I went from the "Rancho" labeled shocks that came on my Ford Super Duty to Bilstein 5100's and the difference was INCREDIBLE. I'd say the problem is your Rough Country shocks.
Maybe rancho has sold out to some one else. Up to mid nineties I ran nothing but dual rancho 9000on my 78 bronco. Ford 1-ton with 40’s.as well as another ten rides (including 2-CJ-5s, and two wranglers) over the decades. Loved them, jumped them, but with a lot of other suspension mods. Never ever had a problem.
I’m about to get some Bilstein shocks installed (along with new track bar and tie rods) on my 99 Jeep WJ (2.5” coil spacers) and I get death wobble and rattling noise. Your video gave me even more peace of mind! I can’t wait to ride on new Bilsteins!!
Not my experience, rancho rs5000x ride much smoother, it's all 2nd grade mathematics to figure the length of shocks needed, weather a drag car or off road, bilsteins are terrible in my opinion, road racing they might be ok otherwise they ride rough, you'd rattle your teeth out in chicago with the bilsteins, rougher than any fire road out west, steering bearing which clunked with stock sachs zw7 and worse with bilsteins went away with the rancho, if you live in the land of smooth roads they may be ok for the other 95% the are garbage
I tried Ranchos on my Nissan Titan and did not like them. The ride was worse than the worn stock shocks. I eventually replaced them with Bilsteins and they performed much better. Note that the truck was 2WD with no lifts. I do not do any offroad and just a daily driver. My experience is Bilsteins were better. It all depends on what type of driving you do.
@@drphibesrises Nope, not all depends on the "Driving you do" it depends more on the right shock absorber for the right application, in your instance, you do have the right part for the right truck, so thats why you see a positive outcome and im glad for you,👍. In the other nagging reviews, most of them people blame the shock absorbers for a bad performance but most likely is that they were either given or they chose the wrong shock absorber for their veihcle..
I had a rough country lift on my Jeep and it worked very well for me. I never used Bilsteins before, but based on my research they seem to be better quality
Those Yellow/Blue Bilstein shocks are also indicating that they are a MONOTUBE design. They are a superior shock even at low speeds, because the surface area of the piston that the hydraulic fluid is forced through is much larger. Thus you get higher control/damping characteristics. You also get less shock fade on really bumpy roads because the gas and fluid filled chambers are completely separated. I love Bilstein shocks as you can tell
this happened to me with Rough Countrys 6 inch suspension lift kit in the rear, it came with extensions for the shock but when I purchased the kit I also purchased the Rough Country extended shock for the 6 inch lift and every time I hit a bump I would get a hard knock in the rear... lets just say that I took off the extension and now it runs super smooth because the shock has the correct travel!
Thank you, restoring an '89 K 2500 Cheyenne and your research and hard work helped me out very much saving time, money, neck and headache with your shock and suspension findings.
I have the same bilsteins on my 95 I'm afraid to swap them for anything ever because it rides better than anything else still has after 4 years of abuse but I will be leveling the truck because of the old gm ass up issue. We will see..really appreciate all these videos on the 95 man. Although the truck has half the power of a newer one these 90s GMs are so affordable and fun to fix up.
I had a brand new 1991 GMC 2WD that didn't ride all that well even when new. When shock replacement time came, I went with the Bilsteins. Best move I ever made on that truck. A hunting friend who drove a lifted Nissan that would beat the hell out of you could not believe the difference they made in that truck .
Rough Country tends to be better for trucks used offroad where a bit more travel is needed, or constant travel with repeated bumps, but Bilstein is definitely better for on the road for these heavier beasts. I had switched my old 04 Durango (truck based) to Bilsteins and the difference over other brands was amazing. I am about to do the same on my 06 Silverado 2wd.
Trial and error takes a lot of work, but you're smarter now and the bounce is controlled better. Just think of what the costs would have been, if a shop would've been used to work this out. Great video, we all learned something.
Funny I’ve put many lifts on trucks and jeeps. Some ride worse, some ride better. Sure if you stick with the bottom of the barrel stuff like rough country and/ or just do a leveling spacer or crank torsion keys (what is shown in the video) it’s going to be worse. Personally I run CST 2.5” lift coilovers with aftermarket upper control arms, paired with 1” lift blocks and Fox 2.0 shocks in the rear.... and it rides and performs much better than stock. But again I also could’ve put a cheap 6-7” lift from rough country for less money than my coilovers alone cost, but then it wouldn’t ride good. Also not what I want, I went for a low lift but more suspension travel as I actually use my truck and enjoy light off roading and dirt roads when I go hunting. I’ve also ran and installed Fox, Bilstein, rancho, superlift, cognito, Zone/BDS, rough country, and stuff from more mfg’s. And basically any white body shock is going to be trash, and the rest comes down to suspension geometry and lift kit design
@@manlythings7586He wouldn't have had the problem if he would have bought the right shock in the first place, Bilstein has a video between the 4600 and 5100
Put rcs on my truck had terrible ride from day 1. Had kybs on a different truck that was stock height. Decided to swap rcs out for a set of kybs and it was a night and day difference. No regrets. I never put Rough Country on anything since. Thanks for the great video and explanation of your experience/condition.
Thx for your input... the previous owner put on KYB gas a just shocks on the truck at ..well im unsure what the mileage was when installed. I have been thinking lately of getting 3in spacers and rough country N3's on the truck but im just unsure. KYB is a great product though it's a pretty stiff ride. I think i would like a slightly softer smoother ride. Just unsure of what to swap them out for in the near future
Bilstein's are awesome shocks. I've been running them on all my 4x4's since the 90's. What you should do is order the correct length shocks. I have a rough country 6" lift on my Chevy 2500 4x4 and I ordered the correct length Bilstein's that worked with my lift. Rides amazing.
@@stevegonzalez652 summit racing is where I got mine and they have the listing for different size lift kits. Stock, 4", 6" etc... if you have any questions, their customer has always been super helpful with me.
