Are Bilstein's REALLY the best shock for our 5th Gens?

H

High_Country

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I've read lots of threads on here about the Bilstein 5100's. They seem to be THE default choice when looking to upgrade shocks for ride, performance, and perhaps a little lift or leveling as well. Coming from a 2011 Ram 2500 diesel 4x4, the Bilstein's were popular in that crowd as well.

After reading a fairly recent Overland Journal article that [thoroughly] analyzed and compared many popular shocks, including the Bilstein 5100, it was interesting to note the Bilstein's didn't fare that well.

I'm going to be ordering shocks soon and am interesting on achieving only a mild lift (1.5" or so). I have no issue going with the Bilstein's (almost ordered them already) but am curious if there are other similar or better options I'm not considering. I've seen that Toytec and Radflo appear to have offerings as does OME.

I don't mind going with the 'default' answer, but only if it's the RIGHT answer and NOT just because "everyone else is doin' it".

(My rig will be used for light expedition-style travel)

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You're going to get a ton of the same responses saying what I am about to say.

There are different shocks and setups for different purposes. The 5100s are one of the best bang for your buck shocks for a mild to no lift. I would not call them the BEST or anything near the best though.

If you truly wanted the best, no matter the terrain if its crawling or just street, i would look into ICON, KING, FOX.
 
I'll give you the answer:
A Bilstein 5100 shock is very much like our 4Runner. It is not the highest priced thing out there, it has a few features but not the "latest and greatest" tech and it is a fairly simple component. What really makes them shine is their (just like the 4Runner) reliability and durability. That shock is used by a LOT of people in every part of the world. It's design has been proven time and again. It's not rebuildable but how often do you hear of them wearing out prematurely? How many complain of the price?

Again, that shock is just like our 4Runner. It just works. My .00002
 
I'll say that for the 5th gen 4Runners, Bilsteins are the minimum a damper should be. It fixes a lot of issues with the stock config by a simple reconfiguration of the damping.

As already stated, depending on the purpose, Icon, Fox etc will be better for specific applications, but if you're just going to have mild lift and drive the wheels off your 4Runner, Bilsteins lead the bang for the buck category.

As an aside, my Tundra rides pretty choppy with Bilsteins and LT tires, unless it's really loaded full of stuff, so depending on what your tires and other setup is going to be, the softer damping might be better.
 
The 5100s have worked pretty good on my 4th gen for the last 4 years.

I'm trying to decide which route I want to go on my 5th. For the money, it's hard to beat the 5100s. I do want adjustability so I may go for something different though.
 
Well I'm gonna find out just ordered from caRid (best price I found) & FJ coils same as my 05 , been very happy with them on that 4r . Not real OFF-ROAD ing anymore kinda call it soft roading . Their good enough for me really felt them on 05 & with sway bars .
 
1engineer said:
I'll give you the answer:
A Bilstein 5100 shock is very much like our 4Runner. It is not the highest priced thing out there, it has a few features but not the "latest and greatest" tech and it is a fairly simple component. What really makes them shine is their (just like the 4Runner) reliability and durability. That shock is used by a LOT of people in every part of the world. It's design has been proven time and again. It's not rebuildable but how often do you hear of them wearing out prematurely? How many complain of the price?

Again, that shock is just like our 4Runner. It just works. My .00002
Click to expand...

This is mainly the reason they are such a popular go to for the J120/J150 community of owners.

They are the best "bang for your buck" upgrade over factory shocks. Basically they're like putting a TRD suspension kit on your 4Runner (because the TRD shocks are Bilistiens and are similar to the 5100's, though they lack an adjustable perch.)

If you just want a mild lift and/or can't afford to buy a dedicated suspension lift such as Icon, Radflo, Fox, ect. then these are the most affordable way to get your vehicle "Trail Ready" in terms of a mild increase in suspension lift and performance.

Think of them as an affordable quality entry level foray into lifting your 4Runner, vs. just slapping on some Daystar spacers. :)
 
I appreciate all the responses. I knew it was a dicey question with so many people running them! :fencing:

I like the analogy of how the Bilstein choice is similar to the 4runner choice - that makes sense and I can relate to that. There's obviously a LOT of people running them with great results and few complaints, but again, I just didn't want to blindly follow the masses without doing my due diligence.

It sounds like, at least in a "around $500 for four" price range, there's not a better answer for the 4Runner.

I do plan on achieving about a 1.5" (MAYBE 2" at the most) and running 255/80 Cooper ST Maxx's. I'll probably go with SAW rear 1.5" coils. I will be adding some skids and sliders and probably a roof rack.

I will be running the backcountry 4x4 trails of Colorado, Wyoming, etc. to pursue camping and exploring with the family. I will NOT be rock hopping or doing anything crazy. I know the 4Runners are pretty dang capable as-is but want the benefit of a bit of additional ground clearance. I don't think I need to spend all the money required for new UCA's, adj. coil overs, rear links, etc. I'd rather put that money into gas or other mods.

