Bilstein 5100 stock coils 17’ Tacoma OR

Is anyone running bilstein 5100’s with stock coils on 16’ or 17’ OR. If so what height are you getting and how is the ride quality? Trying to run 5100’s with stock coils on lowest setting. Any pics?

 

I am running mine at the 4th notch which is 1.55 inches. The ride is great. Similar to stock offroad shocks but the regress is more controlled as oppose to bouncy

 

Are you using stock coils or aftermarket?

 

It’s gonna ride the same as stock. Lowest setting will put you at stock height, higher you go on setting the stiffer the ride.

 

Stock coils

 

Naw bro, that's whack

 

Just looking to get close to level without using a spacer.

 

Stock coils 2nd setting .65 will get you close to level with out the reverse rake.
1.1 3rd setting gunna give you reverse rake. Trust me

 

I have 5100’s set on 3rd notch on stock coils - 1-1/2” lift originally with that, (I am at 1-1/4” now with time and added armor). And I added a single Deaver AAL with 5100’s in back with the same amount of lift.

The ride is great, on and off-road, even before I added a set of sliders. I just recently added steel Mobtown skids, also, and it still rides well. The armor brought it back down less than 1/4” in front, so I’m at 1-1/4” lift now, but the ride is still good and the truck is even when I tow my trailer.

Note: I purchased the 5100’s and single leaf on a great recommendation from @HeadStrong Off-Road. They also pointed out that that one should not run 5100’s on the highest setting in front with stock coils (it also does not recommend this in the 5100 instructions for the stock Tacoma springs).

 

Any vibrations up front?

 

Stock leaf springs in the back?

 

Yes but added a 1 inch block. Slight rake with about 3/4 of an inch higher in rear

 

I have the older version, before they adjusted for the 16+ Tacoma, so basically the 2nd gen’s 5100. For me the first notch put me at just under an inch, about 0.85”. Rides basically same as stock, maybe a little less nose dive under braking. The new 5100 that they adjusted for the 3rd gen accounts for the changes to the suspension, so you can actually use the full range of height adjustment on the strut. On the older ones, like I have, if you went up to like the 3rd or 4th setting you would be bottoming the strut out all the time. The newer version afaik there wasn’t any change to the valving so my experience with ride quality should apply to the new version. Honestly, changing to LT tires had more effect on ride quality than swapping to 5100’s did, in a good way, now the truck rides more like a truck

The 5100’s do have a larger tube, so I think probably more oil, which means they may take a little longer before overheating if you are running them hard and fast for extended period of time.

 

You mean the bearing issue? No, but now that you’ve asked and made me say that...

But really, it only seems to happen at over 2” and a lot of people don’t get it even then.

 

I wonder if anyone has ever made external clamp-on tubular heat sink fins for them? Seeing that they are a monotube shock, something to disperse heat like small fins would work to cool down the oil more when attached to the outside wall, but really- all that is for driving fast offroad, the 5100 monotube walls are perfect for weekend offroading, ivenused them backcountry in Death Valley during the summer with no problems.

 

Thanks,looking for appx 1.5'' lift..Yours looks great..I'm tring to avoid the bearing issue..

 

Call @HeadStrong Off-Road , good info and prices.

 

Thanks..

 

Sure, Marie at HS really helped me, so I’m just passsing it along.

By the way- in the rear, I also left the overload and just used a single leaf Deaver. There are other options out there, I was specifically setting up for towing, carrying heavier loads and offroading. Air bags are good for leveling for towing too, but they dont strengthen the springs like adding a leaf does and they limit flex in the rear for off-roading.

 

I had the vibrations about 6 months after 5100 install when it started getting colder outside and im only at 1.55 inches. Replaced with the ECGS bushing and it immediately fixed the "rumble strip" vibrations. Its a toss up on whose needle bearing fails and whose doesnt it seems