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Bilstein 5100 + OME 881 Question

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by TacoBlitz, Nov 1, 2010.

  1. Nov 1, 2010 at 2:15 AM
    #1
    TacoBlitz

    TacoBlitz [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Topper, Yakima Racks, Yakima Loadwarrior roof basket (lights all around) 20% window tint (all 4 doors), Spectre ProFab Air Intake System, Black grille, Rino Lined rocker panels, rear bumper and flares Suspension: New OME 881 coils and OME 5 leaf rear springs, Blilstein shocks and struts, Daystar Greasable lift shackels Extended rear brake line
    I plan to mount a Bilstein 5100 adjustable strut and a OME 881 coil-spring together on my 2001 6cyl. TRD Double Cab. Is this a good idea? I heard that joining a TRD coil on those bilsteins (at the 2.5'' preload) will give a very firm ride. So, if a OME 881 coil spring is joined with a Bilstien strut at the 0 preload setting it should give a nice ride + a certain amount of lift, right? If anyone has any better suggestions to give me the lift that I want, that would be great too.

    Thanks for your opinion.
     
  2. Nov 1, 2010 at 2:59 AM
    #2
    Matic

    Matic The "OFG" Baby!!!

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    OME 881 coils with OME nitrochargers shocks up front. TC UCA's OME Dakars with extra leaf in the rear. Warn 8000 winch with 80ft custom braided synth line. Custom 60ft synth extension. All pro tube bumper, Hi-lift jack, Safari Snorkel, Wilco tiregate. 2019 Jeep JLUR.
    The 881's are almost gonna give you 3inches in the front. 2.75 if you leave the .5 spacer off. I would go with one or the other. Both are gonna give you 2.75 so why pay for 2 lifts?
    Go with the one 881's and the stock tokicos or stock bullies or go with the 5100's.
     
  3. Nov 1, 2010 at 3:10 AM
    #3
    Brunes

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    Inside: Tint, Wet Okole 1/2 Piped Red/Black Covers, Black Weathertech Digital Fit Mats, URD Short Throw w/ TWM Weighted Knob, USA Spec iPod adapter. Outside: 4300K Retro w/ Angel Eyes and Red Shrouds, 5000K Blazer Fog Light Retrofit, Debadge, Bed Locking Handle, Satin Black Rims Performance: TRD/Steigmeier Blower w/ 2.7 Pulley. 668 Injectors and 320 LPH AEM Fuel pump. URD UCON and 7th Injector. DTLT Headers, URD Y-Pipe, Wicked Flow Muffler. Suspension: Both: OME Shocks Front: 886X's and TC UCAs Rear: Dakars Armor: Relentless Front Bumper Relentless High Clearance Rear w/ Tire/Rotopax Swing Out Relentless Front, Mid, and TCase skids BAMF Diff Skid Recovery and Spares: Fullsize Spare Tire 2x2 gal Rotopax 1x1 gal Rotopax 1x1 gal Water Rotopax Warn 9.5XP-S Winch Hi-Lift Extreme 60" Ironman Off-Road Recovery Kit
    I would not use 881s with the stock shocks. The springs will over power the shocks. The 5100s are a better shock, so even at the 0 setting they are an improvement over stock.
    You could get the OME shocks too...but that's the only thing I might do different.
     
  4. Nov 1, 2010 at 3:21 AM
    #4
    Matic

    Matic The "OFG" Baby!!!

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    OME 881 coils with OME nitrochargers shocks up front. TC UCA's OME Dakars with extra leaf in the rear. Warn 8000 winch with 80ft custom braided synth line. Custom 60ft synth extension. All pro tube bumper, Hi-lift jack, Safari Snorkel, Wilco tiregate. 2019 Jeep JLUR.
    I've been running the stock tokicos for over 2 yrs now with 881's. Not sure how you get that the springs will" overpower" the shocks. I get a nice, firm ride. Albiet I could use a bit more weight up front (I.e winch) to soften things up. Seems like a waste of money to buy and use 2 different 2.75 lifts. How bout just a standard billie to go with the 881's?
     
  5. Nov 1, 2010 at 3:38 AM
    #5
    Brunes

    Brunes abides.

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    I don't see how more weight will soften things up...That's going to compress the spring more which will make the whole things stiffer imo.
    And @ the 0 setting- 5100s are and standard shock. They are valved better then the stockers and overall a better quality.
    Like I said...I would pair OME with OME....They are built to complement each other.
     
  6. Nov 1, 2010 at 4:13 AM
    #6
    Matic

    Matic The "OFG" Baby!!!

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    OME 881 coils with OME nitrochargers shocks up front. TC UCA's OME Dakars with extra leaf in the rear. Warn 8000 winch with 80ft custom braided synth line. Custom 60ft synth extension. All pro tube bumper, Hi-lift jack, Safari Snorkel, Wilco tiregate. 2019 Jeep JLUR.
    Well the 881's are the mediums. They need weight on them for a smoother ride. I guess like how your truck drives on an empty tank of gas compared to a full tank. Its pretty stiff for a medium spring. I agree though I would just maybe go with a ome shock or standard billie.
     
  7. Nov 1, 2010 at 7:19 AM
    #7
    twfsa

    twfsa Well-Known Member

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    881 Front coils, Bilstien 5100's all the way front set to "0" Icon Dynamic's mini leafs in rear, stock tires.
    I have the 881's and 5100's @0 and that give's you a nice ride and 2.0 inches of lift.
     
    chrispchicken9 likes this.
  8. Nov 1, 2010 at 12:34 PM
    #8
    MTgirl

    MTgirl too many frogs, not enough princes... Moderator

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    Ditto for me. The shop that put my front end on messed up the first time and had the 5100's at the highest setting. Ride was crappy not to mention unsafe. Once the shcoks were dropped to 0 all was well. 881's and 5100's work best in the 0 setting.
     
