ok, I just did this. Couple things to help everyone out.. if you compress the springs just enough until loose to get out the OEM shocks you will not be able to get the top shock rod to poke through the top shock mount. You need to compress that spring until it gives you clearance to get the shock rod through the top mount and you can get the nut on. Approx 3 inches of exposed threaded rod on coil compression tools. Bilstein is painfully slow in helping you if you call/text them. If you don't have an impact gun I wouldn't even start it unless you like to fight with everything. Once the coil is compressed and you have to remove the top shock nut in the mount, everything will just spin unless you have the power of an impact socket to spin the nut off. If you don't, you need to use a wrench to hold the top of the rod and then find something to back the nut off. The nut is recessed so nearly impossible to get ahold of it. I recommend using a spray lubricant before even trying. My truck is brand new and the nut was still a pain. To be honest most nuts are a pain without an impact gun. Sway bars, tie rod end both need a way of holding the bolt when tightening the nut. If you don't have a pass through socket set to do both it can be tricky. I certainly appreciate the video, would never attempt without it. This kind person even helped me when I reached out on a holiday weekend. Thanks man!! I just want you to know this upgrade isn't for everyone and a second set of hands is appreciated. Also if you don't have deep sockets that fit all these nuts buy them. Don't wait, just buy them. You need them. Good luck!
Another great video, thx! You include some helpful nuances, like clocking the spring, top plate and using a strap to support the hub assembly. In the comments, you indicated torque values came from Rough Country. Comparing these to the Mopar 2" RAM lift kit torque specs, there seem to be some differences. Perhaps someone with an FCA service manual can chime in... UCA Ball Joint nut: RC: 65ftlbs; Mopar: 26ftlbs+180deg Tie Rod to Knuckle nut: RC: 35; Mopar: 37+180 Strut to LCA: RC: 150; Mopar: 124 Strut Upper (3): RC: 30; Mopar: 57 Sway Bar Link nut: RC: 35; Mopar: 74 UCA bolts: RC: 125; Mopar: 130
Hahaha can never be too safe! I say this as someone who has been on the receiving end of a garage door spring breaking and a bracket right to the face!
Great video ... Great job 👍 ... I did the same job to my 4th gen Bighorn it was perfect .. Now I'm going to to the same to my 5th gen sport package ... You the first how video that ... Thank you
when dealing with tension on nuts you need to add grease to keep the temperate down. pb blaster works great. the nut seizes up from temperate possible breaking the the nut and screw right off.
Good video, but can you please get a tripod?. Seeing the components go in and out are major factors in this job. Sometimes see how you struggle or didn’t struggle helps determine how I’m going to complete it on my truck.
Great video. Was ready to do your Fabtek left until I saw this one. Ordered RoughCountry upper arms. Chatted with Bilstein lifts to get correct part# and got this response “
Bilstein does not make 5100 series for your Ram Rebel. Will send you a link for the correct part 6112 series.” What part# did you use for 5100”s. I have a 2019 Ram Rebel crew
I’ve heard that a few times in the past but will say there’s thousands of us running the Bilsteins on Rebels with no issue. A few guys have asked bilstein for specifics but bilstein never responded. Up to you if your are ok with moving forward but I will say I love how to kit turned out on my Rebel.
