Bought KYB's... thinking I might should have bought Bilstein's

My stock height truck has worn out OEM shocks on it when I bought it with 289K miles on it. I was wanting a decent shock to put on it and despite all of the reading I came across telling me to get 5100's, I bought a full set of KYB's due to the price. Truck rides much better than the worn out stockers.

The truck rides a bit spongy with KYB Gas A Justs. I have had Gas A Justs on a Camry and also a Camaro SS and have been happy with them. But I'm not happy with the way the truck rides. I'm wondering if Bilsteins might be much better. Before I fork over $300-$400 on new shocks to replace my 6 month old KYB's I'd like to get some confirmation that the Bilsteins will give me a more firm ride. Front and rear springs are stock. Front springs don't seem to have ANY sag at all, rear of course do(pic below). I plan to do a OMD rear leaf refurb to get the rear back up about an inch or so and add some load capacity.

I'm certain that I will never lift the truck. So maybe 4600's instead of 5100's? Although it seems that many folks recommend 5100's for stock height regardless.

 

I have Bilstein 5100s on mine and have no regrets. The ride is firmer, but not harsh. But that's just my opinion. Others swear they are too firm. For what it's worth the Bilstein 5100s are a great upgrade over stock, especially for the price. Btw, nice ride!

 

Thanks Art. Nice truck back at ya... LOL.

 

Nothing to add about the 5100s however I did the OMD mod and am really pleased after adding the chevy leafs. also all 3 of us have matching trucks lol

 

Sweet wheels! Paint or powder coat?

 

5100’s all day rides much better with my trd stock springs . No regrets here .

 

I have 5100s on mine, stock height. I wouldn't call it harsh, but the ride is definitely firm. With the Achilles M/Ts my truck came with when I bought it, it was a bit much, but now that I have Firestone Destination A/Ts on, it's just about right. Handles tight with great road feel but doesn't rattle my spine when I hit an expansion gap on the highway. It's all about finding the right balance for your setup.

 

i removed a brand new set of kyb gas a just shocks in place of 5100s. they're much better. the kybs are SUPER soft and spongy.

 

Bilstiens are nice shocks. I am running the upgrade to the KYB2 shocks. One up upgrade in the line. They are a bit stiff over the stock ride. Nice taco by the way.

 

You guys are awesome. I appreciate the responses and compliments.

I painted these wheels with Dupli Color(prep, etching primer, dupli color and matte clear).

You guys are telling me what I need to hear. I may wait till black friday sales to try to get a deal(cheapest I can find now is $400) I'll do a bit of research to figure out rear length. I need to get my rear leafs refurbed and let them settle in first I suppose.

 

$339.00 Downsouth Motorsports

 

Thats a heck of a price. I'd be willing to do that now. The rear shock seems to be a bit longer than stock. I've read that this can be solved with a longer bump stop, but wouldn't this limit travel? Specs below from the Downsouth 5100 link:

Rear Left Shock Spec:
Accommodates: 1" to 1.5" of lift (Requires 1" to 1.5" of rear lift)
Collapsed Length: 13.62" / Extended Length: 21.26"

Rear Right Shock Spec:
Accommodates: 1" to 1.5" of lift (Requires 1" to 1.5" of rear lift)
Collapsed Length: 14.07" / Extended Length: 22.09"

 

I've never heard anyone having a problem with it.

 

Thanks Jon.

 

I just ordered 5100's from Downsouth. It will be a few weeks before I can install them though. I've been a busy man lately.

 

$299 for all four from downsouthmotorsports (a vendor here) with a member discount (at least that was the price when I got mine). (Edit: sounds like that’s what you got, lol)

I had 5100s for a good 6 years, and they were definitely a great buy. They ride well, like a truck, and handled well offroad. They are on my friends truck, now that I have upgraded to Kings.

If you don’t plan on any sort of lift, the 4600s are another option. Basically same shock, just not height adjustable like the 5100s are. They are nearly the same price, which I think is why most people end up with the 5100s. You can also level the truck out with 5100s, since older coils tend to sag a bit. It’s a bandaid fix for warn out springs (mine were sagging a bit when I got the 5100s), but like I said I had that for 6 years and it worked great.

If you are contemplating new springs, too, you might look into OME springs and shocks.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I ordered the 5100's yesterday. My front springs don't seem to have any sag at all(see photo on post #1). My rear springs are a different story and I plan to refurb them using the OMD mod.

 

Yeah, that's what I get for not reading the entire thread before posting...

 

That's OK, it gives me a fresh unbiased opinion. Thanks again.