Advice on alternatives to Bilstein 5160

[JPOVS]

I wanted Kings but was advised locally to stay away from heim joints and stick with bushings as these hold up better to winter salt and will see less corrosion problems.

 

[Throwback]

I just realized the Fox 2.0 shocks are about $1125 for front and rear, while the 6112/5160s are about $1155 for front and rear if you pay to have the struts assembled before shipping.

Food for thought.

 

[Zeusmotorworks]

necro post... sooooooo the 5160's took a shit on my Wifes 2014 Trail. Less than a year I think (don't recall miles) but what sucks is it's a mall crawler. NEVER, EVER truly been off road sadly. Looking to replace them with something else. Freakin LOVE the 6112s for her purposes, but the the 5160's from the get go were no match for the 6112's. They just ride soooooo nice. The 5160s were always harsher. Anyone have a long term update of the Icon 2.0's with 6112 fronts? I'm shopping for something to replace the rear, but match the front.

<edit> Edit: rear rests on Toytec Superflex springs (1.5-2" lift and 10%increase in rate).</edit>

 

[DontKickTrees]

I have been running 6112/5100’s for the last year and I really like them on road and off. It feels like a pretty well matched setup to me. I have the front at 1.75 and the rear is the stock spring with a .75 spacer. I can only compare to the stock but it’s a big improvement and handles great on the mild to medium trails I drive. My only problem is the back sags a bit more then I would like when I am fully loaded up for camping. Think I’m going to try the wheelers t13 in the rear soon and set the front at 2.5

 

[Zeusmotorworks]

Thanks... guess I should have added that the rear is on Toytec Super Flex springs (pre HDs being available). So the front's are on the second to highest setting (IIRC about a 2.5" lift) and the rear with those springs at least 1.5"-2" lift with a 10% increase in spring rate.

 

[Judd94]

Maybe these issues with the 5160s is why they’re on backorder? Reengineering em?

 

[Zeusmotorworks]

Looking real hard at the ICON non-resi 2.0's

 

[MAST4R]

This is EXACTLY the balance I'm within and tearing through different peoples "Reviews" or perspective is ugh blah..

I'm a 99/1% for sure. Mostly on road/commuter, with some exploring off road from time to time or a random trip up to Sedona AZ and play around on Schnebly or some of the trails up there. But very infrequently.

The lift that I THINK I've come to terms on to hopefully cater to both on road manners, and reliable longevity with an ability to do a little "Fireroad/mild trail" exploring is the following:

6112's in front set to approx 2"-2.25"
5100's in rear w/wheeler T13 1.5" coil.

Also trying to accomplish the lift above while not creating excessive rake. Kind of where I'm at for now.

Just for the record, the Sedona trails are the example I like to give for where the stock suspension is perfectly fine. As for the annoying dirt road, yes, it is so annoying that if running that all time one would want better but that's of course about preferences, not needs.

For the desert and mid to high speed, the rear is actually what takes a beating and burns up. If you can swing it, try to get 5160 or icon vs2.0/2.5 non resi.
:

Totally agree. I can live with my Dobinsons 1" front springs and stock shocks up front just fine. But the rear...

Does the TRD setup have a better warranty than the 5160? I realize it's a whole lot more expensive but it may be worth the up front cost to have a dealer installed factory suspension.

I was in that boat until not too long ago. I have come to think that getting over warranty periods and non-DIY servicing is part of the deal of going for higher performance stuff.

I just realized the Fox 2.0 shocks are about $1125 for front and rear, while the 6112/5160s are about $1155 for front and rear if you pay to have the struts assembled before shipping.

Food for thought.

There is a Shock Surplus article that compares the two and the Billstein wins easily. In addition, the 6112 at least seem to be long-lasting, quality units though I am suspicious of the 5160 for both ride quality and longevity (being non-servicable). Then there is the Accutune article that compares Fox performance (generic internals) to their factory series (high-quality components). The Fox 2.0 is interesting and some folks here are running it with 6112. But the front Fox 2.0 coilover seems like a poor proposition. There is a similar priced Radflo 2.0 with supposedly better internals (same as the Radflo 2.5). Still poor value vs the Radflo 2.5.

necro post... sooooooo the 5160's took a shit on my Wifes 2014 Trail. Less than a year I think (don't recall miles) but what sucks is it's a mall crawler. NEVER, EVER truly been off road sadly. Looking to replace them with something else. Freakin LOVE the 6112s for her purposes, but the the 5160's from the get go were no match for the 6112's. They just ride soooooo nice. The 5160s were always harsher. Anyone have a long term update of the Icon 2.0's with 6112 fronts? I'm shopping for something to replace the rear, but match the front..[/COLOR][/B]</edit>

I had ruled out Icon initially from all I had read, but the 2.0VS are of interest to me right now to pair with 6112. They seem easy to self-service, cheap rebuilt kits, the special charging needle is not pricey either. Icon claims these are fully built in-house (some have raised concerns about their previous 2.0s being just rebranded shocks).