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  9. Nov 1, 2010 at 12:38 PM
    #9
    steve o 77

    steve o 77 braaap

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    x2
     
  10. Nov 1, 2010 at 5:48 PM
    #10
    scocar

    scocar hypotenoper

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    x3.

    What are you doing with the back end? Anything? If it is still stock, you are likely going to be nose high with the bro look. Just sayin.
     
  11. Nov 1, 2010 at 7:22 PM
    #11
    Janster

    Janster Old & Forgetful

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    I had 881's and OME shocks on my 96 - gave 2" of lift. I liked the ride of the OME's struts. Just not sure how they compare in price to the 5100's.
     
  12. Nov 1, 2010 at 7:26 PM
    #12
    pittim

    pittim mittip backwards

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    I'd go OME springs with OME shocks.
     
  13. Nov 1, 2010 at 8:25 PM
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    steve o 77

    steve o 77 braaap

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    OME is more expensive.
     
  14. Nov 1, 2010 at 8:36 PM
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    pittim

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    OMEs are $40 more.

    I just think that an OME spring would work better with an OME shock, since they more than likely were built to work together, whereas that might not be the case with an OME spring and a Bilstein shock.
     
  15. Nov 2, 2010 at 2:44 AM
    #15
    TacoBlitz

    TacoBlitz [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So you guys are saying that it is not worth getting the 1500s on the front?
    My front struts are shot right now, so I am going to have to replace them no matter what. so I figured that I might as well upgrade to the 1500s but now I am kinda worried that it won't even be worth it.

    And I plan on getting the OME 5 leaf springs for the back with bilstein 1500s also. The 5 leaf springs are supposed to give 1.5 in. of lift. Would this work with what I am going to do with the front?
     
  16. Nov 2, 2010 at 2:57 AM
    #16
    TacoBlitz

    TacoBlitz [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you all so much for your help by the way.
     
  17. Nov 2, 2010 at 6:33 AM
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    Janster

    Janster Old & Forgetful

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    It's totally up to you. You don't have to run 5100's. You can run whatever strut you want.

    The reason why the 5100's are so popular is because they are adjustable and can give you lift with your stock coils. Since you're already running 881 coils (lift coils), you shouldn't adjust the 5100's at all (set at ZERO) - so that defeats the purpose of them. If you do adjust them for more lift, you have to be really careful because you can put too much pressure on the coil seat and it can break (I've seen this kind of thing happen).

    So in a nutshell.....the adjustability of the 5100's is useless to you if you have lift coils. You can still buy them and enjoy them, but I wouldn't adjust them higher than the ZERO setting.

    You could shop around for an equivalent non-adjustable bilstein shock and save yourself a few bucks.... it's up to you.
     
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  18. Nov 2, 2010 at 7:31 AM
    #18
    MTgirl

    MTgirl too many frogs, not enough princes... Moderator

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    I currently have 5100's and 881's on the front (gave about 2" of lift) and I couldn't be happier with the ride. The only issue with pairing the OME coils with the Bilstein shocks would be if you intend to have the 5100's set at the highest level. At that point the coils are so compressed that you are risking damage to the shocks.
    I also have new leaf springs - Wheeler's/Alcan and not OME - and got about 2" of lift from them as well. My truck is just about level now, just a slight rake.
     
  19. Nov 2, 2010 at 7:44 AM
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    sledder

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    Hi MTgirl - I just got a '99 TRD xtracab and the rear leafs + AAL + shocks are pretty worn out and giving a harsh ride right now. Was looking at the Wheeler's/Alcan setup as well. What shock did you go with? What is your ride quality like unloaded on surface streets? Is that slight rake front to back still or back to front? Many thanks!
     
  20. Nov 2, 2010 at 9:02 AM
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    scocar

    scocar hypotenoper

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    What Janster said.

    And, what you say you want to do will work fine. 881s and 1.5 leafs will make your truck as level as possible, and just put the same kind of shocks on all four corners.

    It isn't a matter of 5100s "not being worth it." They are a fine shock, and have the added ability to raise the front of the truck when used with the stock Tacoma coils, which are a lower rating (375 lb ) than the OME 881s (500 lb).

    It is important that you use a shock that has the correct length/range of motion to operate without bottoming out on compression or extension. The OME 881s are of couse longer than the stock coils. Both the 5100 and of course the OME Nitrocharger shock will work.

    If lifting the rear, as you indicate, you should try to use the same basic shock on all four wheels so the valving is the same, and therefore handling is roughly the same.

    If price (worth it?) is a factor for you, you can get the 5100s for a great deal from Downsouth Motor Sports, which has a discount code for TW members. I am not sure of the exact amount, because I did not get mine from there.

    OME Nitrochargers are more expensive. If, for example, you bought all the shocks from Wheelers, the front OME nitorchargers would be $88 more for the pair than 5100s, and the rears about $40 more for the pair.

    That being said, the OME shocks are engineered and valved specifically to match OME springs, so theoretically, they will provide the "best ride possible" when matched with OME springs on all four corners.

    I am not sure exactly which leafs you are looking at, but if they are not OME, they will not be a so-called "perfect match" with the Nitrochargers. The OME Dakars are a 2.25 lift, and you said 1.5, so I think you may mean the Wheeler's Alcan replacements like steve-o, MTgirl, and I got?

    I can say for certain that my setup is very good, I am very happy with on- and off-road performance, many others have used the same setup and are very happy with it, and it made the truck darn near level. After having to buy my truck unexpectedly after a tree totaled my 93, I had already spent a bunch of money I hadn't planned on. And then I needed tires. And then I needed suspension. Money was starting to matter...
     

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