Who's running these rear shocks z56 police package

oleSilverado · February 8, 2023

Anyone running these rear shocks? Looking for real testimony not guesses. What's the best bang for the buck suspension for a 2wd 2008 Silverado extended cab LT without electronic controlled suspension? Front springs? Struts? Rear shocks? Leaf springs? Planning on rebuilding the front end with all mevotech ttx parts.

asilverblazer · February 8, 2023

What are your goals?

Why are you rebuilding the front end?

You should at least include all rubber components and shock absorbers, ball joints if they are loose and tie rods are easy enough since you are in there. If you are upgrading anything maybe a better sway bar to control body roll. If you plan to change the ride height - a new spindle - now is the time to do it. Might as well check the wheel bearings and brakes too, all that stuff will be basically taken apart as part of rebuild.

Longer shackles in the rear are a cheap easy way to lower it some and may help improve ride.

If you are running on the original shocks any premium shock absorber will be an improvement.

Driving habits and loading make any other or specific suggestions difficult.

oleSilverado · February 8, 2023

Rebuilding front mainly because of milage. Truck is about to hit the 250k Mark. Truck still rides decent. When I say rebuild front I mean tie rods, end links, sway bar bushings, control arms, ball joints, maybe other control arm bushings that aren't in the replacement control arm upper vs lower. I'm not interested in a bigger sway really or changing any ride height much either. I have another vehicle that's lowered and has allot of suspension mods including a sub frame brace and racing sway bar. I daily drive my truck and I haul light loads often and pull a small lawn mower trailer with one riding mower or small 4 wheeler every now and then. So far I've been customizing the creature comforts and getting the interior fixed up and back to 100 as much as possible. Along with adding some protection factors too the outside, like mud flaps and bush Wacker side rail protectors. New headlights with progressive scan turn signals, 3D floor mats, window tint, new upper glove box latch, window switches, repainted around window switches, and door pull handle silver, new console lid. Next on my list is window vent visors. Going with clim art mainly because they are reasonable price and poly carbonate not acrylic. O and I've swapped the steel 17" wheels and tires for some off a 2016 Yukon 18" stock alloy wheels. I'm bringing everything back up to like new as much as I can working on the driver's seat bottom cover and new foam is on the list also but no luck finding a exact match for the factory cover yet. After I get that I'll put some rough country covers over the front. Looking to upgrade the sound system and possibly add dic and lights around the inside of the bed. Other big project is a front facial swap to the newer style bumper with opening and end caps with fog lights along with a grill all painted white to match my truck.

asilverblazer · February 8, 2023

I'd go with a Bilstein 4600 series shock then.

Be very careful you get quality parts on all those suspension components (a lifetime warranty from someplace you know will honor it). I've had mixed results from supposedly good brands (Moog) and even though I bought parts with a good warranty the retailer (Rockauto) wouldn't warranty it.

I try to stick with AC Delco or another brand I've personally had good results with and buy them at the FLAPS.

It's Tim · February 8, 2023

16 hours ago, oleSilverado said:

Planning on rebuilding the front end with all mevotech ttx parts.

Your old worn out stuff is probably in alot better shape than this junk from china.

oleSilverado · February 9, 2023

Mevotech is Canadian based

asilverblazer · February 9, 2023

10 minutes ago, oleSilverado said:

Mevotech is Canadian based

Based does not mean manufactured...

I have no experience with the brand that I recall, as always, buyer beware.

FWIW, I've never been disappointed with OEM parts.

oleSilverado · February 9, 2023

I realize that I've bought moog that was made in Japan. Mevotech ttx are designed to be a considerable upgrade to factory especially in the ball joint parts. https://www.mevotech.com/product/ball-joints/

https://www.mevotech.com/brands/ttx/

I'm using mevotech supreme and ttx parts on my other ride and I like their parts better than the current offerings from Moog. I usually go with parts that are OEM or better. Not cheap Chinese crap. Check out the engineering behind the design explanation on the sites above. Then you'll see why I AM using these parts and not OEM made in China crap.

asilverblazer · February 9, 2023

2 hours ago, oleSilverado said:

I realize that I've bought moog that was made in Japan. Mevotech ttx are designed to be a considerable upgrade to factory especially in the ball joint parts. https://www.mevotech.com/product/ball-joints/

https://www.mevotech.com/brands/ttx/

I'm using mevotech supreme and ttx parts on my other ride and I like their parts better than the current offerings from Moog. I usually go with parts that are OEM or better. Not cheap Chinese crap. Check out the engineering behind the design explanation on the sites above. Then you'll see why I AM using these parts and not OEM made in China crap.

