Z71 vs standard shocks

[2017SierraSLT]

I have already had a rear Rancho replaced under warranty, it leaked all over my driveway, truck is 6 months old with less then 10,000km's on it, they are junk.

The aftermarket, real Ranchos are much higher quality. The factory installed Ranchos are way too stiff. The RS5000's are just about right.

[tnchevy]

As I mentioned above, Rancho shocks are made by Tenaco who has been supplying shocks to GM for nearly 20 years or longer. Tenaco can make any shock they want and put the Rancho name on it. I don't know if the ones that come on our trucks are the same as you buy at an auto parts store or not. I guess one can look at the model number on our shocks and go to Rancho's website and try to match it up.

[Nick Useini]

Here's how the Z71 sits, it's not just emblems and decals, per the Chevy website:

LT Z71 features for 2016

"LT Z71 includes all LT features, with the addition or substitution of:

• 18-inch bright machined aluminum wheels and All-terrain tires
• Body-color headlamp bezels
• Body-color grille surround
• Chrome lower bumper appearance
• Black Recovery Hooks
• LED fog lamps
• Z71 appearance package (Brushed metal Z71 door plate, unique gauge cluster and unique finish interior trim plates)
• Heavy-duty locking rear differential
• Hill Descent Control
• Trailering Package
• Underbody transfer case shield
• Z71 Off-Road Suspension with twin Rancho monotube shocks "

The last item indicates that the Z71 uses a different off road suspension not just different shocks, and additional mechanical and electronic options over the equivalent LT or LTZ so how can someone say too soft or too stiff because apparently the shocks are balanced to the system. Ever consider that the Z71 ride with whatever shocks were put in is exactly the way it was designed to ride and it's a mistake is to put in a shock that provides a ride that is softer on your a$$ at the expense of degraded off road handling? Don't like the stiff ride with the aggressive tred tires? Then get the LT or LTZ version.

 

Painting anything white that is exposed on the undercarriage is an invitation to showing rust, but surface rust does not affect performance. Interesting that some people seem to care more about the poor paint job on the shocks where it doesn't matter than the crappy "Jello" clear coat finish and snot coating on the frames.

You made some good points and one would think that would be the logic from the manufacture but keep in mind they also need to show profit and these trucks are probably still the only source of profit to GM.

 

Others have stated that a more expensive Rancho (5000's) they installed on their trucks gives a better more stable ride. I'm not surprised. There are many mods out there that can make these trucks do a lot more but this is case of basic. -Like does the truck feel good at 25mph on the streets of New York? No (I assure you the LTZ is bad advice!!) I have over 50,000 miles on a 15 Suburban LTZ (essentially a Silverado High Country with a fancy cap for $20,000.00 more) Trust me less is more. I bought the LTZ with your logic in mind and it was a very expensive mistake! Due Diligence before you buy!!!

 

I know ride is highly subjective and one knows a bad ride when they experience it.. I'm experimenting with shocks for an LTZ Suburban and the LTZ with 22" wheels is horrid even at low speeds! At highway speeds hit any expansion joint and the truck sounds like a subwoofer exploded! From the Escalade to the Tahoe the Magneride is Awful! (Many boards on this problem.)

 

It's beyond the shocks alone on the LTZ I'm looking at Eibach springs as well. Bilstein hasn't a direct replacement for the LTZ so I need to do my own research with that. I would suggest one stay away from LTZ for sure a ripoff.

 

To answer Texas 18's question I like the Z71 setup and would probably still replace the Shocks and struts with Bilstein's! You'd have a truck that rides better than an LTZ for sure and the mod would be just the struts and not springs and Strut mounts etc..

[Thomcat]

.

-Like does the truck feel good at 25mph on the streets of New York?

No (I assure you the LTZ is bad advice!!) I have over 50,000 miles on a 15 Suburban LTZ (essentially a Silverado High Country with a fancy cap for $20,000.00 more) Trust me less is more. I bought the LTZ with your logic in mind and it was a very expensive mistake! Due Diligence before you buy!!!

