Varmint

It's about time to put new shocks on the old girl. 2001, 2500. I'm retired and living on small pension. Not sure I can afford the very best, but don't want to have to buy junk that won't last either. Ya'll have never told me wrong before, so I'd sure like to hear what works for you. Thanks for your time.

xtoyz17

I haven't found a shock these trucks don't ruin. Dad is on his 4th or 5th set in 130k miles. Me? I gave up and got cheapo autozone shocks with a lifetime warranty. It's a hassle changing them, but at least you'll never buy a set again.

What do you do with your truck?

Varmint

that we put between 4,000 & 6,000 miles a year on. But for the most part, it's just driven empty, that is no load. I don't count my little boat trailer cause it don't weigh much at all. And I tow a small 10 trailer with a ATV on it. When you put those Autozone shocks on, does it cange the ride much?

CNeubauer

Bilsteins seem to be the preferred brand. I've got four new ones in a box in the back seat of my truck to put on sometime next week.

SIXSLUG

I don't know if you've got a Les Schwab or a tire store like it back there but if you do get their lifetime shocks and forget about it. They just replaced both the rears on my Tahoe after three years, one broke. The Ram's got 'em at all four corners and it rides about like it did before the levelling kit. Luck, Kurt

HOHN

Try the HD billsteins with the zinc body. If you get the yellow bodied bilsteins, you have the wrong shock.

They are the best available that require no special adaptation to fit.

JMO

dieselman2300

When I ordered my Bilstein shocks, I called Bilstein to verify what I needed. I was told bt Bilstein that the Zinc (5100 series) and the Yellow/blue body Bilsteins are built the same. They said the Zinc 5100s were for offroad/lifted trucks.
If you look on their site, it states the Zinc 5100 are for lifted trucks.
The Yellow/Blue body shocks are for stock height trucks, they call them the Heavy Duty series.

jcarew

Hi my O.E. shocks were leaking at 15k so I put on Monroe Magnums and now at 98k still good and my 2002 cab an chassis is a Class C Motor Home so it is loaded pretty good always

HOHN

Good to know. Thanks for posting that. I was under the impression that the yellow bodied shocks didn't have the digressive valving and were generally valved too soft for the stiff CTD springs, hence my advice.

I was sure I had it on good authority that the valving was different, but lately my mind is going, too. Just another thing on a lengthening list

FWIW-- the back of my truck is at stock ride height and has the "HD" zinc Bilsteins. They still don't have enough rebound damping.

BigB82789

I think the zinc bodies are for trucks with a leveling kit.
Edit: the zinc bodies ARE for trucks with an additional 2" of travel. Advertised that way in genos garage catalog for $79.00 each

high bid

www.eshocks.com. Under $300 delivered to your door for the 5100s. You can't beat the ride.

smokinram99

..I need 4 new shocks too...for my 99 ram2500...I saw the Bilstein ZINC shocks are for lifted trucks and instead the blue-yellow are for stock trucks; I have a stock ram with 285 tires(so no lift)...can I put on my pickup 4 ZINC shock from Bilstein? (on the site they says for 0-2" of lift)

ROB

HOHN

OK, but what about the back shocks?? Those are unaffected by levelling.

ric o'shea

The rear bilsteins I replaced last summer are the yellow BE5-2550-HO. I picked them up at auto zone. I also called bilstein about the difference between the 5100 series BE5-6682-H5 and BE5-2550-HO.
The tech told me the valving is identical except the 5100 is zinc coated, has a replaceable boot, and is for lifted vehicles.
In the spring when the leveling kit goes on the front of my truck so will some 5100 series bilsteins.

afoulk

I just got a set of the 5100's for my truck and need to install them yet. I've heard that the upper bushings that come on the front ones are junk and that some guys reuse the bushings from their stock shocks, is this true?
I've also heard good things about the Monroe shocks (not sure which model it was though) and they are a good bit cheaper than the 5100's. If it weren't for my leveling kit, i think I would have tryed them. I'm also planning on going to a D load range tire since I rarely ever haul anything, I think that should help the ride a good bit too.