Hi, just wondering what the rideshare conversion is. I see Enterprise Car Rental have a "rideshare" van, is this what you have, and what is different about it? Thanks.

 

Yes I believe it was from Enterprise or something similar it didn't have the stickers when I bought it. The only thing that I know is different is the seats. They removed the benches and added 6 captain chairs. Similar to this https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1GBWGRFF5F1188754

 

Nice!

 

For fitment, I use RockAuto. First, find the part you need, and click on the part number. A list pops up to say what model/years that part fits. It doesn't always work, depending on the brand. I just looked up shocks for my van, and had to hit two different ones before it said that from '96 to '17, 3500s take the same shocks.

 

Good to know that the newborn is doing fine with the KYB!

 

So for XMAS, I will gift myself a suspension upgrade, as I said before, small imperfections on the road are heavily transmited to the passengers, not to mention that rough roads feel like a school bus.
Being my VAN for long trips and for 5 passengers, I think I will pull the trigger for the KYBs as the Bilsteins are always in backorder. I couldnt find Ridetechs.

Anyone has discount codes? better prices than rockauto?

 

My experience with Bilstein is from a Camaro, there I found the rears
too harsh (went over to Gabriel Hi-Jackers, there, which were better
plus having the air lift option which I used only when putting a few hundred
pounds of whatever, in the trunk). Fronts were harsher than stock but not
enough so, to be worth the degree of difficulty to swap again.

It's difficult to find anything like a "spring rate comparo" like you can for
performance springs (at least, on popular marques for hot-rodding). But
as a rule "performance" shocks will be harder and you may feel more,
not less, road roughness.

A key question is whether you are feeling bump (which will be worse on
a performance shock, generally harder) or rebound recovery (which will
be better, since bump was held back and rebound damps faster). Not
sure how or whether you could distinguish.

Tires are in it, too - lower pressure and a less stiff sidewall would help,
cold weather tires if you're in cold weather ("summer high performance"
compound being like a brick, in freezing weather).

 

My experience with Bilsteins are firm but not harsh. I use them for my track only car. Anyway I bought the rear KYBs for 20 each.

 

I did KYB's front and back about 30k miles ago. They ride very nice. As some said, your tires play a big part in ride quality too. If your tires are warn down they they become spongy. At that point new tires make the ride quality much improved. That's where I am with needing new tires. My ride is more spongy than I like right now, but it's hard to say if the shocks need replaced already as I know the tires are a big player.

 

Fascinating. I've never experienced spongification of tires. How can you tell?