickups for, as far as I can tell, decades? Seems like it's the #1 mod for SD pickups and I often hear of people swapping the shocks immediately after buying the truck. To be fair, they may be better these days (I sure hope so), but I know plenty of people that preferred Chevy's simply because the ride of Fords were so awful. I understand they're saving a few bucks, but you'd think not running people off with shocks made by Fisher Price would be worth investing in some decent shocks. On the Chevy side of the fence, I just replaced some OG shocks with 200k miles on them that really weren't all that bad! What gives?
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 425
Likes: 44
From: Everett, WA
Not sure if this has been said (or needs to) but when I swapped to the Bilsteins I also swapped wheels and tires. The truck calls for 65 PSI on all 4 corners but rides really rough. At 65 PSI, the tires essentially have a rating of 6,000+ pounds per axle and the truck has a GVWR of 10k.
Having weighed my truck, it rides around at about 8000 lbs empty. Lowering the tire pressure to 55psi has proven even tire wear, a much better ride and still provides 5,000+ lbs of load per axle.
Bottom line, with the Bilsteins and the tires at 55psi, the truck feels great going down the road.
Having weighed my truck, it rides around at about 8000 lbs empty. Lowering the tire pressure to 55psi has proven even tire wear, a much better ride and still provides 5,000+ lbs of load per axle.
Bottom line, with the Bilsteins and the tires at 55psi, the truck feels great going down the road.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 36
Likes: 8
Not sure if this has been said (or needs to) but when I swapped to the Bilsteins I also swapped wheels and tires. The truck calls for 65 PSI on all 4 corners but rides really rough. At 65 PSI, the tires essentially have a rating of 6,000+ pounds per axle and the truck has a GVWR of 10k.
Having weighed my truck, it rides around at about 8000 lbs empty. Lowering the tire pressure to 55psi has proven even tire wear, a much better ride and still provides 5,000+ lbs of load per axle.
Bottom line, with the Bilsteins and the tires at 55psi, the truck feels great going down the road.
Having weighed my truck, it rides around at about 8000 lbs empty. Lowering the tire pressure to 55psi has proven even tire wear, a much better ride and still provides 5,000+ lbs of load per axle.
Bottom line, with the Bilsteins and the tires at 55psi, the truck feels great going down the road.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,729
Likes: 80
From: New Jersey
The Bilstiens are a nice choice. I had a set on my previous F250 when the stock shocks went. On my current F350, I wound up with a set of Rancho RS5000 series from Advanced Auto. On sale. In stock. I had them in the cart while researching my other options, AA kicked in another 15% via E mail. No brainer. Picked up, installed, tested the following day.
The howling sounds like tread pattern of the tires. I had a set of M/Ts on a Bronco I owned 20 years ago. Great tires. Beast in the snow. Beast in the mud and off road. On Dry road conditions, they would have a slight hum. I wound up taking them off and going back to stock wheels and tires since I was going to get rid of the vehicle. The guy that bought the tires from me wanted to buy the Bronco but didn't have the money.
The howling sounds like tread pattern of the tires. I had a set of M/Ts on a Bronco I owned 20 years ago. Great tires. Beast in the snow. Beast in the mud and off road. On Dry road conditions, they would have a slight hum. I wound up taking them off and going back to stock wheels and tires since I was going to get rid of the vehicle. The guy that bought the tires from me wanted to buy the Bronco but didn't have the money.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 36
Likes: 8
Tires is definitely what I’m leaning towards. Tire shop said there wasn’t any play in the wheels, although I didn’t see them check the fronts. Just going to keep an eye or ear on it for now. Thanks for the input gang!
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,372
Likes: 108
From: Northern Indiana
Have been debating this same question for my truck. Have 118,000 on my 2016 truck and assuming the shocks are original. I went with KYB’s on my 99 and seemed pretty good. I read that the Bilstein 5001series really isn’t set up for towing but the 4600 series is more for towing. It doesn’t matter which one even though I like the looks of the 5100 series better and that it would match the steering stabilizer I have installed already.
Any other cost effective good options or is it time to just suck it up?
Any other cost effective good options or is it time to just suck it up?
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Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 36
Likes: 8
Have been debating this same question for my truck. Have 118,000 on my 2016 truck and assuming the shocks are original. I went with KYB’s on my 99 and seemed pretty good. I read that the Bilstein 5001series really isn’t set up for towing but the 4600 series is more for towing. It doesn’t matter which one even though I like the looks of the 5100 series better and that it would match the steering stabilizer I have installed already.
Any other cost effective good options or is it time to just suck it up?
Any other cost effective good options or is it time to just suck it up?
That said I have Bilstein 5100 on my F150 and towed the TT and while I got some slight bounce, I think that was due to my level.
Cost for each shock breaks down to about $84 each, which I didn’t think was terrible.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 425
Likes: 44
From: Everett, WA
Often times, the 5100 is quoted as the shock needed for lifted or leveled vehicles. The F150's (and any other independent, strut front suspension vehicle) have adjustable ride height with the 5100s. The 4600 do not have the adjustable feature so they are really only sized for stock height vehicles.
The Super Duties are a bit different though. There is definitely a discrepancy of what is "stock height". Is it a gas or diesel, does it have a plow package, what spring rate was used, etc. all factor in to the actual stock height. For that, a shock of the correct length is needed, whether its listed for stock height or not.
In looking at the 5100 vs 4600 for my truck, there was a little information available online:
FAQ - Bilstein Question #4
BILSTEIN 4600 VS 5100 SERIES, WHAT ARE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES?
The most helpful thing was to look at actual stock shock length and potential travel. I measured the shock with the truck empty, sitting on level ground and compared a few shocks in the running. The 5100's were closest to my truck's resting height and allowed for the most travel:
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 475
I want to second the tire pressure thing. I've run tires down as low as 30-35psi to get the best possible ride and only air them up if i need the extra weight capacity. The door sticker PSI is just what you need to haul at the trucks capacity. If you chalk your tires and check the pattern you can see at what pressure the tires start cupping and then you just run your pressure above that. Changing tire width from stock also effects what pressure you need. A wider tire has a larger contact patch so it needs less psi to support the same weight.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 36
Likes: 8
I want to second the tire pressure thing. I've run tires down as low as 30-35psi to get the best possible ride and only air them up if i need the extra weight capacity. The door sticker PSI is just what you need to haul at the trucks capacity. If you chalk your tires and check the pattern you can see at what pressure the tires start cupping and then you just run your pressure above that. Changing tire width from stock also effects what pressure you need. A wider tire has a larger contact patch so it needs less psi to support the same weight.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 425
Likes: 44
From: Everett, WA
Mine pops on at about 45psi. I know last summer I consistently ran the tires at 50psi on all 4 corners and the warning didn't come on. It wasn't until the truck sat outside overnight and temps dipped below freezing, that morning the warning light came on.
