Bilstein 5100 Lift

[Dunngeon]

Hey T4R,

I just installed new shocks/struts and sway bar bushings on my 07 4runner whilst keeping the stock springs. I went with Bilstein 5100's. I left the snap ring on the lowest setting, opting to see where I ended up before compressing the springs any further...

It's a good thing I did that

For whatever reason, the 5100's that I received required me to compress the springs at least another inch over stock to get the stem nut to thread. When that happened, I was curious if I was about to see 2+ inches of lift because of Hooke's Law.


Before: (Used DustyDriftwood's photo, it's identical to mine)

After:
Front

Rear

Overall:

These pictures were taken a few days after I did the swap, so the suspension has settled a bit.

The front rose almost exactly 2 inches, while the rear has stayed the same giving it a nasty bro-rake.

I'm a bit curious why I've seen these gains though, when it seems no one else has. I purchased this set from Downsouth Motorsports.

Long term I'm planning to upgrade the rear springs since the rear sags quite a bit when on a full tank of gas. For the moment, I'm planning on trying FJ springs coupled with a spacer to even out the rake. The FJ springs should provide an additional ~60 lb of force which is roughly half a tank of gas, correcting my remaining handling issues. The spacer will stop the headlights from blinding everyone, and give me some more rear clearance.

(in other news, I hate doing physics in imperial units)

 

[having fun]

You might want to take and post a picture of where the setting ring is set at.

For being on the lowest setting, seems like you have more lift than the setting.
Granted the stock spring probably has some sag to them, but, that's still more lift for the bottom setting.

 

[preacher35]

Call me crazy, but something does not look right here.

 

[Lolrax]

Call me crazy, but something does not look right here.

Yeah he mentioned he has a bro-rake and is trying to fix it

 

[hearno]

A couple guys have installed the spring perch upside down resulting in more lift than expected. Take a few pics of the front strut and post them up

 

[timmay217]

A couple guys have installed the spring perch upside down resulting in more lift than expected. Take a few pics of the front strut and post them up

^^ Yep. Happened to me.

 

[kevinpt]

A couple guys have installed the spring perch upside down resulting in more lift than expected. Take a few pics of the front strut and post them up

what he said

 

[NCrunner0]

I have my 5100's set at 1.75 and I don't have that much lift!

 

[olsen_karl]

A couple guys have installed the spring perch upside down resulting in more lift than expected. Take a few pics of the front strut and post them up

I did this at first too. Based on the photos, I bet that's what happened here.

 

[benjuca]

did you make sure there was no spacers installed (maybe previous owner)?

 

[Bama_Runner]

I bet money the spring perch is upside down. It can happen. Ask me how I know.

 

[bpowa]

Good Lawwwd!! Another upside down perch install.. OP time to take it apart again.

 

[Dunngeon]

A couple guys have installed the spring perch upside down resulting in more lift than expected. Take a few pics of the front strut and post them up

I don't even need pictures to know the perch is backwards :smash: I was in a rush to reassemble and must've put the perch on backwards.

I guess this quote from my late grandfather came true "No one has time to do it right the first time, but they always have time to fix it."

I'll post some pictures of the disassembly and reassembly.

 

[4gin007]

:redbrick::redbrick::redbrick:

I get my guys at work all the time with that saying, you dont have time to do it right but you have time to do it twice.

Happpens to the best of us though.

 

[beliy25]

i lifted mine with all four 5100s and new springs,i did raise fronts to the maximum possible and i dont have that much of a rake ,only a little bit the front is higher than the back.body lift will do its job pretty soon guess

 

[9civichatch3]

Just installed my 5100 at highest setting and is not near that high.

Perches have to be wrong.

 

[Dunngeon]

Alright, so I took em apart today and flipped the spring perch on both sides. All in all, the swap took me about 2 hours 17 minutes from jack up to jack down.

Sway bar and skid plate off

Obviously on backwards

An impact wrench make everything so much easier (and the discoloration on the LCA is water, not grease)

Compressing the springs

LCA eccentric bolts loosened, I've got a lifetime alignment at Firestone so it doesn't cost me anything (except time, which I'm saving here)

I set it to the second groove, then adjusted it to the 3rd which is a height loss of about .75 inches (on paper)

Reassembled strut

Fully reassembled assembly

In a few hours I'll put up the new heights, it's still going to have some rake but that's intentional.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[fullboogie]

DOH! Been there and done that!

 

[dccgrillz]

Wow never heard of the flipped perches...

OMG must have been hell compressing the spring to get the nut screwed on...

Then installing the assembly with all that extra height wow!

I guess since you took the lwr cntrl arm bolts out that probably helped, as you said the alignment would have to be corrected....

I have these shocks and they are great ride a little stiff for me but the truck drives a bit tighter for sure...

I set the perch to level out the truck and I love it so far...

I have spacers 1.25 in the front and 1.5 in the rear.

I just bought new Mich. MS2 stock size 06 limited and they rub the front just a tad every now and again... I assume once the tires wear down a bit it won't rub cause I had worn BFG trails and they didn't rub with the spacers....