Less than impressed with Bilstein 5100s OME 885s

so two weeks and 500 miles ago I put in my new kit 5100s with OME 885s, Icon AALs with 1/2" spacers and 2 degree shims on the back, now that its settled I did measurements again "center of hub to edge of fender well and I wound up with 1" lift in the back and only 1/2" lift in the front, got the stuff from Headstrong, anyone have any idea's? truck rides and feels great but dam I would have expected to get at least an inch in the front after settling

 

Are you trying to accomplish a level lift? The lift looks pretty good from what I see there, but I prefer having more forward rake because I tow and throw heavy things in the back often.

 

my goal was essentially to get 2" in the front and bring the rear up at least 1' minimum as with the topper and tools i've got 250 to 300lbs in the back at all times, only a half inch of lift in the front is pitiful from what I have read on here, seems most people see around 2 1/2 right after install and 2" after settling with some seeing 1 1/2 at worst, the pic was taken just a few days after the lift when I got the new wheels and tires on

 

888 give more lift than 885 in front

 

sounds like time for a spring change or raise the front spring perches but that comes with it's own drawbacks.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience! This is one of the set ups I am considering myself. Something I don't know, can you raise to the second circlip with the 885s or does the coil length not allow for that? Anyway, I think the truck looks great... the amount of lift is another story.

 

That's a sneaky little comment:
NOTE: All lift heights are for 2nd gen trucks. Subtract 1" from the lift height and you should get the equivalent height for a 3rd gen 4wd double cab.

 

yeah and a bit stiffer, from everything I've read on here I think I just got real unlucky, seems most people get 1 1/2 to 2" after settling with the same setup I got, I'm wondering if maybe the coils got mislabled from the factory, only a 1/2 in the front is pathetic

 

well dam, wonder what the next step is to get 1 1/2 to 2" lift without starting over, I just put these in two weeks ago and my mods budget is about burned for this year, 888s?

 

hell according to that I should have got 1 1/2" lift out of it which I would have been happy with

 

Almost every suspension product for the third gen’s was created for the second Gen chassis. Fox, King etc all list as a 3” lift but really only give 2” on third gen’s.

 

I used an Icon 8 kit. After settling I set it at 2” and “medium” in the rear. It could’ve gone more maybe three upfront and three in the back but I don’t like to have things at full travel to start. I would say that the added flexibility and being able to make the adjustments as a key feature and of course the digressive shocks give me fantastic handling. Took a lot of research not just here but elsewhere to find out what worked for me in my driving habits. Good luck these kinds of things take time energy and money and frankly if it drives better it doesn’t really matter if you have an extra half an inch.

 

I can say from experience that the ome 888 springs I had on my truck with 5100s and deaver aal in rear that I got 2.6” front and 2.1” rear but settled to 1.8” front and 1” rear after 3 years and 80,000 miles plus added softtopper and carrying gear daily in it

 

OK so I blew it on getting 885s but still think I should have gotten more then a half inch lift in the front, so I just ordered an SSO bumper and will be adding about a 100lbs to the front end after lightbar and down the road may add a winch "rarely have the need for one as most of my driving is pavement but a couple times a year I'm out on desert trails" I'm thinking 886s when I put the bumper on as I read that some have felt the 888s are a bit to soft, any and all suggestions are very much appreciated, truck is a 2021 TRD OR DC LB

 

Did you adjust the preload?

 

C clip is on the first setting, I ordered them assembled from Headstrong, from what I have read OMEs shouldn't be put on any other setting on 5100s

 

Correct. The Bilstein have to run on the zero setting with aftermarket coils. Your problem was a coil choice not the shock.FYI OMEs are know to settle. On my Prerunner I have Eibach coils/5100s they have only settled a 1/4” over 3yrs.

 

yeah I messed up on the coil selection, if I leave these on in a year I'll be lower then stock lol, thanks I'll check out the Eibachs

 

more I look at the Eibachs I'm leaning toward replacing the entire fronts with their pro truck stage 2 coil overs, dam if I would have done a little more research before pulling the trigger on what I have now I would have spent a little more and got the coilovers, anyone have any input on how they will do with added weight in the front end? I read that OME 886s are rated for 660lbs which is supposed to be great for added weight of a steel front bumper and the Eibach coils are 600lbs

 

I believe the eibach are rated at 742lbs on the Stage 1 springs. I had found it before in one of their tech articles on the kit. The Eibach springs ride better on Eibach shocks than when put onto 5100's