Good. I just ordered 4 Bilstein shocks for my '92 Chevy Z71. I bought the truck with 97K miles on it and it rode great with the original Bilstein shocks it came with. I went through 3 sets of Rancho shocks over the last 20 years and now I know that the Bilstein shocks ride better and last longer than Rancho shocks.
@@sevendyseven4090 Great! I just hope that last as long as the original set. I like a firm ride and these shocks give a firm ride, but are not too harsh. They are great on the highway as well as off road.
Thank you for all your research and hours of work. Very informative and helpful. I have a 97 GMC suburban and will be following pretty much in your foot steps. Awesome rig.
I have a 4 inch Rough country lift but I put a track bar that cost around $300 and new proper drive shafts that cost around $600 and angled the transfer case just right , the shocks were great and were 4 inches longer with no extension brackets last 3 years so I ordered new Rough country shocks a couple weeks ago and they are much heavier and a much better shock than the ones that were new 3 years ago so the shocks from Cross country are much better for sure And I'm replacing the rear sway bar with a much heavier thicker steel so the rear end is as tight as the front end. My alignment is absolutely 100% perfect with 0 Death Wobble with 33 inch ×12.50 R17 tires and rims And I Use Many Different Channels So My Jeep Is Done Correctly The First Time. Thank You For Sharing Your Knowledge Much Appreciated Respect From Niagara Falls Ontario Canada.
R&D, not glamorous and a lot of work, but necessary. Now you know and so do we. Thanks. BTW I have the same Bilstein shocks to replace my worn-out stock ones. 98 GMC 3500 4x4. Ordered them before I saw this vid. Putting them on this weekend.
This is a perfect example I have the 4.5 inch rough country lift on my 2wd 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 and it rides exactly like how yours does over those divets in the road been thinking about upgrading to the 5100s but some people say they are worse but honestly after seeing this I can’t see how they aren’t better and only for 120 a strut that’s perfect
Really appreciate your videos and how you thoroughly explain what you have going on.I love my OBS i resort to your videos quite often for tips and how to's ..thanks for quality informational videos!
Thank Jimmy for your hours of trial work. I have a stock Xterra that needs new shocks and judging by your reaction Bilstein 4600 all the way around it is for me.
Wow!!! Thanks there Jimmy!!! I’ve been looking to do a leveling kit for my 2011 Avalanche and was thinking about Bilstein shocks. This makes up my mind now!!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Tinman you are already light years ahead, I have an 03 Avalanche with the same crappy torsion bar suspension shown on this 95. That should give you some idea of how the first gen Avs were no where near as good as the front coils your model uses. Only get the leveling kit that comes with taller coils, and you don’t need to change the upper control arm if you don’t want to up to 2-1/2 inches. (Never, ever take the cheap and truly ignorant method of spacers under either the front or rear coils. You will be so glad you spent a little more on a properly engineered kit the first time you take it on ruts and mud holes, towing, and adding any load to our already crappy lack of any real payload. 1200 lb payload? Christ almighty five adult men at 200 lbs a piece and you only have Four hundred lbs left for anything heavier you have added, like tires, real steel bumpers etc. The more you stack things the more weak hinge points you have to fail off road or during towing on curves or load it down with some real weight. The first gen avalanches have to have new upper control arms to control the camber when aligning it as well as longer sway bar links which are nearly impossible to find. That’s even with a mild to 2-1/2 leveling kit. I skipped the shock extensions and coil spaces in the rear and went with thicker, longer skyjacker rear coils. 4 Inches longer even thought my front level is only a 2” leveling torsion key set up. This is because the slide out drawers in my bed level out the stock truck dropping the back down two inches when not even fully loaded with camping gear or tools etc. The skyjacker coils came down 1-3/4 inches with same tool box set up, but supposedly increases payload by 70 percent. We’ll shall see when I add more over-landing racks and gear. I still consider this 1/2 ton a wannabe truck because I am used to 1-tons running big blocks and 40 inch swampers. I love stiff suspensions that don’t wallow up and down like an old Cadillac through intersections. I like not slowing down at all for speed bumps in the road and not feeling anything but the tires going up and down and not my frame. I may never like IFS but they will have to do until I can find a good condition 85 2500 suburban to use the frame and live axles from. ‘
@@donoberloh wow! I didn’t know the first gen were torsion key!!! I went under mine the other day and I must say I’m pleased. I totally agree with not cheaping out. It may be good on the pocket book but it ain’t worth it long term.
For those that are not familiar with what "droop" in this context means. droop: the maximum distance the control arm is allowed to go down below the chassis OR how far the wheels are allowed to move down from the chassis. *just imagine a car with hydrologics. If it's front wheels are up in the air away from the car then it's at what we call "full droop". "stop" : you hit a speed bump and as your front wheels are clearing the bump, your suspension extends down away from you car's chassis to help you absorb the impact. Hope that helps.
I have a gen 3 pajero/Montero and been using it with bad shocks for about seven years. It's a hard truck with low milleage, so I didn't realize they're were that bad. It was 'till I replace them when I noticed that traccion control, ABS and other systems were crazy and almost useless with the old ones.
I won't use anything but Bilsteins. Sure they cost more but they last longer than other shocks and cushion bumps like a pro all day long. You get what you pay for.
I have fox shocks with reservoirs in the front and regular fox shocks in the back. When I bought the truck (05-F250) it already had them and noticed it ran like crap, came to find out all my shocks are shot, I will be going with Bilstein, send my fox to get rebuild and keep them as back up.
