Need some advice and part numbers...

Ok i have a 2006 DC 4x4. It currently has the Fabtech 6" DB lift. i have been having trouble with the whole truck riding like it was a tank. Today I ripped out the rear shocks, and the struts on the front. Put my factory coils on a set of Billy 5100 on the .85 setting. Truck is now level and has a nice stance. Which leads me to my first question...I need a part number for a Billy 5100, 5125, 5160 or all 3 that will fit the back of my truck with the 4" lift block under my leaf pack and the 2" AAL. My rear shocks that came with the fabtech lift are halfway gone and junk. The top of my rear shock is the threaded stud, not the eyelet-eyelet style. So i need a shock with enough travel for the 6" lift and it either has to have the eyelet on the bottom and the stud on top, or i need a a part number for the eyelet to stud adapter. Now the truck still rides stiff as hell and i think I found out why. I am currently running Nitto Trail Grappler 295/70R17 (E RATED) tires on the truck. They are rated for max 80PSI. The ONLY comfort I get is to run the front at 28 and the rear at 23 and it rides fine. Tires weigh 86Lbs a piece so that is where all my fuel mileage is going.

I have been researching new tires and wanted to find a C rated but looks like for a 17" rim All I will be able to come up with is a D rated at best. Which by the specs looks like each tire will drop 15-22LBS per tire going from a E to a D. Can anyone give me some insight on how much better the ride will be going from a E Mud tire to possibly a D rated A/T.

Please if anyone can help me with a few of these questions i would really appreciate any input I can get.

Thanks!
CBook

 

Call Bilstein about the part numbers you need. I'm sure they can help you, especially if you measure your old Fabtechs compressed and extended and have the measurements handy when you call.

When I switched from E's to D's, I called BF Goodrich and got a person almost instantly. He consulted the lab coat guys and gave me recommended tire pressures for my 285/75/16s based on wheel width etc. It came out to be 40 front/40 back. Still rides like crap.....but I am going to run them for like 10k to check wear vs gas mileage. Truck rides much better at factory air settings, but the tires look underinflated, especially the front ones with the ARB bumper and winch.

The manufacturers all want you to have the best result with their products. Call Bilstein and the tire maker of your choice and get their input.

On a side note, when you hit a speed bump, is either end of the truck significantly stiffer? If so, might want to soften that set of springs as funds allow.

And then when you hit the lottery, get a set of 4.56 gears installed and your transmission may return some MPGs by shifting into overdrive correctly. I am currently running a tank of gas in 5th gear (out of 6, manual transmission) to see what my MPGs would be with 4.56s and never lugging the motor.

Good luck!

 

Bump

 

I see what you are saying about measuring the fabtech shocks compressed and extended. I really did not want to do that because when i pulled them off the truck yesterday they could only extend about 1 more inch then they were fully extended. They are only a year old so I am sure this is what made them go bad.

How else can I measure for rear shocks?