Ebay has the Bilsteins for around $250 for 4 for the F250/350

Looks like there are at least 2 different models. 5100s which are silver with a black boot:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-Bil...spagenameZWDVW

Or these yellow ones:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BILST...spagenameZWDVW

What is the difference?

 

How many miles should a truck expect to get out of the stock shocks and struts?

 

Well thanks to you guys, I went and ordered a set of Bilsteins from eshocks. I'm planning on replacing the rear shocks first, then the front shocks. The rear shocks look simple to replace, but the front shocks, I might be posting a few questions on this forum. I've got almost 40,000 miles on my 04 truck, and have noticed the bed bouncing a little more than usual. Also, I can push down on the side of the truck, and can hear a squeeking noise. I hope the new shocks cure this problem.

Thanks guys for the great info on this great forum.

 

It completely depends upon the quality of the roads driven, of course, but I usually get around 50K on my vehicles w/ typical city driving before the shocks get fairly clapped out.

 

Don't expect to get anywhere near 50,000 miles out of the shocks that came on your F150 from the factory. I've been buying Ford vehicles for years and typically the factory shocks last 20,000 miles or less. When I put the Bilsteins on my S'Crew all four factory shocks were completely shot. You could cycle the shocks from fully compressed to fully open with little more than fingertip pressure.

And bobbylh, as for doing the rears only you ought to do all 4 at once. If you've got 40,000 miles on them your shocks are completely worn out. If you put new (and therefore, stiff) shocks on the back you will be introducing an imbalance in the suspension that could induce dangerous oversteer - particularly when the bed of the truck is empty which is most of the time.

The fronts aren't hard to do but you will need to have a heavy duty spring compressor to get the job done. If you have any doubt just pay a shop to install the fronts for you. It shouldn't take them more than an hour of labor.

 

I bought the Bilsteins and put them on myself. Here is where I purchased them from. http://www.shox.com/appguide/shoxshop/productsdisplay.php

If you notice by the part numbers the front is a BE5-A761-H1 and the rear is BE5-A762-H0. The H0 is Heavy Duty and H1 is the Sport. The Sport version has a little better damping for the heaver front end. The front shocks also have two circlip groves for the spring perch, one for the Explorer and one for the F150. If you use the Explorer groove you can raise the front end up by half an inch.

 

Same ones I ordered MeanGene1. Did you have to use any special tools, and how long did it take to change the front?

Thanks, and your link was 20 bucks cheaper than what I paid.

 

I am leaving right now, but yes you need at least a real large spring compressor, but there are other ways depending on the tools that you have. Took me about 30 minutes for the rears and 4 hours for the fronts.

 

I've got to say Monroe and Rancho. I've had both on multiple vehicles, and will use them again when the time comes. Wheover has the cheaper $, will decide it for me.

To disassemble the coil-over to get that shock out, just remove the shock nut while the truck is sitting on the ground

then jack up the front using the center section, not the lower control arm

as you jack up the truck, the spring tension on the coil-over will be released.

once the tire is off the ground, remove the tire and unbolt your coil-over and disconnect the upper control arm from the spindle.

the coil-ever will slide right out and you can install your new shocks.

re-assemble in reverse. just go nice and slow to prevent any issues

at no time will the coil-over itself be unbolted during the releaseing phase, so this is a completely safe and tested way to release the tension and reset tension on your coil-over. most mechanics will do this rather than use a spring compressor. you've got to jack the truck up into the air anyways, so why not kill 2 birds with one stone.

alternately, you can usually rent the spring compressor from AutoZone or any other parts store with a $100 or so deposit that they'll give back.

 

Thanks Tylus for the good info, my shocks should be here before next weekend, so I'll give it a try then.

 

By the way one of the latest Trucks! episodes showed a technique on removing the shocks. It was done during the Lighting Strikes Again episode. This is one of the shows on Powerblock.

 

I saw that episode yesterday. They Roush'ed a stock Reg Cab '07 F150. Good episode but they didn't provide any before/after dyno results for some reason.

 

They're getting bad about that. The guys on the Horsepower show are good about doing Dyno runs. For some reason those guys on Trucks spend more time touting the products merits and downplaying the vehicle...I was really peeved when they said a stock 5.4 couldn't do a burnout.

If you can view that video, it shows the coil-over process I was talking about.

 

They also forgot or just skipped one step in changing out the front shocks. The Bilsteins, which they appear to be, use a small rubber sleeve that slides over the shaft to keep the bump stop at the top of the shock. Not absolutely necessary, but because the Bilstein shaft is a little smaller then stock it will keep the bump stop from bouncing around.

 

I don't see that episode available online. Anyone have a link to it saved somwhere?