Bilstein 6112 installation Comparison to SAS and ARB OME springs

[chtucker]

I have broken through my analysis paralysis and decided to go with Bilstein 6112s. on my 2021 FE 4dr. I originally was going to try and put ARB OME 3200 heavy springs on my SAS shocks. There has been mixed info if this would work. The big reason I wanted to change out the suspension was because of all the added weight I added. Heavy sliders, full belly skids, 8274-70 winch and mount etc. I lost about .75" up front and GAINED about 1" in the rear compared to my stock badlands similarly equipped.

Bilstein parts
https://tinyurl.com/bdevypye
https://tinyurl.com/2a69tpjz

Here are on the spring specs on the OME and Bilstein springs-

Bilstein
47-313996 - Front
Front Main Spring Rate (lbs/in)- 374

47-314009 - Rear
Rear Main Spring Rate (lbs/in)- 288

OME

I don't know what stock spring rates are.. I wish I did...

I entertained the idea of coil overs, but I am not a high speed desert person and I felt that normal shocks could work for me. I don't intend to go bigger than 35" tires. I just want my stock height plus a smidge back.

I am going to take some measurements of all the springs when I have things apart. I am bad about photographing/videoing of projects while I am working on them. I am probably going to drop the arms by removing the axles, I don't want to take my belly skids off to drop the swaybar disconnect.

Here are some photos to start the discussion. You can see the front end sag... I hit something really hard at Trail Hero at speed. My front end sits terribly low. I am confident that it would have been fine if I didn't have such low hanging bits. I never hit my diff or rear shock skids for reference.

What do you want to know/see while I work on this???

Sponsored

 

[Mattwings]

I’m interested in ride and handling reports more than a step by step. I like the approach and look forward to your report!

 

[kodiakisland]

What's your clearance measurement on that skid? It looks like it hangs pretty low.

 

[chtucker]

What's your clearance measurement on that skid? It looks like it hangs pretty low.

Yep that is my problem... The skids hug the cross members tightly. I will get some measurements before and after (and compared to a stock Badlands)...

The good thing is the UHMW just slides over everything..

 

[Snacktime]

Glad to see you finally settled on a set up! Looking forward to a ride update on how they compare to SAS.

Make sure to clean the axle nut threads and then hose them with pb blaster before trying to take the nut off. Lower a arm method is way easier to put back together if your doing it yourself.

 

[2020FordRaptor]

I have broken through my analysis paralysis and decided to go with Bilstein 6112s. on my 2021 FE 4dr. I originally was going to try and put OME 3200 heavy springs on my SAS shocks. There has been mixed info if this would work. The big reason I wanted to change out the suspension was because of all the added weight I added. Heavy sliders, full belly skids, 8274-70 winch and mount etc. I lost about .75" up front and GAINED about 1" in the rear compared to my stock badlands similarly equipped.

Bilstein parts
https://tinyurl.com/bdevypye
https://tinyurl.com/2a69tpjz

Here are on the spring specs on the OME and Bilstein springs-

Bilstein
47-313996 - Front
Front Main Spring Rate (lbs/in)- 374

47-314009 - Rear
Rear Main Spring Rate (lbs/in)- 288

OME

I don't know what stock spring rates are.. I wish I did...

I entertained the idea of coil overs, but I am not a high speed desert person and I felt that normal shocks could work for me. I don't intend to go bigger than 35" tires. I just want my stock height plus a smidge back.

I am going to take some measurements of all the springs when I have things apart. I am bad about photographing/videoing of projects while I am working on them. I am probably going to drop the arms by removing the axles, I don't want to take my belly skids off to drop the swaybar disconnect.

Here are some photos to start the discussion. You can see the front end sag... I hit something really hard at Trail Hero at speed. My front end sits terribly low. I am confident that it would have been fine if I didn't have such low hanging bits. I never hit my diff or rear shock skids for reference.

What do you want to know/see while I work on this???

Very Interesting. I like it but not a huge fan of how much rake there is.

 

[chtucker]

Very Interesting. I like it but not a huge fan of how much rake there is.

Yep, when I het the 6100s, I am hoping that this is the fix. I am thinking about putting the springs at their highest setting up front and mid point in the rear

 

[chtucker]

Well I am stuck already- axle won't come out, tie rod end and upper ball joint won't separate. Reluctant to give up and drop the belly skids and sway bar to top the lower a arm.

Any ideas???

 

[AMTRV]

I would suggest putting what you’ve taken apart back together and remove the lower control arm bolts.
A lot less likely to screw up your cv joints on the axle.

