3rd gen 5100's w/ AAL

I'm not sure EMU makes shocks. If your just wanting to level, 5100's set at 1.1" are a great option. This can be done using your stock springs. I think the 887 are close to stock and folks purchase them because they can purchase the struts pre assembled with the springs. Honestly, using the factory coils isn't a big deal and will keep the Bilstein warranty. My alignment place was only going to charge me $50 per side to install the 5100's but I wanted to do the work myself.

 

Personally, I feel. Like these trucks are damn near level right from the start so I wouldn't lift the front and not the rear. Even if you do 5100's on the first notch I'd say you should do at least a 1/2" rear block if not a 1" one.

 

Hopefully this post will help some people out…


Bilstein 5100’s set to the 5th notch on stock springs. Rear is Icon AAL with the headstrong offroad 1/2” shim for an additional 1/2” of lift.

I can confirm that the 5th notch on stock springs provides almost exactly 2” of lift. I previously had the 2” Rough Country leveling pucks, which are just a 2” thick piece of metal. The ride height is identical with these Bilsteins as far as I can tell. A few times it has looked like the front may be a tiny bit lower than 2” but if so, it’s probably only by a 1/4 of an inch. That also could have just been because I was not parked on level ground.

As you can see in the pics, this is a good setup if you want your truck completely level with some weight on the back. The bed is unloaded in this pic; so there is about 150 pounds on the rear (weight of the ARE shell).

 

My truck most definitely was not close to level when I got it, it had a very noticeable nose dive rake.

 

Not mine.

 

Same here. Night of purchase of my truck…



As you can see from my previous post, it’s much different now lol

 

Yeah man, I’ve got 2” pucks but they were a gift, I’ll be pulling them soon, but it sits a bit taco now because I never did an AAL

 

I ran them for a while as well, I know everyone hates on them but they did exactly what I needed until I saved up the cash for the Bilsteins.

 

Precisely. It’s just not good on the suspension for off road in the long run. Mall crawlers don’t count.

 

I agree. A 2/1 lift(2" front/1" rear) seems to provide a slightly higher looking front to me.

 

You could always measure

 

I could..... but my perception trumps actual measurements. My truck looks level to me but my rear fenders measure 38" while my front fenders measure 37". If I raised my front 1" so that my fender heights were the same, then my front would look high to me. I'll admit that this is my opinion.

 

You think that looks level?

 

Like I said... my perception. Apparently you don't. I'm in the minority considering the TRD lift makes the truck "level".

 

My wife says I can hang pictures straight so who knows lmao

 

Oh man, when my wife and I hang pictures, I get out the laser level... quite often the laser level and I loose.

 

My wife bought me a bunch of mini levels for hanging pictures…I still can’t do it right

 

Your not alone.

As far as the truck stance goes. I'll admit that I like a little rake and so a level truck to me looks a little high in the front.

 

That’s where my truck sits right now

 

I ditched my stock coils that sagged a bit and went with Dobinsons 314 on my 5100’s on 2nd circ clip to compensate for 100lbs of weight. Rides great