Lowered expectations - a Bilstein ride question

[geohil]

Good Morning All,

I finally had time to mount my Einbach/Bilstein 5100 fronts in to match my OME890/Bilstein 5125 rears. I'm on the 2nd perch for the fronts, and have added 10mm trim packers in the rear. The ride....well it bounces like a toddler on redbull.

I know this is a common lift set-up - so for those of you running the same thing, what is your ride like? YES I've searched the forum for this and have seen a couple comments like "rides like a Cadillac", but that is not what I am experiencing. Please give me your experiences.

Thanks

 

[geohil]

I'll add that I don't have much for added weight. Just the winch plated and winch up front. Only armor is sliders. And the tires are heavy 295/7-/17 Toyo MT's. I did have to add a 1.5 inch spacer to the front to clear as well.

Other:
-Had alignment yesterday
=LBJ's, UBJ's, and all control arm bushings are new.

 

[MStudt]

Good Morning All,

I finally had time to mount my Einbach/Bilstein 5100 fronts in to match my OME890/Bilstein 5125 rears. I'm on the 2nd perch for the fronts, and have added 10mm trim packers in the rear. The ride....well it bounces like a toddler on redbull.

I know this is a common lift set-up - so for those of you running the same thing, what is your ride like? YES I've searched the forum for this and have seen a couple comments like "rides like a Cadillac", but that is not what I am experiencing. Please give me your experiences.

Thanks

My 891's were the same way for about the first 1000 miles. I don't have that bounce anymore, and the ride is quite good at this point.

 

[geohil]

Thanks [MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION] - I'll suspend my whining for 1000 miles or so.

I was just looking at my alignment....these guys didn't try very hard.

 

[PhdNPrerunners]

The reason the front is riding rough is because you have it on the 2nd perch. With the Eibach coils you are supposed to run them on the lowest setting. I think on Tacoma world another person tried to run them on the 2nd perch also and he said it rode terrible like you are describing. Also when I had my 99 I had 890s in the rear and it rode really rough so I couldn't imagine what 891s would be like. I would cringe every time I had to go over a speed bump cause of the rears stiffness

 

[geohil]

The reason the front is riding rough is because you have it on the 2nd perch. With the Eibach coils you are supposed to run them on the lowest setting. I think on Tacoma world another person tried to run them on the 2nd perch also and he said it rode terrible like you are describing. Also when I had my 99 I had 890s in the rear and it rode really rough so I couldn't imagine what 891s would be like. I would cringe every time I had to go over a speed bump cause of the rears stiffness

Crap! I'll have to get that fixed up. I had to pay a shop $60 to assemble the strut because my spring compressor was too weak for those Einbachs. Thanks Phd!

 

[MojaveMadMan]

I think I read your first post right, you are also running a 1.5" spacer? Many people don't realize that the spacer lifts actually will increase the spring rate slightly making things a little stiffer as well because it changes the characteristics of the shock. Just a thought...

 

[geohil]

I think I read your first post right, you are also running a 1.5" spacer? Many people don't realize that the spacer lifts actually will increase the spring rate slightly making things a little stiffer as well because it changes the characteristics of the shock. Just a thought...

Sorry - the spacer is a wheel spacer, not a top-plate spacer.

 

[geohil]

I will say that even on the higher perch they performed well offroad
Geoff goes up - YouTube

 

[MTD]

Also when I had my 99 I had 890s in the rear and it rode really rough so I couldn't imagine what 891s would be like. I would cringe every time I had to go over a speed bump cause of the rears stiffness

My 891's ride awesome lol even before I added all of my weight haha. I think it is your choice of shock that plays into that. Valving in a shock can make all the difference. What were you running?

 

[ajonesnv]

Crap! I'll have to get that fixed up. I had to pay a shop $60 to assemble the strut because my spring compressor was too weak for those Einbachs. Thanks Phd!

Rent a compressor from Autozone...they are not ideal but they get the job done (slowly and carefully, but free )

 

[geohil]

Rent a compressor from Autozone...they are not ideal but they get the job done (slowly and carefully, but free )

Sigh....Autozone it is. Hoping to avoid them for a while. Bought top-plates for the new struts from them. Studs didn't line up and isolater was too big...but per them is is the right part. Had to mill down the isolater and ream out the OEM mount to get it to fit.

 

[poser]

Good Morning All,



I finally had time to mount my Einbach/Bilstein 5100 fronts in to match my OME890/Bilstein 5125 rears. I'm on the 2nd perch for the fronts, and have added 10mm trim packers in the rear. The ride....well it bounces like a toddler on redbull.



I know this is a common lift set-up - so for those of you running the same thing, what is your ride like? YES I've searched the forum for this and have seen a couple comments like "rides like a Cadillac", but that is not what I am experiencing. Please give me your experiences.



Thanks

Did you have the OME890/Bilstein 5125 on the rear already and just now mounting the front?
How does the rear suspension feel?
Your setup is the exact setup I'm like going to be running.

 

[geohil]

Did you have the OME890/Bilstein 5125 on the rear already and just now mounting the front?
How does the rear suspension feel?
Your setup is the exact setup I'm like going to be running.

I'll preface this by saying - I moved from a spacer lift with KYB's to Bils. So I went from as firm as you can get, to as soft as you can get. The 890's and 5125's have been on for 8 months and I like them. A ton more spring then I was used to, but still really nice. If you plan to carry much gear, or like a firmer ride - go with the 891's. I'm already wishing I would have as I want to add an aux tank for longer range.

I'll report back once I get the fronts set on the proper perch and I get to break them in.

 

[kindred4x]

I had my bilstein tundra 5100's on the second setting with eibach springs and it rode like crap. Posted a pic on the forum and i had the spring perchs installed upside down! doh! Fixed my error and rides great now, and still on the second perch setting

 

[kolelt]

Op, if you have tundra 5100 then 2nd perch is normal , equal to 1st perch on Tacoma 5100. Make sure the cap that the spring sits in isn't upside down.

 

[geohil]

They are the D558 from Wheelers - so I don't think they are the tundra ones.
I verified my seat is installed the correct way - with sleeve facing up

 

[poser]

I'll preface this by saying - I moved from a spacer lift with KYB's to Bils. So I went from as firm as you can get, to as soft as you can get. The 890's and 5125's have been on for 8 months and I like them. A ton more spring then I was used to, but still really nice. If you plan to carry much gear, or like a firmer ride - go with the 891's. I'm already wishing I would have as I want to add an aux tank for longer range.



I'll report back once I get the fronts set on the proper perch and I get to break them in.

Good to hear. I'm planning on running the 890s, but with airlift airbags for when I'm hauling the dirtbike or pulling a trailer.

I am planning on running a plate style bumper at some point. Maybe I need to look into 891s a little.

 

[geohil]

Just an update - I'm still on the 2nd perch but the vehicle seems to be settling in and to be honest I'm enjoying the firmer ride. I'm thinking I'm going to solve this by ordering the adjustable sleeves from Toytec. Make it so I can soften up for wheeling trips, but keep it firm for the street.
Anyone running these 5100 retrofit kits??? Thoughts?

 

[lowlinkin]

how many perches were on the shock 3 or 5. If 5 then they go on the 2nd perch if there are 3 then they go on the lowest perch. When I bought mine I didn't know there were two different shocks with multiple perches and I got the 3 perch shocks and on the 2nd perch they rode like sh#@. Rode much better once I lowered it back down to where it was supposed to be.