edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
They are both B6 version for SUV/ Trucks. 5100 is height adjustable.
Put Bilstein 5100 on my 2019 Tacoma
- Thread starter Pablo
- Start date
Think of 4600s as a better stock shock, and nearly identical riding, but a tick better, and longer lasting - it's a perfect step up for an OEM replacement.
If you run lightly loaded most of the time you may thing the 5100 is a bit harsh.
The 5100's a bit stiffer but still compliant and SUPERB when loaded, towing, or offroading - Bilsteins disgressive valving just works well.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
can’t touch the quality of bilsteins. fox’s have to be rebuilt, never even had to warranty a bilstein.
With Bilstein guaranteed for life the sooner you put them on the sooner you will have a better ride.
GM chose the HD/4600 for the Z71 RPO, at least for the GMT400 platform. Such a better shock compared to the OE tubes of the day.
I get this position and as a Bilstein guy I really want to agree.
Thing is my suspension guy, and most other suspension guys tell me the Fox 2.0's are superior.
Yes, at some point they will need to be rebuilt, but the fact they are designed to be rebuilt and apparently built with great components so the service although not ideal - also doesn't seem to be a problem.
Fox's Aluminum body vs Bilsteins steel body sheds heat better. When 5100's go - they go in the trash.
Personally If I were going to spend more than Bilsteins high end remote reservoir shocks (I cant see that, but lets just say) I'd also skip Fox and go straight to King.
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BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
the owner of B&C off road (3rd coast suspension) that used to be all over Sema will tell you not to waste your money. people think the fox shocks are superior simply because the cost more. King shocks have the ability to be better for a little while until it’s time to rebuilt at the cost of a good used beater.
source, my buddy and i built a full pre runner LS swapped Ranger. fox 3.5’s all the way around with a bed cage. seems like every 2 years they’re on their way back to be rebuilt.
5100
I did wear out a set of 5100 rears, which lost nearly All of their rebound control. This was on a half ton that did a good amount of towing a travel trailer on in the interstate for hours at a time.
Fox
I switched to fox 2.0 which were incredibly harsh in my use.
More Fox
Then had accutune build me a pair of Fox adjustable resi shocks for the rear, to my weight specifications, and they were perfect, just perfect. Unfortunately I traded the truck 3 years after that, so i have no testimony to longevity, but man I liked the accutune “adventure tune,” to my weight specs, on that aluminum ford.
bilstein uses rubber bushings at both ends. Fox uses bearings. The bilsteins are a bit more comfortable, fox feels a bit more locked in.
Frankly, I’d go with either, but if Fox then accutune.
Issue with both - the one-size-meets-many is a problem. I read this for any flavor - “bilstein was stiff on my car / bilstein was soft on my car.” “Fox is stiff / Fox is soft.” I experienced a very stiff 5100 experience on my 2006 tundra, and sloppy loose rebound (2 sets) on aluminum F150s. Same model of shock, opposite results. Fox 2.0 was said to be soft, but they might as well have been made of wood when I installed them. So it may vary a good bit which makes it harder to generalize.
Gas shocks alone can and do change ride height Depends on application and other factors, so YMMV. But yes it does happen often.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
maybe if the rear/front weigh absolutely nothing, otherwise they make zero difference. you can compress gas shocks by hand. including 5100’s.
The springs, coil/leaf/torsion bar/coilover, are what determine the ride height of a vehicle. The shock absorbers do just that, absorb the impact from the wheel.
Air shocks/bags can increase height but that’s a different animal/purpose compared to a gas monotube.
Yes I am familiar with the mechanics of suspension. In real life gas shocks can and do change ride height. Depends on what came off and what is going on. Rather amazed that nobody here has experienced this before. It’s a thing, fellas.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
it is not a thing, that is why people haven’t experienced it. coil overs or a strut sure. otherwise not possible
How does a new shock overpower the spring on a vehicle to the point of pulling it longer?
That is what has to happen for a shock to raise the distance between the frame and the wheel. I’m lost as to how that works?
If you gonna stay w factory ride height, go 4600. If lifting, go 5100s. Hard to beat Bilstiens for the price.
OK I am going to assume good faith here, and that I am not getting punked.
Go out to your car. Pull up on the fender. It doesn’t take much, right? You were able to raise it 1/2” or more without getting He-Man on it, right? The spring and the mass of the car are at equilibrium when at rest. You only have to overcome the equilibrium to change the ride height, not the entire mass of the car.
Same for a garage door spring. It’s preloaded so it’s easy to open the door, but it will still drop to the ground, and not float. If you exert effort equal to a fraction of the mass of the door, you can raise it.
A gas shock does not have to exert a lot of force to change ride height. Some have a pretty good charge and need 25-30 lbs to compress. That’s plenty to set height at a new level.
Next time you replace shocks, only change one side and take it for a ride and then park it. It will be very clear especially if the old shock was bereft of gas. Or, pull a shock in your driveway a right now, and see if the height on that side doesn’t settle lower after a drive. (Assuming the shocks still have a charge)
It’s a thing, fellas.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
do you drive a japanese Kei truck? most cars are struts all the way around and a pickup truck does not care about 25-30lbs. that tacoma absolutely does not as even with it being as small as it is.OK I am going to assume good faith here, and that I am not getting punked.
Go out to your car. Pull up on the fender. It doesn’t take much, right? You were able to raise it 1/2” or more without getting He-Man on it, right? The spring and the mass of the car are at equilibrium when at rest. You only have to overcome the equilibrium to change the ride height, not the entire mass of the car.
Same for a garage door spring. It’s preloaded so it’s easy to open the door, but it will still drop to the ground, and not float. If you exert effort equal to a fraction of the mass of the door, you can raise it.
A gas shock does not have to exert a lot of force to change ride height. Some have a pretty good charge and need 25-30 lbs to compress. That’s plenty to set height at a new level.
Next time you replace shocks, only change one side and take it for a ride and then park it. It will be very clear especially if the old shock was bereft of gas. Or, pull a shock in your driveway a right now, and see if the height on that side doesn’t settle lower after a drive. (Assuming the shocks still have a charge)
It’s a thing, fellas.
Before you post more, you might want to check yourself.