Bilstein 5100 Ride Quality

[Scjon03]

What size tires? How's the ride compared to stock?

I have the BFG 275/55/20’s. At the time I did the tires I didn’t have the leveling kit installed. Just wanted more aggressive tires than the stock Falken tires it came with. I noticed like a very very slight noise increase but it felt like stock still.

Also yesterday I installed the Readylift UCA. Which wasn’t really needed but oh well.

Stock UCA vs Readylift.

 

[lawlavigne]

No experience yet but I will be having them put on my non-ORP this Monday and I will let you know how they feel. Expecting positive results from what I've researched.

 

[Rampat]

I have the BFG 275/55/20’s. At the time I did the tires I didn’t have the leveling kit installed. Just wanted more aggressive tires than the stock Falken tires it came with. I noticed like a very very slight noise increase but it felt like stock still.

Also yesterday I installed the Readylift UCA. Which wasn’t really needed but oh well.

Stock UCA vs Readylift.

That’s good to hear. So you didn’t the tires first and then the Bilstein’s after? How was the difference in ride after you did that?

 

[Scjon03]

That’s good to hear. So you didn’t the tires first and then the Bilstein’s after? How was the difference in ride after you did that?

I did the tires first than the Bilstein. And to be honest the ride quality felt the same. A little stiffer but not like day and night stiffer. I love the way the truck rides. No issues. In the very beginning I was worried but nope it rides great.

 

[Kxlexus]

To update my thread, I ended up installing the Bilstein 5100’s on my truck. I used clip position 5 and removed the Motofab 2” leveling spacer. It rides great. I don’t know why one guy said his truck rides so bad after installing the Bilstein shocks. Perhaps his does for some reason. Mine however rides great

 

[rob989_69]

I've had mine on for a few months now and love them. My ride is a little harsher, but I believe that's the E rated tires I have on, not the bilsteins.

 

[Zoompastu]

I've had mine on for a few months now and love them. My ride is a little harsher, but I believe that's the E rated tires I have on, not the bilsteins.

You are correct. I had the 5100’s front and rear on my 2015 with the icon rear springs. Ride quality was great. Went from 20’s to 285/70/17 e rated Falken AT/3w
Most people feel the difference with the tire wheel combo. Going from a street p rated tire to a E rated on 20’s and doing all the mods at the same time will feel stiffer. Some may place all blame on the shocks and some people have unreasonable expectations.
The bottom line is the 5100’s are a fantastic upgrade. They ride excellent. Be very choosy when it comes to which tire you install. The smallest wheel that can be installed on a 5th GEN is 18 inch. The more sidewall you have the better your ride will be even with stiff e rated tires. If you are not off roading but still want to good look and good ride quality you can get NItto Terra grappler G2 in P rated 295/70/18 and 275/65/20. Also keep in mind a ram 1500 with the P rated tires still has a higher load rating then the trucks GVW. Going to a load range E tire only benefits you off-road for puncture protection.

 

[z0n3]

I have the BFG 275/55/20’s. At the time I did the tires I didn’t have the leveling kit installed. Just wanted more aggressive tires than the stock Falken tires it came with. I noticed like a very very slight noise increase but it felt like stock still.

Also yesterday I installed the Readylift UCA. Which wasn’t really needed but oh well.

Stock UCA vs Readylift.

Man, I want to do the same as you but those RL UCAs dont seem necessary. Still think its a good idea for added piece of mind and something I would do as I dont want to have an issue down the road. Where did you purchase just your RL UCA's??

 

[Scjon03]

Man, I want to do the same as you but those RL UCAs dont seem necessary. Still think its a good idea for added piece of mind and something I would do as I dont want to have an issue down the road. Where did you purchase just your RL UCA's??

I think I got them from American Truck. Yeah it just added a piece of mind, but still I don't think they are necessary.

