A L'il Love for the Big Truck
Oct 26, 2014 | 07:24 AM
#12
When I dropped the truck I was a bit concerned that the shorter coil springs would fall out if the truck was lifted by a lift or if I got a bit crazy going around a corner. The stock ride height OEM Bilstein HD shocks were still in place, and when a jack was placed under the receiver hitch and lifted it until the rear axle drooped away from the frame, I proved that indeed this could happen (the coils came loose because the frame lifted off the top of the coils even with the shocks in place). It was apparent that the shocks were the limiting factor to keep the rear end happy and together, with the shorter coils in place this became a problem if the truck was ever 'aired' out.
In the defense of the lowering kit, the rear kit DID come with some adapter brackets that bolted in the rear sockets and effectively lengthened the locating points of the shocks but it sorta seemed mickey mouse to me and my rear Bilsteins had 160k on them anyhow sooooo...
So I picked up the phone and called Bilstein East, they actually have 2 separate divisions (East and West). They are basically idiots on the phone, very unhelpful and unwilling to even divulge dimensional data. When I called Bilstein EAST they transferred me to tech support and overall, "Brian" at Bilstein was a ****. So I figured I'd called Bilstein West, I got another agent on the line somewhere out in Cali and when I explained what I was trying to accomplish, they transferred me to.... wait for it... wait for it.... Brian at Bilstein EAST
So I got to digging around on the internet and basically ended up with no technical data anywhere I searched, for ANY shock manufacturer. So I picked up the phone once again and called KYB. The KYB rep was very nice, polite and willing to assist. I told them what I had (lowered Avalanche -4") and that I was looking for a drop shock that would fit the truck. I told them my dimensional data with the truck sitting on the ground at ride height and he gave me a bunch of KYB Part numbers.
A friend mentioned that KYB are not as well put together as Bilsteins; I wanted to remain with a factory appearance and ride anyhow so I reverse searched the shocks based on the KYB part numbers I had. Once I knew what application they fit (73-89 Chevy C20/C30 Truck P20/P30 Motor-home/Van), I searched Bilstein for a shock that fit that application and VOILA ! I had a Bilstein part number (24-015875) that fit an Avalanche that was lowered 4" in the rear (the McGaughy's front drop spindles let you keep the stock front dimensions so they are stock Bilstein HD shocks up front).
Anyhow, today I got a chance to install them:
The only HICCUP I can see is, on the Avalanche side, the width of the attach points is slightly wider than that of the new shock. This was easily remedied by shimming with a single washer and re-securing all the attach hardware.
The truck rides like stock, and handles amazingly well for a 6000# truck, it handles way better than new and all the marsh-mellowy feel is gone. It doesn't ride harsh at all. Overall it feels sportier with the 20's and the lower C of G, and it drives much more confident than before and I love it !
When I got back from my test drive, I once again performed my check by placing the jack under the receiver and lifted up on the frame, I completely lifted the rear tires off the ground and went back under and gave the coils a yank and I had success, they wont come out.
I just need to get the suspension aligned now and it will be done, since I changed all the front stuff I've been fighting with steering wheel alignment vs. toe in/out that I really need to get corrected.
In the defense of the lowering kit, the rear kit DID come with some adapter brackets that bolted in the rear sockets and effectively lengthened the locating points of the shocks but it sorta seemed mickey mouse to me and my rear Bilsteins had 160k on them anyhow sooooo...
So I picked up the phone and called Bilstein East, they actually have 2 separate divisions (East and West). They are basically idiots on the phone, very unhelpful and unwilling to even divulge dimensional data. When I called Bilstein EAST they transferred me to tech support and overall, "Brian" at Bilstein was a ****. So I figured I'd called Bilstein West, I got another agent on the line somewhere out in Cali and when I explained what I was trying to accomplish, they transferred me to.... wait for it... wait for it.... Brian at Bilstein EAST
So I got to digging around on the internet and basically ended up with no technical data anywhere I searched, for ANY shock manufacturer. So I picked up the phone once again and called KYB. The KYB rep was very nice, polite and willing to assist. I told them what I had (lowered Avalanche -4") and that I was looking for a drop shock that would fit the truck. I told them my dimensional data with the truck sitting on the ground at ride height and he gave me a bunch of KYB Part numbers.