 

I know ride is highly subjective and one knows a bad ride when they experience it.. I'm experimenting with shocks for an LTZ Suburban and the LTZ with 22" wheels is horrid even at low speeds! At highway speeds hit any expansion joint and the truck sounds like a subwoofer exploded! From the Escalade to the Tahoe the Magneride is Awful! (Many boards on this problem.)

 

..

My advice for a smoother ride applied only in comparison of a Z71 to a non-Z71 equivalent, i.e. an LT over an LTZ71 and a LTZ over an LTZZ71 and with the stock 18" rims for these vehicles. A 22' rim has a sidewall barely the thickness of a rubber band and while it may improve handling will ride like a stone.

 

And a non Z71 version of LT or LTZ with any type of shock is certainly no match for NYC borough streets as I drove them for almost 20 years......with the crater sized potholes the OEM shocks barely lasted 10K miles and front end control arm bushings, ball joints and tie rods 60K if you were lucky. Yearly alignment was a ritual as was replacing bent steel wheels.........but the thought of running 22" alloys there takes guts and deep pockets just to cover the cost of theft and repairs. Driving the 10 miles of the old elevated West Side Highway in the late 60s was more challenging than running the Baja 500....but luck was with me, one day, not 3 hours after I exited, a section I drove on collapsed taking down a truck and a few cars with it!

[Silverado-Hareek]

A little off topic but does anyone know if the Bilsteins would work on a 15 suburban LTZ? Their isn't anything official from Bilsteins for the Ltz I don't think.. Just started researching tonight.

If they don't have them yet, they should soon. Tirerack.com is a good source to order them from. Go there and input your vehicle specs and see what comes up.

 

I've never thought about changing the shocks on my truck before, but reading this and other threads make me wonder...

 

Can someone tell me the cost you've paid for a shop to do the swap?

 

Also, I'm sure there's a huge difference if you are doing serious off road driving/ racing. But the only off-road I do is at very low speeds in farm lanes or while plowing snow. I'm used to feeling the bumps, its a truck after all. Could anyone provide feedback on the performance of the Bilsteins in this type of driving?

Unfortunately I don't have the bill from my 2007 Silverado anymore but I believe the rear shocks cost about $80-$90 in labor to swap out and the fronts cost about $160. I bought the Bilstien 4600 shocks from Tirerack for about $75/shock plus new shock mounts for the front since the vehicle had close to 90,000 miles on it which were another $50. Total job all in was about $600-$700.

 

In hindsight I would have installed the rear shocks myself since those are pretty easy. The coil over shock assembly in the front is a bit more difficult to remove from the vehicle and dismantle to get the shock out but it is doable if you want to save the money.

 

As for your last question, I recommend the Bilstein 4600 HD's. They're just a great all around shock for all driving conditions. I think they ride better than the Ranchos...they're smoother on road and tougher off road. I trusted this forum when I bought them the first time and I was not disappointed at all. Read up on their quality and longevity for extra peace of mind and I think you'll be impressed with what you see. I would not hesitate to buy them right now if I were you. I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

 

 

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Edited August 23, 2016 by Silverado-Hareek

[Silverado-Hareek]

(Sorry double post)

Edited August 23, 2016 by Silverado-Hareek

[Tailor Made]

I must not know the feel of a good ride from a bad ride.
I've have had a 2007 Silverado crew cab WT 4x4 without Z-71 suspension for almost 10 years now.
115,000+ miles still on factory shocks.

Been running a 20" GM accessory chrome wheel package since new.
I replace the Goodyear tires ( eagle LS 2 I believe ) around 59,000+ miles
& have nearly 59,000+ miles on the Goodyear steal armor tires I replaced them with.

Of course I use my Silverado more as a car than a truck.
I've gone hunting with my sons a few times.
Only towed 3 times with it and only hauled 2 or 3 heavy loads in the last 10 years.

[Thomcat]

What makes them crappy or not?

 

I've got a Z71, and I love how it rides, so I would consider them an upgrade over the standard shocks.

