"Best" shocks for stock ride height?

I am trying to find out the difference between aftermarket shocks for my 2008 2.7l AC 4x4. It has about 85k miles and the shocks need to be replaced. I don't plan on lifting it.

That said, what is the difference between the shock options? All literature seems to mention "better" or "smoother", etc. Aside from specifying that some are designed for lift kits, and appear to use more durable components, I can't find anything specific.

Specifically, I am looking for shocks with stiffer compression damping. I see that everyone loves the Bilstein 5100, but quality aside, how do they differ from the stock black shocks?

Any clarification would help. Thanks.

 

For stock I would get the Bilstein 4600 HD series. It has a nice firm but comfortable ride . I am running them on my stock rear 2nd Gen . I have the 5100s up front because I have leveled it with OEM coils. Hope this helps .

 

There really isn't a big difference between them. One allows you to use them to lift and is *slightly* longer. For on road driving you really won't notice a difference between the two if they're both in good condition.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bilstein-4600s-new.390710/