 

[chtucker]

I would suggest putting what you’ve taken apart back together and remove the lower control arm bolts.
A lot less likely to screw up your cv joints on the axle.

Agreed. I am working by myself and I have a set of full belly skids that pushed me towards the axle route... and it feels like I already messed up the CV joint. It appears to have separated, but I can't tell.

 

[Frankie945]

Your Cv is probably fine you haven't got it apart enough yet to mess it up. Make sure you put a nut back on that upper ball joint and thread it few times, then wack it 3 times with a big f-ing hammer it will pop loose do the same with the tie rod but don't need a nut on. When you go to push your axle through your hub use a puller it makes it super easy. You can use a rubber mallet but it wore me out and gave me a sore back.

You can probably rent this from auto zone or one like it.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-...eKt1VnNb1nhSzz3MTH0aAsQXEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Rkgzx9leftcoast]

You can use a puller to separate the Axle from hub, take rotor off and use a puller that will bolt to wheel studs, or claw arms behind with center threaded bolt to push out.

The Tie rods and A arm bolts are tough sometimes. You can Try one medium ball peen hammer held on the area you hit, then hit that hammer with a bigger hammer. May need to hit it a bunch of times.

I believe dropping the A arm is easier, hate to say.

 

[SnowBronco]

Yep, when I het the 6100s, I am hoping that this is the fix. I am thinking about putting the springs at their highest setting up front and mid point in the rear

I have the 6100's. Not really any extra weight up front other than lights and the bull bar... Still has a slight rake. This is front and back set at highest perch setting. They ride fine... And get smoother the faster you drive lol

 

[TeocaliMG]

Well I am stuck already- axle won't come out, tie rod end and upper ball joint won't separate. Reluctant to give up and drop the belly skids and sway bar to top the lower a arm.

Any ideas???

Are you planning to reuse the OEM strut studs (bottom pair). I got a leveling kit that came with different hardware, mounted bolt head down for better clearance. So I cut the OEM studs off as flush to the control arm as I could get, then hammered the strut out from the bottom, with the aid of a large screwdriver to pry with at the top side. Was definitely a chore, but I was able to get the strut out and back in without touching the axle nut, which seemed like a bigger chore.

In hindsight, I think I should have bought my own hardware for the strut. The RC kit bolts seem a tad undersized, it will be fine all clamped down, but I would have preferred something just a bit tighter in the strut.

As for the tapered studs, I had problems there too. What I did is I put socket on the stud to apply torque to the stud while I hammered the knuckle, I also applied some taps to the bottom of the stud which I think was critical, but you have to be careful not to damage the hex, or leave the socket on the hex when you tap it. A little bit of all this, and it popped right out. Also be careful with the torque you apply to the stud. Apply a lot, but you don't want to strip or shear the hex off, so be cognizant of that.

Axle is fully attached here.

 

[lakesinai]

I have broken through my analysis paralysis and decided to go with Bilstein 6112s. on my 2021 FE 4dr. I originally was going to try and put ARB OME 3200 heavy springs on my SAS shocks. There has been mixed info if this would work. The big reason I wanted to change out the suspension was because of all the added weight I added. Heavy sliders, full belly skids, 8274-70 winch and mount etc. I lost about .75" up front and GAINED about 1" in the rear compared to my stock badlands similarly equipped.

Bilstein parts
https://tinyurl.com/bdevypye
https://tinyurl.com/2a69tpjz

Here are on the spring specs on the OME and Bilstein springs-

Bilstein
47-313996 - Front
Front Main Spring Rate (lbs/in)- 374

47-314009 - Rear
Rear Main Spring Rate (lbs/in)- 288

OME

I don't know what stock spring rates are.. I wish I did...

I entertained the idea of coil overs, but I am not a high speed desert person and I felt that normal shocks could work for me. I don't intend to go bigger than 35" tires. I just want my stock height plus a smidge back.

I am going to take some measurements of all the springs when I have things apart. I am bad about photographing/videoing of projects while I am working on them. I am probably going to drop the arms by removing the axles, I don't want to take my belly skids off to drop the swaybar disconnect.

Here are some photos to start the discussion. You can see the front end sag... I hit something really hard at Trail Hero at speed. My front end sits terribly low. I am confident that it would have been fine if I didn't have such low hanging bits. I never hit my diff or rear shock skids for reference.

What do you want to know/see while I work on this???

The skid plates cover the whole bottom, more like a boat! Its beautiful, but Is there a ventilation/cooling issue with that system, blocking airflow? And you don't want to remove it to do suspension work. I'm rethinking what shid plates I might want.

Sponsored