do any of you all that have the bilsteins think they are alil too soft and bouncy? mine do great on big bumps n washboard roads but for regular driving and highway they may be just a tad to soft for me. Anyone else notice it or is it just them being a soft shock?

also anyone like the sensa tracs? i want them to be better than stock obviously over the bigger bumps n washboard roads but maybe jus a tad firmer for regular driving

 

I've had a set of monroe sensatracks on my truck since about 98 & they're still as smooth as when I bought 'em.
I don't do any off-roading, just around town/highway & they feel nice & smooth on my 4x4.

 

i had the sensatracs on my 96 ranger 4x4 and i thought they were pretty sloppy and soft, i like the bilsteins much better than the monroe shocks.

 

yeha but like we discussed the other day you have a totally different bilstein shock. I have the HD's and you have the ones for the lifted application. Honestly the bilstein shocks do a great job, they are awesome over big bumps and washboard roads, they really are great. But when im just driving down the road regularly or on the highway and not hitting any big bumps or washboards, the front end tends to kinda get alil bouncy and really soft.

The bouncing doesnt hurt and isn't a rough bounce just can get annoying. A few people I have talked to said the same thing about being a soft shock and they wanted alil more firmer one.

I could careless about the namebrand, I guess basically id like alil more firmer shock on the daily driving part and so the front isnt constantly feeling alil bouncy n one that is still pretty good at big bumps n washboards.

Its almost like they are so soft n absorb so far that even though they handle huge bumps great, on the lil bumps and regular driving they seem like they are constantly trying to work n bouncing up n down. Yes it doesnt hurt but just the bounciness alone bugs me.


Sorry about the long post, just hard to explain it all in just a sentence or two you know.

 

If you actually talk to bilstein, they will tell you that the valving between the HD and 5100 is very similar.

I had Bilstein HDs on my 98 Ranger, never thought they were soft until I was nearing 100k hard miles on them.

Maybe you have another problem with the truck...?

 

idk what would be though, my truck has low miles and I talked to STL n he said his can be alil bouncy but not to bad and I talked to Toreador 4x4 and he said he had the exact same problem as me. Switched to monroe sensa tracs and havent had a problem sense idk. Like I said they seem to be working fine, just the front end is alil to bouncy and soft for me on regular roads n the highway. So idk what shock would be better for me if any?

Idk if this helps but with my stock shocks with 60,000 miles they didnthave that bouncy problem at all, just SUCKED at handling big bumps n washboard roads, but ive heard that the bilsteins are actually valved stiffer than the oem ones which wouldnt make any sense at all.

 

bump?

 

I don't know. I don't remember mine being bouncy though. The 5100s on my F150 aren't bouncy. Everyone has a different perception of what bouncy is though, and everyone likes a different ride.

 

just got with the monroes. they seem like they would fix the problem. or maybe your front springs are getting worn and saggy. if you have torsion bars and they are cranked they might have become saggy. or if you have coil springs they tend to sag over time as well.

 

I have torsion bars and they are only 60,000 miles on number 1 bars so I figured they wouldnt be saggy causing that. Also like I said it didnt do it with stock shocks just they were awful over big bumps n bad roads you know and yeah im thinking about doing it. Atleast I can say I tried out the bilsteins and like I said they do an amazing job over the big bumps n washboards just a tad to soft for me on the road. Master have you ever used the monroe sensatracs?

Ill be putting my bilsteins up for sale on here and FRF here when I get the monroes in and talk to shock warehouse and see what they recommend for me. Ive only went to work like twice so less than 50 miles on them.

 

I have Sensetracs and i love them, highway ride is pretty smooth, i wouldn't say its the softest ride in the world, but its up there.

 

have you had any other shocks? I like a soft shock that handles bumps well n washboard roads but isnt so soft that its constantly wanting to work n bounce alil you know. Thats why im saying maybe just a tad bit stiffer shock would be perfect for me, I just dont know what thta would be. But most that have the sensatrac say they like it alot. I also just stuck to that one because Toreador4x4 said thats what he went to after the bilsteins were to soft and he loves him so I figured thatd be a good place to start.

