Community Forums

gauto5150 · 03-17-2012, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clyon51

Need to get mine replaced soon, can you share where you ordered them from? Thanks!

I found good deals at www.Shockwarehouse.com. Free shipping over 150? I think?
Anyway, they had the best prices for all four on my Freightliner chassis.
Changing the fronts were fairly simple, the rears???????
Not so much.
But it does ride significantly better. I'm a believer.
And an earlier post stated factory installed were bad after 20K?
I've never seen that on any Bilsteins factory installed, they've always lasted 100K plus from what I've experienced.

Papa_Jim · 03-17-2012, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

I think the only complaints you'll hear are about the OEM Bilsteins that the RV manufacturers put on a few model years ago. Those were, as you'd expect, less then 20K mile shocks.

There's a little confusion in this regard, because some folks often mistake the old Monroes as being Bilsteins. The Munroe shocks were only good for about 20,000 miles. The Bilsteins were good for ever.

Unfortunately, a few years back the Bilsteins were valved so stiff that the ride was unbearable for some folks. Many switched over to Koni shocks and enjoyed a nice ride.

Today, the Bilsteins have been re-valved so that they also offer a nice ride. Some say there is no difference in ride and handling between the new Bilstein shock and the Koni shock.

I made the switch from the old Bilstein shocks, which provided an absolutely terrible ride, to the new re-valved Bilstein shocks, which provide a very nice ride.

gauto5150 · 03-17-2012, 09:48 PM

Jimkate, you are correct. The factory installed Monroes and Gabriels never lasted. In fact, those brands were used on a motorhome but never were designed for a motorhome. They were designed (in my case on my older rig) for the truck primarily that used that chassis. My P32 was a bread truck probably, not a house with an extra axle.

clyon51 · 03-18-2012, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gauto5150

I found good deals at www.Shockwarehouse.com. Free shipping over 150? I think?
Anyway, they had the best prices for all four on my Freightliner chassis.
Changing the fronts were fairly simple, the rears???????
Not so much.
But it does ride significantly better. I'm a believer.
And an earlier post stated factory installed were bad after 20K?
I've never seen that on any Bilsteins factory installed, they've always lasted 100K plus from what I've experienced.

Thanks, much appreciated. From what I can tell on my '99, they look like like original Monroes, or replacents of the origonals.

wrongwayknt · 03-18-2012, 03:18 PM

Sorry about the delay for the request...i also got mine at allshocks.com...

clyon51 · 03-21-2012, 09:50 AM

I remember in another thread, that someone said the stock monroes where yellow on the bottom and blue on the top.

I looked at mine and they are yellow on the bottom and black rubber on the top which were blue, it's just some paint has come off them. I haven't been able yet to give them all a good look over.

When looking at the Bilsteens, I see they are yellow and blue. Now I'm wondering if another owner had replaced the originals and that post I saw was wrong.

A name would be obvious, but what is the best secondary way to tell what shocks I have for sure?

Mike Canter · 03-21-2012, 10:28 AM

Bilsteins are yellow on the bottom cylinder and have a blue heavy rubber dust cover on top. Monroe has yellow bottom cylinders and a yellow metal upper dust cover. Yellow over yellow in Monroe and blue over yellow is Bilstein.

Here is a picture of a Bilstein MH shock

greatlakes · 03-21-2012, 10:35 AM

So if Bilstein shocks have a lifetime warranty do you have to keep a receipt? Because if not and your RV came with Bilstein OE why not just remove them and take them if for free lifetime replacement?

I suppose the warranty is only on the replacement shocks.

Mike Canter · 03-21-2012, 10:39 AM

That has been a discussion item before. Other people have said that Bilstein says you need a receipt and to be the original customer. They claim that Monaco was the original customer. The problem is because it had the performance valving 2002 prior does not mean the shock is bad. Not sure that I have ever know a Bilstein shock to fail but I am sure they must do.

S2kskibum · 03-21-2012, 04:22 PM

Just put a full set + steering stabilizer on my 94 Bounder 34J. Great ride. Check your rear sway bar bushings - mine were practically non existent. Penetrating oil a day before, and I bought a big corded DeWaly Impact Driver. Took twenty minutes a shock max - drivers side was the hardest. Breaker bar might come in handy w/o impact. Original shocks were toast. I could push and pull the right rear like an accordian (not that I have ever actually held an accordian...!).

sc3283 · 03-22-2012, 07:57 AM

Mike, my "new to us" 96 Dynasty did have 2 leaking Bilsteins. They were originals based on the repair history I got with the coach. It now has 8 new Bilsteins

Rick 2005 Dolphin 5376 · 03-22-2012, 08:29 AM

Funny how a shock will work better or worse depending on the chassis. My 05 Dolphin 5376 W24 came with Bilsteins and I hated them. When we first bought the coach we were heading west on I40. I told Julia that this may be the shortest motor home ownership in history. If this is the way this rides, I'm selling it. The Koni FSD had just come to the market when I found out about them. I had them changed and threw the billies in the garbage. I switched to Koni FSD's all around and have very happy with the ride and handling.

Mike Canter · 03-22-2012, 08:45 AM

SC3283. Bilstein shocks have what is called a "wet seal" around the shaft. They are designed to leak a little oil to keep that seal wet and lubricated. It is not uncommon to have a little oil on the outside of a Bilstein shock. They actually account for it in the amount of oil used in the shock. I little oil running down the outside does NOT mean a Bilstein is bad.

Rick, don't know what to tell you. Didn't think that a National Dolphin ever came with Bilsteins. You sure they were not Monroes or something else. If it did come with Bilsteins then National RV probably specified a stiffer performance shock and if so that is not the fault of the shock. As long as you got the ride you wanted then that is what counts.

Rick 2005 Dolphin 5376 · 03-22-2012, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter

SC3283. Bilstein shocks have what is called a "wet seal" around the shaft. They are designed to leak a little oil to keep that seal wet and lubricated. It is not uncommon to have a little oil on the outside of a Bilstein shock. They actually account for it in the amount of oil used in the shock. I little oil running down the outside does NOT mean a Bilstein is bad.

Rick, don't know what to tell you. Didn't think that a National Dolphin ever came with Bilsteins. You sure they were not Monroes or something else. If it did come with Bilsteins then National RV probably specified a stiffer performance shock and if so that is not the fault of the shock. As long as you got the ride you wanted then that is what counts.

They came as OEM on the W24 chassis and yes they were Bilsteins. I'm a big fan of Bilstien shocks, as I've had them on almost every car I've owned. They just didn't work on the W24. As good as they were in the corners, they are far to stiff for freeway cruising. The Koni's are much more adaptable for different driving conditions. You're right though, If you like what you got, you got the right shock.