[kapelusprime]

I'm now looking at the ad for Bilstein's new adjustable preload shock. It was my understanding that shock mounts were never designed to support the weight of a truck or car only dampen movement it as it absorbed the energy from the tire bounce and the kept the car or truck from moving rapidly up or down. Monroe use to have an overload shock with adjustable spring load that bent a lot of rear shock mounts on trucks. Thus, I'm pretty sure they don't carry it any more for that reason. Hell, the last time I saw one in a store was 10 or 12 years ago. I had an old F-150 that needed help. Believe it or not, the Monroe guy told me not to buy them. I thought at the time, "If the swindlers at Monroe advised against me buying something in there store, they've got to have some fault." I asked some other tech. about them and at the time they said "not good" and for the same reasons. So now, I give the keys to the flood gates to you, all my TTORA brothers and sisters. Give me the low down on your experience with; This new 5100 adjustable preload Bilstein product. Rude comments and bad jokes welcome! :welder:

 

[SinCityTaco]

Basically just like adding a spacer to your stock shock. The only thing the bilstein does is move the location of the spring perch, thus giving more preload.They are obviously valved a little stiffer than OEM shocks so for some that is a bonus. I would probably go the toytec route if I were going to go the preload route because they use a top plate to take a little preload out of the coil and provide for a little better ride.

 

[kapelusprime]

Basically just like adding a spacer to your stock shock. The only thing the bilstein does is move the location of the spring perch, thus giving more preload.They are obviously valved a little stiffer than OEM shocks so for some that is a bonus. I would probably go the toytec route if I were going to go the preload route because they use a top plate to take a little preload out of the coil and provide for a little better ride.

Am I getting you right, The shock provides the preload? The ones I saw back in the day, had a spring on the out side that you could adjust. Bilstein got the spring on the in side or is charged with gas and your ajusting the nut out? If so have you or any one used this .
http://www.bilstein.com/offroad.php#5100pre

 

[SinCityTaco]

The shock has 3 settings. Stock height, which would be the lowest setting on the spring perch. 1.25 inches which would be the middle setting. and 2.5 inches which would be the highest setting. You can see the grooves in the shock, there aer 3 of them. The spring perch will rest on the one you desire.

 

[tacokid1187]

This is a FRONT shock, not a rear shock. You are correct that the rear mounts definitely would not take the weight of the truck, however, this shock is to replace your front shock and use your factory coil springs to gain up to 2.5" of lift. I would use this shock in the middle spring perch position and use a small (3/8") top load spacer for a little extra droop and a softer ride. The bottom position is stock height (coil is compressed the least), The middle position is for a 1.5" lift and the top position is for 2.5" lift. The more preload you give the spring the more lift you will obtain. Again, these are for the front only.

 

[EMPIRE]

the shock is a shock, the spring is a spring. put them together in a single unit and you get a strut or coilover (struts and coilovers are different, dont confuse them).

 

[7wt]

Am I getting you right, The shock provides the preload? The ones I saw back in the day, had a spring on the out side that you could adjust. Bilstein got the spring on the in side or is charged with gas and your ajusting the nut out? If so have you or any one used this .
http://www.bilstein.com/offroad.php#5100pre

This shock is only for the 05's and up. I run a HD version of this set up and love it. The ones they offer for my 03 aren't really adjustable but they do have the raised spring bucket like the 5100's. My shocks gave me about 2" of lift after they settle and I would do them again in a heartbeat. The set up is very flexy, I can just about touch my bumpstops on full flex with an open diff. I am pretty damn certain with a locker I would be able to push it to the stops. One cool thing about them is they use stock springs which are biased for the heavier driver's side. Yea, on first blush they are the same thing as a spacer but not in reality. Bilstein says these shocks have been revalved for the increase spring rate from the 2" lift. What ever it is they do ride nicer than a 2" spacer lift with the HD shock. If you have an 05 I would say give them a try, If you don't, I will be glad to get you the part# for the shock I have. Here is a pic,

Compared to the old HD's the replaced,

You can clearly see the C-clip that raises the lower spring bucket on the first pic. You can see the part# on the first pic but I am pretty sure there is a "L" at the end of it to designate it is a "lift" shock. If they came out with a 5100 series for the older trucks I would probably do that so I could get the longer 5100 rear shocks to match the front.

 

[SinCityTaco]

I wonder if the ones for the 05+ are longer, have more downtravel. They are worthless if they don't.

 

[NorcalPR]

I wonder if the ones for the 05+ are longer, have more downtravel. They are worthless if they don't.

This is my second time of saying this to you dude...

This theory is WORTHLESS unless you do UCA's to provide more downtravel...

