Bilstein Shocks

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Nov 2, 2009 | 08:58 PM

#31

F350-6

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From: Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by mechelement

Good luck with those Gabriels. My brother went through a set of them on his Grand Cherokee in two months.

I like the blue & yellow Bilsteins I put on my truck. So far so good.

Which ones Jason? What did they look like? The cheapy versions for $32 looked like regular shocks. The expensive ones for around $60 looked like Bilstien's with a different color scheme.

If it was the fancy expensive version from Gabriel that failed in 2 months, then I guess I better start on my warranty claim with Bilstein to get the mail order stuff going.

What was the mode of failure after 2 months? Was it just a bumpy ride, or did it ruin a tire? I'm getting sick of these tire issues. I had a brand new, top of the line NAPA (Monroe) shock ruin one tire before I went to the Bilstein. Now thanks to a 4" x 4" at freeway speed, I've got another bad tire.

Nov 2, 2009 | 09:16 PM

#32

mechelement

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From: Eaton, CO

Quote:

Originally Posted by F350-6

They were cheapies. My stepdad was a mechanic in the 70's and said Monroes and Gabriels were good. My brother blew through a set of Monroes in a few months before that. It got old replacing shocks on his Jeep. My brother and my folks lived in Northern Idaho (Coeur d'Alene) and with the winters up there, the roads are in bad shape. One winter killed two sets of shocks. The tires were unscathed. It seemed like every time I visited them up north, I was replacing his shocks. They were completely blown making noise and all.

I've gone the Gabriel route on my '62 Falcon, but sold it shortly thereafter, so I don't know how well they held up. Since then, I've always bought good shocks. I thought Ranchos were good until I ran them on my YJ. Never again. Those Old Man Emu shocks are better than the Ranchos I ran.

Nov 3, 2009 | 07:08 PM

#33

HighOctane

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From: Kamloops

Both my front tires cupped bad with my dual Bilstien setup. Swapped them with the rears next season, and the same damn thing happened. I thought it was a tire issue, but it only happens to the fronts and the rears wear flat.

Nov 3, 2009 | 07:23 PM

#34

F350-6

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From: Texas

I'm not really sure what the deal with the cupping tires is. Before the Bilsteins, I put new tires and new Monroe shocks on my truck. 3 weeks later I had a cupped tire from a shock that failed prematurely. Got a replacement shock for free, but I got to eat the cost of the tire.

Now the Bilstein goes bad (admittedly after hitting a 4 x 4 at 60 mph) and another cupped tire.

At least when my factory shocks went bad it just felt like I was driving on a trampoline.

Nov 3, 2009 | 08:35 PM

#35

bcg

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From: San Diego, Tx

Have you guys checked your ball joints? My E250 vans and Rangers will start cupping on the inside edge of the tire very badly when the ball joints go bad. I'd expect the F250 is going to behave the same way. I noticed some cupping on mine a couple of weeks ago, in fact, and just replaced the shocks and plan to do the ball joints this week sometime. I've got the parts, just need to find the time.

Nov 3, 2009 | 08:38 PM

#36

F350-6

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From: Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcg

Thanks for the tip, but it's the outside of my tire that is cupping, and I did check the ball joints before I pulled the shock. Also no popping sound that is common with bad ball joints.

If you're wearing down the inside edge of both tires, it might also be time to check your front springs. Worn springs can wear the inside edge of the front tires on a 2wd model.

Nov 3, 2009 | 08:46 PM

#37

bcg

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From: San Diego, Tx

Odd, I've never seen the outside cup on the front tires. I've had a lot of problems with that on the back tires on the Rangers but we have landscape beds on those with about 1,500 pounds of landscape equipment in them so the stock suspension was just overloaded. I put adjustable helper springs on those and it seems to have cleared it up, haven't had to replace a back tire on them yet this year and usually I was doing all of them at least 1x per summer.

My F250 is 4x4 and I do have some play in the driver's side ball joint, plus the front end noise. The passenger side is fine but I'm just going to do both sides, I figure as long as I'm in it I might as well.

The shocks I put in last week were Bilsteins, btw, and honestly, they weren't as much better as I expected. Cornering is definitely improved but the way they're talked about on here, I think I just expected more than the regular new shock ride. In fairness, I haven't had a load on them yet, maybe when I do I'll see more improvement.

Nov 4, 2009 | 08:14 AM

#38

sflem849

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From: SE Wisco

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcg

...The shocks I put in last week were Bilsteins, btw, and honestly, they weren't as much better as I expected. Cornering is definitely improved but the way they're talked about on here, I think I just expected more than the regular new shock ride. In fairness, I haven't had a load on them yet, maybe when I do I'll see more improvement.

That is what I am saying!!!