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

Leave the overload.

 

I did the same on my wife's FJ! I wasted a bunch of money trying different lifts. The last setup cost me around $1000. It was bilsteins with procomp springs. (Highly recommended by the "super geniuses" at 4Wheel Parts) The lift was great looking but rode like shit and performed the same.

Sold the lift for a $400 loss and went with Icon extended travel at $1400. The new setup is completely amazing!!! Better ride than stock, better performance than I could dream of.

There may be cheaper options that are acceptable but in the end you spend more money by doing it over and over. Just save your pennies and buy what is best the first time. Don't throw your wallet away like I and many others here have done.

 

Subbed. Good info here, pretty much answered all my questions

 

got this pic from your build thread. the left leaf is the one with progressive aal right? so you move the aal to a new 2012 leaf pack? you also changed the shackles?

 

That is correct, I reused the AAL when I changed up to a newer set of rear leafs..
The shackle however is the stock shackle.
A shackle flip kit changes how the shackle mounts but not the shackle itself.
When I redo my rear suspension I will be changing to a banana shackle.

 

subd

 

Trd sport using stock coils and 5100s all around front set to 2.5 and 1.5 aal non tsb. Love the ride, way better than stock! Only problem now is that your just gonna wannt to go higher!!!

 

so just go with icon set up in the front? if i can afford it?
what's the difference between icon extended travel coilovers and regular coilovers?

 

btw your truck looks badassssss

 

did you remove mudflaps for looks or because of rub?
what bullbar is that?
which 1.5aal did you get?

 

Took off mud flaps a while back for looks. Running 265/70/17 and never had rubbing problems with or without the 1.25 wheel spacers

Its the westin bull bar without the skid plate painted with truck liner

I bought the aal from toytec
http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com...af-for-Tacoma-with-rear-TSB-springs_p_16.html

 

This was my last truck at 2.5" in the front and 1.5" in the rear. It worked, but it was stiff. Plus I was in need of UCA's. Looked good though. My current truck I run it at 1.75" to avoid the UCA's.

 

I got the 5100's both front and rear sitting in my garage with 1.25 Spidertrax spacers. I'm debating on which height to go with, (1.75 or 2.5) I have a 2010 TRD sport 4x4 dbl cab long box running factory 17" rims and 265 65 17s. Are you having any alignment or UCA issues at 2.5? Am I gonna be nose high running stock rear leafs and Billy's. I've read so much today my eyes are bleeding. I like your set up. I don't off road and I only haul my wife, kids and hockey bag. This is purely cosmetic. Any help would be great. I'm itching to install these parts.

 

I did and love it. Super smooth, Toyota should have put them on from the factory.

 

2.5" will be nose high with stock rear leafs.

For the 5100 settings. Count your rear leaf springs. If you have 3 leafs (2+1), then .85" is the setting you want. If you have 4 leafs (3+1), then you want the 1.75" setting. Even at 1.75" it may look a little nose high depending on your truck.

5100 settings are 0", .85", 1.75", and 2.5".

You can also measure the height difference from front to rear and use the measurement for your 5100 setting. For example, if the rear is 1.5" higher, than you would go with the .85" setting.

 

First post to TW. Long time lurker and I've learned a lot here. Thanks to everyone for sharing your knowledge and experience.
This is the first time i've felt like I have something to contribute... My first mod was Billies on stock sport coils set to 2.5". Worst thing I ever did to my truck. Looked great but rode terribly. The smallest bump jarred the truck. The ride quality really suffered. The interior and dash rattles and itching was unbearable. I put up with it for about a year until I installed OME 885x coils, Icon UCA's, and set the Billies to zero and my truck is plush now. I wish I would've done that from the beginning. If you're considering just installing 5100's and setting them to 2.5", DON'T. Spend the extra money and do it right. You'll thank yourself for it in the long run.

 

Thanks for the info Matt. I have not done the mod yet, waiting for my tires to wear out some more (currently 57k on the stock tires) then I'll do this all at once. replace tires one size larger and the lift.

Since you have done this, can you explain why the ride is harder if set to 2.5"? My thinking is, setting it to 2.5" will limit the wheel travel going down (I think I read there is just 1" of travel down left), like a large pothole. But why will it affect the travel going up (like hitting a speed bump)? I don't think there should be any difference, and I think that is what the bilstein's videos on youtube are saying. Or is travel not the issue here? perhaps since the shock will be compressed starting at 2.5", and it is designed to be progressive, it starts out stiff right away?

I think Homer set his to 2.5" with stock coil and uca. I don't think he commented on the ride for front, just that the progressive aal in rear will give a better ride.

with ome885, you now get your full 3" lift, that is why you needed uca. I don't think it was needed at 2.5" right? I have a 4x4 Trd OR, so I will still not get a full 3" lift even with 885 coil.

I may just set mine to 1.75. I don't think it is a big deal to have the rear higher for me. I mean, we are only talking about 1" difference for a distance from front to back wheels of about 130", so that's an inclination of 0.44 degrees. heck I did not even know the rear is higher until I read it here in TW.

thanks

 

I'm sure the OME w/ 885's is a superior ride. I was just looking for a little lift & the 5100's on stock coils set at 2.25 rides way better than stock IMO.

It's really all about how much you want to spend.

I'll be completely rebuilding my suspension this summer and going w/ Fox coil overs and TC UCA's with a Dakar pack in the rear.

I really wanted to see if it was possible to do 35's with a minimal lift and still be able to wheel the damn thing.

 

Doughboy, im no suspension guru but I believe the main reason that the 2.5" setting on the 5100's was so bad for me was that the coils were preloaded. The rough ride was caused by the stiffened coil due to the preload. I'm assuming that the suspension travel had nothing to do with the rattles and jarring. Those symptoms were caused by the preload.

 

thanks. I think that is the same explanation from disco.
I'll certainly keep that under advisement when I decide on what to get.