My a$$ sits comfortable in the Z71 and likes the ride and that is all that matters.

[Fasthotrod]

You had Tenaco shocks, the same people who make Rancho. I replaced mine on my 2002 at 100k miles, 3 of them were shot.

Tenneco is the parent company for the following brands:

 

Monroe

 

Walker

 

Clevite

 

Axios

 

Rancho

 

DynoMax

 

Thrush

 

Fric-Rot

 

Fonos

 

Monroe® Intelligent Suspension

 

More info here: http://www.tenneco.com/our_brands/

 

Mark

Edited January 30, 2017 by Fasthotrod

[FreeAmerican]

I didn't see this thread or I wouldn't have started my own.

 

I started noticing my Z71 equipped truck starting to handle a little sloppy but thought, hey only 20,000 miles and its a truck, what should I expect. But I was also getting nose dive on breaking

 

I hook my camper up to tow back from the dealer and every overpass was like riding a boat. I get the camper home, ride the truck around a a bit and realize I have no shocks! No rebound esp.

 

So I get shocks (not Ranchos) When I pull my old ones off, 3 of the 4 are having issues. 1 strut was leaking oil. 1 rear was leaking and wouldn't expand back when compress, the other rear, cavitation when compressing by hand sounded like a bulldog with a cold.

 

I will say this too, it really shouldn't impact performance, but I was also shocked at how rusty the shocks were.

 

I only had 20k miles on my 2015 and the most "off roading" was driving the wife to work in the snow.

 

Mine is only one case so that is not scientific but to have 3 bad shocks with different symptoms (more or less) in suck low mileage.

[tnchevy]

I plan on taking off my shocks, at least the back ones since they are easy, and testing them before my 3yr/36k warranty is up in late summer. If one or more are shot then I will have GM replace them on their dime.

[Craig Quann]

Ok. So I own a 2017 sierra dcsb wt. I did not get the z71 package. The rear locker is standard with the tow package.  The only skid plate the z71 adds cost $100cdn. But I opted for a gm brand "under shield" kit.($300 cdn and I installed it myself) That comes with the transfer case plate as well as a 2 piece aluminum skid plate that replaces the factory plastic splash guard under the motor/front diff. (I off road my truck) depending on your trim level and wheel combo it makes a huge difference for ride. My wt has 17" steels and had P rated tires. Was a very soft/rolley ride. I swapped to LT rated all terrains.(way stiffer sidewall and a much tougher tire) most of the "luxury" trims have the softer P rated rubber even tho they have a larger rim. The thinner side wall takes away from the cushion of the tire. The Z71 comes with LT rated all terrains which as I said before are a super tough tire/sidewall so they don't puncture off road. The hill decent to me is a gimmick. Use Lower gear an your brakes lol. So honest the shocks are the only "real" major difference between my truck and a z71 for actual driving/off road use. Tho I may consider swapping my shocks for a adjustable set in the future.  But honestly my truck will hop alot on rough washboard roads....but because of my upgraded LT metric all terrain tires, if I'm planning to off road I air down the tires and that makes all the difference. (Also why I stuck with the 17" rims for more sidewall)

Edited June 16, 2018 by Craig Quann

[TXGREEK]

Ok. So I own a 2017 sierra dcsb wt. I did not get the z71 package. The rear locker is standard with the tow package.  The only skid plate the z71 adds cost $100cdn. But I opted for a gm brand "under shield" kit.($300 cdn and I installed it myself) That comes with the transfer case plate as well as a 2 piece aluminum skid plate that replaces the factory plastic splash guard under the motor/front diff. (I off road my truck) depending on your trim level and wheel combo it makes a huge difference for ride. My wt has 17" steels and had P rated tires. Was a very soft/rolley ride. I swapped to LT rated all terrains.(way stiffer sidewall and a much tougher tire) most of the "luxury" trims have the softer P rated rubber even tho they have a larger rim. The thinner side wall takes away from the cushion of the tire. The Z71 comes with LT rated all terrains which as I said before are a super tough tire/sidewall so they don't puncture off road. The hill decent to me is a gimmick. Use Lower gear an your brakes lol. So honest the shocks are the only "real" major difference between my truck and a z71 for actual driving/off road use. Tho I may consider swapping my shocks for a adjustable set in the future.  But honestly my truck will hop alot on rough washboard roads....but because of my upgraded LT metric all terrain tires, if I'm planning to off road I air down the tires and that makes all the difference. (Also why I stuck with the 17" rims for more sidewall)

