Another Bilstein Question

So I'm definately replacing my shocks in the next few months and the Bilsteins are the winners.

Has anyone put the models designed for use with the heavier front ends (i.e. using the ARB) on their rigs before they've mounted their ARB (and run around on them)? An ARB might be in the distant future, and I'd like to not replace the shocks again if I end up purchasing one. I'm curious how stiff the ride is w/o the added weight up front.

I'm also going to pick up the full skid plate package from Skid row, which should add some nice weight to the underside and help smooth the ride out.....a little bit.

Thanks for your help
Stu
:flamer: :badass:

If it was me I would get the ARB valved Bilsteins.

The valving for the extra weight probably only comes into play on the harder, more compressed hits of the springs. My guess is you wouldn't notice much difference on the road, and they would just be stiffer when offroading.

More than likely you're going to add more weight to your truck in the future with either the ARB and/or skids.

Especially with your trucks attraction to tree stumps. :p

Anyone know the part number for the the front shocks on the ARB valved Bilsteins? I plan on adding an ARB in the future. Thanks!

I don't have the part number handy.
I just called and talk to the guys at Spencer Low.
They will make sure you get the stuff that you need.

i have the bilsteins up front valved for the arb but dont have my arb installed yet. they are stiffer than stock but not harsh. you'll notice less body lean up front and quicker rebound. they are worth the extra money.

I don't have shackles and don't plan on adding them. Would it be bad if I put on the Bilsteins that are designed for shackles? All I can think of is I'll have extra travel that I'll never use...but I have zero experience with automotive stuff, so I could be completely missing something important.

Does anyone have the PN for the rear w/o swaybars and no shackels??? I can't seem to find it, hence my question above!

Thanks
Stu

here's a link (http://64.21.5.141/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3242)

Hmm, don't see a listing for no bar and no shackles though, is there such a thing? Somehow I doubt it, not enough difference to warrant it.

Brent

Just go call SLR. If the shock you want exists, they'll have it. And quit trying to cheap out and save a few bucks getting the shocks elsewhere. There aren't many vendors that support the Xterra, we should support the ones we have. Call Spencer, he'll take care of you.

Originally posted by Chris_McCracken
Just go call SLR. If the shock you want exists, they'll have it. And quit trying to cheap out and save a few bucks getting the shocks elsewhere. There aren't many vendors that support the Xterra, we should support the ones we have. Call Spencer, he'll take care of you.

I agree. Don't call for help if you're going to take the info and buy somewhere else. Spencer is willing to spend time with customers talking about his parts and help with your Xterra. If it costs a few dollars more, that includes good advice, and you're supporting someone who is creating aftermarket parts for your truck.

I have yet to receive the kind of customer support from SLR that I have received from the other 4x4 companies I have dealt with (except for KMA...) I think they are a valuable asset to the Nissan community, but some of us have had less than stellar experiences with them (which can probably be said for most of the 4x4 companies out there, of course.)

Sorry, the SLR love fest was just too much for me. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by gothamist
I have yet to receive the kind of customer support from SLR that I have received from the other 4x4 companies I have dealt with (except for KMA...) I think they are a valuable asset to the Nissan community, but some of us have had less than stellar experiences with them (which can probably be said for most of the 4x4 companies out there, of course.)

Sorry, the SLR love fest was just too much for me. :rolleyes:

Not really a love fest, my point was don't go to someone for advice and then turn use that information to go to another supplier and save some bucks. If the cheaper shop is such a good deal then they should be able to tell you which Bilstein shocks to get with the shackles. (of course they don't know anything about your Xterra, right?)

I think of it like the people who go big merchandise chains cause the parts are cheaper, and then wonder what happened to the personalised service they used to get from the mom and pop shops.

Regardless, please feel free to talk about your problems with SLR. It's valuable for people to hear the good and the bad.

Get the Bilstein Shocks...I installed a complete set tonight...Oh Man,
what a HUGE difference in the ride...Can't wait to go Off-Road w/'em.

