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anyone set bilstein 5100 to 2.5? regret it? liked it?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by doughboy, Apr 25, 2014.

  1. Apr 25, 2014 at 5:20 PM
    #1
    doughboy

    doughboy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    just a question to those that use bilstein 5100 and set it to 2.5".

    Did you like the result and the ride? or did you regret it and wished you set it lower or to 0 and used a longer coil instead?

    Also, I assume if you set to 2.5", you would still be using the stock coils right? And do AAL or block for rear.
    and I think it is fairly safe to assume those that did not go with 2.5" left the rear unmodified, and not because there is something wrong with 2.5 setting.

    I'm just thinking, if bilstein is so great, yada, yada. and they designed the shocks to have a 2.5" setting, then I take it that it is perfectly fine to use that setting, no?

    thanks
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2014
  2. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:10 PM
    #2
    hyper86z

    hyper86z Active Member

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  3. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:14 PM
    #3
    03DBLCABTACO

    03DBLCABTACO Well-Known Member

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    I have 5100's in front with stock sr5 coils and have no problems. It rides great. I have tsb leaves in back with a 1 inch block to level.also have lr upper control arms.
     
  4. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:18 PM
    #4
    Boone

    Boone Vaginas are rad.

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    I have had a good experience with Billies @ 2.5" in front on stock Sport coils and a 1.5" progressive AAL in the rear. They stiffen the ride up in the front set that high, but it was a positive change for me.
     
  5. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:19 PM
    #5
    AMH3RST

    AMH3RST eat, sleep, work

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    I'm running 5100's with stock coils at 0" because I have 4" spindles and they are way too soft. I am running deavers in the rear. Today I found a contact point on my fender well from the uca hitting the body. This is all temporary because I'm going with LT. But before the spindles, with stock coils and struts set to 2.5" it rode pretty decent for moderate wheeling.
     
  6. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:23 PM
    #6
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    I had the rear leaf spring TSB done and set my front billys at 2.5" and it was pretty damn even. I liked the ride. Firm but not stiff.
     
  7. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:27 PM
    #7
    HomerTaco

    HomerTaco also HomerTaco Vendor

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    I've got 5100's set the same with stock coils.
    Running 35x12.5x17 Nitto's and still have stock UCA's.
    Zero issues. :D

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:34 PM
    #8
    zboy

    zboy Well-Known Member

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    Rides great at 2.50 & 1.50 aal stock uca Just need a Kidney Belt And a way you go[​IMG]

    20140318_140451.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2016
    Nephree likes this.
  9. Apr 25, 2014 at 7:35 PM
    #9
    Teagan141

    Teagan141 Well-Known Member

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    plasti derp rims, BHLM, emblems, (homertaco)raptor style grill, bilistein 5100 set at 2.5 with stock coil, 2 inch custom alcan 8 leaf pack, with icon 2.0 extended travel rear shocks with resies, front and rear spider trax wheel spacers, rigid dully spots mount on the hood with CBI brackets
    ya im also running billys set at 2.5 with stock coils up front and i really like it also have a alcan leaf pack and billy 5100 in the rear
     
  10. Apr 26, 2014 at 3:33 AM
    #10
    discoy2k

    discoy2k Well-Known Member

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    i did...

    spacers first - $100 for parts, installed myself, but the full kits require you to place a pad under the plate, so that means removing spring so if you pay to do it, add another $100-$200 easy


    5100's - on sale at deep south, think i paid $375 for both front and rear, again installed myself, used oem springs, if you pay to have it done prepare for a shock, probably $250 labor

    honestly, rear 5100's are a little too soft for me, the front was very similar to the spacers. the 5100's did perform a little better though, but in both cases i found the oem spring was way to compressed, spring would bottom out too easy, like the coils would touch each other, and again if ya have anything on the front, heavy bumper, steel bull bar etc it (100lbs or so) drops at least an inch, that makes it worse

    now i have ironman coils and shocks up front, i think it was max $800 for parts, again install myself, coils are longer and stiffer, no bottoming, better ride, and with 300 or so lbs on front, it dropped... well see pic...


    long story short, i spent $100 for spacers, $375 for 5100's, did all work myself, if i would have paid to have done would have been $100 + $375 + $200 + $200 (easy) so $975

    and doing it right was somewhere in the $800 range for parts

    just stating the obvious...

    compressing the oem springs, if you do any flexing the coils will compress till they are touching

    as for the back, i am sending the 5100's to the scrap yard soon as i find some stiffer shocks i like, they are good off-road, but high speed cornering they are not too good, now that i have the front tuned to work great on and off road, during high speed cornering the back leans more and causes a drift. through it all i had blocks in the back, i bought AAL from EndlessSummer this week plan to install this weekend, should also help alot

    long story short, if you can do install yourself, just skip to coil overs with longer springs, heavier rated if you have any extra weight on the front.

    also try to go little less than 3" max, less stress on oem suspension.


    hope that helps

    cheers,
    disco

    SAM_2890.jpg
    SAM_2903.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014
  11. Apr 26, 2014 at 3:39 AM
    #11
    avw4x4

    avw4x4 Well-Hung Member

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    ...loading....
    :eek:

    Wow man, I figured you had coilovers or something in there. Your truck is a beast!

    That's awesome to see just how capable fairly stock suspension really is!
     
  12. Apr 26, 2014 at 12:10 PM
    #12
    doughboy

    doughboy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    thanks all for the replies.

