Springs for Bilstein 5100

I purchased new Bilstein 5100s for my 2005 Tundra AC, TRD Off-Road. I'm probably going to wait until spring to put them on at this point. I have new OEM top hats for them, also. I was planning on running the 5100s on 2nd or 3rd setting. My question concerns the springs. My current springs seem to be fine with about 177,000 miles on them. What are the opinions on continuing to use them or, since they need to be disassembled anyway, purchasing new springs? If I did go new, I'l probably just stick with the stock spring rate rather than going for lifting springs, as I just want to level, vice lift. Thanks.

 

I would agree. If you're already in there, go ahead and spend the little extra for new springs. You'll be glad you did.

 

What is a good, OEM equivalent aftermarket coil?

 

As far as height or quality?

 

I had the same question as @The Black Mamba on this, but I also had another question for OP @Jeff53:

Are you 2WD or 4WD (that's kinda important), and what is your end goal here? If you're 2WD and you get 5100s and run that circlip up to the 3rd ring from bottom, your ass-end is gonna be squatting. 2nd circlip would probably get you just about level, maybe a hair of forward rake. You may even be squatting at 3rd circlip in a 4WD.

 

A lot of people will pair OME springs up with 5100s on our 1st gens. The OME 2883 will perk up the front end with a little smidge of lift over a true OEM replacement on most trucks (excluding DC 4WD, which would probably end up like OEM).

2884 will level most 2WD trucks.

2885 will level DC 4WD trucks and leave AC 4WD with a little squat.

(Going from memory here, but that should be accurate)

 

Both height and quality.

My new truck has one original shock and coil and one aftermarket. I have no idea why the PO did not replace both, but I want to fix that without getting much lift out of new coils. Finding information about stock height coils has been a challenge.

 

a1 auto, Rock auto and parts geek don't seem to offer a spring separate from the shock. I would just buy the quick struts and call it a day. 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA 4.7L V8 Shock / Strut & Coil Spring Assembly | RockAuto

 

This summer I threw on some 5100’s #3 setting and reused the oem spring. It sits pretty leveled to me.

 

Usually "it cost more" is the answer to that more than anything when you see that. One blew out, and they opted to replace.

How much height are you looking to achieve? I'm lifted 2" and it's pretty substantial (link to pics in my signature). I feel like it looks really substantial, visually. And frankly, I feel like it's too much lift. I'd have been just as happy with 1". The kids have a harder time getting in the truck now, and fell out of the truck several times after lifting and adding 1.6" of tire.

 

To your point, I need to go into the megathread and probably bold/underline/highlight that point in the suspension/wheel/tire section. After 1.6" tire and 2" lift, my truck feels 4-5" higher off the ground, honestly. I rarely used the OEM nerf steps prior to lifting. Now I have no choice.

 

I have been going back and forth with this for weeks now. I have a 2006 DC 2wd that needs new shocks. I went up from the stock 245’s to 265/70r16’s and I don’t want to lift it but am also concerned the stock springs are sagging a bit. Honestly all I wanted was the bilstein 4600’s and then call it good but it seems all the “mild” leveling kits give way more lift than desired.

 

Enter adjustable coil springs

 

I’m not big on wanting to put preload on a 5100 I want the best ride possible. I’ve been working in St Louis for the last few weeks and the roads here are unbelievably bad. Worst pot holes and road conditions I’ve ever seen.

 

How about just getting the 6112? I know they are more expensive, but problem solved.

 

Suspension lifts has the 4600’s w/ stock springs for $700 or it’s $140 more for the 5100’s and OME springs. I personally would like the slightly beefier shock and springs since for my personal uses of the truck as I do haul pallets of batteries here and there for work.
If you don’t do serious hauling/towing I think the 4600’s is a perfectly good choice and saves some good $$$

 

Mine is 4WD. According to a chart I've seen, the lift on a 1st gen 4x4 AC is only 1.1 inches on the 3rd position. The same chart stated "Do Not Use" for positions 4 and 5.

