Explorerinil
Observer
Your 100% correct. Besides that, shocks not tuned to the springs can work against them, get hot, fade quickly and wear out fast.
Bilstein 5160 remote reservoir shocks vs all others
- Thread starter CrazyDrei
- Start date
stomperxj
Explorer
Just be aware that the 5160's have a 90 day warranty. I bought 5150's for a Jeep several years ago and they started pissing oil after about 5 months of street use. I emailed Bilstein and the reply from them was a direct copy and paste from their warranty text on the site. Just FYI
Superduty
Adventurer
I am far from a suspension expert, however, what you said is not correct. Maybe you are trying to make a point and chose the wrong words, but shocks definitely have the ability to make the ride better or worse. Granted if you have the completely wrong springs installed you may not be able to improve the ride with shocks. However, if you have the perfect spring, or at minimum an appropirate spring, I can assure you that shocks can make your ride markedly better or markedly worse. If shocks do not make the ride the better or worse, why are we even discussing them?
You need larger shocks. Period. I would not consider anything under a 2.5 for a rig that large. A 3.0 would be better and would last forever. Buy once and cry once or buy every 6 months and cry about it.
Shocks will make or break your ride, getting someone that knows what they are doing to valve them is as important (or more so) as the shocks themselves.
Shocks will make or break your ride, getting someone that knows what they are doing to valve them is as important (or more so) as the shocks themselves.
ttengineer
Adventurer
I’m not wrong. But I see your confusion. You assume ride characteristics give or take an improvement in ride, when actually the spring 100% IS the ride. A shock simply allows the spring to compress or rebound faster or slower based on desired tune. Remote reservoir or piggyback shocks do the same thing but can do it for longer due to the extra fluid keeping it cooler over a longer period of time.
It’s a common misconception with shocks, understandingly so, but it is wrong to discuss shocks as ride improvement devices as they more accurately control the ride, which in turn can point out where you need to look for ride improvement.
For instance, on my Ram 3500, it doesn’t matter what shock I run, the ride will never be good at high speed off road because the stock springs are not designed to ride well in that scenario. I’ll need to swap the spring to allow the suspension to move more easily over that terrain, then I’ll need a shock tuned to the characteristics I want. ie fast rebound, slow compression, sitting mid stroke, etc.
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CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
ttengineer,
My springs are set up perfectly, the problem is that after a year or two of hard washboard driving the chock seals blow due to the heat, thus upgrading to a larger volume oil reservoir might fix the problem and make the shocks last much longer. I am also on a tight budget and can not justify spending more on a pair of shocks than I would on an entire running parts truck.
Thank you for your contribution.
CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
These are the Bilsteins that I run on the rear of my truck. I thing they are 5160s. They control my huge camper perfectly over may years of hard use.
I think they are a good bang for the buck...
Chilli,
I think yours are 5150, they do not fit on mine due to the fixed remote reservoir, I would need 5160 they have a remote reservoir that I can mount anywhere I like.
How long have you ran them? I thought you had regular 5100s in your truck.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
The spring isn't solely responsible for the ride. Springs and shocks need to work together. Springs can only store and rebound energy. They have very little ability to bleed energy. Springs allow movement, dampers control it.
Take a softly sprung normal vehicle. Say a Ford Crown Vic, Gm Envoy, etc.etc. Remove the shocks. Now every time you hit a simple 2" bump at speed, the wheel comes all the way off the ground and bounces off the bump stop.
Remove the oil from a motorcross bikes shock and forks and it'll bottom out after every single jump, violently.
Shocks are far too soft on American cars and trucks. Springs take up the slack. Extra progressive stiff springs. If your King 3.0's stiffen the ride too much, try a lighter spring, If you can, before pulling shims. It's an art. But generally, you can never have too much compression damping up front, and it's nearly impossible to have too much rebound damping in the rear. Err in that direction.
Unlimited funds? Select 3.0 triple bypass shocks set with very firm damping, and dial the external bypasses.
Take a softly sprung normal vehicle. Say a Ford Crown Vic, Gm Envoy, etc.etc. Remove the shocks. Now every time you hit a simple 2" bump at speed, the wheel comes all the way off the ground and bounces off the bump stop.
Remove the oil from a motorcross bikes shock and forks and it'll bottom out after every single jump, violently.
Shocks are far too soft on American cars and trucks. Springs take up the slack. Extra progressive stiff springs. If your King 3.0's stiffen the ride too much, try a lighter spring, If you can, before pulling shims. It's an art. But generally, you can never have too much compression damping up front, and it's nearly impossible to have too much rebound damping in the rear. Err in that direction.
Unlimited funds? Select 3.0 triple bypass shocks set with very firm damping, and dial the external bypasses.
CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
SoTxAg06,
Thats kind of the direction I am leaning, 5100s are perfect other than they get a little hot and that probably decreased their lifespan on my truck. I like the valving and it works well for my setup for both on and off road use, however the extra oil reservoir in the 5160s should be sufficient to cool them down enough to extend the life without going full user serviceable route.
So far I have not heard a single person say anything negative about 5100, 5150, 5160, 7100s.
Thank you guys!
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
5160's are fine.
All shocks should have a res. Better use of space, less chance of air intrusion. Res has no effect on heat. Hardly any fluid flows into it, and it's the same fluid flowing in and out every time. It doesn't circulate. Fox did make a goofy shock that did pump fluid. Super expensive, never been able to wrench on those.
All shocks should have a res. Better use of space, less chance of air intrusion. Res has no effect on heat. Hardly any fluid flows into it, and it's the same fluid flowing in and out every time. It doesn't circulate. Fox did make a goofy shock that did pump fluid. Super expensive, never been able to wrench on those.
CrazyDrei
Space Monkey
Buliyf,
http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/suspension-brakes/129-0802-remote-reservoir-shocks/
Is fourwheeler.com wrong about the heat dissipating quality of higher volume remote reservoir shocks?
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Yes and no.
Resi's don't shed much heat. Don't waste money on finned resi's.
But going from poor quality shocks to proper shocks sure as heck will. It's easy enough to test. Bomb down a dirt road. The shock will get so hot it'll burn you, the res will be luke warm.
Even easier to see with a clear shock tube, and a drop of food dye. For the most part, the dye remains stationary.
Resi's don't shed much heat. Don't waste money on finned resi's.
But going from poor quality shocks to proper shocks sure as heck will. It's easy enough to test. Bomb down a dirt road. The shock will get so hot it'll burn you, the res will be luke warm.
Even easier to see with a clear shock tube, and a drop of food dye. For the most part, the dye remains stationary.
ttengineer
Adventurer
If I were you, I’d run the numbers on a set of rebuildable shocks + one rebuild, and compare that price to the shocks you’re considering. It most likely will make more financial sense to save up for a set of rebuildable shocks and they will pay for themselves once you start rebuilding them, especially if you’re burning through shocks as quickly as you’ve described.
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rruff
Explorer
The 5160 is the same shock as the 5100, but with a resi added. So it sounds like a waste to spend more on the 5160, especially considering the shorter 90 day warranty.
If you need more cooling than a 5100 offers, then you'd need to step up to a 2.5 I guess?