Bilstein are dumb asses. From your product link they state Fitment notes : “ Vehicles with Offroad package do not use top 2 circlip locations. Highest lift for Offroad package is 2″ A Rebel has ORP standard. They state do not use top two settings as you did. I told them they WILL be warranted bc you state they are good for ORP. Stated to them that Bilstein needs to update the resources you refer to when responding to customer questions. Lets hope they listen. From product link: DESCRIPTION Bilstein B8 5100 0-2.6″ Front Lift Adjustable Shocks for 2019, 2020, 2021 Ram 1500 New body style Part: 2×24-232203 Includes: 2 shocks Fitment notes: For vehicles Without Air Suspension. Vehicles with Offroad package do not use top 2 circlip locations. Highest lift for Offroad package is 2″ Product Description Bilstein B8 5100 (Ride Height Adjustable) shock absorbers are designed for trucks and SUVs with a front OE coilover style suspension. Multiple snap-ring grooves in the body allow for different spring seat positions, providing 0-2.75 inches of front lift with OE springs (depending on application). The monotube shock absorbers feature a 46mm digressive piston a with self-adjusting deflective disc valve setting. Bilstein B8 5100 (Ride Height Adjustable) shock absorbers provide increased wheel travel and improved handling. Utilizing a B8 5100 (Ride Height Adjustable) shock absorber is the easiest way to level out your vehicle. Collapsed Length (IN): 16 Extended Length (IN): 22.08 Collapsed Length (MM): 406.5 Extended Length (MM): 560.9 Finish: Zinc Plated Reservoir: No Body Design: Snap Ring Grooved Body (Coilover) Body Diameter: 46mm Download Installation Instructions for Bilstein B8 5100 0-2.6″ Front Lift Adjustable Shocks for 2019 Ram 1500 Includes Shocks exactly as pictured
Achieved ~1.8" of lift. so it is 2.8" for a normal truck, some UCAs claim that they support 3-3.5" lift, so I would assume if you put cirdip at #6 or #7 , it's still gonna be ok, maybe just ride a little stiff?
The instructions say don’t use the 6-7 positions for Rebels or ORP so not sure about that. For non ORP set ups, the highest lift you can get is 2.6”. That might land you around 2.4-2.5” at the end of the day which I don’t think necessitates a UCA replacement.
Nice video 👍, Do you need upper control arms or offset wheels to run 5100s? How did you find/get Torque specs? I'm wondering if they're similar for a 2022 Rebel. Thanks !!!
Late comment, but Think you would've gotten the full 2" if you would've used the spring retainers? Think it would've been a problem if you did user them?
Hey I am looking to install the 5100 bilstines on my 2020 ram rebel. I am looking to ride my stock wheels the wrangler tires i believe they are 33's. Would this work for my truck with stock tires. Again i am looking for a level kit on my stock rims and wheels. Thanks
FYI, Fca markets the rebel as having a 1” lift…. True overall; but this is achieved with the 33” tires vs stock 32’s (gives 1/2” lift) + springs give 1/2” lift (unknown if it is actually the spring length or perch position on the strut). Lots of assumptions out there…. No clarity from Fca. If anyone disagrees, go to a dealer with a tape measure and a calculator (for wheel size calculations)…. The 1” lift claim will become apparent. 😊
@@WaterFowler41 I have a 2020 Ram ORP, and this was really bugging me. Stock 18” rims, tires @ 32” tall… still 1/2” lower than a rebel…. It’s the tires and springs = 1”…. FCA on my build sheet just states it as “raised ride height “…. Very vague. I’m going with Eibach shocks at the 1.8 on Orp springs + uca + end links
@@WaterFowler41 Same as rebel…. I have a Big horn orp, with oem 32” tires…. If/when I put on 33s I will have same 1” lift…. Currently I’m only 1/2” taller than non orp big horns on oem 32’s; More I think about it, bet that the springs are same on all models, just rebel/ orp get slightly higher spring perch, imho
One bonus going orp vs rebel is that I get awd in my transfer case… small difference, but in light snow, which can quickly transition to pavement, like this option vs running 4hi
I don’t see the difference between a 2 in puck at the top which increases the length of the strutt assembly by 2 in, and moving the spring up 2 in on the shock making it two inches longer as well. The lifted length is the same either way, so the geometry of the A arms through the travel is the same. It would be great to hear your results after 5k miles or so.
