Bilsteins installed....

[Patriot]

Well, the install went without a hitch but my battery bit the big one.

Anyway, the shocks are definitely for road use. They feel more "boaty" to me but take the potholes better...more response. The nose dive is a bit worse and the whole vehicle feels a tad looser overall. The ride is more plush but less firm. I have my doubts on how they will behave off-road.

I'll keep them on for the winter and then dump them when I put on my lift next spring (hopefully).

I replaced the battery with a Yellow top optima. I moved the truck around a few times to position in my driveway...on the last move she gave up the farm....voltage on the battery terminals dropped to 10VDC....dead. Surprisingly, the whole vehicle seemed to run better after the yellow was installed. I think it was slowly dying over the past 4-6 weeks.

[Patriot]

Well, the install went without a hitch but my battery bit the big one.

Anyway, the shocks are definitely for road use. They feel more "boaty" to me but take the potholes better...more response. The nose dive is a bit worse and the whole vehicle feels a tad looser overall. The ride is more plush but less firm. I have my doubts on how they will behave off-road.

I'll keep them on for the winter and then dump them when I put on my lift next spring (hopefully).

I replaced the battery with a Yellow top optima. I moved the truck around a few times to position in my driveway...on the last move she gave up the farm....voltage on the battery terminals dropped to 10VDC....dead. Surprisingly, the whole vehicle seemed to run better after the yellow was installed. I think it was slowly dying over the past 4-6 weeks.

[Patriot]

Well, the install went without a hitch but my battery bit the big one.

Anyway, the shocks are definitely for road use. They feel more "boaty" to me but take the potholes better...more response. The nose dive is a bit worse and the whole vehicle feels a tad looser overall. The ride is more plush but less firm. I have my doubts on how they will behave off-road.

I'll keep them on for the winter and then dump them when I put on my lift next spring (hopefully).

I replaced the battery with a Yellow top optima. I moved the truck around a few times to position in my driveway...on the last move she gave up the farm....voltage on the battery terminals dropped to 10VDC....dead. Surprisingly, the whole vehicle seemed to run better after the yellow was installed. I think it was slowly dying over the past 4-6 weeks.

[Klaus]

Are you happy with the way the Optima fits in the battery tray?

I bought an Optima, but didn't like the way it fit. Since the battery tray is made for a group 79 battery instead of a group 78, I am wondering if a Chevy Tahoe group 78 battery tray will fit in our trucks...

[DRTYFN]

I just got done putting my Bilsteins in about 2 hours ago. Pretty easy install, except for the upper bolts on the rear shocks. Pain in the ass location and I got a load of dirt in my eyes again. I went with the 5100 series- BE5-6647-H5 in the back and BE5-6081-HO in the front. I went for a drive after I got done and really noticed a difference. I love the ride. The nose dive on hard braking is greatly reduced and the H2 doesn't feel like a land yacht anymore. I'm curious to see how they do on washboard roads.

So far 2 thumbs up.http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Patriot, I can't believe your battery took a dump like that. Did you have the radio on?

[Patriot]

Klaus:

It fit OK. Dimensions were the same except it was not as long as OEM. The battery came with replacement hold-down clamps. It installed very easily and the clamp holds just fine. You're right though, a shorter battery tray would be nice. I've been thinking of doing a custom tray and adding two yellows like Drty did.

Drty:

No radio on...no nothing on...it just died. I think is was going for some time. My starts were a bit longer (grinds). I've heard these OEM batteries are pure crap and can just die due to internal plate failures near the terminals. The new optima has breathed new life back into it....clean, quick starts!
I'm surprised you like the Bilsteins. Mine seem more "boaty" and loose compared to stock (with 37's). My nose dive is a bit worse but not too bad. Ride is smoother over bumps though...great for those backroads.
Install of the rears was a bitch on the inner nut....21mm deepwell socket was it?...whoda thunk!

[DRTYFN]

No kidding... that upper inner nut was a pisser to get to. I woke up this morning to nice black dirt deposits(eye boogers) from all of the dirt that fell in my eyes from doing those upper rears.

Did you install the 5100 series shocks... the gas filled ones? I thought they really improved the ride. All of my offroading buddies swear by them. I'll be very interested to see how the ride is with my Iroks now. I was attributing the wallowy ride to the tires, but it might have been a combination of mushy shocks and those tires.

Take your stock battery to a battery store or the dealership and have them check the battery. Also have your techs check your alternator. After having my dual battery set up put in I found that my alternator wasn't putting out full power.

[Patriot]

Yes, my shock P/N's were the same as yours.

I'll do that with the battery...and will check the alternator.

[KenP]

DRTY, Patriot: You both installed the same shocks but one thinks they're boaty and one thinks otherwise. What's up? I want a firmer ride. What's wrong with some Ranchos? I don't want resevoir shocks.

[Patriot]

Ken...It's definitely NOT firm. I drove about 150 miles yesterday and stand by my first impressions. The nose dive is worse for me and after a real hard stop you get a slight rock...that should tell you it's not firm. I feel like a pimp in a Cadillac.

I had 11,000 miles on my OEM's. I'd go down a back road and damn near loose a filling. The new shocks make those same roads a LOT better. So, you get a smoother ride at the sacrifice of a little firmness. It all depends what you are looking for.

[HUMMERS]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Patriot:
Anyway, the shocks are definitely for road use. They feel more "boaty" <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Check the front wheel alignment on the toe setting. I had the same nose dive and boaty problem before. It seems like too much toe out cause the problem for my case. After the proper alignment the truck feel nicely firm and less harsh compare to OEM shocks.

[Patriot]

Thanks Hummers, I'll have that checked.

I have an appt to check the electrical system per Drty's rec...so I added an alignment check as well.

Thanks again...

[DRTYFN]

Patriot,
This morning I hit a speed bump that I usually take at about 30mph. The OEM shocks would give me about 2 1/2 bounces, this morning the Bilsteins barely gave me one bounce. I also had to do a half of a panic brake(hidden cop) and the nose dove about 1/3 of what the OEM's would have.
IMO, the ride is more stable compared to the OEM's. I was concerned that the ride was going to be more rigid and jarring. I'm not getting the boaty feeling that you are. Very curious. I'm wondering what might be different between our rigs. Have you adjusted your torsion bars? What tires are you running and what psi? Right now I've got my stock BFG's on and they're at about 42psi. There's got to be some explanation.

[Patriot]

Drty,

I have 37" MTR's on stock rims. The rest of the suspension is stock. I'll check pressure but normally run about 40-42PSI.

The new shocks DO take bumps much better than OEM...I can take speed bumps in a parking lot and not even feel them but the dive and squishy feeling is there. If Istop an a light hard...the nose will dive and the rebound will rock once or twice. I'm also leary about adding the 200lbs for the bumper winch that just arrived! That will only make it worse.

Like Hummers suggested, I have an appt to have the allignment checked. I just had it done right before the shocks but you never know. I'm also having the electrical system checked like you sugessted for the battery.

[DRTYFN]

Hmmm? I'm taking it you haven't touched the torsion bars, right? I had MTR's but don't remember them being mushy. I wonder what it is? I really like the ride. Driving around today made me wonder why it took so long to get off my lazy duff and swamp them out.http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Which bumper did you pick up?

[Patriot]

Drty, The Warn winch bumper pkg is sitting in my garage...that's the next big project on my plate.

[Patriot]

Alignement checked out OK....so I may ditch the Bilsteins for some Rancho's. The nose dive is pretty bad...

Also, the battery was toast...bad plate. Now I have a brand new OEM to keep as a spare.