Help with reviving suspension

[Pyramid_Head]

Hello everyone. I'm an owner of a 2011 Suburban LT with 115k miles, plain jane suspension. I've been buying suspension parts lately to replace shocks, and i can't decide whether to go with KYB from Rockauto, or the more expensive brand Bilsteins 4600's. My truck is usually a family hauler, and have only towed a small trailer filled with bricks, and about 80 cement bags from Lowes to fix my house. The rear sagged a bit, but performed fine.

Also, what i am looking for as well is to reduce some of the roll and excessive lean/squattage from my ride. Will a set of aftermarket Jounces work on reducing body roll and squat, or will i have to buy stiffer springs (maybe both)?

I am also going to add Hellwig front and rear swaybars.

I'd like to keep it stock height. Thank you beforehand for your advice and input!

 

[Pyramid_Head]

Sorry... title was meant to read

"HELP WITH REVIVING SUSPENSION"

 

[PatDTN]

I put Bilsteins on my old 3/4 ton 2500HD pickup truck and loved the ride after that. My truck was old and abused when I got it so almost anything would have been an improvement but the Bilsteins kept it under control for years.

 

[iamdub]

Hello everyone. I'm an owner of a 2011 Suburban LT with 115k miles, plain jane suspension. I've been buying suspension parts lately to replace shocks, and i can't decide whether to go with KYB from Rockauto, or the more expensive brand Bilsteins 4600's. My truck is usually a family hauler, and have only towed a small trailer filled with bricks, and about 80 cement bags from Lowes to fix my house. The rear sagged a bit, but performed fine.

Also, what i am looking for as well is to reduce some of the roll and excessive lean/squattage from my ride. Will a set of aftermarket Jounces work on reducing body roll and squat, or will i have to buy stiffer springs (maybe both)?

I am also going to add Hellwig front and rear swaybars.

I'd like to keep it stock height. Thank you beforehand for your advice and input!

I, and a few other members have learned the hard way that the cheap KYBs SUCK. They do have a quality line, but their entry-level line is a disgrace to the brand. I can't think of the name of the crappy ones at the moment, though. They have a red sticker, IIRC. The Bilsteins are always a safe bet. You'd regret wasting the money on the cheap shocks and struts and worse, the labor to replace them again when you're fed up.

To reduce lean/roll, you'd need either polyurethane sway bar and end link bushings. You can get all for about $20. Better yet, aftermarket sway bars (larger) would be even more effective.

For squatting under load, a simple set of helper bags for the rear coils would be perfect. I'd advise against stiffer springs since that would make it ride harsher when not loaded, and that's just not necessary. Stuff a set of bags in there and air 'em up when you're towing or carrying a load and air down when empty. You might find that a few psi in the bags at all times strikes a balance between good ride and firmness, which would further reduce roll and squat. I have springs that are a little softer than stock, and I keep about 10 psi in my load bags to compensate.

 

[Fless]

Avoid KYB's Excel-G models; the Gas-A-Just version is much better. As @iamdub noted, helper bags are a good idea for ride versatility and adjustment.

 

[Pyramid_Head]

I was thinking more of these KYB's

Front: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503589&cc=1431156&jsn=1493

Rear: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503668&cc=1431156&jsn=1495


But, if the $220 premium price is worth skipping these, then i'll buy the Bilsteins for sure! Thank you for all the feedback!!!

 

[iamdub]

Avoid KYB's Excel-G models; the Gas-A-Just version is much better. As @iamdub noted, helper bags are a good idea for ride versatility and adjustment.

Excel-G! That's the name I was trying to think of. I put a full set of struts on Jenn's car and they're STIFF. I think it was @Tonyrodz that put their shocks on one of his vehicles and had the same results, and he mentioned it in a thread where others had the same complaints.

 

[Fless]

I was thinking more of these KYB's

Front: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503589&cc=1431156&jsn=1493

Rear: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=503668&cc=1431156&jsn=1495


But, if the $220 premium price is worth skipping these, then i'll buy the Bilsteins for sure! Thank you for all the feedback!!!

Yes, the Gas-A-Just are okay from my experience. But don't you have struts on the front?

Might want to get the right part numbers from KYB's site so you have apples-to-apples comparison.

Find the right, shock, strut or strut assembly for your vehicle.

Find the right shock, strut, or assembly. Select your year, make and model, or search by V.I.N., License Plate or by KYB Part Number.

www.kyb.com

 

[Tonyrodz]

Excel-G! That's the name I was trying to think of. I put a full set of struts on Jenn's car and they're STIFF. I think it was @Tonyrodz that put their shocks on one of his vehicles and had the same results, and he mentioned it in a thread where others had the same complaints.

Those Excel's were terrible! Waste of money imo. Made the Tahoe handle like garbage.

 

[Pyramid_Head]

Yeah. I've bought those kind of shocks back in the days when i had my old iroc z.... useless shocks.

I'll keep looking for the right part number for the front.