Rough country offers a 2 inch kit that comes with a bump stop so this doesn’t happen, even if you change the upper your still allowing it to travel to far which is no good, I went with this option first but truck rode like garbage so I swapped out to bilsteins at 2.1 and it’s perfect
now that you go up to level 5 the spring you re-used does not reciprocate as well as it used to with the spring in stock compression with the yellow and blues....you get more bunny hop....maybe the 6100 are a better option....more money
Very helpful video! Plan on tackling my 5100s on my 2019 1500 big horn soon! Just curious, did you not find it necessary to disconnect the calipers? Seems every other video they hang them to the side during disassembly… Also do you have a link to the torque specs? Can’t seem to find a legit RAM source anywhere. Thanks!
You can certainly remove the brake caliper to lighten up the hub assembly but it’s not mandatory. You can grab all the torque specs from readylifts instructions: www.readylift.com/media/installation-pdfs/69-1935-Install-Instructions-2-20-TS.pdf
Excellent video and explanation, I have the big horn north edition w/off road and was looking to add the 5100"s without changing the UCA's. I was going to go 1.5" on the 5100"s giving me 2.5". Don't know if you can answer, but what would be the largest wheel and tire size I can go with that set up. Again great video and thanks for sharing.
Thanks man! I can only comment on my set up. I have 34’s with a 1mm offset wheel. If I were to bump up to 35’s I would for sure need to do some trimming.
Question, wondering how everything is holding up since the install? I installed these on my 2020 along with Ready Lift UCAs & new links. I still have a lot of clunking coming from the front suspension. My question is, with this set up do you think it puts too much stress on the CV axles? Wondering how your CV’s have held up. Mine currently have a little play in them, but nothing crazy. Thanks man, love your videos 💪
@@WaterFowler41 I also replaced those at the same time with the SuspensionMaxx links. Was underneath there today, those look fine, UCA’s look fine, no contact with the spring. Not sure what the issue is, prolly have a mechanic buddy take a look. I don’t mind replacing the CV’s if they are the issue, just didn’t want them to wear prematurely again, if this setup was causing them too. That’s why I was asking how yours were doing, as I think you have a similar set up. Thanks 💪
The ORP kit adds different springs in the front and rear. When you buy a Rebel you get the ORP springs + bistein 4600 struts/shocks. The ORP lift comes from the springs.
@@WaterFowler41 Hi, new subscriber here. Do you actually need to replace the UCAs? I just purchased a new 2023 Rebel and was thinking of doing the hockey puck level until I came across your video(s). Great content BTW! 👍👍
Great video man! I have 2021 Bighorn Built to Serve edition which came with the off-road package, I believe the same suspension as the Rebel. Thankfully I saw this video before installing a conventional leveling kit. Question, when installing these struts do I still require aftermarket control arms?
You don’t HAVE to but it doesn’t hurt to upgrade the UCAs for piece of mind. I upgraded my UCAs before I added the 5100’s because I was chasing another issue.
Haven’t compressed a spring like this before but planning to do this install myself. Slow and steady wins the race. Also, how are your CV angles looking??
Hey there, I currently have a 2021 ORP truck with bilsteins on setting #5 and readylift UCA’s. Seems like and time I hit a speed bump at decent speed or a pothole I get a clunk noise from the front end. Almost seems like the suspension bottoming out. I’ve checked all bolts and they’re torqued to spec. I’m considering dropping down to setting 4 and seeing if that will help.What else should I look for before tearing it all apart again? Also, great video! Really helped me when I put these on in the first place.
Did you have to compress the spring even farther to get the nut on top of the new shock? Because you moved the bottom coil mount up approx 2 inches that means the top of the shock doesn't stick through the top bucket.
You mentioned you achieved 1.8" extra height in the front with the 5100s. Does it mean you have a total of 2.8" in the front after installing the bilstein 5100s? Or just 1.8" in total in the front? Because these rebels have 1" over stock and I'm wondering if you only gained .8" from the 5100s. Please let me know. Thanks
So if you upsize to the 5100s do you also need to upgrade the UCA? or can you clear with the factory UCAs? Love you videos man, helped out w my rebel a ton! I have been looking for the best level/lift options for mine, this looks to be the ticket!
