4th Gen Suspension Options/FAQ

[smorabito19]

Is there any way I can just put Adjustable Bilstein 5100s on a stock 2004 SR5? I'm trying to level the car but I also am trying to fix the squeaking from my suspension. Thanks


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[t-man]

Is there any way I can just put Adjustable Bilstein 5100s on a stock 2004 SR5? I'm trying to level the car but I also am trying to fix the squeaking from my suspension. Thanks


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Yes.

 

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

Anybody know if 3rd gen Tacoma suspension fits? I imagine the coils fit, but the struts would have a similar problem as with the 5th gen struts. Can anyone confirm that?

 

[smorabito19]

Yes.

Will I need new coils or can I keep the stock ones?

 

[t-man]

Will I need new coils or can I keep the stock ones?

Ok, the obligatory response... Search! There's even stickies about everything suspension for our trucks.
With that said, yes you can move the Bilsteins perch up 1 or 2 slots to level the truck out. Bottom perch = 0" lift, first perch = .85", second = 1.75", third = 2.5" of lift. Stock springs work just fine until you get into bigger offroading situations like many of us here.

 

[smorabito19]

Ok, the obligatory response... Search! There's even stickies about everything suspension for our trucks.
With that said, yes you can move the Bilsteins perch up 1 or 2 slots to level the truck out. Bottom perch = 0" lift, first perch = .85", second = 1.75", third = 2.5" of lift. Stock springs work just fine until you get into bigger offroading situations like many of us here.

Haha thanks T-man I'm just not exactly familiar with trucks and their parts. I understand the bilstein 5100s can be adjusted by a perch. But can you explain what you mean by "stock springs work just fine until you get into bigger off-roading situations"

 

[t-man]

Haha thanks T-man I'm just not exactly familiar with trucks and their parts. I understand the bilstein 5100s can be adjusted by a perch. But can you explain what you mean by "stock springs work just fine until you get into bigger off-roading situations"

If you get into harder offroading situations, rock crawling, desert racing, etc you would need a different setup to handle the abuse. Bilsteins and stock springs will be fine for moderate offroading and daily use. I drove mine like that for over a year.

 

[smorabito19]

If you get into harder offroading situations, rock crawling, desert racing, etc you would need a different setup to handle the abuse. Bilsteins and stock springs will be fine for moderate offroading and daily use. I drove mine like that for over a year.

Yes! Thank you T-man. The most off-roading I'll be doing is driving down a dirt trail with maybe a small mud hole to get back to a "pit" we like to have parties at

 

[t-man]

Yes! Thank you T-man. The most off-roading I'll be doing is driving down a dirt trail with maybe a small mud hole to get back to a "pit" we like to have parties at

Then you'll be fine with stock springs and Billy's!

 

[smorabito19]

Then you'll be fine with stock springs and Billy's!

This is why I love this forum! All the answers are in it!

 

[mauidiver]

I have the 5100's and FJ springs for my runner and even though I'm not doing any serious off roading since its 2wheel, I believe the coils paid for themselves this weekend. I went to the coast and while looking for some fishing spots I backed up into a nice mud hole that covered half my rear wheel. I couldn't see while reversing as I had a full load of crap blocking my rear window and when I got out to asses the situation, I was totally flexed with one tire in a mud hole, and my left tire up in the air on the higher end of the hole. I was able to just power out and save my a&$ because of the new set up. I'm certain if I had stock springs I would have gotten stuck. So y'all saved me. Thanks

 

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

5100s all round, Tacoma TRD coils (new) up front and 5th gen rear coils in back. Lift seems to be around ~2"~up front and about 1" in back since i still have some rake. Tires are 255/75/17s on 5th gen sr5 wheels.

Could be done for a lot less using used Tacoma TRD strut/coils paired with bilstein 4600s in back or stock shocks with the 5th gen rear coils. Just another option..

Are your 5100s set to .85 or 1.75?

 

[jrm]

"0.00"

Are your 5100s set to .85 or 1.75?

I'd say once it settled i ended with around 1.66 to 1.75"s of front end lift combined with 255/75/17s resulting in around 2.5 to 3"s total combined lift.

If you want to use the .85 or 1.75 perches i'd suggest using FJ, 5th gen 4runner or TRD Sport coils instead of the TRD off road progressive coils b/c using the perches defeats the whole purpose of using a progressive coil.

 

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

I'd say once it settled i ended with around 1.66 to 1.75"s of front end lift combined with 255/75/17s resulting in around 2.5 to 3"s total combined lift.

If you want to use the .85 or 1.75 perches i'd suggest using FJ, 5th gen 4runner or TRD Sport coils instead of the TRD off road progressive coils b/c using the perches defeats the whole purpose of using a progressive coil.

Can you explain that? Why does a progressive coil defeat the purpose of the perches?

 

[jrm]

Other way around..

Can you explain that? Why does a progressive coil defeat the purpose of the perches?

“Linear rate springs” have one defined spring rate per inch of deflection throughout most of their range of deflection. For instance, if we have a 300lb/in linear rate spring that is 12 inches long, it will take approximately 300lb to deflect it 1 inch. The next inch of deflection will take another 300lb of load and the next inch of deflection will take an additional 300# of load. At this point there will be 900lb of load on a 12 inch long spring that has now been compressed to a 9” spring height.

“Progressive rate springs” or (constantly increasing rate) springs are identified most easily by continually varied spacing between the coils. For instance, if we have a progressive spring rate that is 12 inches long, it will take approximately 300lb to deflect it 1 inch. The next inch of deflection will take another 350lb of load and the next inch of deflection will take an additional 400# of load. At this point there will be 1050lb of load on a 12 inch long spring that has now been compressed to a 9” spring height.

So by using the 5100s 2nd, 3rd or 4th perches your eliminating the springs ability to get progressively stiffer as the length of the spring decreases. So in turn it kind of defeats the purpose of the spring.

I hope this explains it..

 

[vachss]

I hope this explains it..

Maybe I'm just a bit slow, but if the bottom of a progressive rate spring is raised up onto a higher spring perch, how does it no longer behave as a progressive spring? Isn't the entire coil then simply raised by a certain amount while it's compression vs. load characteristics remain the same?

 

[jrm]

Naw

Maybe I'm just a bit slow, but if the bottom of a progressive rate spring is raised up onto a higher spring perch, how does it no longer behave as a progressive spring? Isn't the entire coil then simply raised by a certain amount while it's compression vs. load characteristics remain the same?

b/c the entire spring is compressed. So the range of the progression is reduced.

 

[vachss]

b/c the entire spring is compressed. So the range of the progression is reduced.

I can see how increasing the load on the spring will compress it and decrease the range, but how does lifting affect compression? I would think that with the same weight compressing the spring the compressed length would be the same whether you sit the spring on the bottom or top perch of a 5100 - with the whole spring being shifted upward, but it's length unchanged.

In other words, I see why higher load applications may defeat the purpose of a progressive rate spring, but not how higher lift applications do so.

 

[AZjake]

Great info

 

[Dreyna]

Spindle question

I have a 2inch spacer lift right now and I want to add a 4 inch spindle in the front and I was wondering if I would only have to buy the spindle lift or if I would need to buy something else with it like springs or anything. Thanks for the help.