Well it took 11+ years and 213,000+ miles, but one of my shocks finally gave way. I noticed a spot under the truck yesterday afternoon, so I went underneath and sure enough my driver's side rear shock is leaking fluid. Might as well go ahead and replace all four shocks (at this age and mileage, I'm way past due anyway).
The OE shocks on this truck are the 2-stage manual electronic adjustable (soft/firm) versions... so I look them up, and replacement cost is ~$250/ea for Delco or ~$160/ea for aftermarket Monroe?!?! No thank you, I don't think I will be going that route - especially since I NEVER use the firm setting. (don't let the 'soft/firm' nomenclature fool you... it's really a selector between 'medium' and 'really f*ing hard').
The 2-stage system is a 'dummy' system (as opposed to the 'autoride' system, which this is not), so unplugging the wires on a shock does not lead to any check engine/malfunction indicator lights... it just disables the firm (hard) setting on that shock.
So I'm thinking of just eliminating the 2-stage system and going with good monotube shocks.
Here's my tentative plan (This is a 2wd truck):
Front: I've had 3" lift spindles on the truck for the past 8 or so years, but the suspension geometry is pretty much in the stock configuration, so no need for longer shocks. I'm thinking of using Bilstein 4600HDs (p/n 24-029025).
Rear: I've had 2" blocks in the rear for the same ~8 years, but have been running the stock height shocks. I could purchase the same length shocks and that would work OK, but I'm thinking of purchasing ~2" longer shocks since I'm technically at 4wd/Z71 ride height in the rear. According to all the specs I have seen, the 2wd and 4wd shocks are the same except for length, so I'd just purchase the rear shocks for 4wd. I'd use the Bilstein 4600HD shock here as well (p/n 24-029056).
What do you think? Good idea? Any flaws you can think of?
(thinking of purchasing from shockwarehouse dot com - does anyone have a current/valid discount code?)
The OE shocks on this truck are the 2-stage manual electronic adjustable (soft/firm) versions... so I look them up, and replacement cost is ~$250/ea for Delco or ~$160/ea for aftermarket Monroe?!?! No thank you, I don't think I will be going that route - especially since I NEVER use the firm setting. (don't let the 'soft/firm' nomenclature fool you... it's really a selector between 'medium' and 'really f*ing hard').
The 2-stage system is a 'dummy' system (as opposed to the 'autoride' system, which this is not), so unplugging the wires on a shock does not lead to any check engine/malfunction indicator lights... it just disables the firm (hard) setting on that shock.
So I'm thinking of just eliminating the 2-stage system and going with good monotube shocks.
Here's my tentative plan (This is a 2wd truck):
Front: I've had 3" lift spindles on the truck for the past 8 or so years, but the suspension geometry is pretty much in the stock configuration, so no need for longer shocks. I'm thinking of using Bilstein 4600HDs (p/n 24-029025).
Rear: I've had 2" blocks in the rear for the same ~8 years, but have been running the stock height shocks. I could purchase the same length shocks and that would work OK, but I'm thinking of purchasing ~2" longer shocks since I'm technically at 4wd/Z71 ride height in the rear. According to all the specs I have seen, the 2wd and 4wd shocks are the same except for length, so I'd just purchase the rear shocks for 4wd. I'd use the Bilstein 4600HD shock here as well (p/n 24-029056).
What do you think? Good idea? Any flaws you can think of?
(thinking of purchasing from shockwarehouse dot com - does anyone have a current/valid discount code?)
