Bilstein 5100 Height Settings

[Ramzey28]

For 5th gen owners...

Rather then a new thread maybe someone can answer this....can you change the setting from .85 up or down (1.75 say) easily when installed (after the fact)? How? Got quoted 240 (almost) to install for fronts... From dealer when doing my new tires so no alignment fee. Putting on Firestone dest. At's too. Sticking with 265's do to gas mpg and acceleration. Thoughts? I'll buy the 5100s for 200 since dealer was higher online.

 

[keeganxt]

Adjustment pretty must requires uninstalling the struts and then reinstalling. Do the install yourself and save some money. Floor jack, piece of 2x4, socket set and torque wrench.

$200 for the fronts?

 

[Ramzey28]

Adjustment pretty must requires uninstalling the struts and then reinstalling. Do the install yourself and save some money. Floor jack, piece of 2x4, socket set and torque wrench.

$200 for the fronts?

186 to buy the fronts and 240 at the most to install....I would screw it up...lol. I figured since they were doing the tires and alignment I might just have them do the shocks at the same time.

 

[Ramzey28]

Adjustment pretty must requires uninstalling the struts and then reinstalling. Do the install yourself and save some money. Floor jack, piece of 2x4, socket set and torque wrench.

$200 for the fronts?

So if you uninstall the strut would you need another alignment? Time it would take ? Thanks

 

[keeganxt]

Most would recommend it

 

[Michigander]

I installed the Bilstein 5100's on my tacoma, which is pretty much the same front end as the 4runner.

Some notes:

- You have to completely remove the strut from the vehicle and remove the spring to adjust the height of the shock bucket. You need to use a spring compressor to eliminate pressure on the bottom spring cup and circle clip.

- I had my truck set at 1.75" lift and the ride becomes more harsh because you are preloading the spring to increase spring stiffness. I would suggest running it at the lower setting.

- The rear should be slightly higher than the front unloaded. The rear springs on the 4runners are soft and they will sag when you load the truck with people or gear. You don't want your headlights pointed to the sky when you have a load in the truck.

- When you get to 1.75-2.5" of lift, the front end is more difficult to get a good alignment (positive caster) and upper a-arms may need to be replaced with aftermarket to get good numbers. My truck was really twitchy in the front steering due to not enough + caster.

 

[Decipher]

Rescurrected...

I'm set on installing a full set of 5100s on my 2010 SR5 with the 1.75 setting up front. What I'm not finding definitively anywhere is what do to with the rear 5100s. It seems most people either dropped a spacer in or just left the rear stock. I'm looking to keep it on stock coils. Will the 0 setting on the rear give me a level appearance or will I need to set it higher on stock coils? I just want to level out the rear. I do some towing but not a ton. I really want to avoid messing with spacers.

There is so much conflicting info and after hours of searching I have to ask. Thanks!

 

[3wbdriver]

Rescurrected...

I'm set on installing a full set of 5100s on my 2010 SR5 with the 1.75 setting up front. What I'm not finding definitively anywhere is what do to with the rear 5100s. It seems most people either dropped a spacer in or just left the rear stock. I'm looking to keep it on stock coils. Will the 0 setting on the rear give me a level appearance or will I need to set it higher on stock coils? I just want to level out the rear. I do some towing but not a ton. I really want to avoid messing with spacers.

There is so much conflicting info and after hours of searching I have to ask. Thanks!

I started that way. Your body and fenders will sit level, but you will actually have a slight reverse rake in the frame. I thought it looked great but my off roading adventures got to needing a little more oomph, so I've moved on. Here is mine the day I had them installed at 1.75 front and 0 rear a couple years ago. This is with maybe 200 pounds of work gear in the back also. And bear in mind of you go this route you will need to adjust your headlights down.

 

[Cymon]

1.75 will give you a level look, but if you haul any cargo or tow at all as you said you do...do yourself and go with the .85 setting. At 1.75 with any weight on the back you will be severely reverse raked with the stock coils. IMO the .85 setting gives a really nice appearance (it's almost essentially the TRD pro lift look), and you can still haul some cargo without being completely nose high.