A friend mentioned that KYB are not as well put together as Bilsteins; I wanted to remain with a factory appearance and ride anyhow so I reverse searched the shocks based on the KYB part numbers I had. Once I knew what application they fit (73-89 Chevy C20/C30 Truck P20/P30 Motor-home/Van), I searched Bilstein for a shock that fit that application and VOILA ! I had a Bilstein part number (24-015875) that fit an Avalanche that was lowered 4" in the rear (the McGaughy's front drop spindles let you keep the stock front dimensions so they are stock Bilstein HD shocks up front).
Anyhow, today I got a chance to install them:
The only HICCUP I can see is, on the Avalanche side, the width of the attach points is slightly wider than that of the new shock. This was easily remedied by shimming with a single washer and re-securing all the attach hardware.
The truck rides like stock, and handles amazingly well for a 6000# truck, it handles way better than new and all the marsh-mellowy feel is gone. It doesn't ride harsh at all. Overall it feels sportier with the 20's and the lower C of G, and it drives much more confident than before and I love it !
When I got back from my test drive, I once again performed my check by placing the jack under the receiver and lifted up on the frame, I completely lifted the rear tires off the ground and went back under and gave the coils a yank and I had success, they wont come out.
I just need to get the suspension aligned now and it will be done, since I changed all the front stuff I've been fighting with steering wheel alignment vs. toe in/out that I really need to get corrected.
Here is the factory front shock info for my "01 2500. It is #32350 Then use the type if end and search the document. http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...ifications.pdf
The rear is easier because both ends are the same unlike the font shock.
911164 is the rear.
http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...ifications.pdf
As for bilstine's crappy service, that is a major bummer!
Oct 26, 2014 | 10:43 AM
#13
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From: Collierville TN
You can be on Monroe's web site and have all the data you need in about 30 seconds. Find your factory part number and it will tell you what ends you have on your shocks. Do a quick search for that end and you will quickly find all the shocks that will bolt into your truck. Find the length you are looking for and wala. I have done this many times.
Here is the factory front shock info for my "01 2500. It is #32350 Then use the type if end and search the document. http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...ifications.pdf
The rear is easier because both ends are the same unlike the font shock.
911164 is the rear.
http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...ifications.pdf
As for bilstine's crappy service, that is a major bummer!
Here is the factory front shock info for my "01 2500. It is #32350 Then use the type if end and search the document. http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...ifications.pdf
The rear is easier because both ends are the same unlike the font shock.
911164 is the rear.
http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloa...ifications.pdf
As for bilstine's crappy service, that is a major bummer!
For those interested in the big brake install, I've made the decision that my Avalanche will probably be getting sold/traded in the not-so-distant future. As a result, I've installed stock pads/rotors on it from Napa. Since replacing my wife's car I just don't drive the Avalanche anymore and can't justify keeping it. Besides, I've been eyeballing a C6Z if I can find what I one for reasonable $.
I am keeping this setup for my "La Diabla" project on my '03 Silverado. I hope to update this very soon with installation pictures from that installation. Both trucks have McGaughy's drop spindles so it really won't make a difference appearance wise (the brackets bolt directly to the stock spindles as well).
Honestly the only thing holding me back is the custom brake lines that I need to have made, there's a place about 5 blocks from me, I just need to get time off of work to get there when they are open.
Nov 8, 2014 | 11:04 AM
#15
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Thanks guys,
Just an update. I DO plan to install these brakes on my Silverado soon. I just need to get caught up on some other smaller house projects first.
