Gen 1 Tacoma Rear General Leaf Springs + Bilstein 5100 Install Overview

Hi everyone. This weekend I installed a new set of General Spring 4(3/1) leaf springs 90-237HD and a set of Bilstein 5100's on my 2004 Gen 1 Prerunner.

I did the work myself, and I have very little mechanical experience but wanted to share how I did it for those who might be interested in doing the same themselves. Borrowed the tools from a friend and it took me about 4 hours to complete.

I used this excellent step by step guide: https://adventuretaco.com/guide/replacing-leaf-springs-on-a-tacoma/

I purchased the parts directly from General Spring.
Rear Shackle for 1995 - 2004 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 330-412 (2)
2001 - 2004 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 / Prerunner Heavy Duty rear leaf spring, 4(3/1) leaves 90-237HD (2)
14mm x 2.0 x 110mm Leaf Spring Bolt 334-790 (2)
Toyota Top U Bolt Plate M9019 (2)
U Bolts (4)
(Bend Type: Square, Diameter (A): 9/16, Inside Length (B): 2-1/2", Length (C): 7) *Note: these were a little long for this install. If I redid this I would get smaller bolt lengths.

(With shipping cost just under $800 for all)

I got the Bilstein 5100's on Amazon - they had the best pricing I could find.
Bilstein 33-247724 Left Rear
Bilstein 33-247717 Right Rear

Some observations / suggestions:

I didn't need to extend the brake line with this install, the springs aren't so tall, but I did keep an eye on it as I would lower the axle, it does see a little stretch, don't overdo it.

The replacement shackle nuts and the nuts on the u-bolts are 22mm in size, bigger than the 19mm stock ones.

Make sure to do the ratchet strap trick detailed in the tutorial to make lining up the axle to the center bolt in the leaf spring easier. There is a small rectangular cut out in the frame about 12" in front of the front bolt on each spring where I put both hooks.

I forgot to measure the pre-install height of the rear from the ground to the top of the wheel well, but I can tell I got about 2" of height back to the truck. The OEM leafs were inverted when I took them off, so after getting back to stock height I added about 1" or so which is what expected.

My shackles, u-bolt top plate and spring bolts were all in good shape, I didn't need to replace them (the u-bolts, yes) so you could save some $$ there if yours are as well.

You can see the taller than OEM bolts sticking out underneath the bottom axle plate. I would prefer not to have all that hanging out there but not sure I am going to replace them just for that reason (unless someone on here says otherwise who knows more about this stuff than I do)

Thanks to the TW community which helped me on my journey to learning how to do this work myself.

 

Hmm...did I install the shocks upside down?

 

provided the eyelets are the same size top and bottom it shouldn’t really matter other than kind of reducing some unstrung weight

 

actually, now that I think about it I wonder if there’s any issues with the fluid if it’s upside down? Reading online it says they want the logo/label reading “the right way”

Id switch them, mostly just to keep the boots down so the wipers/seals on the shaft are keeping it cleaner.

 

Per Bilstein they should be installed with the wording right side up. If you flex out your rear suspension, you'll see that it will tug on the rear brake lines. I don't mean just lifting the rear. You need to flex out the driver side to really see it. If you just drive on pavement then it's not a big deal.

 

Looks that way. Bilstein has been known to say that the wording determines orientation, but I think that is only because 5100's are supposed to be application specific, sometimes having different size bushings top and bottom. Years ago I asked Bilstein if it mattered which way I mounted their 5125's, they said no. Basically the same as a 5100, universal fit instead of application specific though. Performance wise I don't think it matters. The 5100's for my Ford are intended to be shock body down.

 

You're fine to leave them long. If you cared to shorten them for whatever reason (rock crawling, etc) they are easy enough to flush cut with the bottom of the plate with a sawzall or cut off wheel.

 

Thanks everyone.

I haven't done the front shocks / struts yet. I wanted to see what the list and rake looked like once I did the back. I would like to lift the front up a little bit, to balance out the stance a little.

I haven't had any luck finding complete 5100 strut assemblies (I don't want to mess with the springs) - I see Shock Surplus has 6112 Strut & Spring Assembled Front Pair which I would consider (although probably overkill for what I do with the truck.)

My only uncertainty with them would be the height to set them at. Since i have about 2 1/4 inches of new lift in the back I'm thinking the circlip location #2 / #3 / 1.2" might be about right.

Any thoughts or opinions most welcome.

 

mmm I see you installed an HD pack. Do you have a camper or regularly carry weight? Either way, you just have "relative" lift from the new springs- I wouldn't "lift" the front to match. Those new springs will settle in a few months.

 

There's a full time topper on the back, and the bed carries a few hundred pounds often, totaling around 500 lbs on the regular, more when we go camping or hang bikes off the back with a heavy thule rack (about 150 lbs)

 

Wheelers looks to have complete 5100 assemblies in stock. With your choice of OME coil spring. I would probably wait a couple weeks, let the new rear springs work a little with your load, and see where they sit compared to the front at that time. Maybe figure some additional sag and then choose the fronts accordingly.

 

Suspension Lift has pre-assembled 5100s with oem type springs.
https://www.suspensionlifts.com/sho...lacement-springs-for-1995-2004-toyota-tacoma/

 

Thank you for this! The Wheelers 5100 strut offering is $450 but you need to bump up 2" minimum with the OME springs they have and I'm not sure I need to go that high. This SL kit gives me another option (although $150 more, they offer clip 1, 2, 3, 4 mounting options.)

Still bouncing the rear around a little longer to see if it settles in, then I'll make the call.

 

FWIW I flipped the shocks over to their correct orientation, boots down.

 

Does anyone happen to know how I can find out what the stock distance from ground to top of wheel well should be for the front of the truck? It's a 2004 prerunner xtracab.

I'm wondering how much the front might have compressed over the years. Right now the front driver side sitting around 35" and the passenger side 35 1/4".

The tires are Goodyear wrangler p265/70r16 and are 30" tall (as best I can measure them.)

 

There is absolutely no way to correctly answer that question without a time machine- you are going to get a generalized answer at best.

 

The Wheelers 5100/OME look to be just over $500 if you choose the 4 clip version. Do the 880's actually give 2" of lift on a Prerunner? I've read that the 880's with 5100's on the lowest setting give 1" of lift, maybe less, on a 4wd.

 

In another thread (I don't know how to link to it) @Xbeaus said "Stock ride height from center of hub to middle of fender should be around 19-20. 23" on the front is the max you want to go to avoid stressing things out up front."

 

What so you guys think about buying from shock surplus? This includes shock set for $1,149? https://www.shocksurplus.com/produc...2004-toyota-tacoma-4wd?variant=31673569607729

 

Wait until black friday, and you should be able to get the unassambled version for around $ 969/979 all things bieng equal. Assembled - no clue what savings would be.

I bought the unassembled set last black friday.