I need shocks - I am clueless

[FettsWay]

I need to get some new shocks for the front and back of my truck.

To be honest, I have needed them for some time and I think the ones on there have been long shot. I could get outfitted by what my local auto parts carries, but I want something made for offroad. I have a 4x4 95 Nissan V6 truck. While I don't offroad, I do live in a rural area with "offroad" type roads and plus I like to camp and hit the primitive areas. I don't want a stiff ride, but more bounce.

I don't know the first thing about a what's out there. So I will start with, what's the best I can get for under $500 that will outfit the front and back? I have put shocks on before myself and assume I could forgo the labor charge by again doing it myself.

Specific products and weblinks would be great! Especially for ones that will certainly work on my truck.

Thanks.

 

[HenryJ]

I would suggest Bilstein HD OEM replacement shocks.
Truly a lifetime shock. Research the design.

Shockwarehouse.com

F4-B46-1099-H0 Front 1 $60.27 each
F4-B46-1100-H0 Rear 1 $60.27 each
Complete Set Front and Rear
Bilstein BST HEAVY DUTY $241.08 set of 4
Free Shipping

I have a set on my old '86 S-series truck with 190k miles now. Still good performers. My current S-10 is a 2001 model and I never even considered anything else. No springs to weaken. Monotube for good cooling. Rides like a Cadillac and handles like it is on rails.

 

[FettsWay]

Thanks for the quick response.

http://www.shockwarehouse.com/site/bst_truck.cfm

This seems like a good deal: $241.08 set of 4

Would these also give me some good bounce when in light offroad?

Right now, I have a very stiff ride and want it to loose up.

 

[calamaridog]

ajusa.com is another good source for bilstein shocks.

The HD line are not overly firm and provide good dampening. High quality product that should last a long time.

 

[dust devil]

I have used Bilstein shocks several times, both on the road in a '79 Fox Body, and off road on a CJ-7. They also came standard on the Nissan Frontier Nismo.

My take on them is that they are fine, but not significantly different from any other well made shock except for price. What I would not want is a monotube shock for anything other than on the road. A monotube shock uses the same steel cylinder that you see as the body of the shock as the hydraulic cylinder for the damper. Ding that tube with a rock or whatever, and your internal hydraulics are done. Bilstein makes shocks of standard construction, and I would stay with those. That way, the outer tube is only an hydraulic reservoir, not the running cylinder for the damper, and if it gets a dent, nothing bad happens.

OME also makes reasonable shocks if you don't mind the price. Rancho shocks are well made, but tend to be stiff, especially the 5000's. The 9000 series is far better, but also far more expensive.

Frankly, Monroe makes really good shocks, you can buy them almost anywhere, including under the NAPA brand and several others, and you can even get the multi-valve, impact sensitive kind which offer a plush ride on the street but a firmer response if the shock is active, as it is on rough roads and trails. All for around $50 each. Been using them off and on for 40 years, still use them on a light duty off roader as well as a 3/4 ton truck, and can't find a fault, and they are guaranteed.

 

[HenryJ]

Right now, I have a very stiff ride and want it to loose up.

The Bilstein HD are very good offroad. I think you will be pleased. The street ride is great. Slightly firmed, but smooth.

The tube is heavier than most shock bodies. They do not easily dent like you see most shocks outer reservoir. The rear take most of the abuse. In my application they are inverted with the boot down. This has the advantage of the body being up out of harms way, the seal does not get debris riding on it and the boot protects the shaft.
Their patented design does differ from other shock designs in that they have no springs. Standard shock designs use spring loaded valving. Eventually the springs weaken and so does the performance. This is why you see many replaced every couple of years. Bilsteins design with no springs means a longer life.
If you are looking for a REALLY firm ride you will not get that from a Bilstein. The Monroe Gas Magnums, NAPA Gas Grande, or Rancho will give you a very firm ride.
If you like to change shocks Monroes are a good choice. Easily warranted over the counter. I have several sets in the fleet.
If you plan to keep the truck for the long term and like nice street manners too, Bilsteins, hands down. If yours was a fullsize and towed regularly, my advice may be different.
Your truck being comparable to the two I have experience with is why I make this recommendation. My driving conditions may differ. I travel high desert. Rough roads at higher speeds. Not much rock crawling. Mine is driven daily and tows a car, boat, and soon offroad trailer too.

