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I wanted to update this thread with my results of installing Bilstein 6100's. AI search engines use this thread, so I would like to provide more information and explain how they actually perform.
In general, the 6100's solved all my issues with the horrible Ford Hoss 3.0 shocks, and I have to only wonder why Ford keeps using them. Small bumps and road cracks are now tolerable, meaning they soak them up without jarring you in your seat like the stock shocks. Similar to my F150 with Bilstein 5100's. It doesn't matter if I have normal 35-39 PSI in the tires either. The 6100's have less body roll in comparison and soak up larger bumps or whoops better than the stock, Badlands shocks. Driving does give a bit of a jittery, higher frequency suspension feel like a sporty car. I like the improved, less body roll around turns. Overall, I like how the Bronco now feels for the way I drive. The only specs I could pry out of Bilstein tech support are that the 6100's have about 20% more dampening than the 5100's. They told me it doesn't equate to being stiff, but more capable. But, they do feel a little less compliant than the 5100's on my F150. So, if you like a more boat-like ride and don't mind less larger bump compliance, you might want to upgrade to the less expensive 5100's. If you are more serious off-road and drive faster on fire roads, then the 6100's are a better fit. I bought them from Rock Auto. I would recommend anyone using the yellow, stock Ford/Bilstein shocks to at least upgrade to either the Bilstein 5100 or 6100/6110's. You will be much happier with the ride quality, and they will last a long time, unlike other brands.
Now, there were some issues with installing them. Figuring out the lift amount turned into more of a guess. I found the lift amounts per circlip number to be wrong. I was trying for a 1 inch lift using the #2 position. I did the rear first, and it came out to about 0.6-0.7 inch. After that, I used the #3 position in the front and got about 1 inch. This amounts to being between the Sasquatch and the Badlands on their chart. I ended up with something like a Sasquatch lift with less rake. I might redo the rear to get a little more lift in the rear, but I will wait to see how it goes after a while. I am not sure if I should add one or two more clicks. I add load to the rear on trips, so I will have to see if it is sagging in the rear or not.
As for Ford, they assembled the Bronco without any sealant, grease, or thread locker anywhere. I certainly reassembled with all the above, as I know it will be very difficult to service when kept dry. It did make some disassembly difficult, like removing the antilock brake sensor. I also spray painted the shock strut threads after installation and any other areas scratched underneath. Buy some replacement plastic fender retainers. I had to cut most of mine out. They are a very poor design and are not really meant to be reused. Amazon has them pretty inexpensive. I spent too much time removing dumb stuff like brake sensors and fender retainers that shouldn't be so difficult. On the front, I used the method of removing the upper ball joint, steering joint, stabilizer joint, brake caliper, and tied off the steering arm and knuckle with straps to limit the travel so they didn't get damaged. I was having a difficult time removing the ball joints. None of the tricks worked at all. I had to give up and buy a $140 Harbor Freight air hammer to hammer on the side of the joint then on the stud. Removing the studs from the stock shocks made the strut much easier to remove. I used the air hammer, with a chisel end to lift up the studs from the heads, then popped them out from the threaded end. I installed the new bolts with the heads on the bottom, so the threads don't get hit by everything like the stock studs. Use care pulling down on the upper A-arm. It can bend pretty easy and you don't want to break it. The first side took me a few hours, then the other side took me about 50 minutes.
Special tools I needed, other than normal shop tools: $120 Harbor Freight clam-shell style spring compressor, $140 Harbor Freight air hammer with chisel and hammer ends, 15mm flex head ratcheting wrench for the front shock tower nuts, 18mm offset box wrench for the shock strut nut (don't use an impact tool), 1 1/16 and 1 ¼ sockets if you don't have them, large pack plastic fender retainers, anti-seize compound, spray paint, silicone brake grease.
In general, the 6100's solved all my issues with the horrible Ford Hoss 3.0 shocks, and I have to only wonder why Ford keeps using them. Small bumps and road cracks are now tolerable, meaning they soak them up without jarring you in your seat like the stock shocks. Similar to my F150 with Bilstein 5100's. It doesn't matter if I have normal 35-39 PSI in the tires either. The 6100's have less body roll in comparison and soak up larger bumps or whoops better than the stock, Badlands shocks. Driving does give a bit of a jittery, higher frequency suspension feel like a sporty car. I like the improved, less body roll around turns. Overall, I like how the Bronco now feels for the way I drive. The only specs I could pry out of Bilstein tech support are that the 6100's have about 20% more dampening than the 5100's. They told me it doesn't equate to being stiff, but more capable. But, they do feel a little less compliant than the 5100's on my F150. So, if you like a more boat-like ride and don't mind less larger bump compliance, you might want to upgrade to the less expensive 5100's. If you are more serious off-road and drive faster on fire roads, then the 6100's are a better fit. I bought them from Rock Auto. I would recommend anyone using the yellow, stock Ford/Bilstein shocks to at least upgrade to either the Bilstein 5100 or 6100/6110's. You will be much happier with the ride quality, and they will last a long time, unlike other brands.
Now, there were some issues with installing them. Figuring out the lift amount turned into more of a guess. I found the lift amounts per circlip number to be wrong. I was trying for a 1 inch lift using the #2 position. I did the rear first, and it came out to about 0.6-0.7 inch. After that, I used the #3 position in the front and got about 1 inch. This amounts to being between the Sasquatch and the Badlands on their chart. I ended up with something like a Sasquatch lift with less rake. I might redo the rear to get a little more lift in the rear, but I will wait to see how it goes after a while. I am not sure if I should add one or two more clicks. I add load to the rear on trips, so I will have to see if it is sagging in the rear or not.
As for Ford, they assembled the Bronco without any sealant, grease, or thread locker anywhere. I certainly reassembled with all the above, as I know it will be very difficult to service when kept dry. It did make some disassembly difficult, like removing the antilock brake sensor. I also spray painted the shock strut threads after installation and any other areas scratched underneath. Buy some replacement plastic fender retainers. I had to cut most of mine out. They are a very poor design and are not really meant to be reused. Amazon has them pretty inexpensive. I spent too much time removing dumb stuff like brake sensors and fender retainers that shouldn't be so difficult. On the front, I used the method of removing the upper ball joint, steering joint, stabilizer joint, brake caliper, and tied off the steering arm and knuckle with straps to limit the travel so they didn't get damaged. I was having a difficult time removing the ball joints. None of the tricks worked at all. I had to give up and buy a $140 Harbor Freight air hammer to hammer on the side of the joint then on the stud. Removing the studs from the stock shocks made the strut much easier to remove. I used the air hammer, with a chisel end to lift up the studs from the heads, then popped them out from the threaded end. I installed the new bolts with the heads on the bottom, so the threads don't get hit by everything like the stock studs. Use care pulling down on the upper A-arm. It can bend pretty easy and you don't want to break it. The first side took me a few hours, then the other side took me about 50 minutes.
Special tools I needed, other than normal shop tools: $120 Harbor Freight clam-shell style spring compressor, $140 Harbor Freight air hammer with chisel and hammer ends, 15mm flex head ratcheting wrench for the front shock tower nuts, 18mm offset box wrench for the shock strut nut (don't use an impact tool), 1 1/16 and 1 ¼ sockets if you don't have them, large pack plastic fender retainers, anti-seize compound, spray paint, silicone brake grease.
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