Tacoma

This is very confusing. I read somewhere that the valving in the 5100s and the 4600s is exactly the same. Then I've heard others say it is completely different. Nice to hear it from someone running exactly what I am asking about. THANK YOU...

 

I should mention that I have a trd sport 4x4 and not a trd off road 4x4, though. Our stock shocks are a little different. I have hitachi shocks that are meant to give the truck a stiffer-sportier ride, where as you have bilstein 4600s which are designed a little more for offroad so they are a little softer and allow for more wheel articulation/shock travel. That being said, I think I disagree with everyone because my 5100s feel stiffer than the stock hitachis.

 

If that's the case, then I will go back to my old 4600s. I LOVED the ride with them. Very plush. I have an email sent to HeadStrong, where I bought the whole set of 5100s. Hopefully they can give me the skinny on the ride difference.

 

If I were you, unless you can get your money back, I would just set the 5100s to the lowest setting and have extra shock travel, or put on actual lift springs, if you're still going after the lift.
Originally that's what the plan for my truck was, and still is, but like many of the people on this site, I have other stuff to pay for being I keep digging myself into a deeper hole. Don't even bother with blocks for the rear. Anyone who tells you that blocks are okay is kidding themselves. Even a 1" block is bad for your rear axle/driveshaft.

 

Definitely not the same, however running the 5100 at bottom notch or 0.65” is not a bad ride. 5100’s take away all the nose dive under braking and body roll while turning. I have run them at 0, 0.65” and at 1.1” w/stock coil springs. At 0.65” now and it’s the same ride as 0.

 

So the 5100s have more travel than the stock 4600s? Even the rears??

 

Yes they have like a half inch more travel I believe. However, I've done some research/reading on the "bilstein 4600s" that come stock on the off roads and they might not be technically the same as the aftermarket bilstein 4600s. Some people are saying that the ones that come stock are tweaked a little to fit under toyota specs for tacomas specifically so your guess is as good as mine. I've ordered 5100s for my rear and should be getting them in the next couple weeks so i'll let you know, if you can wait, what its like driving at stock height with 5100s.

 

If yours on the 5100s ride a little stiffer than your truck did stock with the Hitachis, then it will REALLY be stiffer than mine with the stock Off Road Bilsteins. Your truck is a TRD Sport and is a stiffer ride from the factory, if I understand things correctly. This is literally driving me crazy. I may just put my stock 4600s back on and install the 1/2" top spacer that Headstrong sells. It will give 1" lift in the front, and call it good. Then I will have my factory Off Road ride back that I really love. And I will have the truck a little closer to level. I doubt Headstrong would take back my 5100s after they've been installed but surely I can sell them thru TW. I also have a 1.5" block for the rear and 1.25" wheel spacers that I just bought. I may sell the whole setup.

 

Is your truck level with this setup?

 

It was maybe 3/4-1” higher in the rear, but I since installed a ARE shell so I’m pretty much level.