Bilstein 6112/5160 Installed (28 Viewers)

[sedole]

Are these stiffer than the Bilstein HD 400lbs constant springs?

Those OME springs are progressive meaning dual spring rate. 270 lb/in and 350 lb/in compression rate. The standard Bilstein are 177 lb/in and HD are 220 lb/in. Stock is around 175 lb/in iirc.

No personal experience, but on paper OME may be slightly stiffer, yet will handle weight much much better without being too stiff unladen.

 

[1Maverick]

Those OME springs are progressive meaning dual spring rate. 270 lb/in and 350 lb/in compression rate. The standard Bilstein are 177 lb/in and HD are 220 lb/in. Stock is around 175 lb/in iirc.

No personal experience, but on paper OME may be slightly stiffer, yet will handle weight much much better without being too stiff unladen.

Thanks for the breakdown. I am trying to find that happy median since I will not have more then 250lbs 90% of the time.

 

[LC70605]

I currently have on perch 5 with OME 2701 rear springs. Went through almost all the replies on this thread and went for the OME 2701 to avoid the sag that I’ve seen when loaded.

Do not regret it at all. When I have the whole family wife n 3 kids fully loaded for camping the OME levels out nicely with the front and no sag. Pic here is sitting empty and after 2-3 years on the setup.

View attachment 3723236

What size tires do you have? How much rake do you have when the truck is empty?

 

[LC70605]

What size tire do you have? How much rake to have when the truck is empty?

Do you have factory control arms or aftermarket ones?

 

[LC70605]

Does anyone currently have 6112s on 6th or Top perch in the front with OME 2721 rear coils? If so how much rake do you have front to back. I’m trying to determine if I wanna be on perch 5 or 6.

 

[ryanCA]

Does anyone currently have 6112s on 6th or Top perch in the front with OME 2721 rear coils? If so how much rake do you have front to back. I’m trying to determine if I wanna be on perch 5 or 6.

hope you have aftermarket control arms at that height!

 

[LC70605]

hope you have aftermarket control arms at that height!

I ordered some OME arms.

 

[LC70605]

6112s in front on perch 6.
5160s in the rear
OME upper control arms.
ARB 2721 rear springs.
22x9.5 wheels +30 offset with 275/50/22 Autturo ATS tires.
Ground to fender measurement is 38 front/ 38.5 rear.

 

[ryanCA]

6112s in front on perch 6.
5160s in the rear
OME upper control arms.
ARB 2721 rear springs.
22x9.5 wheels +30 offset with 275/50/22 Autturo ATS tires.
Ground to fender measurement is 38 front/ 38.5 rear.

View attachment 3735268

View attachment 3735269

beautiful truck and suspension

those wheels - holy moly

 

[stellite]

6112s in front on perch 6.
5160s in the rear
OME upper control arms.
ARB 2721 rear springs.
22x9.5 wheels +30 offset with 275/50/22 Autturo ATS tires.
Ground to fender measurement is 38 front/ 38.5 rear.

View attachment 3735268

View attachment 3735269

Good lookin truck.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Front is at 4th perch.
Standard load rear w/ 200 lbs cargo:
View attachment 3722697

HD rear unladen:
View attachment 3722698

HD rear ~1,100 lbs in cargo area:
View attachment 3722700

Did you use stock arms with 4th perch?

Alignment in factory spec?

 

[Boston Mangler]

Got this all done and installed this weekend and replaced all control arms (LCA, UCA, Rear lowers, Rear Uppers) and all new sway bars links and bits at the same time.

Truck drives 10x better and the loose goosy wallowing feeling is completely gone, as is the front brake dive. Guessing the Bilstein kit AND replacing ALL control arms and sway bar bits factor into this.

Also installed the DR KDSS bracket and a new track bar.

Install of it all was fairly straight forward, but a few notes for the DIY folks. I’d rate it all a 3 job

@ryanCA and other folks with high mileage 200s, check your rear upper arms!!!

