Interesting to hear about the 5160's. Unrelated to that, but I just talked to a shop about install on the two and they said that the rear might be slightly lower with that combo. I'm looking to be level without spacers.

I have been in a similar boat.

Initially I was thinking 6112/5160. I have only driven the stock Pro setup once and it handled great in town but the ride was very firm over small bumps. Generally, I have come to think that it is a case of if everyone says the sky is blue maybe it is actually blue (so good, not great).

I like the Eibach over 5100s as everyone reports a much smoother ride. But it is still a basic monotube shock. What gives me pause is their "Stage 1" lift. It is a 2.75 or so to 1" leveling kit. This is obviously for looks. I can use the shocks and the rear springs with Dobinsons front coils and I am sure it will be fine for me

EXCEPT

We drive a lot of miles in the desert. This is not about obstacles, it is about constant dips, washes, erosion, water channels, whatever. The suspension has to work hard or you have to go seriously slow over what is otherwise easy terrain. But what is easy to drive is not necessarily easy on the suspension. By contrast, a trail that may be harder to drive, with obstacles, may actually be just fine on the stock shocks.

And so, Dobinsons Monotube with no RR in the front and RR in the rear is what I currently favor.

I agree that it is the distances and speeds (not necessarily racing speeds) that have us look into something better.

But the million dollar question is if that's true for people who remember that the 5160 is a shock of 0-1" lift and not more. The warranty is an issue and I wonder if it has something to do with Billstein realizing that people will use the 5160 just as they do the 5100, meaning more lift.

I don't see the point of the 6112/5100. The rear needs the better shock if anything due to the ride being worse in the backseat in the first place.

All in all, tons of people fall for the aftermarket nonsense: you need this and you need that even for "mild" or "occasional" offroading. LOL. You need nothing for serious and frequent offroading other than tires. The stock setup will get the job done. The question is HOW. And the answer is, not comfortably enough in bigger rocks due to clearance limitations and not comfortably enough on faster desert terrain due to suspension limitations. But can it do it? Sure. There are very few trails that a lifted 5th gen will do that a stock Trail/TRD series one won't. The difference will be in the how, not where.

As for Dobinsons twin tubes, if they are fine in Australia, they are fine for me. I don't care if monotube is a newer design, it does not mean it is always better for a specific use. But I think I could justify capable monotubes due to how we actually use the 4R.

All good points mast4r

Thanks, though the reality is I am not sure which way I will go either. I favor the Dobinsons MRR right now but that's it.

I suppose that Eibach mono or Dobinsons twin tubes would be just fine for us.

But like everyone else I am tempted to have something "more like it" even if those long drives in harsh desert are not the majority of our offroad driving.

Plus, the Eibach mono and the Dobinsons twins are cheap and dispensable and there is no bothering with maintenance....

Agree, for most, what is stock is more than enough and in most cases aftermarket upgrades are complete overkill. So....Ill be doing Icon coilovers and dk UCA's with 285's in case there are larger than normal potholes on my commute to the office.

all of the websites that offer the 5160 and the bilstein site specify 0-2" lift for the 5160

You'd be correct. I spoke with someone at Bilstein yesterday an they confirmed this.

When I first bought my 4runner I replaced with these Bilsteins, I don't know what model they are? They performed their function with the 3/2" lift until I could get the money together for the KINGS

They are the fronts and are only $95 each, the rears were even cheaper

Bilstein 24-239370 Shock Absorber

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O89FDSI...v_ov_lig_dp_it

Attached Images

 

5100 series, says it on the strut ;)

Indeed, their site says 0-2" for 4Runners.

I also noticed BillsteinLifts listing them as 0-1" for Tacoma or Ram.

The specific range aside, what Shock Surplus told me when I asked was that the 5160 bad rep is not deserved and that problems usually happen when people have too much lift for them. Apparently, I somehow made up the 0-1" range myself.

So, the question is whether people using the 5160 within the specified range have had too many issues.

finally got my ARB 3" OME lift installed today by OK4WD. i went with heavy springs up front and rear. i plan on getting metal bumper and winch installed. it corners much better and is a little more rigid but nothing crazy. very comfortable.

I’ve been running the FJ TRD Pro Bilstein kit which is 6112/5160 and I went with a 1” isolator up front and a T13 1” over spring in the back ( nets 2 & 1 front rear) as my mild lift. Added JBA UCAs and was all in for right at a grand. Far superior to stock in all driving conditions and no issues to date with the rear shocks.

Shout out to Rogue Offroad for hooking me up with a Dobinsons lift and Camburg UCA!

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