On your Rebel I would definitely consider new UCAs mostly because after the bilstein 5100 install, you will be running the factory UCAs at 2” plus 1” of factory lift. 3” is no mans land for most UCAs. I’ve seen hundred run without them but if you’re going to dig into the front end, might as well kill two birds with one stone.
@@WaterFowler41 Just wondering. Why didnt you change your UCA's when you put the 2" levelling kit? Truck is already 1" factory lift plus the 2" levelling kit is 3".
You are correct about the lift equating to 3”, if you look closely you can see the control arms on my truck are not stock, they are the Rough Country forged UCAs. I installed these a while back before I did the Bilsteins.
I have a 21 Big Horn without the OFP. I also tow a RV and when I tow my truck sits nice and level. If I add the 5100’s for the 2” level is it safe to say that I will have about 2” sag in the rear when towing now??
It all comes down to how comfortable you are with the ball joint angle. On my Rebel I have the 1” lift from the factory and 2” from the Bilsteins so I’m effectively lifted 3”. This is no mans land for factory ball joints so the RC was piece of mind for me. Do you NEED to replace them? Probably not. Is it a good idea to replace them? Most definitely yes.
@@WaterFowler41 why these over the 6112? I’m Looking to level my rebel… Will I need to replace the uca so i don’t develop the issue you had with hitting the spring?
Great video again. So I am looking to level my Rebel and was going to go bilstein 5100's. I want to keep a slight rake so do I get the same for the back that says it adds 1 inch to off road packages. Any other suggestions thank you
Wondering whether you feel the Rough Country aftermarket upper control arms are still necessary when you do the Bilstein 5100 install for 2” lift over a stock rebel as you did. Thanks for all your work and for saving us the headache of sorting out.
At really slow speeds I feel bumps a little more, which is to be expected when lifted. At speed the Bilsteins are phenomenal. Even my wife complimented on the ride comfort. It was a good move replacing the leveling pucks with the 5100’s.
2020 bighorn. Put on 5100s and BDS arms on level 3 and now level 5 with the bilstein rear coils installed this go round.... still got a small clunk at 5 or 10 mph full extension very seldom. disgusting....spent boku cash and its not 100%
I have 2020 ram 2wd I put the ready lift kit . (3.5) but i fell hard my suspension and fill little bump on the rear . U recommend tantas shock for fix this thanks. And great video man 👍👍
I’m getting a squeaky sound in the front. I got the Eibach ones. U think cuz of my lift is 1.8” lift u think my ball joint angle making that squeaky sound? Will the Mopar 2” upper control arms would help and get rid of the squeaky sound I get time to time
Great video. So I have a 2019 Limited longhorn non orp and without the air ride and I wanted to level it out to take the rake out. I installed the 2”motofab top hat spacers like you had, but now I want the 5100s but I also wouldn’t want my ride to change since I’ll be compressing my stock springs to setting #5 on the 5100. I read a forum where you can use rebel/ORP springs which automatically add 1” and install those springs on the bilstein 5100s at around setting #2/3 and I’ll get my 2” lift with a much better ride since I’m not compressing the spring as much as I would with the stock springs my limited came with. I’m riding on the stock 22s. My worse is already nice but I don’t want to change it if anything make it better. Is it possible?Does it make sense? It just sounds like that’s the best option
Hey water fowler, crazy question but is there any crazy risk in having that lower perch upside down? just discover mine was installed upside down on the driver side... gotta get the installer to fix but i only realize this after like putting 15k miles on the shocks, should i get a new pair? thanks
I did the same exact thing you did I have the moto fab 2” spacer currently on my ram with the orp and hate the ride I’m definitely getting these 5100’s after watching this video. Does it ride that much better even on the #5 setting I was thinking about going on #3 since it’s already 1” higher from the factory
used spacers on my chevy...nothing but regrets. looked good but rode like crap and was a pain to squeeze in. thanks for the video on how to do the rebel right. looking forward to doing this on mine. nice seeing a suspension video with torque specs! like a boss.
bilstein came back and said they do not officially support anything except 6112's on rebels. other 1500's are ok for 5100. that's their opinion, clearly it works fine and looks great...just interesting to see the disconnect between what a manufacturer supports and what the real world is doing!