Have had both the bilsteins are where it’s at, I have 4600 on my Sonoma and my 5100 on my Duramax and rough country’s on my square body , but I will say all three have rough country lifts and the rough country shocks aren’t bad
You weren't hitting the bump stops, you were bottoming out on the front shocks. Since you had shocks that were 2-3 inches longer than stock installed with shock spacers that were 2-3 inches long, you reduced the amount of upward suspension travel by around 3 inches and increased the downward suspension travel by around 6 inches. That combination would mess with most shocks and cause poor ride quality. The Bilstein shocks are sold in longer lengths and will give you the full amount of travel your suspension is capable with that lift. If you aren't going to take it off road, I'd wait until you need to replace the current Bilsteins and buy the longer ones then. Bilsteins were the OEM shocks on my 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but I've been running KYB MonoMax shocks for over a year and I'm pleased with them. I've noticed that they seem to dampen bigger bumps better when you are going faster instead of slowing down. Overall I'm happy with them, but I'm probably going to put a lift on it in the future and I'm not sure what shocks I'll be using.
I ended up having 4 shocks under the rear end, heavy duty exhaust clamps 3 inch to go around rear axle. With some c-channel iron welded and drilled for extra shocks..
The Rancho shocks in the kit are the cheapest shocks that Rancho offers... In order to get the best ride from the kit, you would need to purchase their RS9000 shocks, which are expensive... Stick with your Bilstein shocks as they were designed specifically for your truck and ride very well... If you install a winch or heavy bumper the Rancho shocks would be better... Have a great day...
Dude thank you I put extenders on mine but I did a wulf 3 inch and my shocks did the exact same thing and I could figure out if it was my tortion keys to tight or not but now I know I'ma get rid of the extender and get bigger shocks
Thanks dude, a local Bilstein recently retailer told me to go with the normal shock length since I had the adaptors installed on my current set up lmfao!! I kind of got the impression he wanted to sell the pairs that he had for some reason, maybe no demand!!!
Love the videos!! I have a recommendation tho, i have bilstein 5100s specifically for my truck (2007 Chevy Avalanche) and it is on a 3.5 inch rough country lift. The 5100s are built 2-3 inches taller than the usual shock as well as a bit tougher than the 4600s. My point is you should pick up a set of bilstein 5100s that are 1-2 inches longer for the rear. The 5100s are just as good as the 4600s. Keep up the great job, Can't wait for the next video!!
Thanks. I have the same lift kit on my '95 (about 3 months ago) and have experienced the same problem you're describing. Looks like I'll be swapping out the RC shocks.
I have the same kit aswell and regret buying it. Same shock problems too and those shock relocation brackets have been hitting the mounting bolt on the brake line to the backside of the brake caliper when I turn my wheels
i have a set of RC shock/struts on my 12 burb... they feel how you described, pretty uncontrollable, super sloppy, i have had them on my truck for a year now, at first they were better than what was on there... but im going to be changing them out when i get them in, im actually going to order bilstiens today... there is so much body roll/movement that it is at the verge of motion sickness. what i have on my burb, 3.5" RC lift, extended 3.5 struts and longer shocks in the rear, new UCAs with poly bushings, LCAs with poly bushes, kryptonite LBJ, moog sway bar links, poly sway bar bushes... i also have 265/70r18s
You might have shocks valves for off-roading mostly. I have had this happen before. It might be the quality of the shocks also as others have said. I bought Rancho shocks once. They were so bad the the truck was unsafe to drive. The truck had a Pro Comp lift kit that was installed when I bought it. Went with the top of the line Pro Comp shock and no more problems
Bilsteins are a very good shock. The budget Rough Country's are basically comparable to major parts chain inhouse brand cheapo shocks. Yes Rough Country offers better shocks, but you have to pay a good bit extra for them. And the two inch shock extensions that came with your lift kit is for the people who install the lift with their original oem or new/newer oem length shocks. Which are probably better quality over the Rough Country's lift kit shocks.
The only reason for the extensions is to adapt for the stock length shock. The rough country's length compensate for the lift kit by having a longer throw.
I am having the same problem with my rough countrys on my 02 2500hd Silverado. I just bought Holstein 5100s after seeing your video. Great and thorough video that answered my question on why my front end just felt so spongy after going over bumps on the highway. Cannot applaud you enough for this video!!
I can confirm I installed the Rough Country N3 rear struts on my F150 3.5L Ecoboost and they are absolute garbage. They are actually worse than my leaking factory struts! The vehicule was lifting slightly off the ground on bumps over 70 mph to the point my wife got scared during the drive. It's really surprising to have such a product on the market. You have what you pay for, but in this case factory struts are way better for the same price. Avoid at all cost.
when looking into shocks always try to research how they are made internally. Bilisteins offer mono and twin tube nitrogen filled tubes with oil. Skyjacker and Rancho are just hydro/oil which I hate. Rough country mono shocks are hit or miss. what every they do with the oil orfices inside the tubes are never consistent.
Honestly Rough Country is Entry level value brand it will get the look just not in the best way. Great for high school kids, budget builds or if buying to resell vehicle. Also after all kinds of shock brands used before Bilstein shocks Are the best! Plus customer service is great being able to call and talk to a live person not just some outsource out of country call center who reads off a check list. Also Bilstein makes the identical shock but for vehicles with 2"-3" lift to fix the issue he is having they're silver color 5100's.
@@calibdovah1962 I need pretty much all the dash components due to cracking. Just for the front part of the dash is 180.00 on LMC. I was hoping to find what I need at a junk yard or private sale online but have had no success.
in my experience the kit is also a standard kit in other words it is a kit built for w/shocks and w/o shocks so with that being said do not install kit w extensions if you use their shocks if you use standard shocks use extensions, in other words, its a fits all kit w added shocks
I know this much: the 1988-2000 (or so) GM full size trucks and SUVs are worth keeping simply for the fact that a fella can work on the damned things with common (yes, mostly metric) tools. Somewhere around the mid 2000’s, they started the variable valve timing stuff and the transmissions began getting more complicated. The electronics/emissions/diagnostics got to the point that most people have to take them to the dealer. That doesn’t even speak to the disaster as of late with the rear ends coming from the factory with the equivalent of 100k miles on them because of lax quality control. GM actually used to make a good product. I’d drive my 29 year old Silverado to Alaska tomorrow. But I do need to replace the shocks...which explains why I’m here..
