Bilstein 5100 or HD's with 2" leveling... - Page 2

leonag123 · 10-28-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock777

Anyone else use a 2" leveling kit with Bilsteins?
How about a 1" rear block with either of these shocks?

Well, i went with the HD's as i had them installed on my previous truck and liked the ride a lot.

I am 2wd with a 2.5 spacer up front and a 1.5 spacer in the rear and Hd's front/back. I have no coil bucket contact at all. There is pleanty of room between the coil bucket and uca.

I say shoot greg an email and see what he says.

NorCal 4x4 · 10-28-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock777

NorCal - It's good to hear from people with first-hand experience. I think this officially pushed me in the direction of the HD's. I appreciate you addressing my thread/issue as well. What do you personally think of the ride/handling?

I haven't tried them off road yet, but on road they handle great, and the ride is really nice too. I like them enough, for on road, that I could easily leave them on.

It has been too long to compare to stock, and I suspect my DRE's either need nitrogen, or possibly to be rebuilt so they aren't a good comparison either, because these brand new Bilstein HD's are way better, but shouldn't be, since the DRE, (Icon), are a $1,150, 2.5" body, race quality coilover.

I'll see how they handle some whoops and maybe some washboard this weekend.

SATXTITAN · 10-28-2009, 04:03 PM

It seems like the 08+ guys looking for 3"+ leveling are having better luck with the PRG UCAs over the RC UCAs. The PRG UCAs seem to give a little bit more coil bucket clearance.

Rock777 · 10-29-2009, 08:12 PM

Went ahead and ordered the HD's today. Very anxious to get these things mounted, though I know they have to be an improvement. Thanks to everyone for their input.

MIKES-08-SE · 10-29-2009, 08:34 PM

Along the same lines, I want to replace stock fronts and rears on my 08 4wd but dont have/want the leveling kit or UCA. I would like to keep it relatively the same height just add the Bilsteins for the ride quality. Is there anything I need to do besides remove/replace the stock with the new Bilsteins? I am looking into the 5100's, but this thread has me interested in the HD's also. Right now when I go over speed bumps even at 5mph I can hear the contact and it drives me crazy... will this be corrected by the setup of just installing the Bilsteins?

Thank you guys for your knowledge on all of this... it's half the part of owning the T.

Mike

**adkl1** · 10-29-2009, 10:29 PM

You can just replace them and drive down the road with smiles... Most likey have a blown shock thats the noise your hearing.... Also if you are just staying with stock size tires or just a little bigger you could just go with the HD's, the 5100's are valved to work with oversized tires and for off roading but will work either way so its up to you.. You can't go wrong with either one..

Tolleyy · 11-04-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorCal 4x4

I haven't tried them off road yet, but on road they handle great, and the ride is really nice too. I like them enough, for on road, that I could easily leave them on.

It has been too long to compare to stock, and I suspect my DRE's either need nitrogen, or possibly to be rebuilt so they aren't a good comparison either, because these brand new Bilstein HD's are way better, but shouldn't be, since the DRE, (Icon), are a $1,150, 2.5" body, race quality coilover.

I'll see how they handle some whoops and maybe some washboard this weekend.

So how are they offroad? I installed the 2" PRG spacer on mine last weekend and now the RF rancho strut knocks so I'm getting ready to buy the HD's. From what I've been reading it's common with the rancho's, but I never had that problem with my last titan even after 70K miles. Since you live in the foothills we probably drive the same type of fire roads ( signal peak and Foresthill are my favorite area's) and was wondering how the HD's worked for you off road?

NorCal 4x4 · 11-04-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tolleyy

So how are they offroad? I installed the 2" PRG spacer on mine last weekend and now the RF rancho strut knocks so I'm getting ready to buy the HD's. From what I've been reading it's common with the rancho's, but I never had that problem with my last titan even after 70K miles. Since you live in the foothills we probably drive the same type of fire roads ( signal peak and Foresthill are my favorite area's) and was wondering how the HD's worked for you off road?

Last weekend didn't work out, but they have been great on-road.

Haven't been to the Foresthill area off roading. Are there any long, straight stretches where you can get your speed up? The dirt roads I used to go on started getting too busy with residents or Sunday drivers, going 15 mph.

Still plan to try to find washboard though. Maybe I can make it out to Prairie City, yeah, although a lot of it is too rutted for much speed, I know how the DRE's handled the better parts.

I did take them on a paved road with a series of big 12 foot whoops that gives the suspension full-cycle, and they were very good ... especially considering that they're using stock coil springs and for the price.

They're almost too good for the price. Maybe in a more sustained 45-55 mph dirt road run, (where they're constantly cycling a moderate amount), any short comings they have would be more apparent.