Get the ones thet are 20% Stiffer(Heavy Duty)...:hehe:

Good Luck,

Originally posted by Whistler!
Get the Bilstein Shocks...I installed a complete set tonight...Oh Man,
what a HUGE difference in the ride...Can't wait to go Off-Road w/'em.

Get the ones thet are 20% Stiffer(Heavy Duty)...:hehe:

Good Luck,

How 'bout a quantitative and qualitative description of the difference?

Originally posted by ToeJam
I don't have shackles and don't plan on adding them. Would it be bad if I put on the Bilsteins that are designed for shackles?


I wondered the same thing. I think they would probably work fine.

I read on one of the other boards where some people are not recomending the use of the front shocks rated for the extra weight of an ARB. The theory is that they ride rougher and do not prevent bottoming out any more than the Xterra specific shocks.

Originally posted by Schludwiller


If the cheaper shop is such a good deal then they should be able to tell you which Bilstein shocks to get with the shackles

My memory is that Autozone had them for about $55.00, but they can't even tell you the part number for any Bilstien shock that fits the Xterra.

Originally posted by ScottG


I wondered the same thing. I think they would probably work fine.

I read on one of the other boards where some people are not recomending the use of the front shocks rated for the extra weight of an ARB. The theory is that they ride rougher and do not prevent bottoming out any more than the Xterra specific shocks.

That's probably one that will be answered at GoX. Although it's going to be tough to find people with the exact Xterra setup except for shocks.

Originally posted by ScottG
I read on one of the other boards where some people are not recomending the use of the front shocks rated for the extra weight of an ARB. The theory is that they ride rougher and do not prevent bottoming out any more than the Xterra specific shocks.

I know I went with the 10% stiffer ones instead of the 20% stiffer ones (H2 instead of H0 part #) because with the AC lift I just installed, my torsion bars (the Sway-A-Way ones, which are stiffer than stock) are cranked up a whole bunch, so they have a good bit of preload on them. Shane @ Bilstein really strongly advised me to go w/ the H2's, and so far (I received them in the mail today, they've been installed a whopping two hours) they seem nice. I will be testing them offroad this weekend, but I noticed less body roll and more control over bumps immediately (I just went on a slaloming test run through an abandoned industrial complex...:D).

The body roll seems to have been reduced to the amount I had before installing the body & suspension lifts (note that my front swaybar is connected right now.)

How well do the Bilstein's work with the AC susp lift? I talked with AC yesterday about using Bilsteins with their lift, and they strongly discouraged it. They said the shocks they use have a greater length and allow more suspension travel. Also she said that they don't feel the Bilsteins provided very good on and off-road performance with their lift. I have the extra-large Bilsteins in the rear with my SLR shackles, and think they do a wonderful job. I will be purchasing the AC lift before too long, and am not sure which shocks to use.

Well, so far, I think I'm the only one who has Bilsteins and the AC lift installed (??), and I only installed my shocks late last night, so I can't tell you everything, but I do know this (this is where I have to stop being quite so nice to AC...)

AC is using Rancho 9188's with their lift kit...Rancho recommends 9156's with theirs. Both of these shocks have an extended length of 12.45" IIRC...(stock shocks are 11.5" long extended.) The Bilsteins are 12.46 or 12.48" long (can't remember right now), so in other words, they are the same length as the shocks that Rancho and AC recommend with their lift kits. I honestly think the reason AC isn't recommending them is they don't know the specs of the Bilstein product.

I also measured the distance from eye to eye with my a-arm at full droop (resting on the bumpstop w/ no shock installed) when I was putting it in, and it looked like the a-arms got me another inch at the bumpstop, so I think it all adds up well...one inch more travel at the bumpstop == roughly one inch more travel at the shock == (approx) a little more than two inches of additional downtravel.

Mosi might be able to chime in on this issue as well.

That's about exactly what I was hoping for (and suspected).