Looking real hard at the ICON non-resi 2.0's

Same here. It is linear on compression and only mildly digressive on rebound so the usual digressive caveats do not apply to this particular shock. Since the non-resi is cheap, even if the quality turns out to be awful, it is an easy write-off. Easier than 5160 in fact. There is an optional 9-dollar boot to protect the shaft and it is a nitrosteel shaft, which is supposed to be superior to the Fox 2.0 chrome-shaft as the latter's plating is what takes a beating, chips, and then the damaged rod destroys the seals, etc.

Just some thoughts...on some old posts lol.

 

[Zeusmotorworks]

I had ruled out Icon initially from all I had read, but the 2.0VS are of interest to me right now to pair with 6112. They seem easy to self-service, cheap rebuilt kits, the special charging needle is not pricey either. Icon claims these are fully built in-house (some have raised concerns about their previous 2.0s being just rebranded shocks).



Same here. It is linear on compression and only mildly digressive on rebound so the usual digressive caveats do not apply to this particular shock. Since the non-resi is cheap, even if the quality turns out to be awful, it is an easy write-off. Easier than 5160 in fact. There is an optional 9-dollar boot to protect the shaft and it is a nitrosteel shaft, which is supposed to be superior to the Fox 2.0 chrome-shaft as the latter's plating is what takes a beating, chips, and then the damaged rod destroys the seals, etc.

Just some thoughts...on some old posts lol.

We've been real happy with the Icons... did replace the 6112s after one started weeping fluid. Now I just need to get the old ones serviced somewhere and I'll throw them on my FJ while getting the Camburgs on it serviced.

 

[MAST4R]

We've been real happy with the Icons... did replace the 6112s after one started weeping fluid. Now I just need to get the old ones serviced somewhere and I'll throw them on my FJ while getting the Camburgs on it serviced.

Thanks for this comment! How has the setup been comfort wise, especially at speeds between 5-15 offroad, moderate to easy but choppy terrain? How many miles on the failed 6112?

I am not sure why I am so worried considering how much we have endured on various stock vehicles; gotta be my ignorance.

 

[Zeusmotorworks]

Thanks for this comment! How has the setup been comfort wise, especially at speeds between 5-15 offroad, moderate to easy but choppy terrain? How many miles on the failed 6112?

I am not sure why I am so worried considering how much we have endured on various stock vehicles; gotta be my ignorance.

Very comfortable at speed. Some of the nicest riding I've experienced on road, and real decent off. However, she has no extra weight on the truck. No bumpers/armor.


I don't recall on the mileage, but I'd guess 50k or so. Maybe more.

 

[Nalcyon]

My 5160 experience

Old thread and first post but just giving my .02 on 5160's,

I just had my 4th leaking 5160 in less than 5,000 miles and will be trying something different, probably OME. I have sliders, Gobi rack, and SSO slimline winch bumper for extra weight running 285 70 17 bfg. The front 6112's with 650lb coils have been great but I can't get the 5160's to last more than a few weeks before leaking. I am running these with 2" icon coils in the rear and will be adding extended bumpstops when I replace the shocks which may be the issue with the Bilsteins right now, I'm just not going to buy a fifth shock from them.

In full disclosure I live on a 700 acre farm in east TX with several fairly technical dirt trails I run about 5 times a week, (about 6 miles offroad each time), where the suspension is subjected to flex but not high speed runs.

 

[borfoo3]

Old thread and first post but just giving my .02 on 5160's,

I just had my 4th leaking 5160 in less than 5,000 miles and will be trying something different, probably OME. I have sliders, Gobi rack, and SSO slimline winch bumper for extra weight running 285 70 17 bfg. The front 6112's with 650lb coils have been great but I can't get the 5160's to last more than a few weeks before leaking. I am running these with 2" icon coils in the rear and will be adding extended bumpstops when I replace the shocks which may be the issue with the Bilsteins right now, I'm just not going to buy a fifth shock from them.

In full disclosure I live on a 700 acre farm in east TX with several fairly technical dirt trails I run about 5 times a week, (about 6 miles offroad each time), where the suspension is subjected to flex but not high speed runs.

Hmmm something seems wrong here. No way all 4 units are duds, and my previous 5160 (now living on a friends FJ) is starting to fade at its 4th year of heavy service. I’d check if your lift setup is not over-extending the shock which would surely ruin it (or any shock for that matter) pretty quick.

However, if the daily rough drive is wearing it out (highly unlikely IMO) then you want a bigger diameter shock to handle the punishment

 

[Nalcyon]

Hmmm something seems wrong here. No way all 4 units are duds, and my previous 5160 (now living on a friends FJ) is starting to fade at its 4th year of heavy service. I’d check if your lift setup is not over-extending the shock which would surely ruin it (or any shock for that matter) pretty quick.