 

[ToyTec]

This shock is only for the 05's and up. I run a HD version of this set up and love it. The ones they offer for my 03 aren't really adjustable but they do have the raised spring bucket like the 5100's. My shocks gave me about 2" of lift after they settle and I would do them again in a heartbeat. The set up is very flexy, I can just about touch my bumpstops on full flex with an open diff. I am pretty damn certain with a locker I would be able to push it to the stops. One cool thing about them is they use stock springs which are biased for the heavier driver's side. Yea, on first blush they are the same thing as a spacer but not in reality. Bilstein says these shocks have been revalved for the increase spring rate from the 2" lift. What ever it is they do ride nicer than a 2" spacer lift with the HD shock. If you have an 05 I would say give them a try, If you don't, I will be glad to get you the part# for the shock I have. Here is a pic,

Compared to the old HD's the replaced,

You can clearly see the C-clip that raises the lower spring bucket on the first pic. You can see the part# on the first pic but I am pretty sure there is a "L" at the end of it to designate it is a "lift" shock. If they came out with a 5100 series for the older trucks I would probably do that so I could get the longer 5100 rear shocks to match the front.

Your lower spring bucket on that Bilstein is upside down! I have seen the aluminum cup break running them that way.

 

[SinCityTaco]

No kidding Norcal, that goes without saying. how could one expect to get more downtravel without aftermarket UCAs. I hate when people talk to you like you are moron because they assume something you didn't mean. It kinda reverses the role of the moron assumption.

 

[kapelusprime]

Thanks

The shock has 3 settings. Stock height, which would be the lowest setting on the spring perch. 1.25 inches which would be the middle setting. and 2.5 inches which would be the highest setting. You can see the grooves in the shock, there aer 3 of them. The spring perch will rest on the one you desire.

I'm a dumb ass I was'nt looking at it right. I was useing my FORD truck brain Thanks for the info. I'm thinking I will go with this for the front lift and aal for the rear.

Any more imput is welcome!

I have an 05 reg cab 4x4 2.7l 5 speed

 

[EMPIRE]

Your lower spring bucket on that Bilstein is upside down! I have seen the aluminum cup break running them that way.

besides that, why does the other pick show it on the correct way??

 

[7wt]

Your lower spring bucket on that Bilstein is upside down! I have seen the aluminum cup break running them that way.

Yes they are...I'm a dumb ass.

 

[EMPIRE]

No they aren't. The spring bucket has a notch in the upper side for the coil end to plug into. That is how mine are set up, you just can't see in the top pic because the notch is on the backside of the pic. Yea, I could have flipped the spring bucket over but that would have placed all the weight of the front end on about a 2" of coil and bucket contact patch. It make sense when you see the whole thing.

huh??

the bilstein perches are suppose to slip down over the snap ring, which safeguards the ring from coming off. if you can see the snap ring then the perch is on wrong.

 

[ToyTec]

huh??

the bilstein perches are suppose to slip down over the snap ring, which safeguards the ring from coming off. if you can see the snap ring then the perch is on wrong.

That is exactly what happens... The snap ring cannot hold all the pressure with the whole thing exposed.
It ends up getting pushed down on one side then the whole thing breaks, or it causes the aluminum cup to tilt to one side and it breaks. You can see the spring trying to push itself off the lower side in the photo. It is not centered on the shock because there is nothing there to keep it centered.

 

[7wt]

Looks like you guys are right. DAMN, I have to break these down. I hate that.

 

[EMPIRE]

Looks like you guys are right. DAMN, I have to break these down. I hate that.

where did you get those HD replacement shocks with the extra snap ring groove???

 

[7wt]

Offroad warehouse in San Diego. They were $100 a pop. Hopefully when I get around to flipping the perch, it won't be stuck like my old HD's are.

 

[Slergio]

I bought bilstein 5100 adjustable shocks and installed them on my 07 DC Prerunner yesterday. They have the 4 grooves from 0 to 2.5 lift. I left the clamp on the 2nd groove from the top so the 2nd highest setting. I usually would have put them on the top groove, the highest lift setting, in order to increase the lift to $ ratio. But I changed my mind for a couple reasons. The coils had to be super compressed so that I could bolt it back on the top groove, and the 2nd groove was a lot easier to install. Also, I remember how I had my swayaways cranked to the max (probably 3.5") on my 2000 tacoma and the ride was stiff and offered hardly any downtravel. Now that I have a baby, I didn't want to sacrifice my ride quality. I've only driven 10 miles on them so far, but they are smooth. I went over some speed bumps and they feel great, not stiff at all. I'll be taking the truck in for alignment. I'll try to post up some pics at a later time. The truck is almost level now. I think it lifted about 1 3/4 inches or so.