Help! 4x4 shop insists I need 2" strut spacers as well as Bilstein 5100 RHA to work!?
Has anyone heard of this?
I wanted to get away from my present 1.25" Zone strut spacer and go to Bilstein 5100 RHA front shocks; which I brought to my local 4x4 shop to install.
They tell me the Bilsteins will only provide extra travel not extra ride height. My truck is in the shop right now and they want me to spend $300 for a 2" strut lift in addition to the Bilsteins I already have (not installed yet).
Is this true? I sent them the link to the installation by SigArms.
Per the Bilstein site, they sell 5100s that are not ride height adjustable and other 5100s that are.. don't suppose you know which you have?
RHA is Ride Height Adjustable...so did they send you the wrong ones or??
Order Details:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quantity: 1
Item: Bilstein 5100 Series Ride Height Adjustable Front Shocks for
2015-2017 Chevrolet Colorado 4wd (Pair) 24-253154 (Bilstein
24-253154)
Unit Price: $204.95
Total Price: $204.95
------------------------------------------------------------------------
subtotal: $204.95
------------------------------------------------------------------------
total: $204.95
Have 'em set them at the top c-clip ring mount on the shock shaft and you have 2" of lift. Raises the spring perch. What is hard about that?
Hope they don't keep stringing you on...
Summit racing tried telling me that neither Eibach nor Bilstein sell anything to "lift" a truck, they only sell lowering kits... They got very confused when I emailed them back with products they sell....
The going consensus that I have found when doing my own research for the Bilstein 5100 that I installed on my truck was that you do not use a strut spacer along with the Bilstein 5100 it will put too much strain on ball joints and CV joints I do not know from first-hand experience but I do think that you're just asking for trouble if you use both. Just a side note if you're running is 17 inch wheel a 265 70 17 is the maximum that you're going to get under your truck if you want to run something bigger than that you're going to have to use a body lift or go all the way for a 4 inch or larger suspension lift and if you're running factory wheels you may also need wheel spacers.
Well lets see what he comes up with tomorrow. Makes no sense to me but he is convinced I need both. He's putting the ring on the top perch combined with a 2 inch spacer. I want the 2" spacer install removed and my money back if he's wrong.
If they haven't started yet, go find another shop. These guys sound like folks not familiar with coilovers at all... which means leaf springs, blocks and body lifts are more their speed.
If your around North Carolina I'll help you install it took 4.5 hrs.
It's not that bad and I know how to complete the job without damaging a brand new truck lol
Getting bad vibes from a shop before an install like this is no good. The name of the shock has "Ride Height Adjustable" in the name. How do they think it doesn't allow you to change the height?
You can open the box and show the instructions where it shows the three notches and which notch provides a 2" lift.
I have the Bilstein 5100 RHAs set on the top ring clip notch, NO strut spacer, and the front of my truck is higher than it was before. I can 100% verify that you DEFINITELY do not want to add a strut top spacer in addition to that. You will mess up your truck (and good luck trying to get this shop to pay for the damage it will cause). If they won't do it without the spacer, then walk away and take your truck to a shop that knows what they are doing.
Either this shop is trying to "buy up" the service, or they are just dumb. Either way, I recommend looking elsewhere. If they do end up doing the work, make sure they use the locknut that is included with the shocks. If they try to re-use the old one, there is a chance it will not lock like it is supposed to, and allow the shock to fail.
Agreed, If you are installing the 5100 RHA shocks set at the top notch, do not add the 2" spacer or you're really going to screw up your front suspension, not to mention you'll be changing UBJ's once a week. Like others have said, I would consider going somewhere else, I don't think these guys know what they're talking about..
I have the same Bilstein shocks set for the 2" lift...that's all you need. No spacer or anything else. If the shop can't read directions or grasp the concept of how the Bilsteins work, go somewhere else before your truck is screwed up.
He's agreeing to put on only the Bilsteins with the top clip in place even though he's convinced it will sit LOWER than what I have at the present (I have a Zone 1.25" Level). The interesting thing is he's not some hillbilly mechanic. He appears intelligent and well spoken.
I think because the clip space isn't an actual measurable 2 inches between the lowest 'stock' ring height and the highest ring height he can't get his head wrapped around the physics of it; i.e. that the increased preload will reflect a greater ride height than the actual measured ring spacing. He also thinks the clip will fail with any moderate off-roading.
I've got probably 8000 - 9000 miles or more on my Bilsteins on the Canyon. We've done a few good off-road trips, nothing high-speed desert running, but some pretty hard hits either way. They are holding up just fine.
Well it's done and it's awesome! But the mechanic still won't admit he was wrong; I didn't push it cause I was feeling charitable. He says it's lower now and the ride is rougher. Haha...so wrong! I can clearly see without measuring it's taller at the fenderwell. And the ride is great. I also had airbags put in the back and side steps. I'll post pix when I get to a computer.
You are very charitable...I would have laughed loudly at him, and taken my truck elsewhere immediately...as soon as he said you needed a spacer with the RHA shocks. Just because someone is in a profession does not make them any good at said profession....
I'm glad for this thread, prior to it I hadn't considered that using a leveling kit in conjunction with a Bilstein or Eibach suspension lift wouldn't be a good idea... Does mean I get to step back and figure out wtf to do since I don't much care for the idea of buying a new suspension to not be level and to also only have a .5" raise in the front lol
Consider it a "more level" kit, and not an "exactly level" kit.
Everybody's truck sits differently, and some are more raked than others, so 2" on one may be too much on anothers.
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