Lol GM never made a quality product. No american cars can even claim that. There's a reason why Toyota had to fly across the pond to teach the us how to build cars. And they still failed
4600s are great but 5100s way better!!! 03 Silverado Z71 ReadyLift 2.5” Level kit, 2” body lift and extra leaf spring in rear spring pack. 4600 2500HD shocks rear and 2” extended 5100s in the front. Much better ride than the 4600s in the front with the 2” extension. I had called Bilstein and got all the specs in Newton’s and length for available shocks to fit my truck and made the decision from there.
My 2004 non 4 wheel drive needs shocks but only need highway shocks with the best ride I can get to go with my new Michelin tires🤗any recommendations 🤗😎🇺🇸
getting a set of bilstein 5100s since i live in a state where it snows to replace the factory air ride suspension. since my front driver side shocks has a irreversible leak and has rust they're gonna get replaced and the factory suspension will be trashed. it'll be done by a mobile mechanic since i have horrible adhd and can't focus much especially in the summer time
Had a rough country kit on my 2 door s10 blazer few years ago. Giant mistake, constantly wore out front end parts and shocks were leaking when I sold it a year later.
Shocks have to be broken in my friend, especially gas shocks, Secondly try taking off the stops and trim them down a bit, If you turn your torsion keys up past halfway your guaranteed to get that overextension clunk from your control arm hitting the stops ! I have a video section on this subject on my K25 LIFT if interested. Thanks 👍
Bilstein is the only way to go on truck shocks. I’ve had bad experiences with rancho 9100s (lifted), rancho 5000s and Monroe’s (stock height). Bilstein won in all scenarios.
*GUY WHO LIVES BY THOSE BUMPS:* "Man, this guy loves hitting bumps in his old Suburban." *HIS NEIGHBOR DOWN THE STREET:* "Ya, he's always going by my house too. He must change his shocks like his socks!"
I think I am having this issue I have a 06 gmc 2500hd. 2 inch lift. When I hit bumps it dose the same as yiu describe it rebounds so fast when I hit bumps and I have a weird tire feeling that's I've been huntin down. Replaced 3k in front end parts and new tires. I'm at its either shocks or tires. It dose need new shocks so now I wonder what ones I should get
Right on ! I' have a '90 Sub in need of shocks. This well thought out video is a valuable source of info. that covers precisly , what I needed to know , and the #1 reason I dig RUclips. Thanks a lot 1Road. One beer coming at you .. and a six pack on ice.
Hey@@chevyred.... Yes, it is Four wheel drive and I'm not sure yet. I'm just getting started on this " To Do " Item on my list. After watching the video , I am definitely going to check the Bilstiens out , and skip right over the open countries. Have fun on your project .. always liked that rig.
Swap those zinc washers for stainless steel or galvanized. The zinc layer will wear out quickly and you’ll be left with rusty crusty washers that can seize to the shock or the shock mounting surfaces. Nice ‘burban.
Probably the best youtube video putting Rough Country vs Bilstein on a torsion bar lift. Thanks for the video and the work that went into it.
I went from the "Rancho" labeled shocks that came on my Ford Super Duty to Bilstein 5100's and the difference was INCREDIBLE. I'd say the problem is your Rough Country shocks.
I think he says that too
I replaced my pro comp shocks that came with my lift with 5100’s night and day. A set of 4 was only $350.00
Maybe rancho has sold out to some one else. Up to mid nineties I ran nothing but dual rancho 9000on my 78 bronco. Ford 1-ton with 40’s.as well as another ten rides (including 2-CJ-5s, and two wranglers) over the decades. Loved them, jumped them, but with a lot of other suspension mods. Never ever had a problem.
Even the 4600s, which are closer to an OEM replacement for working trucks, is an improvement over just about any others I've ever used...
How long should factory shock last , estimate
Great video. There’s a reason they call them “Rough country.” 😃
Lol
Shoulda sprung for the vortex
Right? 😂
I’m about to get some Bilstein shocks installed (along with new track bar and tie rods) on my 99 Jeep WJ (2.5” coil spacers) and I get death wobble and rattling noise.
Your video gave me even more peace of mind!
I can’t wait to ride on new Bilsteins!!
Bilsteins are better quality shocks
Not my experience, rancho rs5000x ride much smoother, it's all 2nd grade mathematics to figure the length of shocks needed, weather a drag car or off road, bilsteins are terrible in my opinion, road racing they might be ok otherwise they ride rough, you'd rattle your teeth out in chicago with the bilsteins, rougher than any fire road out west, steering bearing which clunked with stock sachs zw7 and worse with bilsteins went away with the rancho, if you live in the land of smooth roads they may be ok for the other 95% the are garbage
I tried Ranchos on my Nissan Titan and did not like them. The ride was worse than the worn stock shocks. I eventually replaced them with Bilsteins and they performed much better. Note that the truck was 2WD with no lifts. I do not do any offroad and just a daily driver. My experience is Bilsteins were better. It all depends on what type of driving you do.
@@drphibesrises Nope, not all depends on the "Driving you do" it depends more on the right shock absorber for the right application, in your instance, you do have the right part for the right truck, so thats why you see a positive outcome and im glad for you,👍.
In the other nagging reviews, most of them people blame the shock absorbers for a bad performance but most likely is that they were either given or they chose the wrong shock absorber for their veihcle..
@@heathalden2905 thanks for the scam Pam ... lol
@Nixon Donald WoW..! Actually it’s ur guy’s scam. Good one..
I had a rough country lift on my Jeep and it worked very well for me. I never used Bilsteins before, but based on my research they seem to be better quality
Is it a 4.5 inch lift ? My truck got very bounce after installing my lift kit.
I will be changing my shocks this weekend and I run into your video now I will be installing Bilsteins thank you for your time and research.
