I need to replace my shocks and have been hearing very good things about how the bilsteins improve ride and handling on our heavy rigs compared to the stockers. The only thing that I still don't know about is how well they are in cold weather. What I mean by that is when I worked at a gm dealer years ago when all the z71's came with them factory, I couldn't believe how many of the bilsteins leaked fluid badly from the shaft seals when it was very cold out. It may have been a poor seal design those years but it was a big issue then. Are the new ones now ok and has anyone seen this happen to theirs yet? Thanks.

 

mine have been on for two years-around 30,000 miles- no problems. that is the only shock i run. the only complaint i have is the finish on the shock- it does not hold up well or long in winter conditions-starts to rust,etc pretty quick.

 

Had them on for 7 months now. No problems at all.

 

geno's even sell some that are supposedly valved for the diesels...i plan on trying a set.

 

I read somewhere that the ones on the z71 and the ford offroad pkgs. were fake bilsteins. Chevy and Ford bought rights to bilstein and used their labels on their stock factory shocks. Don't know where I read that at. I have almost 30k on mine and no problems other than showing rust through them and now they are painted black.

 

I wouldn't think Bilstein would ever do anything that silly? would they?

I agree on the cheap finish. It does not hold up at all in winter ... they rust and look like crap in no time. Other than that no problems so far ... been on truck for about a year now. I won't buy them again unless they change the finish to something that will handle corrosion a little better.

 

Why wouldn't they? Rancho did just that. The shocks on the FX4 Fords are repainted OEM shocks with a Rancho sticker slapped on. Money talks.

 

are you guys talking about the silver/black ones, or the yellow/blue? do they make the ride stiffer or nicer? i know its a truck and going to ride somewhat rough, but i sure don't want to make it more stiff.

 

i am talking about the silver and black ones-which really are for the 1500 trucks with a three inch lift kit-but work on the 2500/3500 trucks- but bilstein just came out with the "right" shock for our trucks- they are the yellow and blue ones-i will try those ones next!

 

I called Bilstein two years ago, when I had my Chevy....

I was thought the 5100 would hold up better to the salt brine that PA uses to Pretreat the roads before a ice or snow storm.

Bilstein said that they would not hold up any better than the standard yellow and Blue shocks.

There recommendations was to spray down with WD40 to CRC after ever crappy days...

I actually just clear coated my Bilsteins yesterday. I just sprayed a coating(mounted on the truck) over the body of the shocks....

 

i did just that- i would spray them with wd-40! did not work!

 

Well they work well but the finish certainly does not hold up anywhere near as well as the blue and yellow type. Mine were all corroded almost immediately once the salt started flying on winter roads. I used the stock shocks for about the same amt. of time including the 1st winter and they still look brand new, the bilsteins were euchered in 2 months. And I also sprayed them once with wd-40, the same time I had the truck under-coated ... in late fall. Caught me off-guard how quickly they corroded though not sure how I would have prevented it. Lesson learned.

keithstef, how did u spray your shocks thru the springs?

 

Are they better than Rancho 9000? And what is the difference in price?

 

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Darn.... I forgot to do the fronts

 

the best shock out there! Buy them from sean lorenz he has them valved perfectly for our ctd's. If you have a rust issue cover them with bed liner... before you mount them ... its super easy they are so rough they dont need any prep work.

This is the second set i have had and i would not buy anything else again. Rancho who?