Bilstein 5100 adjustable ride height

[Spurshot]

I've called Bilstein and was told the 4600 is the same as the 5100. The 5100 is for lifted trucks and is 1" longer than stock to make up for the lifted height. If you install a lift kit it will give you the same compression and rebound. I do not think the shock was made to lift your truck by itself. I'm sure it will, but I in my opinion it is adjustable to make it the same as the stock settings. I think lifting your suspension to it's fullest is not good by any means. It would be easier to put coil spacers like the old days. I'm going with the 4600. I'm not against the bigger tires,I would love to have them,but not going for the lift kit.

 

Don,

If you aren't looking for increased height nor off-road performance, I think the 4600 is the way to go too.

 

The 5100 is designed to provide lift by itself. On some makes of trucks, up to 2.5" of lift. On the GM trucks, up to 1.8" of lift in a choice of 4 heights.

[Sicmab]

Spurshot- you seem to be pretty knowledgeable so I'll ask here. There's about 4 other threads on this and I can't seem to find my answer.

 

Will the bilstein 5100 set (front and back) play nice with a RC 2.5" leveling kit? (Sorry, relatively new to the lifting game) and no, I don't have the rear block installed. Thanks!

[Spurshot]

Spurshot- you seem to be pretty knowledgeable so I'll ask here. There's about 4 other threads on this and I can't seem to find my answer.

Will the bilstein 5100 set (front and back) play nice with a RC 2.5" leveling kit? (Sorry, relatively new to the lifting game) and no, I don't have the rear block installed. Thanks!

Short answer is yes. Set them at the "0" lift groove or you'll be over extending the suspension.

 

However, If I were looking to use the 5100 and absolutely had to have 2.5" of lift, I'd set the rings in the 1.85" lift groove and put a 3/8" thick spacer under the lower mount of the shock. This will limit the unloaded extension of the A-arms to less than using a 2.5" (1.25" thick) spacer as you proposed (which may protect the upper ball joints from damage)

[Sicmab]

Short answer is yes. Set them at the "0" lift groove or you'll be over extending the suspension.

 

However, If I were looking to use the 5100 and absolutely had to have 2.5" of lift, I'd set the rings in the 1.85" lift groove and put a 3/8" thick spacer under the lower mount of the shock. This will limit the unloaded extension of the A-arms to less than using a 2.5" (1.25" thick) spacer as you proposed (which may protect the upper ball joints from damage)

 

That helps. Thank you. I've ran into 2 others looking for this answer.

 

I wasn't exactly planning on using the 5100s as a "lift" so keeping it at "0" was the plan anyway. Just interested in the performance and ride quality.

 

Thanks again!

[Pop-I]

If you're not going to use the lift option then just get the 4600. Same shock but not the grove options. That's coming from Bilstein.

[5RWill]

Pop Bilstein told you the 5100s are an inch longer than factory struts or oem ranchos per say?

[Pop-I]

Yes,there is a post on the difference between Bilstein and other ways of lifting your truck. I'll try to find it later. Got to go shovel snow...

[5RWill]

I mean the actual length of the strut. Is the Bilstein physically longer than the factory or oem ranchos.

[dcarl]

I mean the actual length of the strut. Is the Bilstein physically longer than the factory or oem ranchos.

It is longer. I didn't measure it but you can see the difference in this picture.

[southern_sierra]

dcarl like the way your sierra sets looks good

[chip8541]

DCarl was there any height difference between the Ranchos and Bilsteins installed? Did you measure height with just the 2inch lift and ranchos and after bilstein install?

[southern_sierra]

Any thoughts on Rancho coil overs RS999901 with adjustable ride control for a 2 inch lift. I talked with rancho tech they said that the ball joints would be within limits for this application. What I like about these is there are 9 levels of adjustment for ride control from soft to firm. The rear shocks RS999198 also adjustable.

 

I found a thead on this topic after posting this question but will leave it here for any thoughts.

[5RWill]

http://www.gorancho.com/products/leveling-systems/quicklift-7000mt-leveling-system/rancho-quicklift-7000mt-rs7831.html

 

I'd go with the 7000mt though guys are running the quicklifts with success.

 

My rears came in. Do the snap rings come with the fronts or is it the one used off of the factory struts? None came with my fronts.

 

Two weeks when i come home again i'll get everything installed, remove the front air dam, and running boards.

[Skeeter McSkeet]

Do I spy some brass to be reloaded in the background?

 

 

-Skeet

[5RWill]

Yes indeed, 100rds of lapua .308 and probably 600rds or so of random 40S&W. There is Dillon 550B still in the box to the right of cabinet. Been trying to get a reloading setup going for years. Finally cleared out a room just need to build a bench.