OEM TRD Bilsteins

For those of you that have had OEM TRD Bilsteins , how much better do they ride on road than Bilstein 4600's or 5100's?

 

I hope a lot of people chime in here but there are so many considerations for this questions. When people swapped their shocks, did they add lift and how (ie. spacer vs. springs (oe springs, aftermarket springs)/blocks vs. AAL vs. leaf pack), did they change tires (ie. city tires, all terrains, mud tires and tire load rating), did they do anything else like remove the sway bar just to name a few things. I recently talked to a guy that went from stock TRD to Bilstein 5100 set at 1.75" lift with stock springs and he said is was a smoother ride after the swap. Many other people will tell you the stock springs w 5100s rides harsh. And ultimately "better riding" can mean stiff is better or softer is better... To me better is smoother and controlled.

 

I have a stock height 2009 Reg Cab 4x4 w/2.7L and don't want to lift. I have P245/75/16 stock tires. I'm wondering if the Bilstein 4600
will ride too harsh. I can get new OEM TRD Bilsteins for about $50 less than Bilstein 4600's. I'm only on pavement and the occasional
forest service road. I will use my OEM springs.

 

they don't ride better than 4600 or 5100
they're also thinner

they are trash

 

I've read so many conflicting opinions and a lot of them said the OEM Bilsteins were softer.

 

Toyota contracted Bilstein to produce OEM shocks that were barely good enough to keep the truck on the road. Then slapped some blue and yellow paint on it to pretend it's like the bigger real thing, and TRD stickers to look sporty.
That way they could lower production costs and increase profits.
Up to you if that's the part that you want.

Saving 50 dollars to tear into the suspension for a product almost half as thin. Sounds like a recipe for regret.
I threw my OEM's away, as do most people. I'm sure you can find some for free if your mission is to bounce over small cracks in the road at 40mph and ride uncomfortably.

If Bilstein 5100 is the liftable equivalent to 4600, that is thicker than OEM made by the same company, I'm not sure how they would ride worse rather than better.
The people who say they're stiff (if anyone even does) probably pre-load notched them high because they were to cheap to drop $200 on a taller spring set so they're doing a "hack" to make the shock do the lift rather than the spring set ride height like it normally does on any vehicle ever.
Bilstein in general is said to be a stiff shock. OME might ride softer. They also cost way more.

 

Thanks for your input Taco. I usually drive slow off-road so I don't beat the crap out of my truck. That's why I was thinking that maybe the
OEM Bilsteins were better for me.

 

I don't have a lift on my truck and I have not been able to find good shocks to improve ride quality. It bounces harshly over little bumps and make it somewhat uncomfortable to ride in on really bumpy roads. Can someone recommend a softer set of shocks that will improve my trucks ride.

 

That's what I'm looking for as well Rs. What shocks do you have on your truck?

 

that's what factory shocks do
Bilstein 4600 and 5100 probably offer better ride
and 5100 gives you the ability to lift it later on with springs if you want because they're lift compatible
4600 is not lift compatible and lifting them later on would damage them
they are about the same price
bilstein has higher end shocks that cost more that look similar, but are even thicker. And may have external reservoirs to have more fluid/oil capacity.

there's other companies to pick from as well, including but not limited to OME. People say OME Nitro Sport rides better than Bilstein and use both/either for lifts. I'm not sure if the OME could work at stock ride height. Maybe it can.

In the street car world, people usually don't go to regular Bilsteins for comfort, calling them too harsh. They usually opt for alternatives/competing companies like Koni.
But I don't think Koni offers any shocks for the Tacoma.

 

I have 3rd Gen OEM front strut assemblies as well as rear OEM yellow Bilsteins. They’re trash. My Rancho RS5000 shocks dampened the ride way better. I have the recall leaf springs in the rear so my truck is pretty level

 

I have a 2009 TRD 4x4, no lift, pretty much stock, original owner. I went from original oem to Bilstein 4600’s at around 90,000 miles. I definitely notice a big difference. My original shocks were wore out, so any new shock would be noticeable. The 4600’s provide a much stiffer ride than the originals. But remember it’s a 4wd truck, you don’t want a soft squishy ride, it ain’t a Cadillac. I also have a little stiffer heavy duty leafs in the back. I like the ride, it feels right. The 4600’s are great on pavement and great off road.
You’ll be fine with 4600’s. The only difference between 4600 and 5100 is that 5100 are designed for lifted trucks. Same shocks different application.

 

Thanks Sprig. Anyone else?

 

Can you elaborate on why they are trash ie. harsh ride, floaty ride, bouncy?

 

Very harsh

 

Last December I bought an '07 TRD, which probably still had the OEM struts/shocks. A few months later, the driver's side strut snapped while the truck was fully loaded, squishing the coil over. The rear driver's side leaf got bent backwards, either from the load or the unbalanced suspension. So, needed new suspension all around. I went with 4600s/Moog coils and what were supposed to be OEM height rear leafs from General. They weren't. I now have about a 2" lift in the back and stock height in the front, even after several months of settling.

To your question, the ride is OK. My '03 had a much better ride and feel for the road though with OME 880 coils/Rough Country struts and shocks, but that may be more due to the smaller from factor.

 

It is entirely dependent on the driver and set up.

LOL at the responses (again) in this thread. The OEM bilsteins work Great for hundreds of thousands of drivers, literally. No, they aren’t “the best” but let’s try to get outside the Tacoma world 3” lift/scs ray 10/armor bubble once in a while.

4600s/5100s arent “the best” either, but 95%+ don’t want or don’t need “the best.”

With factory springs the 5100/4600 will be firmer.

 

Thanks for the responses guys.

 

I like this, I put a set of 2020 OEM bilsteins on mine too upgrade my 80kmile sr5 hitachis love them so far and work great for what i use my truck for plus got them dirt cheap.