Bilstein 5100's improve ride???...

Leaving the fronts set at 0...any advantage or improvement to the ride by adding a set of four 5100's over the stock Bilsteins on my 2012 DCSB Sport 4x4?

I have the shocks...but would have to pay for installation and an alignment. So the improvement would have to be substantial.

Currently I have no issue with the ride...and have no reason/desire to raise the front of the truck. (I assume the 5100's for the rear leave the suspention at stock levels)

any feedback welcome

 

5100's have the exact same valving as stock. Nothing will change in ride quality

 

I cannot speak for your technical ability, but in the overall grand scheme of automotive work, installing the rear shocks is super easy. I could probably install the rears faster than I could wash and dry the truck. No need for a jack, no need to remove wheels, just unbolt and re-bolt. Whammo. The fronts is a little more work, but follow the HowTo's on here. I did the whole 5100 install about 3 weeks ago and I am just a weekend warrior DIY guy.

The rear shocks to me seemed thicker than the stock TRD's. It was my understanding that while the stock ones said Bilstein, they are made to Toyota specs, not Bilstein's, which is not a positive thing.

 

Probably gonna be said a million and three more times, but here it goes. Depends on what you do with your truck. The 5100's will firm up the ride a bit. Good if you want to wheel the truck or haul heavy loads on the regular, bad if you want it to be a Camry. If you are O.K. with how it is stock and would have to pay someone to install them then I'd just leave it alone. I went with them set @2.5'' and love it. Then again thats just what I wanted

 

stock and 5100's are not valved the same.

 

My 5100's lifted ride better in most situations over what was on there stock on my Sport. So I'd imagine not lifted you'd experience a better ride as well. Just my observations.

 

x2. Ride might be a little better then oil. They last longer then oil. There inexpensive also.

 

I've always heard they were

 

5100's are stiffer than the HD's, they handle better (IMHO)

 

IMO 5100's ride a lot better than those stockers do

 

Has anyone installed the 5100 fronts on a 2nd gen 4x4 and got any vibration. I was thinking about doing it but not sure about this vibration i hear about.

 

If that's the case, someone has been lying to you...

If you set them at 0, it is no different than any other stock-replacement shock and should not introduce any new vibrations. Once you start lifting, it's a little bit of a gamble. Lifts under 2" generally don't cause vibrations but any time you change the drive line angles, you run the risk of something causing some vibration.

 

leaving the fronts @ .0

can anyone comment on this:

 

Sub'd...as I may want to look into replacement 5100's set @ 0 once my stock Billies wear out.

 

Substantial is sort of arbitrary. If you like the ride now, what is the reason for going with the 5100's? One of the huge draws of the 5100s is the adjustable collar and then the valving being better suited to dampen a stiffer coil. I don't know how substantial the improvement would be with a stock coil set at 0. In my opinion, they are better than stock, but if I was going to keep my truck at stock height, I don't know as if I'd go with the 5100's, I think I'd be looking at I think it's the 4600. Basically a stock replacement shock with better valving, don't quote me on the 4600 number though...