However, if the daily rough drive is wearing it out (highly unlikely IMO) then you want a bigger diameter shock to handle the punishment

I agree the setup seems off, I'm wondering if I'm overcompressing the shock without bumpstop extensions. Like I said the offroading is not fast but gets pretty technical as in 2 and three wheel situations in multiple spots on soft dirt and mud. FWIW I removed the front sway bar about 2,000 miles ago and have left it off. I will update this thread if I get it figured out to help anyone contemplating these shocks because on paper they seem the perfect choice for me, and the 6112 with 650lb springs have been perfect for my setup.

 

[borfoo3]

I agree the setup seems off, I'm wondering if I'm overcompressing the shock without bumpstop extensions. Like I said the offroading is not fast but gets pretty technical as in 2 and three wheel situations in multiple spots on soft dirt and mud. FWIW I removed the front sway bar about 2,000 miles ago and have left it off. I will update this thread if I get it figured out to help anyone contemplating these shocks because on paper they seem the perfect choice for me, and the 6112 with 650lb springs have been perfect for my setup.

Actually the 5160 has a relatively short compressed length with quite a long shaft travel range as some of the shock guts (i.e. floating piston) are physically in the reservoir can.

So highly unlikely you are overcompressing them as the standard 5160 is rated from stock height and above, provided your stock bumpstops are in place and doing their job.

 

[Nalcyon]

Update,

I installed OME 60081's this weekend and wish I could give a more informative comparison but it is hard to tell the difference between the two shocks and just having functional shocks. I know that offroad the control is much better, without the rear end clunking all the way down and up and much less movement after bumps and uneven terrain. I have driven it about six miles offroad at this point, (technical dirt trails), and so far no leaks but we will see. A concern I have is that when the rear end was at full droop on one side the shock top did not go all the way through the opening at the top leading me to believe that the shock will run out of droop about 2 inches before the rest of the rear end does. This doesn't sound right to me but could be wrong. I also included a pic of the 5160's that came off with less than 3,000 miles on them. These are the third and fourth 5160's I've had blow out in less than 10,000 miles. (the one with less oil is leaking at the junction of the remote reservoir at the main body). FWIW the other two looked like the one with the blown oil all over the top.

 

[Lazywildcat01]

Reviving an old thread since I came here to find some insight on whats going on with my 5160s and decided to share as well.

Ive had two leaking 5160s on the same driver side now.

12/5/20: installed 6112 on circlips 7/5 per bilstein instructions to get 2.5" lift and 5160 with Wheelers T13 coils for 1.5". Realistically I only got about 1" of rear lift. Installed Falken Wildpeak at3w p metric 285s with icon rebound 17"x8.5" wheels and then alignment.

Noticed a leak after 2 months of use and 2 off road trips. Called for warranty, sent a replacement. Had to pay upfront for the new 5160.

3/14/21: installed 1 new 5160 on driver side paired with 2 OME 10mm trim packers to get a tad more rear lift. Now it sits level front to rear

4/12/21: noticed another leak after only 1 light off road trail. I still havent been refunded for my 2nd 5160 yet. According to Wheelers, they are waiting on manufacturer to look at them. Soon to be ordering a third shock...

I'm not carrying any extra weight front or rear. I daily drive this 99% of the time. My offroad trips have all been less than 30 miles in the Arizona desert. 6112s have been great, but unhappy with whats happening in the rears. I might have to search for another solution if a third shock develops another leak.

Also have front and rear durobump stops on order and waiting to be installed.

 

[Galdarn]

Rear Shocks

Old thread and first post but just giving my .02 on 5160's,

I just had my 4th leaking 5160 in less than 5,000 miles and will be trying something different, probably OME. I have sliders, Gobi rack, and SSO slimline winch bumper for extra weight running 285 70 17 bfg. The front 6112's with 650lb coils have been great but I can't get the 5160's to last more than a few weeks before leaking. I am running these with 2" icon coils in the rear and will be adding extended bumpstops when I replace the shocks which may be the issue with the Bilsteins right now, I'm just not going to buy a fifth shock from them.

In full disclosure I live on a 700 acre farm in east TX with several fairly technical dirt trails I run about 5 times a week, (about 6 miles offroad each time), where the suspension is subjected to flex but not high speed runs.

I would like to know what you replaced the 5160s with. I want to build my rig out similar to yours eventually. I have The Trail with KDSS if that matters
Thanks

 

[honda250xtitan]

not sure if anyone has mentioned this but the fox 2.0's pair really well with 6112's. I ran the non resi versions with my 6112's are for the money it was my favorite setup

 

[Mo's TE]

Sorry for not replying to this thread but I did not get notifications.

After my first post on page 1 I replaced the leaky 5160 with fox 2.0 extended travel and never had any problems. I think the 5160 were being used beyond or on the limits of their travel limits.