Those Yellow/Blue Bilstein shocks are also indicating that they are a MONOTUBE design. They are a superior shock even at low speeds, because the surface area of the piston that the hydraulic fluid is forced through is much larger. Thus you get higher control/damping characteristics. You also get less shock fade on really bumpy roads because the gas and fluid filled chambers are completely separated. I love Bilstein shocks as you can tell
I was gonna say what he said
I bought 5100s gonna install them Thursday
this happened to me with Rough Countrys 6 inch suspension lift kit in the rear, it came with extensions for the shock but when I purchased the kit I also purchased the Rough Country extended shock for the 6 inch lift and every time I hit a bump I would get a hard knock in the rear... lets just say that I took off the extension and now it runs super smooth because the shock has the correct travel!
Thank you, restoring an '89 K 2500 Cheyenne and your research and hard work helped me out very much saving time, money, neck and headache with your shock and suspension findings.
I have the same bilsteins on my 95 I'm afraid to swap them for anything ever because it rides better than anything else still has after 4 years of abuse but I will be leveling the truck because of the old gm ass up issue. We will see..really appreciate all these videos on the 95 man. Although the truck has half the power of a newer one these 90s GMs are so affordable and fun to fix up.
I had a brand new 1991 GMC 2WD that didn't ride all that well even when new. When shock replacement time came, I went with the Bilsteins. Best move I ever made on that truck. A hunting friend who drove a lifted Nissan that would beat the hell out of you could not believe the difference they made in that truck .
Good faithful truck
Rough Country tends to be better for trucks used offroad where a bit more travel is needed, or constant travel with repeated bumps, but Bilstein is definitely better for on the road for these heavier beasts. I had switched my old 04 Durango (truck based) to Bilsteins and the difference over other brands was amazing. I am about to do the same on my 06 Silverado 2wd.
Thank you for the testing!!! You have save me a lot of time and money. GREAT CHANNEL, Keep it up!
Trial and error takes a lot of work, but you're smarter now and the bounce is controlled better. Just think of what the costs would have been, if a shop would've been used to work this out. Great video, we all learned something.
Thank you for reminding me once again why I never want to raise my truck.
A quality lift like bds or kognito is worlds better than rough country.
You would not have had problems if he would have gotten a quality lift kit.
Funny I’ve put many lifts on trucks and jeeps. Some ride worse, some ride better. Sure if you stick with the bottom of the barrel stuff like rough country and/ or just do a leveling spacer or crank torsion keys (what is shown in the video) it’s going to be worse.
Personally I run CST 2.5” lift coilovers with aftermarket upper control arms, paired with 1” lift blocks and Fox 2.0 shocks in the rear.... and it rides and performs much better than stock. But again I also could’ve put a cheap 6-7” lift from rough country for less money than my coilovers alone cost, but then it wouldn’t ride good. Also not what I want, I went for a low lift but more suspension travel as I actually use my truck and enjoy light off roading and dirt roads when I go hunting. I’ve also ran and installed Fox, Bilstein, rancho, superlift, cognito, Zone/BDS, rough country, and stuff from more mfg’s. And basically any white body shock is going to be trash, and the rest comes down to suspension geometry and lift kit design
@@manlythings7586He wouldn't have had the problem if he would have bought the right shock in the first place, Bilstein has a video between the 4600 and 5100
This video is really good. I've learned something new and when it's time to change mine. I'm going to get the bilsteins. Thanks Sir👍🏾
I have a 2" suspension lift on my 1995 f250 and am struggling with the shock choices. This has been a great help to me .Thank you!
Put rcs on my truck had terrible ride from day 1. Had kybs on a different truck that was stock height. Decided to swap rcs out for a set of kybs and it was a night and day difference. No regrets. I never put Rough Country on anything since. Thanks for the great video and explanation of your experience/condition.
Thx for your input... the previous owner put on KYB gas a just shocks on the truck at ..well im unsure what the mileage was when installed. I have been thinking lately of getting 3in spacers and rough country N3's on the truck but im just unsure. KYB is a great product though it's a pretty stiff ride. I think i would like a slightly softer smoother ride. Just unsure of what to swap them out for in the near future
Bilstein's are awesome shocks. I've been running them on all my 4x4's since the 90's. What you should do is order the correct length shocks. I have a rough country 6" lift on my Chevy 2500 4x4 and I ordered the correct length Bilstein's that worked with my lift. Rides amazing.
So I have a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 RWD w a 6 in lift kit. How can I find out what correct length I need??
@@stevegonzalez652 summit racing is where I got mine and they have the listing for different size lift kits. Stock, 4", 6" etc... if you have any questions, their customer has always been super helpful with me.
@@stevegonzalez652 also...I run the 5100 series shocks.
Thank you for your time,and sharing your experiment 🙏
Good. I just ordered 4 Bilstein shocks for my '92 Chevy Z71. I bought the truck with 97K miles on it and it rode great with the original Bilstein shocks it came with. I went through 3 sets of Rancho shocks over the last 20 years and now I know that the Bilstein shocks ride better and last longer than Rancho shocks.
How is your review of them a year later Leo?
@@sevendyseven4090 Great! I just hope that last as long as the original set. I like a firm ride and these shocks give a firm ride, but are not too harsh. They are great on the highway as well as off road.
I installed Bilstiens on my 99Chevy Suburban. Awesome shocks.
Thank you for all your research and hours of work. Very informative and helpful. I have a 97 GMC suburban and will be following pretty much in your foot steps. Awesome rig.
I ve put struts and shocks on my Chevy Avalanche, 2 inch kit rough country, they are feels like OEM, good ones.
I have a 4 inch Rough country lift but I put a track bar that cost around $300 and new proper drive shafts that cost around $600 and angled the transfer case just right , the shocks were great and were 4 inches longer with no extension brackets last 3 years so I ordered new Rough country shocks a couple weeks ago and they are much heavier and a much better shock than the ones that were new 3 years ago so the shocks from Cross country are much better for sure And I'm replacing the rear sway bar with a much heavier thicker steel so the rear end is as tight as the front end. My alignment is absolutely 100% perfect with 0 Death Wobble with 33 inch ×12.50 R17 tires and rims And I Use Many Different Channels So My Jeep Is Done Correctly The First Time. Thank You For Sharing Your Knowledge Much Appreciated Respect From Niagara Falls Ontario Canada.
