Bilstein 5100 in rear with 2” lift

Hi guys, I have a 2018 trd off-road. It has a 2” block in the back with a rough country shock. I don’t want to get into bickering about best lift kits as I know this is not best setup. Dealer had this already installed, however, it obviously does not ride well. I want to swap out the rear shock from the crappy rough country to the bilstein 5100. I have read some people say that it’s only good up to 1” and then others say 2” is ok(including guy at 4wheel parts). Is anyone running the 5100 shock in rear on 2” lift? I wanted to be sure before I did it but if it works want to go get them and see if it rides a little better. Any input would be appreciated.

 

I know it is a longer shock than stock but shorter than the next step up bilstein which is pretty long.

 

Im running 5100’s with a single Deaver AAL and kept my overload in back- I tow and keep a lot of weight in back sometimes, plus off road so this was a great setup for me that was a great @HeadStrong Off-Road recommendation- total lift was a bit over 1-1/2”. If you want to find out exactly what heights and setip the 5100s work best with, call Headstrong, but I think 2-inches is ok.

 

Thank you! I know billstein claims 1” lift in rear with them but I’m being told 2” will work, just wanted to see if that’s what anyone else is running. Sounds like you are close. I don’t do any hard off-roading, just haul my side by side off-road a little and go camping etc

 

What shocks do you have in front? If 5100’s dont set them at the highest click- Bilstein doesn’t recommend that on Tacomas. Mine are at the third setting on stock coils with 1-1/2” lift

 

Sorry for confusion I’m taking about rear. In front it is stock bilsteins with over shock spacer. I will eventually change that but it rides stock in front I believe. It’s sitting at 3” I’m front that way. The rear is a 2” block and rough country shock and it’s like a wagon. I’m wanting to put the 5100 back there to see if that improves it but was not sure if since it is a 2” block that’s too high for 5100

 

Anyone else running a similiar setup?

 

For normal driving on paveent and light off loading you will be fine! Now if you decided to do sweet jumps with it or serious suspension stretching then u might have problems!

 

Haha yeah no plans on that..

 

Hey Mark- I was original talking about the rear. Just was curious what was in front. I think 5100’s will do you fine, but call Headstrong- very helpful folks and Yeah, its a shameless, but good plug.

If you are hauling anything heavy, consider adding a single AAL (to save $), or a leaf pack instead of blocks in back- they strengthen the rear spring weight handling whereas blocks do not.

 

Oh gotcha, thanks for the great advice

 

How does it ride at 3rd setting , and did you have needle bearing issue after installing ?

 

It rides really well, on and off road, similar to my stock 1st Gen. no bearing issue- I am still one of the lucky ones I guess; driven over 6k miles with the lift so far.

 

Good to hear thanks ! want to do a small lift and this is setup I looked at . just nervous about the needle bearing deal .

 

I was running them with 2.5" for a while and it topped out on a few occasions. Potholes and such. Nothing serious though. You'll be fine.

 

running 3"lift settled to ~2.5" 5100's all around with dakars. Get rid of the blocks.....blocks/spacers are almost useless.

 

I would swap out the spacer and just adjust the shock itself. I have a 1” block in the back with 5100 and every now and then with a heavy load 500+lbs the schock will bottom out over bumps. Just wanting to give you a thought in case you’ll be loading the bee! Will be switching out to a leaf pack or just an AAL to strengthen the rear up a bit.

 

Extended length 5100 in rear with dakars??

 

5125s for 2-3” lift

 

From my personal experience, I used to have 2.25 spacers on the front and 1” block on the back and the truck was perfectly fine. After reading in the forum that spacer are crap, bla.bla.bla, once one of the original front shocks started to leak I went ahead and installed new uca’s, new billies 5100 all around. Sat the front at their highest setting and removed the front spacer. Truck sat a little bit higher in the beginning but it rode like shit. I thought maybe it needed to settle but it never went back to the original ride. I live in the city and I don’t do any off-road whatsoever. With that said I decided to go back to spacers. I bought a 3” spacer for the front that it’s waiting in the garage until I have a break from work.
Again, my experience says that the truck rides perfectly fine with spacers. Now my question is, when you add a block or you add a leaf, the truck goes up the same, meaning that the shock stretches with a block the same than with a leaf. I think that the op is asking about the functionality of a rear shock with a 2” leaf. And to be honest I have the same question. Because along with the 3” spacer I have a 2” spacer to install, I always carry some tools and I don’t like the bro look.