5100’s 885’s on 2nd Notch?

My search skills must be off, I can’t find anyone that has run the 5100’s on the 2nd notch with ARB 885’s.

I have about 70k on my 5100’s and 885’s on the 1st notch, but I think they have settled a bit. Truck is an 06’ Double Cab 4x4 and has seen some long washboard roads.

Currently, I have a pretty good Tacoma lean going to the left. I think this is caused by the front and left rear. I have to pull the fronts apart to replace the spring cushions with the correct 885 adapter cushions that I just got from 1st gen Offroad. I think I’m going to try them on the 2nd notch, and add a 1/2 Leaf Shim in the left rear.

I may do the front driver side first and see if it levels it out, then decide if I want to do the Passenger side.

Long term goal is Camburg uppers with Fox Coilovers with DSC’s.

 

There's probably a reason:

For lifted springs, more than one vendor selling lifts for our trucks claims you must run lowest notch when using a lifted spring like those from OME and Dobinsons. That's supposedly straight from Bilstein's mouth, though I haven't been able to find it in their literature or called to confirm.

For stock springs, there are also limitations. This matrix or grid outlines what is/isn't acceptable for the 5100s, notch-wise.

 

PS - Someone around here recently claimed they were running 2nd notch on 2884 or 2885 OMEs and ride supposedly wasn't too harsh. And really, it's possible this limitation of bottom notch w/288x springs only impacts some cab types as with the above grid for stock springs.

I just can't fathom why vendors who are pre-assembling would bother mentioning "will be assembled bottom notch only" when you pick lifted springs unless it was a thing Bilstein is pushing. Hell, vendors don't even bother to tell you OME's full kit will cause excess lift on AC/RC trucks and probs that come with that, but they should.

 

@shifty` copy that

I may give it a try only because I’m pretty sure my springs have settled. Also, I’m pretty quick at swapping spring, and I have lifetime alignment at Wheel Works.

I’ll report back.

 

Here it is. This DC owner says he's running 4th circlip using 2.5" lifted Eibach springs. Just based on what I've seen with someone trying to slap a Dobinson spring with similar specs into a 5100, I'm skeptical how they managed to safely compress the spring enough to go 4th notch, so I'm suspecting they're counting the notches backwards and maybe they're actually running at 2nd notch?

https://www.tundras.com/threads/best-1st-gen-leveling-kit-for-on-off-road.78873/#post-2952165

 

Thank you @shifty`

I have a feeling the bilstien recommendations are for stock UCA’s and without a Diff Drop.

I’m looking for like 5/8” more lift. If the second notch is too stiff with the 885’s, I’ll put it back.

My 07’ Sequoia is at about 3” lift with Icons, and it rides nice and handles well. I’d like to see if I can get the 5100’s to the same height.

 

I'm curious to know your results, if you remember to update after. I think it'd be helpful.

I'm going to shoot an email over to Bilstein, see if they'll give a definitive answer on the topic.

 

Hey Shifty - curious if you ever heard back from Bilstein on this matter. I recently installed 887s on 5100s and was thinking about possibly going to second notch, but do not want to sacrifice ride quality.

Thanks in advance!

 

Now that you mention it, no, I never heard back. But I was having a problem with sending mails from my phone around the same time this went out, so I'm curious.

I don't think it's so much a problem of ride quality, so much as it is at risk of causing damage due to the added force of compressing a lifted spring.

 

I have a feeling Bilstein won’t comment on the mixing of brands. And probably anyone that was around when they first did the R&D for the 1st gens is probably long gone. Also, I bet all the notes they have on the R&D are either gone, or no one is going to take the time to pull them out

 

I'm running 5100's on the 4th notch on my'04 AC with stock springs, no issues with the stock UCA's but I'm running 1.5" wheel spacers, Suspensionmaxx Sway Bar End Links and a diff drop.