Hi great videos, Just curious what your measurement is from the ground to bottom of fender wells with the 5100’s ? I have a 2019 Laramie with the ORP doing this setup with a 1/2 spacer on top so I can get 35’s tires on in or maybe drop down a notch.
Hi! awesome truck! I just picked up a 22 rebel same color... looks awesome. I just picked up some 5100s. would you suggest to still get UCAs? or the stock should be fine? Thanks!
@@WaterFowler41 did you get the full 3 inch lift in the front? im worried since the RC UCAs say 3inch or greater? and how were the quality? im gonna be running 35s... so i want to make sure everything will be fine
They make a top strut tool that grabs the top nut better but still gives you access to the rod. Use heat and a quality penetrating lube. Otherwise you can bring it by a shop and they’ll be able to knock it out.
@@WaterFowler41 1'' longer in the front and in the rear? Do offrad packager Rams have front rake from the factory or they are more leveled than usual rams ?
Not sure there was a HUGE noticeable difference between the factory and the new 5100. The 5100's excel when it comes to lifting the truck and maintaining ride quality.
The spacer style lifts will potentially cause issues with your UCAs and springs. If you have an ORP truck, you're better off getting proper lifting struts and avoiding spacers.
Thanks for the explanation. I have the north edition which has the offroad package on it and wanted to level it out just a little more. Pro a ly 1.5 inches extra. Will I need aftermarket UCA's?
At 1.5" of additional lift you're going to be running 2.5"of lift on the factory UCA. I think you will be OK but if you offroad a lot, for piece of mind, I would swap them out for some Readylift or Tuff Country arms. If you go with the 2" setting, then you can look at the Rough Country UCAs.
Any reviews on the Bilstein 5100's? Btw do you happen to kno what kind of shocks are on the North Edition 4x4 Rams? It does have the 1 inch lift like the off roads. I think they're bilsteins but they're all black; and they did put HD - heavy duty shocks on the sticker.
I’m not sure maybe they are bilstein. I was looking around for info so I could include that in my video but couldn’t find anything on them. I only had the Bilsteins on my truck for a few days before I had to drop the truck off at ram to have my window replaced. In the few miles I drove the truck I absolutely love the ride quality. Also, it’s nice to not have to worry about UCA and spring issues anymore!
Hey, quick question. Did your rebel seem to ride rough after you did the motofab spacer? That's all I've done so far and honestly I feel that the truck doesn't ride like it did stock. I know it's not going to but sometimes I feel It could ride way better. Could this be because of the control arms? Or is it just not best to use leveling pucks in order to retain a smooth ride? It's smooth but on highway drives I feel it can be a bit bouncy and sometimes all over the place.
If my memories serves me correctly I also felt the ride stiffen up a bit especially at slow speeds like driving less than 35 bumps seemed harsher but above than the truck was fine.
@@WaterFowler41 Thanks for responding! But yeah, it does seem fine above 35mph but I guess sometimes I feel on a highway that's not smooth or a highway that has sharp bumps or dips the truck can become a bit unsettled. Maybe it's just the nature of a truck as this is my first time owning a pickup coming from cars. And it could be because I drive the hell out of it as well...
In general, I would suggest upgrading UCAs anytime you go over 2” of lift. It’s good piece of mind to replace UCAs however tons of people run lifts/levels without issue in stock UCAs. I have a lifetime alignment package on my truck so it was easy for me to justify doing this in steps but if you are going to pay for a single alignment, I’d suggest doing it all at once if you’re going to upgrade UCAs.
I’ve had this front end ripped apart so many times I can knock this out in 2 hours but first time through I’d say 3-4 depending on your level of comfort around suspension work and access to tools.
