Rear shock installation question

[ShipFixer]

I replaced my OEM rear shocks today with Bilsteins. I've only ever replaced motorcycle suspension components, so maybe this is normal but I felt like I had to push the ends of the shocks quite a bit more than I should to get them in the mounts. Not a whole lot, maybe a few millimeters of deflection, but it does leave some residual stress that seems like it would introduce binding over time.

The truck drove fine (better than on the rusted out OEM's of course!) so it's not like anything is obviously wrong. And maybe when the suspension compresses to standard sag the shock mounts line up more correctly.

I did look at the control arms and frame for any signs of damage or twisting (I do every time I have it up on a lift anyway) and didn't see anything, so unless this is a bushing wear issue it must be...normal?

Oh, and breaking those bolts with a few degrees of motion available for the breaker bar was awesome. Especially on the right side where the A/C lines interfere with the socket wrench head

Front Bilsteins may go on tomorrow!

[skinny2]

Sounds pretty typical to me.

Surprisingly, I didn't notice a huge difference going to the Bilsteins on the rear. Decided against putting them on the front for awhile but I'm only at 30k miles. The OEM rears still had good recoil and resistance when I pulled them off.

[ShipFixer]

I have 58K on mine, but the ride has been less than spectacular since I bought it at 28K miles. The small bump compliance at speed and highway ride with the rear Bilsteins is much, much better. It no longer feels out of control or like a brick, especially driving into fast corners like on and off ramps. This isn't the magic shock that will turn the truck into a Camry, but it's much better on my the beltway now. Definitely going to get the front Bilsteins in sometime this week.

Big bumps still bounce a bit too much, but I have Air Lift bags in the rear that add a lot of progressive ramping to the rear spring curve.

Truck also still rumbles more than I want it to over most road surfaces, but there's another way to fix that. I stuffed the front fenders with sound damping and insulation and it knocked the booming noises down quite a bit. Once I find some time to get into the rear fenders and floor pan it'll be much, much quieter.

[skinny2]

I have the airlift bags as well. That made a bigger improvement than the shocks. This thing does pretty well through the curves but it gets a little crazy over bumps and too much motion through wavy sections. Certainly FAR from the worse handling SUV on the road...particularly one with a real frame. But pull the wheel a little hard at speed and I can see this baby will go upside down quickly. I drive mine way too hard out a lot of two-lane twisty roads (car and driver tests cars on my daily commute) but I fall asleep if I drive too slow.