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

 

[Decipher]

Wow fellas. Thanks a lot for the feedback! It certainly does help. I was just concerned the .85 wouldn't be noticeable enough. The 5100s are replacing a leaking rear shock, so it's out of necessity but might as well gain some toughness while I'm at it.

 

[jasonv]

couple folks have said "0 at the rear" like there is some other option. there is no other option without new springs or some spacers. the rear are not adjustable

 

[Decipher]

This is exactly where my confusion was. I thought the rears were adjustable, but now that makes sense as to why you must add spacers. Thank you! I've researched for hours and while I'm new to this forum, I'm not new to communities and know better than to post more clutter when the answer is out there.

 

[ShortMountain]

Amazing information

YOU all are amazing... I used the proper search and round this thread.

I have a '11 with 100k miles. stock shocks that SUCK. They are D.O.A.

I shopped and shopped... finally decided on the 5100's front/rear

but did not know how to set them up. Your conversation really helped me! thanks again!

 

[Nsimmons03]

Just installed 5100's all the way around (3rd notch) with 1" cornfed spacers and 285/70/17 K02's. Had to trim the bumper a little and remove the mud flaps but I think it's looking good. There is also a -12 offset on the wheels. It's my wife's rig and she likes it so that's all that mattered I suppose.

 

[LanierT4R]

Does anyone have experience with the 5100’s set at 1.75 w/stock rear springs and a hybrid winch bumper like the C4 Fab Lo Pro?

What impact if any will the bumper and winch have on the stance?

 

[sarsipius]

I picked up a used set of Bilstein 5100's for my SR5... They were previously installed on a TE and have the TE coils already attached. Does anyone know if i can simply swap out the SR5 stock coilovers with the used billsteins and TE coils.... I know that the SR5 has only 7 coils on the drivers side, where the TE has 8 coils on both drivers and passenger.

 

[3wbdriver]

Does anyone have experience with the 5100’s set at 1.75 w/stock rear springs and a hybrid winch bumper like the C4 Fab Lo Pro?

What impact if any will the bumper and winch have on the stance?

I had this exact setup when I installed my SSO hybrid bumper in late 2014. The combined weight of around 130 pounds made my front springs sag about 3/4". I drove it for a few months that way until I could afford a pair of OME 2" 885's to offset the weight, and I set the 5100's at 0 to keep it close to what I had for front lift before. Still running that setup 3+ years later up front.

 

[4Runner_Gunner]

I installed the Bilstein 5100's on my tacoma, which is pretty much the same front end as the 4runner.

Some notes:

- You have to completely remove the strut from the vehicle and remove the spring to adjust the height of the shock bucket. You need to use a spring compressor to eliminate pressure on the bottom spring cup and circle clip.

- I had my truck set at 1.75" lift and the ride becomes more harsh because you are preloading the spring to increase spring stiffness. I would suggest running it at the lower setting.

- The rear should be slightly higher than the front unloaded. The rear springs on the 4runners are soft and they will sag when you load the truck with people or gear. You don't want your headlights pointed to the sky when you have a load in the truck.

- When you get to 1.75-2.5" of lift, the front end is more difficult to get a good alignment (positive caster) and upper a-arms may need to be replaced with aftermarket to get good numbers. My truck was really twitchy in the front steering due to not enough + caster.

The same thing happened when I had the 5100s installed on my 2012 4runner. I did 1.75 up front with a 1inch cornfed spacer in the back. The ride feels twitchy, and I feel like i am actively correcting the steering.

 

[SR52011]

The same thing happened when I had the 5100s installed on my 2012 4runner. I did 1.75 up front with a 1inch cornfed spacer in the back. The ride feels twitchy, and I feel like i am actively correcting the steering.

Are you still running 1.75/1, has it gotten better over time?

 

[MannMade82]

I have had mine set at 1.75 with rear 1" Cornfed spacers for almost two years and I have zero complaints. Just get it aligned after the install. I installed them myself, solo...not hard to do if you are handy and have tools.