Before i install my "REAR" 5100 Bilsteins i wanted to get an idea on the "minimum" extended or installed length vs the compressed (as shipped length).

Does anyone know what the minimum installed overall length should be?
I know this varies according to lift vs factory height but wanted to get some ideas.

As of this wrighting i have about 600-700 lbs in the bed (stock 06 F250) and the stock rear Rancho crappers are measuring from bushing end to end about 23 1/2" (i averaged to about 24" with bed empty, i will confirm this tomorow after i empty the bed)

The 5100's length as shipped with strap and look to be pretty much fully compressed measure 23". If i assume the 2" rear lift i will be installing is 2" this should give me about 3" of extended or installed length for the Bilstein.

Will this be adequate or will i need more piston length as installed?

 

I replaced my rear 250 blocks with 350 blocks and upgraded the rear shocks to the 350 ones. Here is the measurement of them I took before I installed them.

bushing to bushing extended - 31 1/2"
bushing to bushing compressed - 18 1/2"

Hope that helps

 

Every shock will vary on the extended length. I've rarely come across two manufactures who spec collapsed and extended within 0.2". The stock lengths shocks will be fine with a 2" lift as a rule.

 

So rj,
Your saying your extended length is 31 1/2" on the stock 250 shock? I am guessing this is not "installed" length.

I am not too concerned about the stock shocks length but more concerned about the "difference" between the "installed" length of the stock shock vs the "installed" length of the Bilstein shock after the 2" lift.

But thanks nonetheless.
Dave

 

If your installing a block, then add the extra height of the block to the current center to center of your shocks. The block will add a steady figure. I'd guesstimate your C-C as 22", so with the block you will be at 24" C-C. is this what your looking for?

 

I am at 25 1/2" with the 350 blocks as it sits right now no load.

That would make a stock 250 installed length at 23 1/2"

 

Your saying it appears that when you install your new 5100's you will only be able to collapse the shocks by 3" ??? That does not sound right to me. You need more travel in that direction especially with a load. My shocks fully collapsed are 18 1/2" as it sits on the truck now is 25 1/2" That gives me 6" travel to full compression or collapse.

 

What is the model number of the shocks that you have?

 

The 5100's (rear) i ordered are F4-BE5-6246-H6. I made my selection from Bilsteins application guide PDF: http://www.bilstein.com/305bilsteinapplicationguide.pdf
listed for 2.5"-4" of lift.

I assumed they would be ok for 2" of lift with giving me a margine if i wanted to go to a 4" lift in the future. So like i said out of the carton it seems to be pretty much fully compressed at 23".

The rears that i looked at originaly were the F4-BE5-6246-H5 (spec'd at 2" from the same pdf) they don't seem to exist on shockwarehouses website but they changed from the -H5 to a -H6 when they sent me the quote. So that is what i ordered.

I had a similar problem with the p/n's for the fronts which are listed first in the letter below.

I have enquired with shock warehouse on these as well as the fronts as according to them some of the p/n's have changed but they said i should be ok with what i ordered.

After hearing this i have been very confused as even on Bilsteins website the same p/n shocks have different spec'd "height" between the search engine and their application guide as well as trying to cross descriptions with shockwarehouse.

Below is a copy of the letter i sent to shock warehouse's tech dept.. I realize there can be many different applications for the same shock but geez.

 

i have gone through all this same stuff you are going through. i recently got a set of 5100 series shocks for my f-250 as well. i got bilstein's bts kit for the front which comes with 2 shocks and 2 springs and raises the front 2.25". i planned on putting a 4" readylift block in the rear(2" lift) and was told by readylift that i needed part number BE5-C336-H0 which is stock length. it must be because of the bump stops is all i can figure. they said a longer shock would not work properly with there 2" lift. i was confused too because bilstein says to use BE5-6246-H5 for 2-4" of lift in the rear. bilstein said that the bump stops can not remain in stock position with the longer shock. so because readylift's block kit still has the bumpstop in the stock location i needed to go with the stock length shock (BE5-C336-H0) so if you are going to go with BE5-6246-H5 you will need to modify your stock chasis bumpstops and make sure you have 2-4" of rear lift. that all seemed complicated to me so i stuck with the readylift 2" lift with the BE5-C336-H0 in the rear. hope you understand all that and hope it helps!

 

So Mudslinger,
All said and done i should go with the BE5-C336-HO "rear" shock spec'd at 0-1" lift
and SE5-C765-HO for the "front" spec'd at 2.25" both which are recomended for the BTS kit?

How does shock warehouse treat their returns? Do they require restocking fee's? Shocks still in orig packaging intact.

 

Well,
After a little additional research i realize i don't want the SE5's as that is the complete BDS kit.

It looks like:
BE5-C335-HO front
BE5-C336-HO rear

I will have to e-mail them tomorow and hopefully they will do a swap. I thought out of the 4 selections for the 05 and up that the 2.5-4 front and 2" rear would be the proper selection. But i guess i need the 2" front and 1" rear, ooh well i guess that's the cost for knowledge.

 

Correct you want the C336

6246s are too long for a stock or leveled truck, IMO.

 

Thanks for help guys

Dave

 

You got it. not sure of the front part number as i got the bts kit which has its own p/n and comes with the shocks. as far as shock warehouse, i couldnt tell ya. i got mine through one of my racecar sponsors and he is is a bilstein dealer.