Based on all the good info I found on this site on Bilstein shocks, I replaced all four of mine in my 2005 F-350 4x4 V-10 Lariet. I replaced the rancho factory shocks. Install was easy and took me 2 hours. I can now say the proof is in the pudding. One thing used to drive me crazy in my truck is how my dunkin donuts coffee always spilled when I hit even a small bump. Since I drive the same route all the time, it was easy for me to see how much of an improvment these new shocks really provide. Unless the pothole is huge, I get s much smoother ride. I dont think the truck handles much different on turns but the small bumps get absorbed very well and much, much better than the stock shocks. I also found the rubber bushings on my old shocks where very worn with only 40K miles.

 

Glad you took the initiative


I don't know why, but Ford never put a set of shocks in a truck that were worth anything.

 

which model did you get?

 

did you go with the standard model in Yellow or the Silver series

 

I installed the yellow ones.

 

Hey MM, you said it took you about two hours. I assume you did it yourself. Did you run into any snags or anything tough along the way? I want to do mine very soon, as I drive a very bumpy old concrete road every day to work, and I have a "spill resistant" coffee cup that gets quite a workout. It's kinda funny how you learn where all the big bumps are and learn how to drink your coffee around them!

 

Here is how I changed my shocks. I did not rush. I started in the front. I sprayed the top studs with WD40 and waited a few minutes. Turn the wheel away from the shock. I used 2 hand wrenches. I placed a wrench on the stud(has a nut on it to hold the stud from turning.) Then I broke the nut loose. Its slow going here because you can only get a quarter of a turn at a time. Keep spraying some lube. You do not need to remove wheels or jack up the truck. The bottom bolts are real easy to remove with a rachet. When installing the new shocks I installed the top mounts first, not real tight, but enough to get the rubber bushing seated, then used a small floor jack to get the jack into the bottom mount and slide the bolt in. A very strong guy probaly could muscle the jack in rather than use a jack, but I dont have enough mustard to do it by hand and slide the bolt in at the same time so I used the jack. Then I went back and tighened up the top mount so the rubber bushing was squashed down well but not destroyed.

The rears where much easier. I left the spare tire in place and did not jack up the truck. I took the top mounts off first with a rachet and an extension. Then the bottom mounts next. I installed the new ones in the same manner as the fronts and used a jack to collapse the shock and get it into the bottom mount. For both the front and rear jack up the shock to the same level as the mount and then use decent sized screwdriver to slide it onto the mount. 2 hours, no air tools. I did place a little anti seeze on all the bolts. I also found out my drive side front stock shock had no fluid left and was junk. It no signs of leaking, but had no pressure left at all compared to the other 3. All of the bolts where hard to get loose, but once they did they all keep moving. They dont just spin off so be prepared to use some muscle all the way off. If you had air tools the lower mounts on the front and rear would come off in seconds. I dont think you easily get an air tool on the top mounts of the front shocks without all sorts of swivels and extenstions. They take the longest.

Hope this helps. This the only upgrade that has meet my old ladies approval to date!!

 

I have to agree. Was really shocked that my 02 with just over 50k on it had worn out shocks on it. The ride never felt bad. Two wouldn't uncompress and one wouldn't compress very well, all rattled. The ride difference was amazing. For those that did the upgrade, question for you - the back shocks went in only one way, boots up, the fronts would only go in one way, boots down. They work great but the boots on the front since they are down, won't cover all the way down, the boot scrunches up because of how close to the shock mount it is, so I can't get it to fit over the shock fitting. Anyone else have the same results? These are the yellow replacements for a 4x4 2002. Well worth the upgrade, and using an impact wrench, it was a little over an hour total with no jacking up the truck or taking anything off.
Thanks.

 

That is outstanding guys. Thanks for the updates. I now feel much better about going into this myself. I especially like your comment MM "...only upgrade that has met my old ladies approval..."! All I have to do now is order the dang things.

 

mm7924,

Did you put the boot end up or down? Seems to be a lot of discussion on this.
My shocks have the boot up on all four.

THanks,
Jack

 

Bilstein's go in opposite of most shocks, boots down.

 

Hands down boots down.....

 

05 and newer trucks the shocks go on with the covers up. The fronts can't be put on any other way. There aren't boots on the HD series for 05 and newer. There is a cover only on the newer Bilstein that if mounted wrong will collect water and debris.

 

Also, the HD and 5100 series are the same internals. I called Bilstein before buying mine. They said other than paint and the option for a lift, they are the same.

I love mine...made a significant difference.

 

On my 2004, I called Bilstein and was told the they are mono tube shocks--it really didn't matter which way you put them on, but if you want to follow Bilstein's recommendation, the writing should be readable.