5100 bilstein shocks, is it a good shock?

After reading a thread about the 5100 bilstein shocks leaking oil with only 5K miles, it got me thinking. I'm going to buy a toytec 3" lift with bilstein shocks sometime soon. Does anyone that have these shocks had any problems yet? Also is it still a good idea to even buy them once I have the money?

 

out of the very large amount of people with 5100s and 5125s few have had such problems and more than likely from abuse.

 

I do plan on using these shocks for off-road use every once in a while. I don't go crazy but I take holes nice and slow

 

I had a 94 chevy z71 and it came stock with bilsteins and still had them till I lifted it and I used a lift that came with bilsteins and I took it out every weekend and never had a problem out of them

 

60K on mine with no leaks

 

think your talking about the yellow hd series ones.

 

Ok yeah I was wrong it came stock with the yellow hd ones (what I was told were older model 5100's) but the lift definitely came with 5100's

 

I got 30k and 8 years out of the front 5100's on my truck before one started leaking. Not complaining since they were the bump stops and limit straps for that whole time. I just put 5100's on the rear because the value on them is fantastic.

 

I have had these shocks on my truck for over 3 years and no problems whatsoever. I have the adjustable one's up front and the regular 5100's in the back.

 

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I have 5100s in the front at 1.75, and 5125s in the rear with a toytec AAL and have been very happy. I've taken them over some nasty stuff very slowly and driven pretty fast on some poor condition dirt roads.

I'd go for them. I think a lot of folks go with a much more expensive system despite not needing anything more than the 5100s. Not trying to hate, more power to you if you can afford it, and that's what you want.

 

I thought the settings on the shocks were 0 which is the stock setting, 1.25" which is the 2nd setting and 2.5" which is the top and 3rd setting. There is no 1.75"

 

Ive jumped mine

 

Damn 60K is pretty good for all the bad reviews I read about it. Thanks for all your replays. Can't wait until I have enough money for my lift.

 

Bilsteins are about as good a shock as you can get without jumping up into the high end high $$$ "performance" stuff. Plus I believe they have a decent warranty if they did start prematurely leaking.

 

3 settings for the 1st gens, 4 for the 2nd gens

 

I'm still running the stock TRD Gas Shocks (Even though it says bilstein shocks included) and I read some info on it that its normal for them to leak, even though the shocks might be busted after it runs out of oil

 

5100s are under valved, like to leak, and are prone to shafts bending.

I think they're cheap junk and highly over-recommended on this site.

 

I doubt there is any shock that can handle the abuse of being a limit strap and bump stop in a "universal" application. The problem with 1500's is that they perform so well, people abuse them to failure.

Keep in mind the valving was tested, researched, and produced based on a stock Tacoma. Not one with hundreds of lbs of extra weight and lift.

 

People buy them because they're cheap, and expect them to perform well because they come so highly recommended on this site. Then they fail because they do something other than drive to the mall. I won't call that abuse or unrealistic expectations. To say they're abused because they perform well is asinine....

The shocks are designed to lift but yet they're not made for lift? And preloading shitty stock coils at that.

Pretty sure they have 255/70 valving just like every other Bilstein offroad shock sold...

 

As of right now I'm not putting anything real heavy and I'm getting these shocks because of 1. The lift 2. I really need new shocks 3. They will last long enough for me to get my truck to where I want it before I think about buying some other shocks. Doesn't hurt to see where bilstein will get me even though I'm going to go off-roading with it every once in a while