Suspension recommendations

Hey everyone, I’ve been going back and forth on my options for suspension upgrade for my 3rd gen and in need of some recommendations + insight.

I’m currently on bilstein 5100’s all around with ome 888 coils. I’m looking to upgrade suspension as I’m adding more weight to the truck and I want something that can handle/ cushion the ride a bit more.

What I want: low maintenance, capable, 2.5in lift, and softer ride than the 5100’s.

My research has lead me to just going with the Bilstein 6112/5160 set up however I’m curious if I should just invest into the 8112 set up for the long run. I’m also looking at the Icon stage 2 as an option. For the rears I’m pretty set on going with deavers.

Any and all advice welcome l, appreciate all the feedback.

 

8112s are one of if not the best bolt on setup for these trucks available. their only downfall is the rears are meant for stock ride height not lifted applications and they have quite a short extended length. for that reason i opted to get the icon stage 10 kit

for the price 6112s are hard to beat for the price and are basically maintenance free like the 5100s.

but when adding weight i always like to recommend a shock with adjustable compression if its in the budget so you can fine tune the ride for yourself and adjust for added weight. that being said when you start getting into high end shocks like king fox icon etc your getting into a setup that will need to be rebuilt at some point and shock bearings replaced every few years if your in the rust belt.

id actually suggest adding the weight first and then see how you like the 5100s

 

I’ve heard the same thing, Bilstein 8112’s are the best bolt on option. I’ve also seen that the best setting for the 8112’s is around 1.5in of lift and I’m looking to get 2.5. May need to get some real world insight into this.

With the weight I’ve already added the 5100’s are already getting a bit harsh. Definitely looking to get some more cushion while still keeping the handling a priority.

6112’s really are looking like the best bet

 

i didnt know what you meant by harsh. with more weight they should ride softer unless you mean they are completely bottoming out.

 

I have the Bilstein 6112/5160 with the Roadmaster Active suspension in the back. I tow a 5100 lb trailer and the RAS helps with the extra weight. Or if I load up at HD/Lowes or go to the dump. And I think it rides better with the RAS than stock. The bilsteins will make your truck ride more like a European car. Soaking up the bumps and giving you a nice smooth ride. Much better than stock. You can also go around swooping freeway entrances and big corners with frightening speed. The body roll is almost non-existent. Same with brake dive when stopping quickly. Not really there anymore. I looked at a number of different options and consulted with Hotshot Offroad (@memario1214) to make the final decision. I have had the RAS for several years and just upgraded to the Bilsteins in Jan of this year. Probably the best upgrade I have done.

 

If you're after a softer ride but still want capability, the 6112/5160 setup is a solid balance. It's lower maintenance and proven to last a long time. The 8112s are amazing, but unless you're really pushing the truck hard off-road, it might be more money than you need to spend

 

I have the 8100 DSA in the rear on my Tacoma.
At full droop with my Icon RXT leaf pack on option 2 (just over 2" lift unloaded) the shocks are about 3/4" too short.

For my kinda offroading articulation isn't the priority, going fast is and let me tell you those shocks let you go fast.
50+ mph on stuff I wouldn't do at 30mph on my previous shocks and I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt the bumpstops hit hard. Plus I am running a lot of weight in the bed while doing it too.

I paired them with 6112 up front because, unfortunately, I am not made of money lol

 

Bilstein 8112 DSA+/8100, Deaver U402 in whatever stage is appropriate for your truck, remove sway bar. Send it.

 

possible that your leaf/shackle bushings were limiting droop? dsa version on 8100s are actually shorter than bone stock shocks and have only about 8" of stroke. the bypass version is an inch longer extended length after that.

i think others should use the same offset lower mount that icon uses on their rxt version of their shocks to gain overall travel without sacrificing uptravel. the icons net 2.5-3" more wheel travel over the base 8100s. i believe the oem trd pro foxes do this too actually. like said wheel travel isnt everything but when valved correctly 25% more travel is huge.

i have the icon omegas out back and they can absolutely mob on a fast whooped out road. they far outperform the front icon coilovers. i would have to get their secondary front bypass shock kit to have them perform as good as 8112s would up front. which i plan to do actually.

 

Those look so nice! Anyone want to buy my (new in box) fox elites?

 

+1 for RAS to aid leaf springs without gaining crazy height + adjustable

 

It was when I was installing the shocks.
I jacked up the truck from the trailer hitch so the rear axle was at full droop and with the shock top bolt installed the bottom bolt hole was about 3/4" short.

For me stock travel was plenty, I only have upgraded rear leaf pack for my truck weight.
Maybe one day if I decide to get more into crazy offroading I would go 12" with new rear shock mounts but for my current uses 8" is plenty for me.

Another thing I have is better bump stops and those alone help tremendously over the OEM bricks that come on the truck. I am running Perry Parts bumps front and back

 

2.5in front lift harshness is really a geometry problem not something that can be easily fixed with just a different brand of shocks. The reason people say 1.5in is the best setting is because it leaves enough down travel to avoid harsh topouts and you don't have weird binding happening near ride height.

Lifting over 2in properly really requires long travel.

 

extended travel coilovers add back that extra inch of downtravel when set to 2.5" lift

 

The shocks being mentioned that most people say work best at 1.5in of lift all add travel.

 

For my uses too I won’t need insane articulation.

How’s the overall quality with 6112’s up front and 8100 in the rear? Can the 6112’s keep up with the 8100’s?

 

Overall I couldn't be happier, the 6112s are damn good, there is a reason everyone recommends them. Honestly I can barely notice them fall behind on performance of the rear 8100DSA. I've only felt the bump stops a handful of times in about 100 miles of high speed off roading, 40mph+.
I have about 250 miles of off roading with them and 5,000 miles of road driving.

Here is my thread about my shock setup.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bilstein-6112-8100-dsa-2-5s-on-a-budget.856314/

 

i know but you mentioned its not something that can be easily fixed by another brand.