Got the Bilsteins installed

[brndns_hoe]

After doing my 2/3 drop, the ride was a little rougher....but I had original shocks with nearly 80,000 miles. now it rides a lot better. everyone has said getting rid of the nivomat, thick shocks in the rear and installing the Bilsteins would lower it about an inch...maybe after a couple weeks of settling in it will...but right now it's at the same exact height as before....the front end actually came up an inch, probably because the struts before were just done in after so many miles. and apparently when the lowering kit was installed, they cranked down the torsion bars too, which I didn't ask for, and i think that is why during alignment, the camber can't be completely brought into spec, so need to raise that up a bit more and make it more level with the rear...right now, the front is 33" and the rear 34". but as far as the bilstein ride quality, I'm happy. Kudos to Max to the recommendations. the fronts are actually Hummer H3 struts, the rears are the normal Tahoe application ones.

 

[BlueTahoe2001]

Glad it rides better! I need to order some up for my ride and get rid of some of this extra wheel hop on a hard bump.

 

[BlackDenali]

Nice!! I love mine

 

[Narco]

mine rides rougher w/ bilsteins than with the oem nivomats

 

[brndns_hoe]

oh and on that note about the torsion bars...what tool do I need to adjust them back up a little? I'm assuming this is a pretty simple thing to do?

 

[BlueTahoe2001]

You can rent one at the local Auto Zone if you need to pull then out. Are you wanting to adjust them up or down?

If so, just take yourself a 3/8's or 1/2 Ratchet with the apporpriate size socket and turn the up or down depending on what you want.

 

[brndns_hoe]

Oh sweet. Ya just need to raise it a half inch or so. Don't know why they were lowered when getting 2/3 kit installed...didn't even ask me.

 

[brndns_hoe]

do i need to raise the front end off the ground? or is it possible to do it on the ground?

 

[brndns_hoe]

alright, I finally got underneath my truck for the first time since the 2/3 kit was installed....after I got the shocks installed it felt better but still not like stock. And seeing as my front end was 2" lower than the rear after the install, I figured they had lowered it more with the torsion bars. After the shocks were installed it came up an inch in the front. Today, I raised it a bit more, got the truck pretty level now. BUT, I'm glad I checked it out under there. I asked the shop to cut the bumpstops in half, well,they did the fronts, not the rears! I hardly have front bumpstops anymore and there was no clearance until I cranked on the torsion bars a bit. I proceeded to cut the rear bumpstops in half like I wanted. They were making contact too, before I cut them.

NOW the 'hoe rides great, back to the normal feel. Now I'm happy!

Only one question, should I get new front bumpstops? never heard of those being cut.

---------- Post added at 01:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:50 PM ----------

ok i lied...one other question, out of curiosity. I forgot to measure my ride before the lowering kit install. what is the factory ride height on these?

 

[vatahoelt]

After doing my 2/3 drop, the ride was a little rougher....but I had original shocks with nearly 80,000 miles. now it rides a lot better. everyone has said getting rid of the nivomat, thick shocks in the rear and installing the Bilsteins would lower it about an inch...maybe after a couple weeks of settling in it will...but right now it's at the same exact height as before....the front end actually came up an inch, probably because the struts before were just done in after so many miles. and apparently when the lowering kit was installed, they cranked down the torsion bars too, which I didn't ask for, and i think that is why during alignment, the camber can't be completely brought into spec, so need to raise that up a bit more and make it more level with the rear...right now, the front is 33" and the rear 34". but as far as the bilstein ride quality, I'm happy. Kudos to Max to the recommendations. the fronts are actually Hummer H3 struts, the rears are the normal Tahoe application ones.

what kind of advantages to the H3 struts up front give you over the regular tahoe ones? Are they stiffer and able to handle more abuse?