If they don't degrade substantially for a year or two, they are a steal ... based on the whoops, and their handling on-road.

Tolleyy · 11-05-2009, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorCal 4x4

Last weekend didn't work out, but they have been great on-road.

Haven't been to the Foresthill area off roading. Are there any long, straight stretches where you can get your speed up? The dirt roads I used to go on started getting too busy with residents or Sunday drivers, going 15 mph.

Still plan to try to find washboard though. Maybe I can make it out to Prairie City, yeah, although a lot of it is too rutted for much speed, I know how the DRE's handled the better parts.

I did take them on a paved road with a series of big 12 foot whoops that gives the suspension full-cycle, and they were very good ... especially considering that they're using stock coil springs and for the price.

They're almost too good for the price. Maybe in a more sustained 45-55 mph dirt road run, (where they're constantly cycling a moderate amount), any short comings they have would be more apparent.

If they don't degrade substantially for a year or two, they are a steal ... based on the whoops, and their handling on-road.

Sounds good, thanks for the info. I'll be ordering them up today. Foresthill has some good stretches and I've gotten up to 60 on a straight while doing my best rally car impersonation

.It was about 30 miles outside of foresthill on a road between robinson flat and french meadows lake. Most of the roads are just twisty fire roads, but some open up, but not for real long straight distances.

mdemeglio · 11-06-2009, 09:06 PM

I was going to get a 2" leveling spacer for up front but it sounds like the 5100's can be adjusted to give me the 2" I'm looking for without having to add a leveling kit/spacer up front. Do I have that right? If so, I'll be psyched not to have to spend $200 on shocks and another $100 on a 2" leveling kit.

Let me know if I've got this wrong and the 5100's can't be adjusted up to 2" of lift on the front end.

Thanks - Mike

MIKES-08-SE · 11-06-2009, 09:13 PM

Mine just got here today... they are going on tomorrow along with my new Hankook Dynapro's... excited to say the least!

NorCal 4x4 · 11-06-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdemeglio

I was going to get a 2" leveling spacer for up front but it sounds like the 5100's can be adjusted to give me the 2" I'm looking for without having to add a leveling kit/spacer up front. Do I have that right? If so, I'll be psyched not to have to spend $200 on shocks and another $100 on a 2" leveling kit.

Let me know if I've got this wrong and the 5100's can't be adjusted up to 2" of lift on the front end.

Thanks - Mike

Don't know what their upper setting is, (or what Bilstein states that it is), but some have complained of poor ride with it in the upper setting.

The 0" setting lifts 1/2", and the 1" setting lifts 1.5". Some use these settings, along with a custom spacer from PRG to get the correct lift for their particular year and model. For example an '08 4x4 could just use the 1" setting for the correct 1.5" lift, or they could use the 0" setting for 1/2" lift, and a custom 1" PRG spacer for the additional lift.

Some '04-'07 owners buy '08 Pro-4X springs that are taller and use them with the lower settings to achieve the desired lift.

MIKES-08-SE · 11-06-2009, 10:14 PM

ameteur question... I just opened my front shocks and I can not see where you guys are talking about a preload setting... they are the HD's Part # F4-BE5-B623-HO. Am I missing something? I will not be installing these, I am going to have Pep-Boys install them when they put on my tires... they should know, right??

thanks guys

NorCal 4x4 · 11-06-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIKES-08-SE

ameteur question... I just opened my front shocks and I can not see where you guys are talking about a preload setting... they are the HD's Part # F4-BE5-B623-HO. Am I missing something? I will not be installing these, I am going to have Pep-Boys install them when they put on my tires... they should know, right?? thanks guys

The HD's are not adjustable, only the 5100s are. But you can just use the normal level kit size for your Titan, (1.5"), with them ... as shown in the link ... any higher with the stock UCAs, can cause them to hit the coil bucket: PRG Products

For those that have an '04 - '07, you could still get a couple of '08+ Pro-4X coils for part of the lift, but a smaller spacer would need to be used. Don't recall how much the Pro-4X springs lift, but probably 1/2" since their level kits are 1.5" net and the old 4x4s use a 2" net lift level kit with their OEM coils.

I'm using the HD's with a 2.5" 2wd level kit and they are great, but I'm using an aftermarket UCA which doesn't bang the coil bucket.

Tolleyy · 11-07-2009, 10:07 PM

I was originally going to get the HD's then I saw shock wharehouse had the 5100 rears at 10% off so I decided to get the 5100's all around for only 12 bucks more. I'm going to be expirementing with using just the 5100's as a leveling kit , PRG spacer, or the PROX-4 spring method. I'll post up how I like it on and off road.