Bilstein 5100 Information

There isn't always an alignment issue above 2.5".

There is always improvements in alignments from aftermarket UCAs above 2.5".

 

Alignment cams aren't magic. They have a finite amount of adjustment, anything outside of what they can achieve needs UCAs - that tends to be 50/50 odds at 2.5", and significantly worse odds at 3".

Some can do it. Some can't. All who don't need UCAs to get aligned would see a huge benefit if they did have them. The OEMs range can't get them there.

 

1. Saying that it will ride stiffer AND bottom out easier doesn't sense. It will not bottom out easier than stock. A) The shocks have stiffer valving. B) There is more up travel before he hits the bump stop.
2. In my personal experience, lifting my truck with 5100s and stock coils improved handling.
3. Adding longer coils, stiffer valved shocks, and extra leafs will not make this truck ride like a luxury sedan. It simply won't happen.

1. You can't slap 285s on stock wheels and call it good. You will need wheel spacers or different wheels to avoid rubbing the UCA.
2. I had rubbing issues with 285s and a 2.5" lift on the street. Steep driveway and parking lot approaches always caused my tires to rub my fender flares. My tires also rubbed my cab mounts when reversing in full lock. My truck is my DD and I didn't want to start hacking away the fenders and mounts so I went back to 265s.

 

just took 285's off mine and with a 2.5" lift in the front all I had to do was remove mud flaps and trim the very bottom corners of the flares. a lot it also has to do with your wheels and backspacing. I had 17x9 wheels with 4.5" bs no cmc needed or pinch weld hammering cleared fine after the minor trimming and mudflaps.

 

I have 5100's.....But you must know 5100's have the EXACT SAME VALVING as the stock TRD 4600's.......EXACT same. The outer housing is different, and the front shocks do offer adjustability, but internally, they are EXACTLY the same.

 

My Tacoma is lifted 3". 5100's with 885X's and a 1/2" plate spacer on top of that. I have stock UCA's. I got 2.9 degree caster and perfect camber/toe numbers. Truck drives like a dream! I'm now searching for a pet unicorn to go with it.....What I have is EXTREMELY rare. It does happen, but not too often. But it does happen.....That said;

I've installed lifts for other people on a number of gen 2 Tacoma's. (2-1/2" to 3".) They ALL needed UCA's to get decent alignment numbers. I've taken preloaded stock coils off 3 trucks belonging to others. Went back with longer aftermarket coils. FAR better ride. I've also removed OME shocks off the front of one Tacoma, re-installed Bilstien 5100's to get rid of the dreaded OME "clunk". As far as I'm concerned, OME shocks are over-rated. They're OK, just no better than the 5100's in my book. People often associate quality to cost....The more expensive, OBVIOUSLY they're better....... You don't always "get what you pay for".

285/75's will rub....Maybe not on level ground with the wheels pointed straight....but they'll rub if you flex the suspension. Take it off road and really put 'er in a twist, and they'll rub BIG TIME. I know of folks with trucks lifted 4" and had to cut quite a bit to keep 33"'s from grabbing cab mounts, fender flairs, pinch welds, etc....

 

2011 Tacoma TRD 4WD, access cab, long bed....currently all stock. 99.9% of my ride is on roads....the rest is on-roads with snow or on dirt roads. My 4-wheeling days are over. ;-)

Not to hijack the Op's thread, but I'm reading with GREAT interest as I'm considering the Toytec "Bilstein 5100s with coilovers and AAL package." http://toyteclifts.3dcartstores.com...with-Bilstein-5100-Front-Coilovers_p_364.html I would like to go up a wheel/tire size from stock to 265/70R/17. I don't want to look WAY obvious that it's lifted, but I want a "beefier" overall look to the truck over stock. I am curious, since I'm looking at close to $3K by the time I finish this project, as to EVERYTHING that will be required for the project before I get started. I plan to do the majority of bolt-on work myself...no problems there....but in order to maintain the best ride and easiest maintenance, I need to know EVERYTHING that I need. I see several references to replacing the UCAs. I'm hoping to get about 2.5"-3" of lift on front and leveling the rear....do I need new UCAs? If so, what is recommended?

Also, when ordering the wheels, I'm looking at the Black Rhino Tanay and am considering the -12 offset. Keep in mind that I'm quick to understand, but I have no experience modifying a truck, so with what I propose to do, do I need a negative offset, a zero offset or a positive offset for the wheels?

Thanks in advance!!

 

I hope that rides better than the ultimate lift they make at 3".
My buddy had 1 and it rode like a tank.

 

#1 not stiffer shocks... the correctly rated springs! #2 i said the right oem wheels, meaning trail ed. or the like, with extra 5mm spacing... works fine for me.

 

you cant say that putting an extra load on factory suspension doesnt affect anything? and installing longer spring rated for what you are doing does not perform better? i put longer springs, with shocks with proprly spaced spring mounts, not jamming stuff in a space its not supposed to be ... and i tried and used them all... and currently after wasting serious time and money on spacers and 5100's... my tacoma DOES ride better than my sisters GL Mercedese SUV!

 

I went to 265s without a lift and it doesnt rub at all. If thats all you want to go to then any lift or no lift will do fine for you. UCAs are always a good choice though.