I will post up a bunch of pics when its complete. If there's interest at that time I may offer up the brackets/hoses combo, you'd provide your own rotors/calipers/pads.
Just a couple of notes:
Just an update. I DO plan to install these brakes on my Silverado soon. I just need to get caught up on some other smaller house projects first.
I will post up a bunch of pics when its complete. If there's interest at that time I may offer up the brackets/hoses combo, you'd provide your own rotors/calipers/pads.
Just a couple of notes:
- They wont fit under any wheel less than 18"
- The rotors are sourced from Summit, they are part of their big brake kit
- They work with stock or drop spindles (my trucks are both 4WD)
- They will require custom fluid lines.. I am working on this locally at a race/fab supplier
- 1G CTS-V calipers are made by Brembo, they are 4 piston and the last time I checked were $130-ish each
Nov 8, 2014 | 01:37 PM
#17
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LOL, you dont want to know.. The first two sets weren't cheap because I had to pay the machine shop for the R&D to get them to work. So I was paying full screaming rate for it.
Once I get the fluid lines made, and the brakes mounted on the truck, I'll talk to the machine shop if there is enough interest and see what their best rate is, I don't plan on going into business doing this so what I pay is what they'll be offered for.
I don't own a 2WD truck so I can't say with any certainty. However, if I know my GM products, most likely it will bolt right in place. To save R&D budget they usually make whatever they can comparable between 2wd & 4wd. Again, when the time comes, I ~may~ have a way I can check further on the 2WD stuff before I commit to a yes or no.
Once I get the fluid lines made, and the brakes mounted on the truck, I'll talk to the machine shop if there is enough interest and see what their best rate is, I don't plan on going into business doing this so what I pay is what they'll be offered for.
I don't own a 2WD truck so I can't say with any certainty. However, if I know my GM products, most likely it will bolt right in place. To save R&D budget they usually make whatever they can comparable between 2wd & 4wd. Again, when the time comes, I ~may~ have a way I can check further on the 2WD stuff before I commit to a yes or no.
Nov 26, 2014 | 09:19 PM
#18
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I just updated the brake thread so I figured I better update this one as well:
I want to make a couple comments to clarify some information here:
Ok, here's some pictures (apologize for the crappy cell phone quality):
I want to make a couple comments to clarify some information here:
- The spindles pictured are McGaughy's Drop Spindles. Since the calipers are adapted to bolt to the stock 2-piston GM caliper mounts they will work on stock spindles as well as drop spindles. My truck is a 4WD, I have NOT tried this setup on a 2WD front spindle.
- The factory size for this model year truck is 12.6", I forget exactly when, but within a year or two GM went to a 13" rotor for the fronts. The rotors pictured are 14" that I sourced from Summit Racing, this is an upsize of 1.4" in rotor diameter from what I have currently installed.
- The calipers are 1G CTS-V 4-piston calipers that I purchased from Amazon for around $130-140-ish each.. I apologize for the blue color, I fogged them with some high temp paint because I thought I it looked better than the silver Brembo paint.... Jury is still out on this one, IMO..
- The brackets were NOT cheap to have designed and manufactured, I have a significant amount of coin into their design and building; but its still less than a big brake kit from Brembo or Stoptech :-)
- My only complaint about the setup, is that the entire surface of the rotor is not being utilized. It's evident in one of the pictures, the distance from the center of the hub to where the friction material is is greater than I'd like to see, however, it's my belief that the upsizing of the rotor will more than offset the lack of complete contact. Even the stock GM calipers dont utilize the full face of the rotors. This is obviously due to the fact that the CTS-V rotors these calipers were intended to be used with are smaller than I am using.
- I will need to get some custom fluid lines from the stock Silverado frame attach points to the Brembo calipers because they are obviously different.. I have a couple sources here in Indy, I just need the time to get it done.
Ok, here's some pictures (apologize for the crappy cell phone quality):
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