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Shocks ? Which do I have ? What is good ?

brownprider07

Full Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
262
Location
Florida
I have a 2002 Chevy Avalanche z66. I keep seeing self leveling shocks. Do I have that on mine or not ? I want to get better shocks. I want to improve my ride. I highly doubt the guy before me ever changed them out so it wouldn't hurt. I don't really know what to get. I don't do extreme off roading like most people might do so that one isn't such a big factor. I mean like once in a blue moon I might. But mostly I'm on the road and want a smooth ride. If I have self leveling shocks. What's the whole deal with that ? Is that on the front too or what ?
 
Original shocks on your truck were mechanical load leveling in the rear, and premium ride quality shocks in the front, both Bilsteins.  I've still got the original load leveling shocks in the back of my 03 Z66 after over 290K miles, but replaced the fronts quite a while back with KYBs.
 
Stock Z66 ride is pretty much awesome and I doubt any other shock could really make it better,

It was designed for ON ROAD performance...

thos load leveling in the rear are $$$$

Also do you know if you current shocks are bad?

Does your truck bounce when hitting bumps or holes? or does it quickly settle to smoothness.
 
Well the guy before me. Never really replaced anything didn't up keep the truck. So the shocks look like originals. I just thought I could make the ride better or smoother. I don't think it bounces bad over speed bumps or cracks.
 
I have originals Z66 shocks from 2001 & 140K...

rides like the day I bought her.
 
You could put some Bilstein 5100s up front, that should add a little smoothness, but I'd keep the rears the same, if the rears are bad just go OEM.
 
Well that sucks. After trying to save for a radio. My passenger shock is bad. Went out on me :/ well not technically but if you look from the top of the engine there's nothing holding it anymore and just rattles around. Shouldn't the shock be tougher to move around. Or does it mean it's bad. I'm thinking of just replacing body shocks. Which brand should I go with ? Or what should I do ?
 
Yeah, you should not be able to move the shock around.

Maybe you're just missing a bolt or two?
 
I know. I'm pretty sure it's the shock mount insulator for the top I saw it fly behind me in the rear view mirror. But what I'm saying even though that's off wouldn't it still be hard to move around. Even without having that on there. Does it mean it's bad ? I'm looking everywhere for this shock mount insulator but everybody says they can get it to me by tomorrow morning. But now I'm wondering if I should get shocks but there expensive lol
 
Try rockauto to get a set of cheapies for now, when the funds are there you get get the right one.
But do not ride around if they are flopping around.
 
I would order online but I need them now , I hate going to autozone it anywhere pretty much just because they tack on a higher price on ther items and I don't want to go in there without anybody's input it research
 
I went with the Gabriel ultra shocks. There the only ones they had there and they had the max but I would have waited to get those. Now I'm wondering if I should have gone with those. What do you think ? For the price of the ultras I think they were okay. Im wondering if I could order the max and pay the Difference. The front ones weren't stock so that only means that the back more than likely aren't. Dont they come with self leveling from the factory? How much would those be and where can I get them for a good price and are there any that are just equivalent that are self leveling. I was on rock auto and saw a little section that said self leveling Unit sensor, does ours have that ? What is it ? So many questions
 
Z66 did come with self-leveling shocks.  I've never replaced the rear shocks in my 03 Z66 after nearly 300k miles, although I do have a set off of Z66 Butch's first AV.
 
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