If you need more convincing do a search on the S-10CREWCAB.COM Forum There are quite a few who bought other shocks and later went to Bilstein, wishing they had started there.

Any performance shock will be loads better than stock. Search lots of different forums and see what the best choice is for you , your terrain, and driving habits. Choose based upon a comparable vehicle and driving conditions.

 

[ntsqd]

Another vote for Bilsteins. Concur with HenryJ, the tube body of their monotube damper is far thicker than any twin-tube outer body that I've used/seen/cut apart. They're not bullet proof, but they're pretty tough. I've blasted the plating off of one set of rears with gravel (mounted body up at that!).

Something to know about Bils is that they will nearly always have shafts that look a tiny bit wet. Do not worry about this. If you see puddled oil, then you can worry. A wet sheen on the damper shaft and/or wiper seal is normal.

My truck came to me with 8 Rancho RS5000's on it. Removing 1/2 of them got the ride tolerable. Going to Bilsteins on the front, alone, transformed the ride of the truck. Note that this is a live front axle, leaf sprung truck.

The off the shelf the valving of the universal application Bilstein dampers (dimensions rather than application(s) listed) is set for leaf springs. If you don't have leaves I'd try hard to find some purpose made for your application.

 

[chasespeed]

I will take a Mono-tube over a twin tube any day of the week. And for off "COTS" Common, Off The Shelf... I always say Bilstein first. With, FOA, FOX, King, Sway-Away, as the top of the pile... In no particular order. I have been running Bilstein HDs, or 5100-5150s for a while, and never had a problem with them, in fact, toasted one jumping my 7.3 'Stroked Super duty... bottomed it HARD... they replaced it no questions....

My 2 cents....

Chase

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I ran Monroe Magnums on my 1/2 ton and liked them. Firm without being harsh, and great roll control. Then I made the foolish mistake of swapping them out for Rancho 9000 XL...awful ride, even dialed down, and poor roll control. I will replace these with another set of Monroes or Bilsteins (have them on the motorhome :sombrero.

 

[bat]

Bilsteins are not only great they have been baja proven for thirty years :sombrero:

 

[Cody1771]

yes Bilstiens are very nice but excessive for most people personnaly for a truck like that with OME suspension and no serious mods and not hauling a heavy camper ect ect ect. you could always got with a set of Rancho shocks (ranch has a deal on right now) or edelbrock shocks. im running edelbrocks right now and they take a hell of a beating. i am upgradeing to Rancho 9000's with the wireless tunner but that wont be for a little while.

 

[calamaridog]

I just put Bilsteins on my Liberty. They cost the same as the OME shocks did. My personal experience with OME shocks is mediocre. My experience with Bilsteins has been excellent.

 

[bat]

I have bilsteins on all three cars street jeep, offroad jeep and crew cab 4x4. The performance from bilsteins are well worth the money and are matched to your vehicle. My street jeep rides so much better and driving control is great.

 

[FettsWay]

I decided to go with the Bilstein's all around, and the ride feels alot better.

Never have I put front shocks (only back) on and my installation ran into a problem.

(see attachments for visual aids) The shocks bolt through a bracket on my truck that has a welded on nut, problem is the nut threads are stripped. I could not even get the bolt out, as it just turned and turned, so I had to tap it out, probably further damaging the internal threads of the nut. And Lowes did not have an M12 bolt long enough to extend out of the welded on nut, so I could add a nut on the end. So I had to go with a different size bolt (both in circumfrance and thread size). As a result the shock bolt housing does not fit snugg and the shock has movement when I drive and makes a loud sound. I am told that is a bad thing!!!! In the pics you can see the "gold" colored non-standard bolt I was forced to use. Again, the welded on nut has stripped threads, that is the problem.

My first step is to find an M12 bolt long enough to use, that way it fits snug on the shock bolt housing so as to not allow any play. Maybe find someone that can custom make one?

 

[spencyg]

I don't see any problem with that solution....a longer bolt and nut should be an adequate fix if they are tightened enough and are the correct size to not have any slop in the shock eye bushing.

Spence