fronts are:

10.39 compressed
14.72 extended

rears are:

14.69 compressed
24.13 extended

these numbers are from koni tech rep. and by the picture i posted you can see they are nearly identical in size to the hps1000 shocks.

for adjustment you remove the plastic boot push in a small button next to the shaft on the bottom of the shock and twist the shaft, it has clicks to let you know you have reached a particular level.

www.koni-na.com

have a look for youself as well at their website.

 

I believe that the Lightning specific shocks are slightly shorter that the F150 ones. That's probably why Koni doesn't list them. Since the Hotchkis shocks are the Expedition version they would be the same length as the F150.

Bilstein has changed the look of the Lightning aftermarket to silver and has included a boot. Wonder if they introduced their adjustable racing version at Sema.

TB

 

They had a great booth at SEMA. I saw plenty of silver shocks (very sexy), but that color has usually been used by Bilstein for their off-road shocks.

See here

Where are you getting your info on the changes? Do you have any other info? The guys at SEMA gave me a tech rep to contact re the issue we have been discussing here, but I'm hesistant to post the name for fear of biting the hand that feeds.

 

On their site. It indicates that the part # is new.

http://www.bilstein.com/mistore/ymm_...reYMM=storeYMM

 

well either way....I would give the koni's a try guys they are excellent.

 

Ian, how are the Koni shock lengths you listed above measured -- tip-to-tip, or mounting surface-to-mounting surface?

For the stock Bilsteins (compressed length requires three arms, so it is an approximation), I get the following tip-to-tip:

Fr ext/comp - 18.5/14.2

Rr ext/comp - 27.1/18.6

Are the Koni's really 4" shorter front, 3" shorter rear? The rear length seems great, but 4" shorter than stock for a stock front spring space seems too short . . .?

 

Tim,

those are numbers from the koni rep....what is apparent in the photo is they are and identical lenght to the front bilstein be5-2571's so I am sure you can figue it from there.

i will take pictures of the rears as soon as possible.

 

Are the Bilsteins pictured stock (or otherwise the same length as stock)?

 

my measurments posted are mount to mount length. picture shows a hps 1000 shock AKA be5-2571

 

And those are or are not the same length as stock?

 

My Hotchkis front shocks are the same length as the stock shocks (mounting surface).

 

I finally got around to installing my JLP 54" traction bars. The truck drives differently - almost like I increased the rear spring rate. Has anybody else noticed this?

 

Could be binding.

Look at the difference between the arc described by the leaf in compression and the arc described by the traction bars. These Rancho bars never made any sense to me.

 

Thanks for the reply, Tim! I think you may be on to something.

 

SVC, thankyou for answering Tim for me.....whew I was getting a little intimidated by him as usual

also Tim is right those long bars are not working like theyre supposed to on a lightning, let alone a lowered one. They were intended for lifted trucks to minimize the consequences of running lift blocks under leafs which make axle wrap really bad, in that application the arc does not cause problems because they are at a much sharper downward angle and run more parralel with the leafs. I'd ditch them and run metco's, caltracs, or slappers.