I'm not dogging mevo - like I said, I've never purposefully used them. You seem to be comfortable with them, I see no reason to doubt or question your judgement.

I will say though that I would fully expect for them to say how much better their product is on their own site. Who wouldn't?

oleSilverado · February 10, 2023

Mevotech makes 3 levels of products oem replacement, supreme, and ttx the ball in most ball joints are larger than stock size in the ttx line therefore making it better if you understand physics.. but I was actually aiming most of these comments at Tim.

Grumpy Bear · February 10, 2023

Ever read the history of SKF bearing company? Fafnir? Timken?

History timeline | SKF

Fafnir Bearing — New Britain Industrial Museum (nbindustrial.org)

SKF makes bearings all over the world as does MOOG or anyone else these days. I picked bearing because I know something of them. Been to the schools for SKF and TIMKEN while in the employ of Getty Oil oh so many years ago.

Like all of them some parts they make are top drawer and some, not so much. Culture has much to do with quality. I buy SKF when the name etched on the race says, Sweeden, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, South Korea, USA. Not so much when it says China, Tawain, Soviet Union, Egypt, Spain. Boys even USA is iffy. And this list will change as culture changes. I remember in the 1950's friction cars that came from Japan said Libby's Tomato Juice inside and now the Japanese parts are some of the best in the world. Why? Culture.

MOOG Problem Solver line is top drawer. The rest is generic. Look at the part. You can see quality, can't you? Well, sometimes.

oleSilverado · February 11, 2023

There used to be (70-90s) a Fafnir bearing plant in my town and then it changed to temkin now I think it's closed. O and I've read recent experience with Moog hasn't been good. As well as had a pro YouTube mechanic for my other ride do a full video about how their parts have changed for the worse. Here's Eric the car guys video about his experiences working with Moog.

asilverblazer · February 13, 2023

On 2/9/2023 at 10:22 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

MOOG Problem Solver line is top drawer. The rest is generic. Look at the part. You can see quality, can't you? Well, sometimes.

I don't mean to discredit you, but my experience with this line was... 'disappointing'.

I actually find it difficult to 'see' a quality difference, particularly among OEM type/style replacement parts. They should all be the same size and should be of the same design. The only differences could be metallurgy, maybe different grease, synthetic or rubber blend, maybe a different type of plastic. I think it applies more to these types of parts too like a tie rod end; in my mind how 'different' can they be?

Grumpy Bear · February 13, 2023

55 minutes ago, asilverblazer said:

I don't mean to discredit you, but my experience with this line was... 'disappointing'.

I actually find it difficult to 'see' a quality difference, particularly among OEM type/style replacement parts. They should all be the same size and should be of the same design. The only differences could be metallurgy, maybe different grease, synthetic or rubber blend, maybe a different type of plastic. I think it applies more to these types of parts too like a tie rod end; in my mind how 'different' can they be?

I understand and agree to a degree. So perhaps an example or two would be in order.

2006 Honda Civic rear upper control arms. Factory part was a sheet metal fabrication that was not adjustable. It was also too short and caused excessive negative camber wearing out tires in under 20K miles. Honda released a second arm that was to correct the issue. It failed as well. As this was an engineering problem and not a 'safety' issue it wasn't even published. Only owners that complained were given the new parts and free labor and a partial rebate on the tires IF the tires were still the originals. LOL.

MOOG Problem Solver Line. They released a forged aluminum upper arm with stainless lubricated spherical threaded hemi joints to permit a two-degree range +/- zero camber. We bought a set for our Honda and I had my shop dial in my specs. We went from using 5 sets of tires in 120,000 miles to 1 set over then next 110,000 miles. MOOG addressed the issue in the way Honda should have but refused to.

MOOG Problem Solver sway bar end-links. 2005 Honda used a threaded rod with a sheet metal spacer, washers, rubbers and two nuts per side. They break or the sleeve collapses or splits at the seam and the rubbers split withing a short period of time. This 'style' of end link is available for the K2 platform

MOOG Problem Solver released a forged bar bell one-piece end link of about double the diameter cad plated with a rolled radius thread lead-in with Polyurethane elements and cad plated self-locking nuts. After multiple sets of OEM the car went to its grave on the MOOG part 100,000 miles a dozen years later.

They have hundreds of parts like this if you look for them.