my truck is in need of some now shocks... its got 220k with still the
origanals on it...are factory replacements a good thing to go with or should i
get some after market ones...its a no brainer if the after market ones ride better
does anyone have any suggestions as to what brand to go with.. suspension is stock cept for a 2'' level kit..thanx in advance
Might want to head over to the Suspension Section. Read, read, call vendors, read, analyze, read...you get the point. There's lots of guys out there that give every perspective from whoopin thru dunes in Baja to the mall crawler who's tired of hitting speed bumps at 5 mph and shaking the baby in the back seat awake. Prices range from $85/per 2" spacer to 6" full out Carli for a second mortgage. Not bein a smart@ss...there are a ton of options out there for shocks and kits. If you just want new shocks, then I'd just get ones from autozone. If you're looking for a significantly better ride or more performance, The Dirt and 4wd sections will be enlightening and make you want to do bad things to your wallet.
When you say your suspension is stock except 2" level kit, it's not stock anymore. You've changed the angles and should look into an aftermarket trac bar.
Bilstein 5100s are a popular option for relatively cheap, good performing shocks for a lifted truck.
Carli and Thuren both have some shocks that have more custom valving for our trucks. I'm not super familiar with Thuren, but I think he uses Fox shocks, then changes the valving to his specs. Carli does the same, but with Bilstein and King. Carli has a nice shock based on the 5100.
There's lot of stuff out there, tigerfalcon50s advice is good so don't ignore it. I'm just throwing out a few possibilities.
I agree go with the bilstein 5100 or fox 2.0 and get a adjustable track bar.later on change out your spacer to a full coil from thuren, carli, or pure perfromance.
Don has his Overland shocks which are his basic gas-charged shock that will do well on a budget.
Carli has the 5100 (as do many other vendors online) which also has had good reviews. Some do say that they think the 5100 is a bit too harsh though, so take that for what it is worth.
I would however suggest giving CJC Offroad a call (also a vendor on here) as they have both Thuren and Carli products and can help give a suggestion based on what you want your truck to feel like. Regardless, I would stay away from an emulsion shock like Rancho's. I had them on my 2009 for a little bit and it was just a waste of money in my opinion. Also I would not suggest OEM's being you have the front end lifted and they are not designed for the longer length. This will leave them topping out more and riding worse along with a shorter lifespan.
If you are looking for a smooth ride forget the 5100's! I have suffered through 20k with them. They are a well made shock for the money but the valving is dead wrong. Fox 2.0 has to be better, either way wrap them with 3m film BEFORE you install them.
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