 

yea I asked them if they were OEM springs and they replied OEM equivalent made by a third party. I’ll most likely go 5100 and OME 2883

 

I swore someone on here recently said the springs in that 4600 kit were Moog, Mevotech, or similar brand, but maybe I'm wrong. Not that I think it matters. But "OEM-like" is maybe the better term to use. EDIT: Nevermind, there you go, from KJM above me.

Stock DC and AC numbers should be ballpark 20" front, 21" rear. 1.1" in the front with stock-type springs would put you higher in front. Taking that from another member's stock '04 DC measurements, but also my measurements, which were

Before --
Front D: 20.5"
Front P: 20.75"
Rear D: 21.75"
Rear P: 21.5"

After -- (my front/rear lift info is in my signature on this post, mobile users may need to rotate your phone to landscape mode to see it)
Front D: 23"
Front P: 22.75"
Rear D: 24.25"
Rear P: 24"

Given AC and DC appear to have roughly 1" rake front to back, adding 1.1" lift up front may have your front sitting high. And even if it doesn't actually sit higher, the way the fenders are cut, it may appear as though the ass is dragging.

This sticky thread has some measures from others if you want to compare or search around: https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-big-is-yours-measure-up.46186/

All I'm saying is, and this is coming from a guy who didn't really dig in hard enough, and thought "Meh, 2 inches isn't much at all!", I'm prepared to get in and crank down my Toytec coilovers a quarter turn or so to bring my front back down a bit.

I really think the ideal lift for appearance and function on these trucks is more like 1" - 1.25" in front, with .75" - 1" in rear, running a 31.6" tire (265/70r17, or whatever 16" equiv is). And really 1" front lift, .75" in rear is probably the better option for hybrid or mostly on-road use. It's less brutal on suspension, doesn't require adding extra equipment like new control arms (although I'd still install extended sway bar links), and should function like sport-OEM-plus. The added suspension lift and tire lift you'll get should look pretty f'n awesome. But that's purely my opinion, which probably stinks to a lot of ppl.

 

I like the level look. Just need to decide if I want to put the RAS springs on the leaf or airbags with Daystar cradles. Leaning towards RAS on my weekend DIYer first gen though.

 

885’s broes.

 

I did the exact same thing. Leveled, good ride quality, far better handling than stock struts.

 

I’m running 5100s at number 4 setting on my 2000 4wd TRD AC, gasp, I know. Sat perfect and rode firm, but not harsh. Been running them (on my second set) for over 100k miles. No complaints or issues. Stock TRD springs with 270k miles on them. Got some rake now as my rear leafs have some sag in them and I added a topper.

 

I tried the 5100s with stock Trd coils on the third setting and then went to the 5th setting looking for more lift.
I think they say “do not use” on the top two setting if you have stock uca.

I have since moved to one 885 springs with the 5100 shocks. The ride is much better. I have the passenger side in setting 1 and the drivers side on setting two.

I get about the same lift as having the stock coil on setting five.

 

Regarding OE springs, ran them on 5100s. Billy told me higher clip settings were not supported regardless of UCAs. So on next set swapped to Eibach's at the top setting. The Eibach's are apparently designed to not top out at highest setting with OE springs, so support the taller clip settings). Appear to have gained full advertised lift and equal heights on both sides. I expected this wouldn't happen due to age of the OE springs. But they still seemed to have the juice after almost 247,000 miles. (The rear left is sagging from the gas tank assumably). Am considering dropping the fronts a notch to 2.25" when feel like wrestling springs again, or swapping in lift springs and dropping them all the way down if I'm in there ... or leaving the fronts alone and lifting the rear/sag.

 

Thanks. This really helps as that is what I'm looking at doing.

 

Thanks. This helps a lot since I was thinking of using the OEM TRD coils on my and I "only" have 174,000 on them.