Again, thanks for the responses. :tea:
 
Great timing, I just discovered my 2015 SR5 stock suspension was not quite as road nimble in cornering on road as my 06' Sport with XREAS, and by a fair factor.

Are the 5100's a good match for moderate speed cornering and stability upgrade for a stock SR5?
 
It really depends on the application. They are not the best option as far as being all things to all people for all applications. If you want immediate, respectable improvements on what you get off the lot, without a huge investment, and/or if you want to get closer to level or even do a slight lift without a huge investment, I think they are, by far, the best option. I wanted mine more level with at least as good ride and handling as I already had and, instead, I got my level with a much improved ride and handling. They get rid of the nose dive issue and make things much more comfortable going around backroad curves without having to reduce speed.

If you drive a pavement queen and want a different stance and improved performance, I say they are a perfect option. If you are building for off-pavement, they may be better than what you started with but you can do better, but you'll spend more money.
 
5100s

How do the shock's provide the "leveling"? I noticed my 2016 is about 1.5" lower in the front stance-wise (Trail w/KDSS). Will they improve on road performance significantly?
 
Last edited:
tomm9050 said:
How do the shock's provide the "leveling"? I noticed my 2016 is about 1.5" lower in the front stance-wise (Trail w/KDSS). Will they improve on road performance significantly?
Click to expand...

I do not have the shocks but have researched for when/if I decide to upgrade. The 5100 is designed with a perch that sets the shock height higher "lifting" the vehicle. This is only achieved with the front shocks as rear 5100 do not provide lift, you would need springs or spacer for that. Here are a few links to read through. Others may also be able to chime in with performance characteristics but some opinions are also outlined in these threads.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/102288-bilstein-5100-85-pic%60s.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/164583-question-%7C-bilstein-5100s-leveling.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/165065-5th-gen-4runner-lift-buyers-guide.html

BILSTEIN B8 5100 (Ride Height Adjustable)
 
If you think you'll get more into advanced off-roading I would suggest another setup. Currently I'm looking into a more advanced set up to suit my needs. The thing that irks me the most is that we spent almost a whole day installing the 5100s (KDSS is a *****) on something I more or less knew I'd be upgrading in the future. It's not the 5100's fault, but if I was ever to tackle an install like that, it should have been for something permanent. Now I'll take the financial plunge of paying for a professional install on my new setup to avoid that PITA install lol.

The 5100s are great, but I always drive it thinking there's a better set up out there.
 
Marcocopuffs said:
If you think you'll get more into advanced off-roading I would suggest another setup. Currently I'm looking into a more advanced set up to suit my needs. The thing that irks me the most is that we spent almost a whole day installing the 5100s (KDSS is a *****) on something I more or less knew I'd be upgrading in the future. It's not the 5100's fault, but if I was ever to tackle an install like that, it should have been for something permanent. Now I'll take the financial plunge of paying for a professional install on my new setup to avoid that PITA install lol.

The 5100s are great, but I always drive it thinking there's a better set up out there.
Click to expand...

Not sure what shocks you are looking to upgrade to but keep in mind most of the "race" oriented shocks (icon, radflo, king, fox) will need to be rebuilt well within the life of the truck and therefore you will have to do the install again anyhow.
 
tomm9050 said:
How do the shock's provide the "leveling"? I noticed my 2016 is about 1.5" lower in the front stance-wise (Trail w/KDSS). Will they improve on road performance significantly?
Click to expand...


Plenty of threads on here that will cover this topic. Short of the long... Yes you can level out the truck or lift it a few inches with 5100s (fronts are adjustable, rears are not and need to be married with new coils or spacers in order to lift). Yes, the performance on-road will be better... Tighter/stiffer set-up. But your ride will be "stiffer" as well (think more choppy unless you are loaded down with cargo/passengers).
 
mybabydaddy said:
Plenty of threads on here that will cover this topic. Short of the long... Yes you can level out the truck or lift it a few inches with 5100s (fronts are adjustable, rears are not and need to be married with new coils or spacers in order to lift). Yes, the performance on-road will be better... Tighter/stiffer set-up. But your ride will be "stiffer" as well (think more choppy unless you are loaded down with cargo/passengers).
Click to expand...

You might want to check constant versus progressive spring rate.
 
1engineer said:
You might want to check constant versus progressive spring rate.
Click to expand...


Will do. Many items to discuss with you (off-thread) when it comes time to change my set-up and ditch the spacers... Gonna be a bit tho; Maybe in the late summer or fall)... Will need your expertise.
 
Engineer said:
Not sure what shocks you are looking to upgrade to but keep in mind most of the "race" oriented shocks (icon, radflo, king, fox) will need to be rebuilt well within the life of the truck and therefore you will have to do the install again anyhow.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm aware of that... There's that too. Ha.
 
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