 

[tank3011570]

To update my thread, I ended up installing the Bilstein 5100’s on my truck. I used clip position 5 and removed the Motofab 2” leveling spacer. It rides great. I don’t know why one guy said his truck rides so bad after installing the Bilstein shocks. Perhaps his does for some reason. Mine however rides great

Dose the Bilstein 5100 at#5 give you the same lift as Motofab 2" spacer? My truck is 2x4 big horn non-ORP, the stock front and rear difference is 3 1/8'' (35 7/8" front and 39'' rear). The difference is bigger than what most people posted, and I am not sure why. I currently have Motofab 2" spacer on and it gives me exactly 2" lift, so I still have 1 1/8'' rake. If I remove the Motofab and switch to Bilstein 5100 setting #5 and only get 1.7" lift, I will have more rake than my current set up; but if I get it set at #6, I am worried about the ride quality.

 

[Kxlexus]

I don’t remember the exact amount of lift I got with each setup. I am sorry I can’t be of more help. If I had it to do over again I would use position 4 to retain a little more rake but that’s just me. However, It doesn’t bother me enough to take it all apart again

 

[RSchanz]

You are correct. I had the 5100’s front and rear on my 2015 with the icon rear springs. Ride quality was great. Went from 20’s to 285/70/17 e rated Falken AT/3w
Most people feel the difference with the tire wheel combo. Going from a street p rated tire to a E rated on 20’s and doing all the mods at the same time will feel stiffer. Some may place all blame on the shocks and some people have unreasonable expectations.
The bottom line is the 5100’s are a fantastic upgrade. They ride excellent. Be very choosy when it comes to which tire you install. The smallest wheel that can be installed on a 5th GEN is 18 inch. The more sidewall you have the better your ride will be even with stiff e rated tires. If you are not off roading but still want to good look and good ride quality you can get NItto Terra grappler G2 in P rated 295/70/18 and 275/65/20. Also keep in mind a ram 1500 with the P rated tires still has a higher load rating then the trucks GVW. Going to a load range E tire only benefits you off-road for puncture protection.

Despite what I've found on here I think you can actually run 17's and as far as I know AEV conversions use 17's but that might be for 2500's. I cant understand how the 2500 would have smaller calipers or rotors. You just have to mount the wheel weights differently. Guess the only issue I can see is that rocks and stuff might be more prone to getting stuck between the wheel and the rotor.

On another note, the local suspension place suggests I use Fox vs Bilstein because the bilsten 5100 uses stock springs and will end up compressing them more and creating a worse ride whereas the Fox shock and strut combo is tuned together. Makes sense to me but seems like no one else has issues...? I'm sure the fox ride and suspension quality is better but it costs a lot more.

 

[SD Rebel]

You can actually run 17's and as far as I know AEV conversions use 17's. You just have to mount the wheel weights differently. Guess the only issue I can see is that rocks and stuff might be more prone to getting stuck between the wheel and the rotor.

On another note, local suspension place suggests I use Fox vs Bilstein because the bilsten 5100 uses stock springs and will end up compressing them more and creating a worse ride whereas the Fox shock and strut combo is tuned together. Makes sense to me but seems like no one else has issues...? I'm sure the fox ride and suspension quality is better but it costs a lot more.

Not on DT RAMs 2019-Newer trucks. The brakes rotors are too large, in fact there are some sets of 18" wheels that won't fit due to offset. For example, a popular aftermarket option like Method 18x9" wheels, you need at least a -12 offset with the wheel weights positioned specifically to avoid the brakes.

If they were able to get 17" wheels to fit a DT gen RAM, it's because they moved down in size on their brake rotors specifically to run smaller wheels.

 

[Steele713]

For those of you who have switched to the Bilstein 5100 front shocks. How did this change the way your truck rides? I noticed one person said their Ram rode like a dump truck after switching to the Bilsteins. I want to find out how common this is. I will just leave the Motofab spacers OPin place and forego changing shocks if I am going to lose the great ride my truck has.

I just put on 2019 laramie 2wd. They are great. Leveled and ride quality is very similar. Had 3" rake and put on slot #6 which would net 2.1 or 2.2" lift. Now am level, maybe to level for me with no rake. Not sure how 2.1 slot #6 made it raise almost 3". Install is correct

 

[Steele713]

Before N After

 

[Hadit55]

Before N After
View attachment 146575View attachment 146576

Wow that was an extreme factory rake lol