strut/shock help please

[dacoach]

Ordering parts today. I need coil over parts. I live in the midwest (Nebraska) so we have rough roads and I do just basic city and hwy driving. I do not off road except for the very short visits (very few) to go to the family farm to visit and hunt. With that said I want a boring family vehicle with a smooth ride. Have a baby in the back traveling I do not want to feel all the control joints in the road and wake him up. What set up would you pick?
Here is what I am thinking.
Sensatrack system and monroe mount kits. Would the Reflex rear shocks be a good choice for me or should I just stay with the regular ones.
I will install the rears and have a local shop install the front. Don't trust myself with the front.

Was thinking ordering from Rockauto but if anyone knows of any deals it would be very appreciated.

Thank you
dacoach

 

[07Denali]

Hello I just recently installed the yellow and blue bilstein aftermarket shocks on our 07 GMC Denali Envoy and love the ride! its a little sporty with a bit of a firmer ride but I have more control and stability i fell with the new shocks. Honestly though any new shock should be an upgrade as the factory cheaped out on shocks. The rears take about 20 min to do yourself no jack or anything just socket and wrench 18mm i believe. The front I did myself too but had to pick up the spring compressor at princess auto for $50. also picked up the new hardware and mounts for the front. over all it was a easy job.

 

[The_Roadie]

Over nine years of ownership and being on the forums, my guess is about 80% of people who post about the project end up getting the blue and yellow aftermarket Bilsteins, often from shockwarehouse who posts coupon codes every so often. ANY new shock is a huge improvement from the OEM cheapie black Bilsteins. I took my OEMs off at 9000 miles while they were still in warranty, I had faith that the aftermarket ones would do the job. I wasn't disappointed.

 

[littleblazer]

Hello. I'd just like to say that I've had the pleasure of riding in trucks that have had both the bilstein and the monroes. My Trailblazer has the bilsteins on all corners, and along with poly(or plastic, i forget) sway bar bushings the truck feels very sporty, no too much roll, smooth over bumps, basically what you would expect a truck to ride like, not as harsh as everyone makes them out to be. It does get a little punishing over rough roads, although NJ isn't known for its roads that's for sure. Now my dads Envoy has the sensa-tracks on the front, factory springs and mounts and that is a bit softer. You notice the difference, the envoy rides more like a luxury truck, soft, but not to the point of bouncy like the worn factory ones. Personally I like the bilsteins better, but carrying around a child, I think you would be quite happy with the monroes. Both ride way better then my truck when it still had good factory shocks a couple of months ago. I switched because I could, and knew that they would soon be on their way out.

 

[Sparky]

Either way is probably fine and an upgrade from the OEM, but I prefer the Bilsteins myself.

 

[Playsinsnow]

I've had both sensatracs and Bilstein HDs. The HDs are a much more confident drive. You will NOT be disappointed.

Summitracing had them for cheap and I received them in 2 days. Someone to talk to on the phone without a wait too.

Sensatracs in the rear do not help at all.

 

[dacoach]

Thank you so far everyone. When younger, I like the sporty feel of a vehicle. Now with the little one I need something soft but works well on a gravel road sometimes. Amazing what the first little one does to your perspectives. Expecially if you want piece and quiet. I am trying just to get a soft ride that the vehicle still performes well. I would like the Bilsteins but will I feel more bumps in the road with these vs sensatracs?
Thanks again for everything. I have been able to help alot of friends with their vehicles from the great knowledge that you guys have on this forum. Plus I get to buy new tools!!

 

[littleblazer]

With the bilsteins you won't really feel that many more, on the highway, it is by far the most comfortable and easy to drive ride I've had, feels like a much smaller truck then it is, quite nimble, compared to what it was. I occasionally drive my dads corvette, trust me it's nowhere near as harsh as that 84. I didn't mind the sensa-tracks, but doing sixty down a pretty rough road it was jumpy out back, with the bilsteins its a whole different animal. Hands down I'd choose bilstein, but I tow too. The sensa-tracks are only a little stiffer then oem. the bilsteins, still good, but it all depends on how bad the roads are when you say bad, are they like this:

This is my average road, ride isn't too bad, how heavy of the sleeper the little one is, that's the deciding factor, if light I edge the sensa-tracks, otherwise either, but i'll take bilsteins every time, and they look cool.

 

[C-ya]

I have Bilsteins on all four corners of my truck. My daughter was born in Dec. 2012, and she has ridden in it plenty since birth and hasn't complained once! Neither has my older daughter (8 at the moment), and she rides in the "trunk" as she likes to call it - the rear seat in my EXT.

Seriously, it is a little rougher ride for the first month or so as the shocks break in, and then it rides MUCH nicer! They are not overly harsh at all. You'll feel the road, but as a driver, I like that.