Okay guys. Anyone know the difference between the bilstein 4600 and 5100?I am gonna have to replace my front shocks on my 04 z71 and wanted to get some good ones.
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Yep.
I have 4600s on my cadillac and 5100s/5125s on my jeep.
There are a few 5100's available for these trucks. I think you have an option for 0-2" in the front which would work well with a cranked or stock height front end.
Valving is different. 5100s are digressive. 4600s are linear.
Certainly the nice zinc coating is a bonus with the 5100's
https://www.bilsteincanada.com/blog/2017/11/motorsports-the-science-behind-the-valve-stack/
https://accutuneoffroad.com/articles/digressive-vs-linear-vs-progressive-pistons-shock-valving/
The main difference between the Bilstein Heavy Duty vs Bilstein 5100s is that the Heavy Duty or 4600 series is designed for stock height trucks and the 5100 Series is built for lifted trucks. The other major difference between the Heavy Duty and 5100 is that the Bilstein 5100 Series shocks have a zinc coating with a brushed metal shock body and a black boot while the Heavy Duty uses a painted yellow body with a blue dust boot.
The Similarities: The 5100 series and the Heavy Duty shocks use the same technology internally. Both use the same internal valving and at stock height will ride the same (shocks for lifted trucks may use different valving settings in order to accommodate the extra weight of larger tires). Both shocks are pressurized with 360 psi of nitrogen to prevent shock fade and foaming of the shock oil. The outer construction of both shocks is identical as well with an extruded metal body rather for maximum strength and top of the line seals. The 5100 series and Heavy Duty 4600 series are both covered under Bilstein's limited lifetime warranty that protects against any manufacturer defects for the life of the shock.
For stock height trucks, the Bilstein Heavy Duty yellow and blue shocks are the most popular choice, because they typically cost a few dollars less than the 5100 shocks and provide excellent performance for towing, light offroading or normal driving. Many customers do prefer the 5100 Series even on stock trucks because the shortest 5100s are typically built for 0 to 2 inches of suspension lift, meaning they can run the 5100 on their stock height truck but leave the option open for a lift later on down the road.