what are the stock shocks on the 2018 off-road?

what are the stock shocks on the 2018 trd or? are they the Bilstein 4600s? can't seem to find a straight answer and I swear I googled. it doesn't help that the Bilstein part numbers don't seem to have any relation to the model number...

also, is it true what some say about how the 4600s are pretty much identical to the 5100s, just that the 5100s are lifted?

 

5100's are adjustable, 4600's are not. Otherwise identical.

 

5100s are much beefier also, nearly double the thickness of the 4600s..

 

No, stock bilstein shocks are not 4600s, you will see a lot of people on here say they are, because they are the same color... 4600s and 5100s both use a 46mm piston. Stock bilsteins and 5100s are significantly different size diameter.

5100 and 4600 use the same size 46mm piston.

 

Oh, didn't know they both has the same size piston. But in my first post I was referring to diameter, guess technically not the same thing as beefiness/thickness.

 

Do the stock shocks have a Bilstein model number then? and are the 4600s just drop in and go replacement for the stock TRDs?

 

Likely don't have a Bilstein number. Yes the 4600 will swap straight in.

 

Sub'd

 

After all this discussion I still do not know which model they are.

 

They're a 36 mm piston shock built by Bilstein to Toyota specs that are painted to look like a 4600. To my knowledge, they do not have an off the shelf, 4600/5100 designation from Bilstein.

The earlier posts regarding the 4600/5100 diameter were confusing the OEM shock with a 4600. 5100 and 4600 use the same diameter piston.

 

Thanks @T6A1C9O so would a off the shelf 4600/5100 set provide any benefits if replaced with? Straight replacement or mod needed to do so?

 

The 4600 and 5100 are both valved a good bit stiffer in compression and rebound than the stock shocks and have more oil capacity (~60% more volume per unit of length). This will mean a stiffer, more controlled ride with the ability to take a little more abuse offroad. Mind you, they're still not a high performance shock, just a step up from stock.

Between the two I would probably skip the 4600 and just get the 5100. The finish looks nicer and will be less susceptible to chipping/rusting and you can adjust their height later if you decide to level/lift. Both will bolt straight into the stock location, using the stock springs.

 

So Toyota just does what Ford used to do with their Ranchos. Spray painted and branded their own product. :-/

 

Thanks again @T6A1C9O for the info! Very helpful. I get your point to just go straight to the 5100's. And I'm particularly interested in your comment about, if I added the 5100's then I could 'adjust their height later if decide to level/lift'. As a matter of fact, my plan is to add a lift a little down the road, so it sounds like by adding the 5100's, this would kind of be the first 'piece' to that, is that right?

 

Not a problem.

Depending on how big a lift you're planning on adding, you can do the F/R shocks now and then actually lift later.

For the front, you can either adjust the spring perch on the shock to pick up the front end or replace the stock spring win an Old Man Emu coil. I have the 5100s up front on the second from bottom perch (level with rear) and it's a little stiffer than I would like around town, to be honest. Feels decent on the highway though and is definitely more controlled than OEM.

For the rear, if you go with the stock length 5100, down the road, you are limited to either an add a leaf or a 1" block (no full spring pack replacements as you are limited by the shock's extended length). There is an extended travel (RCD) version of the 5100 for the rear that allows you to run a full leaf pack and provides ~2" more travel than the stock shock, but it cannot be run at stock height without risk of bottoming it out (compressed length is too long). For the record, I have 5160s with stock springs in the rear. These are little more expensive than the 5100s but can be run at stock height and still tolerate something like a Dakar spring pack.