Perfect decision keeping 17’s if you off-road, hill descent is awesome especially if you’re towing, the rancho’s are garbage and highly recommend either bilstein 5100’s or Fox coil overs if you want more responsive performance. Great idea putting on your own skid plates especially up front replacing the factory plastic one. In addition, Z71 package is much more than badging and all discussed, there’s additional badging inside and out, instrument panels as well as interior trim etc and all for what your skid plates cost you. In private consumer sales, the Z71 package out sells all packages combined. Enjoy your new truck and be safe


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[TXGREEK]

I didn't see this thread or I wouldn't have started my own.
 
I started noticing my Z71 equipped truck starting to handle a little sloppy but thought, hey only 20,000 miles and its a truck, what should I expect. But I was also getting nose dive on breaking
 
I hook my camper up to tow back from the dealer and every overpass was like riding a boat. I get the camper home, ride the truck around a a bit and realize I have no shocks! No rebound esp.
 
So I get shocks (not Ranchos) When I pull my old ones off, 3 of the 4 are having issues. 1 strut was leaking oil. 1 rear was leaking and wouldn't expand back when compress, the other rear, cavitation when compressing by hand sounded like a bulldog with a cold.
 
I will say this too, it really shouldn't impact performance, but I was also shocked at how rusty the shocks were.
 
I only had 20k miles on my 2015 and the most "off roading" was driving the wife to work in the snow.
 
Mine is only one case so that is not scientific but to have 3 bad shocks with different symptoms (more or less) in suck low mileage.

It happens, my 16 Yukon had both struts go out in less than 20K miles, switched to bilstein 5100’s, better ride and steering. It’s unfortunate but it is what it is, all factory customer responsibility items should be changed out to quality named brand parts ASAP giving you complete confidence and less stress driving your vehicle


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[Theross19]

On 11/16/2015 at 9:48 AM, Stex said:

For those questioning the Bilsteins and waiting for warranty to expire??, just swap them out and you will understand why the Bilsteins are way better. Have always swapped oem to Bilsteins if they are available for my ride.

 

I swapped to 5100s within 3,000 miles on my current truck. Much more controlled ride on all roads. Not harsh like OEM. Settles rear wheel hop on rough road corners. Plus you can raise the front end with the 5100s. Have run the yellows on my sub since it was new. Even had Bilsteins on my Datsun 280Z.

 

Also, any ride that does not come with Michelins is driven from the dealer to Discount, as I did on this truck. Or pick your favorite tire and just dump the oems already.

 

Never have understood why folks spend 35-50 grand on a truck and then settle for the oem low bidder ride for 30,000 miles or more. Just figure it into a new truck budget. When a friend of mine dumped ,after 20,000 miles, his 20 inch badyears for Michelins he was kicking himself for waiting.

How much cost the complet swap for bilstein? You do it by yourself or mechanic at dealer?? I have a 2018 gmc with Z71 package and a standard drive like 50%pavement and 50% dirt road at moderate speed....in 3 year the dealer as changed 3time rancho shock on warranty! since I hate this Rancho shocks a little more each days since i Added the K02a in Lt on 20'' wheels.....the result is really bad and the truck ride way to much hard ....i can feel every imperfection in the pavement....is really stiff...... apart the self-locking rear diff there  no advantage to pay for the Z71 package... Having bought the truck new and having chosen the equipment myself...I confess that this is my only regret......the Z71 packages cost almost 9000$...in 2018 on gmc

Edited October 17, 2022 by Theross19