Bilstein's Bang for Buck 6112 Shocks Save the Sloppy Stock Silverado

The Bilstein 6112 shock is one of the best values in suspension out there and certainly one of our favorites.

The 6112 features a 60mm piston vs the 46mm piston found on their 5100 shocks, this much larger shock provides a significant increase in damping ability, especially on a larger vehicle like these full-sized Silverado trucks.

The overall ride quality is smoother on the 6112 compared to the 5100s, but make no mistake, the 5100s are still a welcomed improvement over the sloppy factory Rancho shocks. The loose feel of the factory shocks comes with a bouncy ride experience; one that will leave you feeling a lack of confidence behind the wheel and perhaps a little nauseous.

Although some drivers may traditionally shy away from the firmer tuning found on the Bilsteins, the control and precision they give you behind the wheel is worth much more than any perceived comfort the boat-like stock shocks provide.

What Shocks in the Rear Pair Best with the 6112s Up Front?

When installing the 6112 shocks and springs for your front suspension, the default option for the rear is going to be a pair of 5100s. The second option is the reservoir version, the 5160.

Who needs the benefits of a reservoir rear shock?

If you regularly drive off-road, especially with a heavy foot or on chattery washboard roads, you're going to want the 5160s and the price increase from the 5100s is worth it. If you primarily drive on the street, even if you tow, the 5100s will be fine out back.

Do You Need an Aftermarket Upper Control Arm to Use 6112s on Your Truck?

• If you are running Trail Boss parts on a Non-Trail Boss truck, especially at the higher lift settings, we do recommend running upgraded UCAs.
• If you are running Non-Trail Boss parts on a Non-Trail Boss, it is not mandatory for you to run an aftermarket UCA.
• If you are running Trail Boss parts on your Trail Boss and you decide to use a circlip setting that is higher than factory Trail Boss height, you would want an aftermarket UCA.

Street Handling

While the upgrade from stock to 5100 is a noticeable improvement, the 6112s provide even more control than the smaller 5100s and yet they remain comfortable for a daily driver thanks to the bigger body and larger piston.

These full-sized trucks have full-sized (heavy) engines and definitely benefit from the increased damping abilities of a larger bodied shock. You get the support you need without them having to be tuned so stiff. So, even simply cruising on the street, you'll notice the difference and benefit of the 6112.

Off-Road Performance

If you like to get a little rowdy off-road like we do, you'll definitely appreciate the increased performance in the dirt coming from these Bilsteins. Even on some larger whoops out in the desert, our Silverado front-end stayed planted and confident at speed. Not only that, but they handle the rough chattery terrain very well and maintain comfort even in those situations.

We did send it pretty hard all day when we were testing these shocks out in Johnson Valley during the King of the Hammers event, and started to see the limits of the 5100s in the rear as things started to heat up. So, again, if you're doing more spirited driving off-road you'll want to spring for that upgrade and pair the 6112s with 5160s for the rear end.

Even with the 5100s out back for our test; our higher speed tests over the dried lake bed near Hammertown proved to be very fun and a great balance of comfort and control, especially at this price point.

Towing Capabilities

The increased control on the street and off-road will also be evident when you are towing with the Bilstein 6112s. But again, you may wonder... for the rear suspension, is there a benefit to pairing the 6112 with a 5160 or would the 5100 be just fine?

For street towing only - you likely won't notice a difference with the 5160s and would be just fine towing on the 5100s. However, if you spend any time off-road towing down forest service roads to get to your favorite UTV trails... that extra weight out back will be putting some more work on your rear shocks, especially on chattery or washboard roads, and at that point you may see some benefits from the cooling the reservoirs on the 5160s provide.

Who Should Run Bilstein 6112s?

With the 6112s being such a well-rounded shock, and coming in with a much cheaper price than some similarly performing options, these shocks are going to make a wide range of drivers satisfied.

Anyone looking to upgrade their factory shocks should be considering the 6112s as an option. These are great for weekend warriors, people trying to push their truck and have fun on a budget, who want a "set it and forget it" solution known for durable longevity. There are cheaper things on the market, but when it comes to how much performance you get from these 6112s, especially at half the price of competitors, it's hard to argue with the level of value Bilstein delivers with these shocks.