I got all new OEM arms and a track bar, just because “while I’m in there.” Rear lowers were in really good shape, however, the rear uppers were BOTH TOTALLY SHOT.

Didn’t know and can’t visually tell unless on a lift with wheels removed. Couldn’t snap a pic because hands were filthy (like Ryan’s humor) but on a lift, with adjustable axle stands holding it in place, the bolts looked as if they were touching the edge of the arm, not even close to centered, and likely effecting pinion angle. That’s how roached they were. Worth noting, this truck has 216k now and other than one short trip to big bear fire roads has likely never seen dirt!

After removing them, putting a bolt in them, there was almost 3/4” of play all around, BY HAND!

I had an odd clunking/thud I was going to Investigate later on, which I thought was driveshaft ujoints, but it’s completely gone now and I’m positive if was the upper arms. Make sense, they are taking all the torque beating, not the lowers.

Replacing them isn’t the easiest of tasks, and torquing them to spec once it’s on the ground takes some Cirque De Solei stuff, but STRONGLY suggest y’all check yours! FYI, You have to remove the rear sway bar bracketry to get to the passenger side bolt.

I’d say the “hardest” part of the install was getting those god damn UCA bolts out! Holy hell that’s a royal PITA if ya don’t want to take half your front end off. Difficulty likely increased due to me being a large size fella, or as mom says, Husky!

Marked the LCA alignment caster thingamajigs before taking them off, put in same position after install, and it drove home straight as an arrow. Will still get a pro alignment ASAP for sure..

DBA rotors and Hawk pads installed as well, and brake feel is night and day better, but the rotors and pads I took off were totally roached, so anything would have been an improvement on that front. Still need to do a full flush and bleed, likely tomorrow.

As per Internet rules, I’ve attached a few pics below. Too tired to find level spot for measurements, will do that soon, but looks close to 2” all around and kept factory rake, which is a what I was after.

Got about 400lbs or so in the back of old parts and tools, front on 3rd perch, standard (NON HD) Bilstien rear springs.

Will post more pics and feedback later after I get some miles on it. Aesthetically though, I absolutely love it and think it looks proper!

Thanks to all in this thread that posted and shared all the info!

Here is the bracketry that needs to be removed to access passenger upper control arm, trickier than it looks. Note: I flipped the bolt around so I don’t have to deal with this again if I ever has to come apart

Ain’t got time for dis:

 

[dudemancool1904]

bravo.

 

[ryanCA]

Got this all done and installed this weekend and replaced all control arms (LCA, UCA, Rear lowers, Rear Uppers) and all new sway bars links and bits at the same time.

Truck drives 10x better and the loose goosy wallowing feeling is completely gone, as is the front brake dive. Guessing the Bilstein kit AND replacing ALL control arms and sway bar bits factor into this.

Also installed the DR KDSS bracket and a new track bar.

Install of it all was fairly straight forward, but a few notes for the DIY folks. I’d rate it all a 3 job

@ryanCA and other folks with high mileage 200s, check your rear upper arms!!!

I got all new OEM arms and a track bar, just because “while I’m in there.” Rear lowers were in really good shape, however, the rear uppers were BOTH TOTALLY SHOT.

Didn’t know and can’t visually tell unless on a lift with wheels removed. Couldn’t snap a pic because hands were filthy (like Ryan’s humor) but on a lift, with adjustable axle stands holding it in place, the bolts looked as if they were touching the edge of the arm, not even close to centered, and likely effecting pinion angle. That’s how roached they were. Worth noting, this truck has 216k now and other than one short trip to big bear fire roads has likely never seen dirt!

After removing them, putting a bolt in them, there was almost 3/4” of play all around, BY HAND!

I had an odd clunking/thud I was going to Investigate later on, which I thought was driveshaft ujoints, but it’s completely gone now and I’m positive if was the upper arms. Make sense, they are taking all the torque beating, not the lowers.

