How Do Bilstein Shocks Provide Lift?

[thirstyturtle]

Looking to replace my XREAS soon with Bilstein 5100s. From what I've read it appears that the bilsteins provide up to 2.5" it lift. How do the shocks provide lift? Does this mean I'll be able to use my stock springs and won't need to reinstall my Daystar 2.5/1.5?

 

[dougiefreshmx]

Thats correct, you will not need to use your Daystar atleast on the front. They work kind of the same way the spacer does except instead of preloading the spring from the top, there is an adjustable clip at the bottom that preloads the spring from the bottom up. Hence the 4 height settings you can pick from. Sorry if thats confusing the way I wrote it. If you do get the 5100s, depending on the setting you put it on, youll either need to keep the rear spacer in or get lift springs to keep it level. The rear 5100s do not lift. There are alot of good threads on installing them. I just did the FJ/5100 and love it.

 

[thirstyturtle]

Thanks a lot dougie! That makes since, so the strut compresses the spring further creating extra lift? That's awesome. Well once I find a good deal on some I'll be looking to make the switch and get out in front of my XREAS failing one day, plus many report better ride quality. So I'll get the Bilsteins, lose the front spacer, keep the rear spacer and be as happy as a clam.

Do the rear Bilstein provide for more flex than stock shocks? Do they have a longer extended length and/or shorter compressed length?

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Not sure on compressed length, but rear 5100s are 2" longer than stock so they do give more flex.

 

[dougiefreshmx]

Just FYI, I got mine from Downsouth Motorsports - King Shocks - Fox Shocks - Bilstein Shocks in CA, best deal i could find, Wheelers is a little cheaper for the actual shocks but Downsouth doesn't charge for shipping, so they ended up a little cheaper since either way for me they were coming from the west coast to the east coast.

 

[knightsfs4]

Can someone post some pictures of the FJ/5100 setup?

 

[dougiefreshmx]

Here is mine with it. Its on the 1.75 setting. Rides 10 times better now. Click on ARK_SWAMP_RIDER'S link in his sig. Theres more there too.

 

[Eastcoastrunner]

so if you didn't want a lift, and just installed the fj springs and bilstein 5100's at a stock height? do i need spacers, etc?

 

[dougiefreshmx]

nope, all you would need to do is install them with the clip in the lowest position.

 

[Eastcoastrunner]

will the bisteins in the front level out the 'rake' a bit better than stock even at it's lowest position? or will it remain like stock

 

[dougiefreshmx]

At the lowest position it will still have the rake. But many on here have had a lot of luck leveling their runners with them set at the .85 clip position.

 

[yellowssm]

Here is mine with it. Its on the 1.75 setting. Rides 10 times better now. Click on ARK_SWAMP_RIDER'S link in his sig. Theres more there too.

sorry for the off topic but I have you have the exact vehicle you do and was wondering what else you have done to your suspension and what size tires youre running. Thanks

 

[dougiefreshmx]

No worries, I have FJ coils all around and 5100s up front with OEM FJ shocks in the rear. My tires are 265/60-18s. They were new when I bought it and still have a lot of meat on them left, so now I have to wait to get bigger BFGs. Either way the ride quality has improved tremendously.

 

[Eastcoastrunner]

At the lowest position it will still have the rake. But many on here have had a lot of luck leveling their runners with them set at the .85 clip position.

i might be go around in a circle here, but if it is put at any position but the lowest, do you need a spacer? forgive me, i am a newb to truck suspension...

 

[dougiefreshmx]

There is no need for a spacer with the 5100s. Whether you want to level or lift with them, it is all self contained to the strut. Here is a picture of mine and a diagram Bilstein sends with the strut. On the picture you can see the line that you can adjust the clips to for lift or stock ride height and the diagram shows how it preloads the spring up as opposed to a spacer preloading the spring down. Basically the same concept, just upside down.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

The only reason you would need a spacer is if you want the rear lifted. Everything said only applies to the front. Some use the higher settings on the front and a 1.5" spacer in the rear to lift it versus a lower notch on the front just to level it out. Pics of mine with fj coils and the 1.75" setting, then later with the lowest setting and ome coils are in my build thread, link in sig.

 

[Champ306]

or you can run 5100's on stock ride height clip and use the daystar lift. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[yellowssm]

or you can run 5100's on stock ride height clip and use the daystar lift. Nothing wrong with that.

But what's the point in that unless it's better to lift that way? Couldn't you just lift with the bilsteins so you wouldn't have the extra cost of the spacers?

 

[empty403]

At the lowest position it will still have the rake. But many on here have had a lot of luck leveling their runners with them set at the .85 clip position.

Yes, this is true for me - 0.85. I needed a 1.75in lift to level mine out so I first installed it with the 1.5" (3rd) setting and found the front ended up looking just a bit higher - seemed to go up more like 2.5". You can see from dougiefreshmx's pic that from that angle it seems the front a tad higher. So I ended up changing it to the 2nd setting 0.85 and it did level it to within 0.5" of the rears until, but when I install airbags in the rear coils it raised it another 0.25". For me the actual lift on the 0.85" setting was more like closer to 1.5". For me I like to have the rear just a bit higher so when I have passengers, cargo or accelerating, it is level.

 

[dougiefreshmx]

Yeah, I am a little higher in the front. I figured id go ahead and get it in the position I wanted so when I get bigger tires I'll be all set. Probably gonna end up with the Toytec Superflex's at that point to keep it a little more level. We'll see...