2020 Rebel - Stock Rear Shocks - Missing Remote Res!!!???

[KOOPS]

Looks like RamCare’s responses(s) were not very helpful, and we all know that asking a dealership would be a complete waste of time.

CaptainCJ35 brought up a good point regarding warranty. If a shock fails, which certainly can happen, what part would they used? Hopefully they replace it with the OEM part.

Knowing the dealership they will deny the warranty on the "aftermarket" bilstein rear shock lol.

 

[STR]

^^^ Ha... keep us updated. It’ll be interesting to hear what your dealership has to say.

 

[Sascwatch]

Thank you!!! Looks like our trucks received incorrect rear-shocks during assembly. You have almost the same vehicle as me, and my Rebel also has a build date of 02/2020 (like yours does). Were you able to talk to anyone on the dealer lot?

I wasn’t, they are open by appointment only and parts/service is curbside pickup only 9-5pm. I’m going to call them today and see if they know why.

 

[Sascwatch]

Here is the best pics I could get of the stickers on my non remote reservoir shocks.

Im working with my sales guy to get a parts diagram, there is no optional shocks for the rebel so we should all have the same ones.

 

[CaptainCJ35]

Here is the best pics I could get of the stickers on my non remote reservoir shocks.

Im working with my sales guy to get a parts diagram, there is no optional shocks for the rebel so we should all have the same ones.

Thanks for doing the legwork... great job. Please let us know how you make out. I'd love to see the parts diagram and parts list if you can get a copy.

 

[STR]

... equally curious of your findings

 

[CaptainCJ35]

FYI... for Rebel with Air Suspension like me... here's a TFLTruck video of a Rebel w/ Air and you'll note at 4:03 in the video there's no remote-res on the rear shocks.

 

[Sascwatch]

There is no room for the reservoir shocks on the trucks equipped with air ride.

With covid it’s hard to get anything done right now, but I talked with my sales guy who spoke to their district parts manager and both part numbers are listed in their system. What it’s looking like is the shocks were changed from the P68323474AC to the P68323474AD for the later model 2020 trucks. The part numbers follow their usual numbers scheme where AC would come before AD.

P68323474AD shows as the correct part number for my vin, we are suspecting they may have a larger internal volume and are built to the same level of the reservoir equipped shocks.

I have an email out to bilstein regarding these two parts and will update with what I hear from them.

I am a bit disappointed that this change was made and nobody was notified about it, but that seems to be the way things go at Chrysler. Part of my 3500km trip last week included over 4 hours of travel on logging roads littered with washouts and potholes, I did not experience any shock fade that I could feel.

 

[Sascwatch]

Not much help from bilstein. @RamCares would you be able to look into this for us? The dealers don’t build the trucks and email/phone reps won’t do anything to help.

My email to FCA Canada was answered by the same person that figured out the oil mixup on the ecodiesel so I’m sure that’s about all they know.

 

[STR]

Both shocks “might” be compatible and build to the same specs, and perform similarly under normal driving conditions, but Ram boasted about this product for marketing purposes.

Based on limited information, I don’t believe that it was an accident that they changed the shocks, but more of a cost savings tactic... like eliminating the 5th wheel/tire as a spare (going back in time... ha), the rear wheelhouse liners, etc. FCA probably sanctioned a cost savings study, which revealed that the reservoir shocks were an overkill for 90% of the Rebel owners, so they swapped it out with a cheaper version in hopes that nobody would notice or care, but then this forum appeared...

 

[Sascwatch]

Both shocks “might” be compatible and build to the same specs, and perform similarly under normal driving conditions, but Ram boasted about this product for marketing purposes.

Based on limited information, I don’t believe that it was an accident that they changed the shocks, but more of a cost savings tactic... like eliminating the 5th wheel/tire as a spare (going back in time... ha), the rear wheelhouse liners, etc. FCA probably sanctioned a cost savings study, which revealed that the reservoir shocks were an overkill for 90% of the Rebel owners, so they swapped it out with a cheaper version in hopes that nobody would notice or care, but then this forum appeared...

It’s starting to look more and more like a cost savings tactic, You’d think someone would have an answer for us if it wasn’t.