R&D, not glamorous and a lot of work, but necessary. Now you know and so do we. Thanks. BTW I have the same Bilstein shocks to replace my worn-out stock ones. 98 GMC 3500 4x4. Ordered them before I saw this vid. Putting them on this weekend.
I absolutely love that blue interior.
This is a perfect example I have the 4.5 inch rough country lift on my 2wd 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 and it rides exactly like how yours does over those divets in the road been thinking about upgrading to the 5100s but some people say they are worse but honestly after seeing this I can’t see how they aren’t better and only for 120 a strut that’s perfect
Really appreciate your videos and how you thoroughly explain what you have going on.I love my OBS i resort to your videos quite often for tips and how to's ..thanks for quality informational videos!
Thank Jimmy for your hours of trial work. I have a stock Xterra that needs new shocks and judging by your reaction Bilstein 4600 all the way around it is for me.
“That’s my hypotesis”. Theory is something else. Great vídeo.
I have the 6" on my gmt400 with the Bilsteins 5100 and LOOVE it! Great videos!
You sold me on the blue and yellows great demonstration I will never by Rough country
Bilstein on all my vehicles from day one !
Wow!!! Thanks there Jimmy!!! I’ve been looking to do a leveling kit for my 2011 Avalanche and was thinking about Bilstein shocks. This makes up my mind now!!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Tinman you are already light years ahead, I have an 03 Avalanche with the same crappy torsion bar suspension shown on this 95. That should give you some idea of how the first gen Avs were no where near as good as the front coils your model uses. Only get the leveling kit that comes with taller coils, and you don’t need to change the upper control arm if you don’t want to up to 2-1/2 inches. (Never, ever take the cheap and truly ignorant method of spacers under either the front or rear coils. You will be so glad you spent a little more on a properly engineered kit the first time you take it on ruts and mud holes, towing, and adding any load to our already crappy lack of any real payload. 1200 lb payload? Christ almighty five adult men at 200 lbs a piece and you only have Four hundred lbs left for anything heavier you have added, like tires, real steel bumpers etc. The more you stack things the more weak hinge points you have to fail off road or during towing on curves or load it down with some real weight. The first gen avalanches have to have new upper control arms to control the camber when aligning it as well as longer sway bar links which are nearly impossible to find. That’s even with a mild to 2-1/2 leveling kit. I skipped the shock extensions and coil spaces in the rear and went with thicker, longer skyjacker rear coils. 4 Inches longer even thought my front level is only a 2” leveling torsion key set up. This is because the slide out drawers in my bed level out the stock truck dropping the back down two inches when not even fully loaded with camping gear or tools etc. The skyjacker coils came down 1-3/4 inches with same tool box set up, but supposedly increases payload by 70 percent. We’ll shall see when I add more over-landing racks and gear. I still consider this 1/2 ton a wannabe truck because I am used to 1-tons running big blocks and 40 inch swampers. I love stiff suspensions that don’t wallow up and down like an old Cadillac through intersections. I like not slowing down at all for speed bumps in the road and not feeling anything but the tires going up and down and not my frame. I may never like IFS but they will have to do until I can find a good condition 85 2500 suburban to use the frame and live axles from.
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@@donoberloh wow! I didn’t know the first gen were torsion key!!! I went under mine the other day and I must say I’m pleased. I totally agree with not cheaping out. It may be good on the pocket book but it ain’t worth it long term.
For those that are not familiar with what "droop" in this context means.
droop: the maximum distance the control arm is allowed to go down below the chassis
OR
how far the wheels are allowed to move down from the chassis.
*just imagine a car with hydrologics. If it's front wheels are up in the air away from the car then it's at what we call "full droop".
"stop" : you hit a speed bump and as your front wheels are clearing the bump, your suspension extends down away from you car's chassis to help you absorb the impact.
Hope that helps.
This is exactly what I needed to see and know. Thanks for sharing.
2" lift kit with stock Bilstein requires extension-bracket for shock.
With a 2" longer shock you don't need it.
Isn't that obvious and common logic?
Yeah just use the shocks without the extension
Thx for the video looks like I will upgrade to the Billsteins in the future
Worst thing I did was bilstein on my suburban 800 miles replaced with rancho rs5000x rides as good or better than factory zw7 while being leveled 2+
I have a gen 3 pajero/Montero and been using it with bad shocks for about seven years. It's a hard truck with low milleage, so I didn't realize they're were that bad. It was 'till I replace them when I noticed that traccion control, ABS and other systems were crazy and almost useless with the old ones.
I won't use anything but Bilsteins. Sure they cost more but they last longer than other shocks and cushion bumps like a pro all day long. You get what you pay for.
I had watched your transmission flush video and came here.
Lovely channel
I have done this with leaf springs, added three to each side of my e-150. For a total of 7 for each side. Your shocks will be working harder..
Appreciate it man I'm about to level my k1500 and am doing research so thanks for the input
Bro u r amazing that's perfect work u r good man plz give ur group more information for American cars
So Rough country pos. I have them on my jeep. Rides horrible.
Plan on changing out my stock shocks on my 2023 F350 pretty soon. People say the stock shocks aren't so great.
Thank you jimmy! This video help me a lot! I appreciate you and the time you put in these videos, much love from Reno Nv
Thanks Sergio! Comments like this help me to keep on keeping on!! 🤙
I have fox shocks with reservoirs in the front and regular fox shocks in the back. When I bought the truck (05-F250) it already had them and noticed it ran like crap, came to find out all my shocks are shot, I will be going with Bilstein, send my fox to get rebuild and keep them as back up.
Have had both the bilsteins are where it’s at, I have 4600 on my Sonoma and my 5100 on my Duramax and rough country’s on my square body , but I will say all three have rough country lifts and the rough country shocks aren’t bad
Another Great video Brother.
