Bilstein 5100 to soften Sport?

i just bought a sport DCSB 4x4 and want to soften the ride. The sport does not take bumps and potholes really well. OffRoad was not an option, all we get in Mexico are Sport. I was thinking of installing just the 5100s on 0 setting and later on, if I need lift or put on some weight, think about springs and leafs. Would that work?

 

In my experience, the springs and shocks are good. It's the sway bar that sucks, esp for uneven bumps. Try pulling it off and take it for a drive? You have to pull it completely off as the end will hit and tear the CVs if you just disconnect one end link.

 

Hi, I have a sport and also didn't like how it took bumps and potholes. I installed 5100 in the 0 setting a little over a year ago and it has improved my overall ride. No regrets installing 5100s

 

Speaking of the sway bar, do you know of anyone who has tried swapping the sport sway bar for the thinner offroad sway bar? I'm considering trying it if I can find a local offroad sway bar for cheap. Wondering how much difference it will make.

 

Buy some TRD OR takeoffs. They’re softer and you can probably get them for cheaper than new 5100’s. My 5100’s ride comparable to a sport, they aren’t soft.

 

The 5100's was a night and day difference on mine. I don't get the hard jarring that I used to get with the factory shocks installed.

 

No. I have not heard of anyone that tried it. Good idea though.

I did get to drive an MT OR that had a stock suspension and honestly feel that it with the sway bar is pretty close to a Sport without one. Maybe a bit more brake dive, but that wasn't as bad to me as folks seem to say?

A check ride without the sway bar is a $0.00 effort, but it convinced me for both on and off road ride and handling. Mallcrawling even!


It is funny that on my last car (FWD turbo MT), I replaced a coat hanger rear sway bar with a 7/8in mutha. It made the handling neutral tending toward oversteer. Just perfect in that application other than when some exceptionally shitty Dunlops went to shit in the rain. That thing probably changed the weight distribution a bit also. Hahaha!

 

5100s are yikes. way stiffer than my oem shocks.

 

Just get OEM TRD OR takeoffs for cheap. I have a TRD OR and hate how soft it is. That being said, I like stiffer suspension.

 

That is the funny thing. Sports have 700lb springs (oops!) that folks will install for lifts.

 

Hah thats crazy. I honestly think its the yellow bilstein shocks that make them so soft

 

Sorry! I fixed my post. That should have been springs.

The ORs are supposed to be 650lb springs, I believe? I also don't know if the stock springs on either are linear or progressive.

 

Ah I have no idea. I put 265/75/16s on my offroad and the shocks can barely handle them and they are not even a full inch taller than stock. Its squirrely. I cant imagine how it rides for folks who do the spacer route

 

That is interesting since I am considering 265/70R17s to replace the stock Toyos. Probably similar to 16s, there are more choices in that size.

There is a lot of talk about the steering rack, but I was wondering about wheel bearings when running spacers and negative offsets. LT seems to be the proper route, but that is big $$$.

 

you just opened up a whole different can of worms. So, the OF sway bar IS softer than Sport? if so, it might be a good compromise to removing it altogether.

and back to the 5100, i will be doing some off roading to go camping. nothing extreme, no RTT or anyting heavy. im guessing 5100 are better than TRD OR shocks, without having to blow up my budget on fancy shocks.

 

Yes. The Sport SB is much stiffer.

 

5100s are still digressive though right.

 

I could see the steering rack being a cause to the weirness in driving. My wife drives a 100 series land cruiser and its about twice the size as the one on the tacoma

 

I try to hold my tongue there because I am stoked to not have electric PS on the Taco. LCs are just designed and built differently though. I have a soft spot for the old ones.

 

I would be hesitant to remove the sway bar altogether. You can install disconnects or go with a more flexible bar, but you don’t want to find yourself having to make an emergency maneuver at highway speeds with no sway bar.