I just installed the same struts. First! The spring has to be compressed an additional 1.5 inches! For 1.7. Scared th shit out of me. Thought th tool was gonna break..I took to a buddys fe shop to use his wall mounted compressor. First thing he said it's gonna ruin ride quality. He bailed on his compressor! We decided to add spacer on stock clip position. Ride is same. I can't believe this guy didn't show spring change..I used same tool..the safety pin won't engage. Spring diameter too big! I'm a retired GM tech so this isn't my first rodeo..getting the spring off is cake..still dangerous but doable. The extra 1.5 was too sketchy for us..good luck. Love the upgraded ride from these shocks! I still call Bullshit on better ride quality..gotta ride like a brick!
Truck rode great when I ran these. Note that Bilstein suggests not running positions 6/7 on any Ram with the ORP package springs. That said, the 5100 upgrade is arguably one of the most common upgrades Ram owners make to their trucks. Most competent shops can knock out this upgrade if you’re unable to.
I got a 2022 rebel and Getting the 5100 bilstein keeping the spring and everything else stock do you think that would be ok......and how’s the ride better or worse .
just one question. alignment after yes or no? great video as always bud! only problem I have is when I take a week of vacation in the spring I am going to be busy the whole week working on my Rebel with all your excellent videos!
I'm sorry I didn't understand exactly how much this struts lifted your truck from factory? not from the modifications you did before. And if I replace my struts with this trucks and my 2021 rebel do I need the rough country a arms or can I use the factory a arms?
These struts will lift your Rebel about 2 more inches. With the Rebel I would highly recommend replacing your controls arms since 1” factory plus the 2” bilstein is a lot of lift for a factory (plastic) control arm.
Thank you for answering my question. I understand the rebelt comes with a one and a half inch lift as far as I know. Can I just remove the factory one inch lift and use the strut instead? Or is there no way to remove the factory lift?
So on my 21 laramie off road package if i do this do i set them to 5 I currently measure 37 front and 40 rear could i do the 5100 and a small spacer lift upfront?
I’m not sure about the additional spacer. I typically stay away from a stacking two types of lifts like that but yes with the 5100 and your ORP package, you’d use setting 5
When my rebel fully extends the suspension now I hear a loud clank. Like a metal on metal sound. My 5100’s are on clip #5. What do you think the issue is? Do I really need UCAs AND the 5100’s to stop it??
Hey so I have a 3in level in the front and 2in in the rear but don’t hear a clunking noise when I drive would you still recommend doing the new shocks?
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I understand you will only get the clunk if you are full droop and have upgraded to control arms with a higher range of motion. That being said, It's far worse if you have the OE control arms, since the reason you don't hear a clunk, is because the balljoint is running out of articulation before the Controlarm hits the spring, resting all that tension on your balljoint instead.. That's a recipe for popping a ball joint. The geometry in this truck's suspension, and it's lack of mechanical stops in the suspension, is such that the best, and safest option to lift it, is the bilstein 5100 shock replacement.
I think the second or third to top setting whatever the top setting was for them on a truck with the orp is what I went with. The bilstein instructions are pretty straight forward.
Im thinking i might run these on my rebel in combination with 1” spacer in front and rear. That should equate to 1/4” rake since the 5100’s alone yield a 1/4” rake and i would still be under 4” of total lift so still kinda safe with CV angle/needing a diff drop. Would be about 3.75” total lift up front right? 🤔
It would but I personally would just go with a 4" lift at that point since it comes with all the parts to safely lift the truck and reduce wear and tear on your ball joints and CVs. Also adding only a 1" lift spacer on the top of the Bilstein front strut, you will need to trim the mounting bolts to clear the spacer.
The 5100 “can’t be combined with a spacer kit” (in front) per manufacturer. This is really just a level kit. If you want more than you need to bust out $$$ and get the lift kit. You can add a spacer to rear to get the rake back if you haul loads often. Remember the rake from factory is designed for payload. Optimal max load is when truck sits level.