I just got done doing my schock replacement using the 20% heavier duty Bilsteins! It takes about two hours by your self. No knunckles busted, but takes a lot of grunting and groaning to compress the shock!!! I used my 1/2" air ratchet on most all the bolts size 14mm and 17mm. You will also need a 5mm allen wrench to tighten the front shock tower. I also removed my rear sway bar and haven't noticed any difference. :D

Just got back from a Mt. St Helens Xcursion...The bilstein shocks are great.
Got to fly over pot holes & do some articulation tests. The bilstein shocks are very durable and gave me an extremely smoth ride.

I recommend them to anyone who would like more control on & off-roading:smoka:

Chris' earlier question about AC & Bilstein shocks is the same thing I experienced. Called last week and was just about to order the AC lift and also asked about the Bilsteins and was told that Bilstein wasn't offering support (?) or backing their shock with the Xterra application and hence AC wasn't recommending them...yet AC is looking into possibly carrying them. Also, if you break out the pricing on the AC kit, you're pretty much getting a shock for free if you buy the packaged kit.

Regardless of the issue with AC's claim about Bilstein (which me thinks boils down to them simply not carrying the product). But are we splitting hairs between which is better (Rancho/Bilstein)...or can anyone say just yet if there's a definite advantage with either one?

I'm thinking of making my lift purchase pretty soon but hate to do it only to find out I should've went with the other shocks.

Lug

I've ridden and driven FSRBiker's truck with the Rancho 9000's in the front, and I much prefer the feel of my truck which has the H2 Bilsteins in it. The one thing I did notice is that when he sets his front shocks on 5, they seem to dampen out the ride quite well--slightly less body roll and more composure, but at the expense of being very stiff (uncomfortably so IMHO, esp. over small bumps at speed.) I had to ask him over the CB (he was driving my truck) if his front swaybar was connected or not, I couldn't tell (it wasn't.)

Now that I've had them, wheeled them, and driven long distances with them, I think I made the right decision in combining the AC lift kit w/ the Bilstein shocks. I do realize I probably paid more overall (esp. since I did it in so many stages), but oh well...having put together exactly what I wanted and being happy with the results has made it worth the money.

Lastly, I think Shane @ Bilstein was right in steering me towards the H2 shocks instead of the H0's--everyone who rode in or drove my truck last weekend (MT, FSR, Pikachu, etc.) seemed kinda surprised at how well the whole truck handled onroad and off, and how damn difficult it was to make the thing bottom out (only managed once the whole weekend.)

So, to make a (very) long story short--I would buy the H2 Bilsteins. They work really, really well w/ the AC kit...I've been exchanging e-mails with Nissan Mike @ AC, and I think he's finally starting to agree with me. :)

p.s. The one good point AC has against the Bilsteins is that Bilstein won't warranty the shocks since they're being used in a modified suspension, but honestly...at this point...the warranty on my $120 shocks is the least of my concerns.

p.p.s. Just wanted to add one more thing--the truck seems solid and stable enough that I still haven't gotten around to reconnecting my front swaybar from the last wheeling trip, and it feels like there is less body roll than there used to be when disconnected at stock height w/ an all stock front-end. I do plan to reconnect my front swaybar eventually, but I've been busy and it's been rainy. And the Beltway isn't even that scary this way...:)

Excellent info. Gothamist...thanks for the detailed write-up.

Lug

I am really interested in seeing if I can run my front RS9000's at anything other than 4 or 5 with the new torsion bars(going in this weekend). The shocks on 5 compensate well for no swaybar but doing this everyday will wear your shocks out faster...hopefully the new torsion bars allow me to extend the adjustement range to at least 3-5 but for now they blow through the travel too fast and I would recommend the Billsteins...more to come after the torsion bar install....

Stormy (you know him from XOC) has the bilsteins and the AC lift installed. he got the 20% HOs, not the 10%. I'll have to take a spin in his truck.... I also got the HOs, as I'll be getting a bumper real soon, and I'm gonna do a whole bunch of dirt and gravel roads in the coming weeks (600+ miles) on my trip to Canada.

At some point after the baby is born, the AC or possibly a pieced out Calmini lift will go on the front.

At the time I wrote that earlier post, I hadn't seen stormy and his posts about the AC kit on XOC. Glad to know others are experimenting as well. :)