Tfltruck has a 2020 rebel ecodiesel aswell and I have reached out to them to see if they have any internal contact that may be able to help.

 

[Sascwatch]

Has anyone found anything from ram that says remote reservoirs are included on the 2019+ rebel trucks? Everything I can find is third party press material and ram’s brochures just say “performance tuned bilstein shocks” or something similar.

edit: this looks to be from FCA and was posted earlier in this thread.

FCA US Media - Press Kit: 2019 Ram 1500:null

embargoed.fcanorthamerica.com

 

[Scjon03]

It’s a 2019 Rebel with air suspension though. But technically the same. Go to 13:48 time stamp. You ll see no res. What I have seen in person at the dealerships the air ride Rebels do not have the Res-Bilstein This was last year though, 2019.

 

[Sascwatch]

No, they have a while ecodiesel in Ontario. They’ve just recently posted a few videos about it.

edit: the videos are posted by tfloffroad

 

[cotonymopar]

Did you do a build sheet for your truck???? by vin number? I do one on all my Mopar vehicles.. try https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/equipment-listing

 

[Sascwatch]

Did you do a build sheet for your truck???? by vin number? I do one on all my Mopar vehicles..

Yes, but they dont say anything about reservoirs on the trucks that do or don’t have them.

“Rear perf tuned shock absorbers”

https://www.ramtrucks.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=1C6SRFLM8LN305910

 

[SD Rebel]

This makes sense why I haven't seen anything published about the Rebel for 2020 regarding the Resi shocks, seems like they were going this direction.

Lets be honest for those of us who have them, they aren't like King or Fox shocks, they honestly look really cheap. Looks like the reservoirs were made from old CO2 cartridges, probably the cheapest resi shocks I've ever seen.

Though I can understand why I would be bothered not getting them since they were advertised in the past.

 

[cotonymopar]

Yes, but they done say anything about reservoirs on the trucks that do or don’t have them.

“Rear perf tuned shock absorbers”

https://www.ramtrucks.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=1C6SRFLM8LN305910

wow, ya, I see nothing but front shocks and rear shocks on that whole listing... I will see if I can find anything else, I was a member of an old ram club, that I have lots of contacts with... I will check with them


from a website -
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says the 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel is “the most off-road capable Ram 1500 ever.”

The 1500 Rebel gets an electronic locking rear differential, Bilstein mono-tube shocks with remote reservoir, hill descent control, shift-on-the-fly transfer case, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels wrapped in aggressive 33-inch Goodyear Duratec tires, one-inch suspension lift, a 3.92 final drive ratio, tow hooks, locking rear differential, and a full slate of steel skid plates to protect the transfer case, steering system, front suspension, fuel tank and oil pan.

The specs
Model: 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4X4
Engine: 5.7-litre V8, 395 horsepower, 410 lb.-ft. of torque, regular fuel
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
NRCan rating (litres/100km city/highway): 16.1 / 11.0
Price: $61,545 base, $78,030 as tested, including freight
Standard equipment: 18-inch alloy wheels, electronic transfer case, electronic locking rear differential, Bilstein shocks, 3.92 rear axle ratio, hill descent control, hill start assist, trailer sway control, class IV receiver hitch, LED headlights, back-up camera, auto-dimming exterior mirror, class IV hitch receiver, electronic locking rear differential, electronic transfer case

 

[kuba]

2020 here with coil springs. Built in 02/2020, and have no reservoirs .
I'd be curious to compare the diameter of the reservoir vs no reservoir tubes, as mine maybe look beefier than the picture of the reservoir shock earlier in the thread

 

[CaptainCJ35]

In fairness to RAM, it's possible Bilstein discontinued the piggyback-res shocks as well, and the 2020 Rebels made after a certain date have the replacement shock. Ram should have notified the market... but the change may have been forced on them.

It shouldn't matter if the shocks "really aren't that good" or are fine for 99% of the buyers. You could make a similar argument for the Ford Raptor, "the Fox 2.0 is just fine for most Raptor drivers... what's the big deal?" Only difference is magnitude.

If the 2020's get a beefier shock in lieu of piggyback-res ones... sounds like a fair trade. Ram has a duty to notify though.