    I have a question regarding coil spring bottoming. (when you say bottoming, does it mean coil is fully compressed or fully extended?)

    Please correct me if I'm wrong, if you set the 5100 at 2.5", doesn't the spring stay the same as say setting it at 0"? I mean, it is not compressing the coil 2.5", because if it does, then there would not be a 2.5" lift right? and setting at 2.5" will simply extend the part below the spring seat 2.5" more to give the lift right?

    I'm trying to understand why setting at 2.5" bottoms out the coil compared to stock shock? wouldn't the travel up or down still be exactly the same distance, only stiffer? or at least extending the coil will be 2.5" less since the 5100 is pre-extended 2.5"? but the compression distance will still be the same?
    I assume the ride is stiffer at 2.5" due to the progressive feature of the 5100 since it is set to start travel at 2.5"?

    Regarding the picture showing the front dipping 3/4" with driver inside.
    isn't it just the coil that determines how much it will drop? I mean if a driver gets in the seat, it is the coil that determines how low the front will go down, and has nothing to do with the shock right? So if I am still using the stock coil, I will get exactly the same drop when I get in the driver seat, regardless if it is oem shock or 5100 set at 2.5" right? the shock only dampens the coil during bounce and settles where the coil is at equilibrium right?

    thanks.
     
  13. Apr 26, 2014 at 2:16 PM
    #13
    hyper86z

    hyper86z Active Member

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    ^^^^^ :thumbsup:
    me so worried
    my truck is daily driver almost 150 miles everyday with 400~500lb load in the bed occasionally.
    i just want to be a badass without a problem.
    also i really like the stock ride i wanna keep it if possible.:D:D:D
     
  14. Apr 26, 2014 at 2:32 PM
    #14
    discoy2k

    discoy2k Well-Known Member

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    its the extra tension put on the coil when you add the extra distance between the control arm and top cup. the control arm is going to pushed further down, so it will lift the truck of course, but the extra tension from the control arm puts a bind on the oem springs because they were not designed for that setup. not saying they are not good springs, just that your changing the parameters. so if there is already a load on the spring it takes alot less to compress it all the way and have the coils get to where they touch and 'bottom out'. the coil-over after market springs are a little longer, wider across, have more coils and designed to be under the extra load. so they are more or less 'at home' when installed vs oem are in a 'foreign land' i guess you could say.

    ask some of the guys how much you have to force the control arm down install any lift, there is some serious tension there. i use a jack.

    i may be wrong, but from engineering stand point and what i have seen thats the case

    as far as keeping the oem ride, not sure if it is 100% possible without installing a full lift kit with drops, etc. but dont get me wrong, if you do use the 5100's the ride is not horrible by any means under normal driving conditions. i would not lose sleep over it, when i had them installed i comuted 45 miles each way, everyday, its when your off-road or hitting big pot holes, etc that you notice the issues. if you are not going to do the install yourself, your looking at roughly $400 or so for all 4 5100's and another $200-$250 for labor at most shops vs buying already put together 'easy install' or whatever you want to call it coil overs for not much more money and those you should be able to do at home. or if a shop does install should be very cheap.

    WHATEVER you decide to do, when you get it aligned buy the the life time alignment package, may cost like $150-$200 depending on where you go, but trust me, if you keep playing with the suspension you will make up the extra cost REALLY fast because of the many times you bring it in :)




    cheers,
    disco

    3.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014
  15. Apr 26, 2014 at 3:17 PM
    #15
    doughboy

    doughboy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    thanks disco for the detailed explanation.

    I went out to look at the suspension and have a few more questions.

    I can see that if the 5100 is set to 2.5" to add the lift, the upper control arm will move higher and make it "fold down" (for lack of better term) further. A longer coil will do the exact same thing to the upper control arm right? but what you are saying is the longer spring will provide more force to hold the body up compared to the stock coil, right? The lower control arm is not affected by lifting right? since it looks like it stays in the same position regardless.

    So there is a 3" lift limit before the upper control arm becomes too short to reach down and not hit the coil?

    lifetime alignment is not voided if you are messing around with the suspension right? I think the local firestore charges $80 for standard alignment and $170 for lifetime alignment.
     
  16. Apr 26, 2014 at 6:00 PM
    #16
    doughboy

    doughboy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    ok, I think I'll do 4 5100 with front set to 2.5 + AAL + alignment. I'll be doing this myself. I've done strut and half shaft replacements on my other cars.

    The 4 5100 will cost around $350 with tax.

    I'm thinking of getting AAL from ebay, $48 shipped. Its just a piece of metal with a hole in the middle and some bolts right? how different can it be compared to the one toytech or others sell for $80? probably all came from the same supplier. The ebay seller sells 40-50 of these aal a month and I did not see any bad review, so seems ok.

    I figure total cost around $500 + set of new tires.
     
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  17. Apr 26, 2014 at 6:27 PM
    #17
    HomerTaco

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    If you want a better ride in the rear get a progressive AAL
     
  18. Apr 26, 2014 at 6:45 PM
    #18
    doughboy

    doughboy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    good point.
    can you recommend one?

    thanks.
     
  19. Apr 26, 2014 at 6:47 PM
    #19
    HomerTaco

    HomerTaco also HomerTaco Vendor

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    this is what I've got. :)
     
  20. Apr 26, 2014 at 8:57 PM
    #20
    doughboy

    doughboy [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I like it.
    did you remove the overload leaf or left it in?

    mine currently only has 2 leaf + the overload leaf (no tsb).
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014

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