I was surprised at how much shocks made a difference on our GMC. We had the super cheap OE skinny blue shocks. replaced them with a set of billies. No more shimmy over bumps from front to rear. Unfortuantely, my rears were completely toast. the right rear once unbolted collapsed without external force. Gravity was enough to make it compress. Whoops.
I replaced the stock fronts on my 2500HD Z71 with Monroes, I think I'm gonna replace the rears too. The stiff shocks really don't help unloaded, so the Monroes really helped out the front end.
I've owned a bunch of high mileage stuff that needed suspension work, but this is the first vehicle I've owned from new and worn things out. It sort of sneaks up on you when you drive it every day and the change back to actual functioning parts is pretty sweet.
" Alas, the kids are getting big and Mrs. Deuce is losing her sense of adventure and there are some very loud rumblings that the truck is to be replaced, or at least relegated to shop truck duty. This thread is mostly my attempt to justify to myself that it's worth keeping around."
As long as you remain there in the piney woods, the PU is your best friend. Having lived here (Houston) since 1978, my PU ( 1991 chevy 1/2 ton ext.cab 5.7l 5spd man. 3/5 drop, Recaros, 371k on the odo)has been the best $$$ I've ever spent. As I write this I'm looking at 'ol gray' up on jack stands awaiting it's third clutch, but being a statistic of the current engineering/exploration downturn here, the budget is geared towards more mundane issues (food,lights,etc.). Hopefully this will change soon, because asking to borrow someone else's PU is borderline sacrilege.
Besides the 'V' can't do it all, try as you might.
My 99 GMC still has the original factory red Bilsteins with 285K
TIGMOTORSPORTS wrote: My 99 GMC still has the original factory red Bilsteins with 285K
The question shouldn't be does it but rather should it :)
How do you like the 5100s? Your truck is stock height isn't it? I am torn on the 5100 or the 4600s for my new to me burb. I see a lot of conflicting info out there between the two.
I think the 5100's are fantastic. I have Camburg shocks/springs/UCA's in front and I think the back behaves better than the front does. The front is up 1.5-2 inches over stock. The UCA's move the truck from about one degree of caster to close to six and were the best part of the whole suspension change. Expensive, but I'd do it again.
At 175k miles I think the whole truck is getting a bit noodly. It has way more cowl shake and rattles and general floppiness than it did new even though it still behaves OK.
Glad I didn't attempt any paint work on the doors yest. My sister visited from Belgium and wanted to borrow a car to visit some friends downtown. She was slightly hurt when I said she could drive the truck and NOT the Cadillac or the Porsche. It's not that I don't trust her, it's just that things happen around her.
Just to be a smart ass she parked waaaaaaay out in every parking lot and kept sending pictures to me. Then she took her daughter to a super hipster ice cream shop with a tiny parking lot and came out to a note on the door and this.
Very cool that the kid left a note. I told his dad that he did a good job raising him. He said thanks but is clearly grumpy. Body shop says a bit shy of $1400 to fix it. They're trying to decide whether they want to submit it to insurance (he has two sons of driving age on his insurance) or just write me a check.
take the check quick........
Cash. Not check!
take the cash and save it for a rainy day.
Just thought I'd update this with no news whatsoever. The dude paid me for the door, he was a cool guy with a couple dumbass kids, I can relate. I didn't fix it, I used the money to buy the cabover. Much better than a fixed door.
I have some sort of front end issue causing funny tire wear. Either alignment or maybe the rack? I can't find anything loose. Just flipped 190k and somehow the 4L60E continues to soldier on despite the internet telling me that it's impossible for these crappy four speeds to last this long. I'd love to free up a parking space but it's usefulness/value is too high. Stupid truck.
Alignment ,and don't be surprised when the shop calls telling that you need U/L ball joints and CA bushings. 
I was an alignment tech for 8+ years in a previous life.
Smooth wear on the inside or outside edges is a camber issue. Feathered wear inside or out is a toe issue.
Cupped wear is a shock or loose (worn out) part issue.
Could also be a tire coming apart internally.
Pics and further description of the wear?
Updating mostly because this is how I'm keeping track of what I've done and when. Before the Challenge I swapped out the Camburg shocks and springs for Bilstein 5100's on the stock springs. I think I like it better and it's waaaaay cheaper. The Camburgs were getting tired.
At the same time I got a new set of Michelins and an alignment. The alignment guy showed me that the lower ball joints were loose. Finally got to that over the last couple of days. Complete lower arms are $65 each and that sounded like a bargain vs. fighting with pressing in new ball joints. Maybe I'll rehab the old arms when I get bored and set them aside for when these go bad.
I still have a clunk from the rear. I know it's the rear sway bar bushings but I would rather ignore it for now. I'm good at that.
And sometime between the shocks and the ball joints I hit this milestone. I've owned a handful of 200k+ cars, but this is the first one that I've taken there from new.
Congrats on the 200K milestone.
I would recommend getting the alignment rechecked after changing the control arms. Manufacturing tolerances equal alignment changes. Could add years to your new Michelins.
I have the BJ press.....just sayin' .......swap meet saturday?
In reply to SaltyDog :
Things are about to get checked. Thanks for reminding me.
In reply to 759NRNG :
Sending you an email right now. 
Only got 45k miles on my truck right now.
I want bilsteins but I refuse to replace working shocks...
Mad_Ratel said:Only got 45k miles on my truck right now.
I want bilsteins but I refuse to replace working shocks...
One might argue that if they're not Bilsteins then they aren't working. :)
I've got the 4600s on my truck and the ride improvement is huge, easily worth the $68 each that Tire Rack wanted for them.
Weird, Tire rack lists none for my 2014 f150. Found then eventually (thanks amazon.)
68 each... I'll keep that in mind.
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