Bilsteine is a much better Shock than ANY other brand.
It's All I ever run.
You weren't hitting the bump stops, you were bottoming out on the front shocks. Since you had shocks that were 2-3 inches longer than stock installed with shock spacers that were 2-3 inches long, you reduced the amount of upward suspension travel by around 3 inches and increased the downward suspension travel by around 6 inches. That combination would mess with most shocks and cause poor ride quality. The Bilstein shocks are sold in longer lengths and will give you the full amount of travel your suspension is capable with that lift. If you aren't going to take it off road, I'd wait until you need to replace the current Bilsteins and buy the longer ones then. Bilsteins were the OEM shocks on my 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but I've been running KYB MonoMax shocks for over a year and I'm pleased with them. I've noticed that they seem to dampen bigger bumps better when you are going faster instead of slowing down. Overall I'm happy with them, but I'm probably going to put a lift on it in the future and I'm not sure what shocks I'll be using.
I ended up having 4 shocks under the rear end, heavy duty exhaust clamps 3 inch to go around rear axle. With some c-channel iron welded and drilled for extra shocks..
Bilstein 5100 s are the same basic shocks as the 4600s except that they are longer and are meant for a lifted application, they by far rule the market
The Rancho shocks in the kit are the cheapest shocks that Rancho offers... In order to get the best ride from the kit, you would need to purchase their RS9000 shocks, which are expensive... Stick with your Bilstein shocks as they were designed specifically for your truck and ride very well... If you install a winch or heavy bumper the Rancho shocks would be better... Have a great day...
Dude thank you I put extenders on mine but I did a wulf 3 inch and my shocks did the exact same thing and I could figure out if it was my tortion keys to tight or not but now I know I'ma get rid of the extender and get bigger shocks
Thanks dude, a local Bilstein recently retailer told me to go with the normal shock length since I had the adaptors installed on my current set up lmfao!! I kind of got the impression he wanted to sell the pairs that he had for some reason, maybe no demand!!!
I love the bilsteins on my 98 z71. I've tried 3 different monroe shocks but spent the money on new bilsteins.
You almost got air bro! Send it!
I love the interior in your suburban it looks very sharp I like the old interiors!
Yeah I've heard RC shocks aren't great, you really tried to give em a chance though haha. Thanks for the video i still have my orginal shocks haha.
$22 Monroe’s ride better
You should get a set of bilstein 5100/5150 shocks that are the same length as the lifted rough countrys
Love the videos!! I have a recommendation tho, i have bilstein 5100s specifically for my truck (2007 Chevy Avalanche) and it is on a 3.5 inch rough country lift. The 5100s are built 2-3 inches taller than the usual shock as well as a bit tougher than the 4600s. My point is you should pick up a set of bilstein 5100s that are 1-2 inches longer for the rear. The 5100s are just as good as the 4600s. Keep up the great job, Can't wait for the next video!!
Yes, I have 5100s on my '03 Suburban. I probably will buy some new shocks but I like to use what I have if I can get away with it. 👍
Nicholas, VERY GOOD ADVICE SIR.
Even used Bilstein struts are better than Monroe. I experienced this on my '08 lacrosse. Yes, they made blisteins for lacrosse - GXP - Impala SS
Thanks. I have the same lift kit on my '95 (about 3 months ago) and have experienced the same problem you're describing. Looks like I'll be swapping out the RC shocks.
I have the same kit aswell and regret buying it. Same shock problems too and those shock relocation brackets have been hitting the mounting bolt on the brake line to the backside of the brake caliper when I turn my wheels
I like the comparison sometimes you just got to mess around and figure it out
i have a set of RC shock/struts on my 12 burb... they feel how you described, pretty uncontrollable, super sloppy, i have had them on my truck for a year now, at first they were better than what was on there... but im going to be changing them out when i get them in, im actually going to order bilstiens today... there is so much body roll/movement that it is at the verge of motion sickness.
what i have on my burb, 3.5" RC lift, extended 3.5 struts and longer shocks in the rear, new UCAs with poly bushings, LCAs with poly bushes, kryptonite LBJ, moog sway bar links, poly sway bar bushes... i also have 265/70r18s
One of the best videos, by far
👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
Its all about quality shocks. Length only matters if your lifting.
Cheng Saetern do you even lift bro!? 😂 just kidding, I couldn’t resist
You might have shocks valves for off-roading mostly. I have had this happen before. It might be the quality of the shocks also as others have said. I bought Rancho shocks once. They were so bad the the truck was unsafe to drive. The truck had a Pro Comp lift kit that was installed when I bought it. Went with the top of the line Pro Comp shock and no more problems
I put a set of fox shocks on a dodge diesel they worked amazing.
Bilsteins are a very good shock. The budget Rough Country's are basically comparable to major parts chain inhouse brand cheapo shocks. Yes Rough Country offers better shocks, but you have to pay a good bit extra for them. And the two inch shock extensions that came with your lift kit is for the people who install the lift with their original oem or new/newer oem length shocks. Which are probably better quality over the Rough Country's lift kit shocks.
The only reason for the extensions is to adapt for the stock length shock. The rough country's length compensate for the lift kit by having a longer throw.
I am having the same problem with my rough countrys on my 02 2500hd Silverado. I just bought Holstein 5100s after seeing your video. Great and thorough video that answered my question on why my front end just felt so spongy after going over bumps on the highway. Cannot applaud you enough for this video!!
Those bilsteins are amazing shocks. Great video sir.
I can confirm I installed the Rough Country N3 rear struts on my F150 3.5L Ecoboost and they are absolute garbage. They are actually worse than my leaking factory struts! The vehicule was lifting slightly off the ground on bumps over 70 mph to the point my wife got scared during the drive. It's really surprising to have such a product on the market. You have what you pay for, but in this case factory struts are way better for the same price. Avoid at all cost.
when looking into shocks always try to research how they are made internally.