 

bump

 

When i first got my truck, i had a level kit installed. So I got new RS5000 shocks up front. Stock Bilstiens were still in the rear. Had my 3"BL 6months later and figured I change the rear bilstiens, cause they wear sagging some. So, Hydro Skyjackers in the rear it was. Combined, its a smooth ride on the highway and aggressive off road, tad stiffer all round. Mind you these are introduction shocks of these lines, still great. Nitro shocks are a step up, but I don't do any hardcore offroading, as my rig is my daily driver...so I got a set up that provides the best of on and off road use. Stiffer and more forgiving than stock. Honestly, i didn't ride my stock bilsteins long enough to notice their true performance. I hear great things about bilsteins though.

 

ive heard alot of good things about them to and dont get me wrong they do great on big bumps n washboard roads but I feel like they are to bouncy on regular roads and on the highway. Maybe their valving just isnt for me or what so thats why I was seeing what everyone else thinks. So if you had to buy new shocks what would you get?

 

sorry, dind't check back up on this.
I've driven trucks with Bilsteins, and trucks with Monroes, if you get almost the same thing, i can't tell much of a diffrence. but i do know Bilsteins handle bumps a lot better. monroe offers a harder ride with bumps, but good freeway driving.

 

Yeah see thats what im saying my new bilstein hd's do great ovr big bumps but the highway seems ot bouncy and soft. Im hoping a stiffer shock will do better on road and the highway but not give up TOO much bump and washboard comfort.I realize that comes with it, but id like to get one thats just alil better on the highway n road without giving up to much big bump comfort u know.

 

Monroe's are for you then

 

what the sensatracs?

 

Let see... I started off with factory shocks on my 4x2 Edge. Pretty darn soft on F torsion bars. I couldn't stand it.

After that, I switched to Gabriel Ultra shocks. I hated the ride with them. They were super stiff and made for a harsh ride on anything but offroad terrain or when towing a load. I went through two sets and eventually gave them to a buddy who got a new set from Autozone. He experienced the exact same thing as I did. As far as I know he went to their softer shock, I haven't discussed it with him.

I picked up a set of brand new OEM Bilsteins from Craigslist. I couldn't be happier. The ride is pretty perfect everywhere. Currently I have the suspension of a 98 4x4, so I assume the weight to be similar to that. I also installed 1 torsion bars. The ride isn't too bad with that setup and my 3.0L.

In the future, I'd love to try a new set of B torsion bars with Monroe Sensatracs, as I've heard good things about the combination.

 

mines just an 06 4.0 4x4 so im guessing my weight is similar to yours. Its just a tad to soft on the regular road and highway for me causing a slight bouncy sensation at times. Its not a bad bounce or rough or hurtful, just the bouncing can get annoying if that makes sense.

 

get the sensa tracs i love them. they are great. ive had rancho and thye sucked and i just picked up the monroes and thye are great just a little noise in the cold

 

There seems to be alot of love hate with the the Sensatracs. I have them and personally hate them. You can feel every bump in the road on normal driving its terrible. They also seem very bouncy on the highway as well, when you hit a bump on the highway it seems like the truck is going up and down a little to much. Just my opinion. I've been itching to get Bilsteins for the longest time.

 

Yeah ive noticed that and to some degree with the Bilsteins, althought most love the bilsteins. But I just dont think they are for me and even Toreador 4x4 said he had the same problem as me and I tend to kinda trust what he says beens he pretty knowledgable. Im thinking about jsut spending the extra 75 bucks and get the new rancho 9000's that are 9 way adjustable, that way I wont have to worry. But alot of people say rancho shocks are crap but with the ****, I can adjust as soft and as hard as I want so I think that would be best for me but idk yet.