I'm just about sick and tired of this website...
 

...and it's ability to spend my money faster than Bill Hionas taking Fred Cecil out to dinner at Supercat Cove. :drink:

After doing some research right here on OSO, I replaced/upgraded to some Bilstein 5100 Series shocks that I picked up from CardID.
http://www.carid.com/2003-chevy-silv...-17172939.html

Drastic, and I mean DRASTIC improvement on my 2003 2500HD Silverado. I just bought the truck and it has 97xxx miles on it. The factory shocks were definitely worn, but not falling apart. My truck had not been worked hard; as it's never towed anything until I bought it. I also put on a Bilstein steering stabilizer too. (First pic is when I brought it home. I have blacked out a lot of trim on it, and moved wheels/tires/flares over from my other truck. I sought out this 8.1L to be a daily driver, and the ride improvement is fantastic for such.)

Thanks OSO. I plan to put the same shocks on my dually as well. I have Edlebrock shocks on it now, but these Bilsteins are a fantastic product for stock replacements.

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Im kicking myself for being a cheap azz and not getting the bilsteins for my dually last year. I went with the OE ac delco shocks.I guess I could still swap them for the bilsteins.

I have a pair of rear Bilsteins I used about a week till my adjustable shocks came in .. $90 each new .. anyone wants em theyre your for $75 (both)
They are for a Ford F-250/350

http://33outlaw.zenfolio.com/img/s7/...78136799-3.jpg

+1 I put them on my duramax, big difference, rides so much better

I have run and loved my bilsteins for almost 9 years not on my duramax

I put the same shocks on my 2008 2500 HD and was amazed at the difference in ride. Wait till you tow with them!

Now, thanks to you I may have to get the steering stabilizer as well. Oh well, its only money right?

Dave

Yeah, I replaced the factory shock on my 04 Duramax at about 50K miles and it was like driving a brand new truck! I made the mistake however of cutting the retention band before I got them in place! Damn! them suckers are stiff......

5100 are the best and are available with ride height control to give you a small lift without stressing your suspension componanants like some pucks can

Put Bilstein's on my last truck (2500HD) and current truck 04.5' 3500 Dually as soon as I got them home. Truck rides pretty good for a Dually.

I had the exact same wheels/tires on a 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 before this truck. That thing rode TERRIBLE; but I am now wondering if these shocks would have made it better. I only drove that truck about 4 times a month though. As such, I wasn't too worried about the ride; but the steering was terrible. It was really loose and sloppy due to the flimsy frame area where the steering box mounts on the Dodges of those years. I bought the solid frame steering box reinforcement kit, and added dual (Rancho) steering stabilizers and it really helped that truck out as far as drive-ability. It was a solid front axle though, so it was never going to be like the IFS of the Chevrolet.

The Bilstein steering stabilizer is about 30% bigger than the stock one. You will need a ball joint separator (fork) to get it off on the Chevrolet. Disconnect the inner side of the stabilizer, and turn the wheels all the way to the right. Then you can get the separator in their and bang the stabilizer out of the steering linkage. I'm having it aligned tomorrow since I cranked the torsion bars to raise the front about 3/4".

I made the mistake of adding a 2" spacer instead of going with the 5100's in the front of my Furd so I could dial in just enough lift to clear 33's. Running the 5100's on the rear though and they are the poo, Will switch over to 5100's in the front too once I need upper ball joints (which will be soon due to the angle the 2" spacer puts them in).

That is a nice (and cheap) upgrade....did it to my 03 CC duramax.

Now you can tow an extra 8,000 lbs on the bumper with 5,000 lbs extra in the bed! :food-smiley-007:

Do these shocks really load assist that well? Im due for shocks this spring and also due for some "load assisting" in the rear. I run around with about 1500 pounds of sand/salt in the winter and the boat trailer is a bit heavy on the tongue...

You want airbags for what you describe, not shocks. See this thread:
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/t...our-truck.html

Oops, i got those mixed up with the ride height adjustable 5100's for coil overs. Thanks for the link Sydwayz!

Big Bilstein fan. Hard to beat them. The height adjustable 5100 worked great correcting the nose-down stance of my wife's 4Runner.

Brian, that's it. When I get finally get a new daily driver, i'm sending you my 2500 aval to upgrade and get up to spec as i'm clueless.

Speak to me! They fit a 2000 super duty 250?

no .

Just to be clear, the yellow ones are not what I bought. I bought the silver 5100 series.
But, this is a good deal on the stock replacement caliber variety.

http://dmaxstore.com/products/image/...0x500.jpg?full

The shocks are sold.
I bought the QA1 adjustables ($$) for the Excursion but honestly didnt see much of a difference.

I have a pair of the yellow rear Bilsteins that fit an 06 3500 Silverado dually that I will sell. I put them on and then ordered the Rancho adjustables with remote cab control. When the Rancho's came in the Bilsteins came off so they have very little run time on them. If anyone is interested I will sell them for $75 plus freight.

My '03 250SD rides like a tank. I swear the axles are welded solid to the frame as the truck feels like it bounces over every bump. I hate it. Only has 50k and has always rode like this since new.. Original ranchero shocks. Are you guys saying the 5100 Bilsteins are the cure and will give me that Cadillac ride? Never looked into new shocks as the truck may get driven a couple days a year, if that the last 5 yrs. it's a garage queen

Well yes and no. "Shocking" is key to the ride but brands are different based on their build. Also the chassis that is under consideration is what determines the "shocking" requirement. For example a 1 ton truck has three stage springs but a 3/4 ton truck usually has two stage or can in some cases have single stage springs. The springs effect the ride just as shocks do so the shock selection has to be made based on the spring design and what kind of control is needed due to that design.
This is the primary reason some say a 1 ton can never be made to ride smoothly both empty and loaded. That may be true when a shock can not adjust for the different running dynamics of the spring types but that is also why I went with the adjustables; I can vary the amount of shocking needed for the situation. It really is hard to get an exact response to ride when the spring response changes across the load range between loaded and empty.

A good bottom line is: shocking is key and usually stiffer is better.................. lol however you want to take that.

Are you airing the tires down when not towing? That will make a big difference too in ride with E rated tires.

I plan to go to shocks on each front corner, and maybe the same on the rear. I don't expect my F-350 dually (MY2000) to ride like a 1987 Lincoln Town Car; but I believe it will better.