Bilisteins offer mono and twin tube nitrogen filled tubes with oil.
Skyjacker and Rancho are just hydro/oil which I hate.
Rough country mono shocks are hit or miss. what every they do with the oil orfices inside the tubes are never consistent.
Honestly Rough Country is Entry level value brand it will get the look just not in the best way. Great for high school kids, budget builds or if buying to resell vehicle. Also after all kinds of shock brands used before Bilstein shocks Are the best! Plus customer service is great being able to call and talk to a live person not just some outsource out of country call center who reads off a check list. Also Bilstein makes the identical shock but for vehicles with 2"-3" lift to fix the issue he is having they're silver color 5100's.
The ultimate setup for this ride would be 6112's up front, and 5160's in the rear! Galaxy's of difference! 👍🏆🏁🎄
Do they make them for 1988-1998 chevy silverado though??
Can’t wait to get them on my grand wagoneer
I love my 1995 Suburban!! It hard to find a dash and other replacement parts for interior.
Queen B LMC truck for that type model should have all the bells and whistles brand new
@@calibdovah1962 I need pretty much all the dash components due to cracking. Just for the front part of the dash is 180.00 on LMC. I was hoping to find what I need at a junk yard or private sale online but have had no success.
LKQ has everything you need! I just ordered a “new” used dash for my 99 suburban, cost me 190 bucks!
I have had RC and Ranchos on my trucks...always went back to Bilstein 5100s.
Get Fox 2.0 or Bilstein 5100 and UCAs with a poly droop stop.
What is the droop stop?? Are you talking about the bump stops??
in my experience the kit is also a standard kit in other words it is a kit built for w/shocks and w/o shocks so with that being said do not install kit w extensions if you use their shocks if you use standard shocks use extensions, in other words, its a fits all kit w added shocks
I know this much: the 1988-2000 (or so) GM full size trucks and SUVs are worth keeping simply for the fact that a fella can work on the damned things with common (yes, mostly metric) tools. Somewhere around the mid 2000’s, they started the variable valve timing stuff and the transmissions began getting more complicated. The electronics/emissions/diagnostics got to the point that most people have to take them to the dealer. That doesn’t even speak to the disaster as of late with the rear ends coming from the factory with the equivalent of 100k miles on them because of lax quality control. GM actually used to make a good product. I’d drive my 29 year old Silverado to Alaska tomorrow. But I do need to replace the shocks...which explains why I’m here..
Lol GM never made a quality product. No american cars can even claim that. There's a reason why Toyota had to fly across the pond to teach the us how to build cars. And they still failed
if the rough country shock is for 0-3 inch lift, that bracket is not needed. you only use the bracket if you are using stock length shocks.
4600s are great but 5100s way better!!! 03 Silverado Z71 ReadyLift 2.5” Level kit, 2” body lift and extra leaf spring in rear spring pack. 4600 2500HD shocks rear and 2” extended 5100s in the front. Much better ride than the 4600s in the front with the 2” extension. I had called Bilstein and got all the specs in Newton’s and length for available shocks to fit my truck and made the decision from there.
Well, that answered my question about the RCX N3 shocks being JUNK, LOL!
You talked me into running Bilsteins with my Skyjacker 2"-3" lift kit!
My 2004 non 4 wheel drive needs shocks but only need highway shocks with the best ride I can get to go with my new Michelin tires🤗any recommendations 🤗😎🇺🇸
I had lifted my 99 suburban about 3 months ago and have dealt with many of the same problems you have.
getting a set of bilstein 5100s since i live in a state where it snows to replace the factory air ride suspension. since my front driver side shocks has a irreversible leak and has rust they're gonna get replaced and the factory suspension will be trashed. it'll be done by a mobile mechanic since i have horrible adhd and can't focus much especially in the summer time
Had a rough country kit on my 2 door s10 blazer few years ago. Giant mistake, constantly wore out front end parts and shocks were leaking when I sold it a year later.
Shocks have to be broken in my friend, especially gas shocks,
Secondly try taking off the stops and trim them down a bit,
If you turn your torsion keys up past halfway your guaranteed to get that overextension clunk from your control arm hitting the stops !
I have a video section on this subject on my K25 LIFT if interested. Thanks 👍
I'm curious if you have lift extensions on the rear?
Bilstein is the only way to go on truck shocks. I’ve had bad experiences with rancho 9100s (lifted), rancho 5000s and Monroe’s (stock height). Bilstein won in all scenarios.
*GUY WHO LIVES BY THOSE BUMPS:* "Man, this guy loves hitting bumps in his old Suburban."
*HIS NEIGHBOR DOWN THE STREET:* "Ya, he's always going by my house too. He must change his shocks like his socks!"
thanks jimmy for the long work and your effort, God bless you..😅😄
I think I am having this issue I have a 06 gmc 2500hd. 2 inch lift. When I hit bumps it dose the same as yiu describe it rebounds so fast when I hit bumps and I have a weird tire feeling that's I've been huntin down. Replaced 3k in front end parts and new tires. I'm at its either shocks or tires. It dose need new shocks so now I wonder what ones I should get
Same situation. What did you decide to do and did it resolve the issue? thanks
Right on ! I' have a '90 Sub in need of shocks. This well thought out video is a valuable source of info. that covers precisly , what I needed to know , and the #1 reason I dig RUclips. Thanks a lot 1Road. One beer coming at you .. and a six pack on ice.
jgjuice m I have a 90 K5 blazer in need of shocks. Is your Sub 4wd? Are you going bilstein?
Hey@@chevyred.... Yes, it is Four wheel drive and I'm not sure yet. I'm just getting started on this " To Do " Item on my list. After watching the video , I am definitely going to check the Bilstiens out , and skip right over the open countries. Have fun on your project .. always liked that rig.
Swap those zinc washers for stainless steel or galvanized. The zinc layer will wear out quickly and you’ll be left with rusty crusty washers that can seize to the shock or the shock mounting surfaces. Nice ‘burban.