bilsteins - do they help?

[lakejumper]

Hi, this is my first posting here and thought that you could help. I have a 2002 Silverado 4X4 SB 6.0 Gas. We are towing a 8600 loaded 5er. We experience the normal bucking and jerking when traveling on rough roads especially concrete highway. Would Bilsteins smooth out the ride on this truck? I don't want to invest in an air ride pin box at this point.

[RonS]

On my last truck I put on the Bilstien shocks, and they were a little too stiff for me. Next time will try Rancho RS5000. I have trailair pin and suspension on my 5th wheel, and at least when the trailer goes over rough spots in the road I feel nothing from the trailer. However my dually still pounds the heck out of us. I have reduced the air down to 65lbs in all 6 tires, put on air helper springs (which I did not need) and I still get a hard ride in the Chev 3500 diesel dually truck. Still looking for a better ride, I know its not ever going to be like a car cuz its a heavy duty truck, but something must beable to do a little better job.

[billr]

I put Bilstiens on my 04 Chevy 2500HD 4X4 after 1.5 yrs and was well worth it. The original shocks were garbage!! Absolutely no rebound left in them at all.

Don't count on them solving you chucking problem with your fiver connected, but they defiantly helped the ride and handling both towing and not IMHO.

Ron S, if your reducing your TV tire pressure while towing, keep an eye on your tire temps, especially on the rears, depending on how heavy a fiver your towing. A good solution on a DRW 3500 had been to add Air Bags instead of extra leafs, to give a bit of lift as needed and helps the ride as well. Can reduce when not towing for better ride too.

Cheers,
Bill

[MDTdriver]

On my 2000 GMC 3500 DRW 4 dr long bed needed help also. In 2002 I found rear shackles by Good Year they had rubber between the metal connection for spring hanger and metal connector for the spring. They worked much better than the stock shackles. I do not know if they are still made. I know MoreRide makes someing like that for my International front springs rear hanger.
Good luck

Larry & Kathy