Solid improvement over the stock red Z71 shocks (but the reds also had 90k miles on them, so not exactly a fair comparison). Stiffer, especially in the rear, but not too stiff. The fronts feel about the same as before, but a tad more nose bobbing than before after hard braking to a stoplight. If I did it over again, I would just do the rears, but I got them buy 3 get 1 free, so I guess I'll just keep all 4.

I have only had them on for two days and it has been raining, so no real romping could be done safely yet. I will post up later after I put a few more miles on them. But for now, overall happy.

 

The Bilsteins are a definite improvement over the red Tennaco's. My ride was harsh with the reds, whereas the Bilsteins made it responsive. Now that my truck's lowered the shocks are all compressed and the ride isn't optimal, but when I had it at factory height the Bilsteins performed flawlessly.

 

Definitely feel much more planted and secure, especially over uneven and bumpy pavement, all 4 tires are on the ground and rebound is much quicker. Has an overall more stable ride and smoothes out the harsh bumps. Braking and cornering over bumpy pavement is now much more subdued. I will put up with the nose bob now for all of the aforementioned gains.

 

Just put some Bilstein's on the Silverado and they are a great improvement over the 80k mile Z71 shocks. With the buy 3 get 1 free deal I think I am going to get a set for the Tahoe as well.

 

I just installed them on mine and it's a great improvement. I have no negatives to report.
My 44k mile Tennecos were not in good shape. I compressed them on the shop floor and the left front took forever to extent compared the the right side. The rears had a difference also but not like the fronts.
So much for just the bounce test to trouble shoot shocks.

 

Yea, seems like the truck suspension is so stiff on it's own that the jounce test isn't always accurate. I've jounce tested trucks that have visually leaking shocks and they rebound right up and stop...

 

So I am the only one having the nose bobbing with my HD's? I even have hotckis sways... that sucks, my tenneco's did not nose bob

 

How do you mean, like the nose dips down when you hit the brakes or are you referring to something with body roll? (not familiar with the term "nose bob") I never had any negative effects from my Bilsteins.

 

@ TX Tahoe Z71,

After reading your post I purposely made all kinds of stops so I could compare after the install. It's much better having less dive at the same sampled speeds.

To me nose bob is after you stop it moves up and down repeatedly. Or it could bob as one travels down the road.
Nose dive would be the reaction to breaking in a single downward motion gauged by how much dives.

Regardless I would double check the part numbers and call Bilstein to report the condition. Maybe you got the wrong part numbers.

Call them.

 

Sorry, probably should have clarified... the nose bob I am referring to is after I come to a stop, the front end compresses, then rebounds (which is normal), then compresses then rebounds again. It is not severe, but the Tenneco's just compressed, then rebounded and stopped.