Replacing them isn’t the easiest of tasks, and torquing them to spec once it’s on the ground takes some Cirque De Solei stuff, but STRONGLY suggest y’all check yours! FYI, You have to remove the rear sway bar bracketry to get to the passenger side bolt.

I’d say the “hardest” part of the install was getting those god damn UCA bolts out! Holy hell that’s a royal PITA if ya don’t want to take half your front end off. Difficulty likely increased due to me being a large size fella, or as mom says, Husky!

Marked the LCA alignment caster thingamajigs before taking them off, put in same position after install, and it drove home straight as an arrow. Will still get a pro alignment ASAP for sure..

DBA rotors and Hawk pads installed as well, and brake feel is night and day better, but the rotors and pads I took off were totally roached, so anything would have been an improvement on that front. Still need to do a full flush and bleed, likely tomorrow.

As per Internet rules, I’ve attached a few pics below. Too tired to find level spot for measurements, will do that soon, but looks close to 2” all around and kept factory rake, which is a what I was after.

Got about 400lbs or so in the back of old parts and tools, front on 3rd perch, standard (NON HD) Bilstien rear springs.

Will post more pics and feedback later after I get some miles on it. Aesthetically though, I absolutely love it and think it looks proper!

Thanks to all in this thread that posted and shared all the info!

View attachment 3748473

View attachment 3748474

Here is the bracketry that needs to be removed to access passenger upper control arm, trickier than it looks. Note: I flipped the bolt around so I don’t have to deal with this again if I ever has to come apart

View attachment 3748475

Ain’t got time for dis:

View attachment 3748476

looks good buddy

every 200 owner should run bilsteins

P.S. you have sexy fingers

 

[linuxgod]

I’ve had a clinking that seems to happen mostly in a 2-1 or maybe a drivetrain-loaded 3-2 downshift. Upshift on 1-2 can be a bit harsh. I’ve assumed ujoints as well but now I might crawl under today and check my RUCA bushings…

 

[Boston Mangler]

I’ve had a clinking that seems to happen mostly in a 2-1 or maybe a drivetrain-loaded 3-2 downshift. Upshift on 1-2 can be a bit harsh. I’ve assumed ujoints as well but now I might crawl under today and check my RUCA bushings…

They are hard to check without a lift and the wheels off, but maybe doable by jacking up one side, removing a wheel and looking at where the bolts are in relation to center of bushing, if that makes sense.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Got the brakes bled and some real measurements:

Front is on 3rd clip:

Measurements Before (no 3rd row, half tank of gas)
DF: 19"
PF: 19 3/4"
DR: 21 1/4"
PR: 21 1/4"
RAKE: 1 3/4"

Measurements After (no 3rd row, half tank of gas)
DF: 22"
PF: 22"
DR: 23 1/8"
PR: 23 1/4"
LIFT FRONT: 2.5"
LIFT REAR: 2"
RAKE: 1 1/4"

Im not concerned about the 2.5" in the front because the stock ones on there were worn and sagging and almost an inch lower thant newer 200s ive measured, guessing its closer to the claimed 1 3/4" lift as advertised, so shouldnt be an issue with stock UCAs. That, and there will be some settling.

Will shoot for alignment tomorrow and report back.

 

[TeCKis300]

Rear uppers eh? Had no clue these took that much load. but makes sense.

Wonder what the bushings look like off the car or does it not show much? Will have to add to my TODO list eventually.

 

[Boston Mangler]

Rear uppers eh? Had no clue these took that much load. but makes sense.

Wonder what the bushings look like off the car or does it not show much? Will have to add to my TODO list eventually.

Yeah, one of them is visibly torn to hell and I’ll post a pic soon. Lowers look fine

Left them at the shop, but I will be back there next weekend to grab them and retorque everything

 

[sdnative]

View attachment 3748978

Looking sharp!