Your truck turned our great. Looks awesome. I'm running the same sized tires and can't wait to get mine installed.
Bilstein 6112/5160 Installed (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter Robert B
- Start date
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Me too! I'm excited to see how good this looks. I've been afraid that it would be too high, but this looks like the perfect amount of lift to me.
I'll be pulling the trigger on this install once I recover a bit from buying my rig in the first place!
I just got back from a 750 mile road trip to Mammoth with a super loaded vehicle and I could not be happier of the way the car rode and handled. 4 adults, 1 baby, 1 toddler, a fridge, packed roof box, loaded hitch ski rack and a ton of gear wherever we could squeeze it. The last time I had the car so loaded was to a Zion road trip with 5 people, gear and 4 bikes on stock suspension. That trip I was bottoming out, didn’t feel great on sweeping turns at hi way speed and it just felt like a boat. I am so happy I went with this setup! it feels great loaded down or just for everyday driving around town.
Just read this whole thread and I'm pulling the trigger too!
Thanks to everyone that took the time to write up your ride impressions and install notes - it made it easy to finally decide. I've been on the fence about buying a set of BP-51s for a year, but it always just felt like overkill for what I need and I didn't want to have to mess with rebuilds. My typical load is a gobi roof rack, packed roofbox, fully packed back (getting drawers soon), bike rack with ebikes on rear, 2 adult passengers and 2 kids. This setup seems like a great way to improve the highway performance, but still give a little more clearance for hitting the trails after we've arrived at our destination. Hopefully will be posting build pics before too long!
Thanks to everyone that took the time to write up your ride impressions and install notes - it made it easy to finally decide. I've been on the fence about buying a set of BP-51s for a year, but it always just felt like overkill for what I need and I didn't want to have to mess with rebuilds. My typical load is a gobi roof rack, packed roofbox, fully packed back (getting drawers soon), bike rack with ebikes on rear, 2 adult passengers and 2 kids. This setup seems like a great way to improve the highway performance, but still give a little more clearance for hitting the trails after we've arrived at our destination. Hopefully will be posting build pics before too long!
I'm thinking about this set up as well for my '10 but am on the fence for a lift in general due to the amount of long distance driving I do in Texas. I like the mild lift that FerrisBueller has achieved and wanted to get some feed back on how the vehicle performs set up like similarly. I have been driving my '10 since '15 (six years) and am ok with how if drives but the suspension is getting tired at 165k and if I am going to replace, I might as well look into a small lift. Not because I NEED it, just because it looks GOOD. Also, I do tow a small fishing skiff (2k lbs) with about 250lbs of tongue weight so I want to avoid the rear sag if I can. Not sure if the springs that come with the Bilstein kit work well with towing or if I need to go the OME route.
I am right there with you, those are the two kits I am considering as our Cruiser will stay relatively mild for the time being and I am not looking to add a $3K+ lift kit. The OME looks the part and is very simple but I worry about the ride quality, I like the adjustability that the Bilstein affords but I'd like to know how it handles towing.
Which make/model poling skiff do you have?
wiseinvestor
GOLD Star
Man... thank you for sharing your experience. It really helps when people are trying to solve similar problems to get feedback from people who have made a change.
17’ Whaler. Not a poling skiff but it’s gets me where I want to go up and down the Texas Gulf Coast!
And of course, while trying to resist the lift bug, this parked next to me last night....
CRAZY how big these things get with a mild lift and tires.
Uh-oh! Lift Envy!!!
Any Mud preferred vendors picked up Bilstein yet? I'd love to talk shop with somebody like @cruiseroutfit on pros/cons of this set vs long time in the market tried and true OME, Iron Man, Dobinson's, etc. I like the idea of BP-51s and Kings and all that fancy stuff but, realistically for our needs I am a set it and forget it, and the LC will still be 80+ % on the road vs off road.
Read this thread but trying to narrow down rear springs. I'm new to the J200 platform (just signed and rig should be enroute to me next week). I am set on the 6112/5160 setup but want to know the difference in the rear springs. I see that @DJCloz went with Icon rear springs and others use the OME rears and some use the bilsteins.
I'm planning a Moab trip in a few months so want to be set for that but also for daily driving. I plan on running a Roof Rack (Gobi or Prinsu) w/RTT and the back will be fairly loaded for the trip. Also will have Sliders and MAYBE Skids. Usually when i offroad (aside from Moab, i carry 1-200 lbs of gear).
Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
I'm planning a Moab trip in a few months so want to be set for that but also for daily driving. I plan on running a Roof Rack (Gobi or Prinsu) w/RTT and the back will be fairly loaded for the trip. Also will have Sliders and MAYBE Skids. Usually when i offroad (aside from Moab, i carry 1-200 lbs of gear).
Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
@iqbal624 I had really good success with icon duel rate coils on a 4runner build that I had in the past and it seemed like the right application for this build. My wife DD's our 200 about 15 miles daily and I wanted it to ride well for her, while still being able to take a load for a weekend trip camping or skiing. I also wanted the 1.75'' lift in the rear. Icon does not disclose their weight rates as far as I know. When I was searching initially I didn't find any other duel rate rear coils for our 200's. I thought I read somewhere that there was an OME coil that was duel rate also, but I could be wrong. I am pretty happy with my setup.
Old Man Emu and Dobinsons both sell dual rate rear coils for the 200 series. There may be more I just know of those two for sure.
Got it. So the dual rate coils are more like progressive springs where they get stiffer with more compression/weight.
seems like that might be a good solution as I plan to daily the LC but also want it very capable.
I’ve had the 6112/5160 setup on an FJ I used to own and absolutely loved it.
seems like that might be a good solution as I plan to daily the LC but also want it very capable.
I’ve had the 6112/5160 setup on an FJ I used to own and absolutely loved it.
Here's Dobinsons' dual rate rear coil spring:
Anybody have first hand knowledge of that Dobinsons coil linked above (C59-559V). I know the website says 25mm/1" unloaded but I've learned to be skeptical of the Aussie rear coils advertised lift heights? If you have it installed perhaps even give measurements from hub to fender?
I don't, but I did receive these details from Mike at Exit Offroad when I inquired about that spring. It is the shortest spring Dobinsons makes for the 200 but not the lightest.
"The rate of them ranges from 180-270 initial rate, then 270-350LBF/IN loaded rate, and they're 440/470mm free height." - this is for C59-559V
He felt they were likely similar to the Old Man Emu 2721 but didn't know for sure.
I ended up ordering Dobinsons' lightest spring weight rear coils for the 200 (haven't received them yet) - the C59-535, which is a linear spring rate 248 lb. coil.
I have no idea if the coils I ordered are lighter or heavier in spring rate that what Bilstein is selling.
Bilstein is currently 170 lb/in same as oem, just longer (OP stated heavier spring in the works).
OME 2721 (and 2720) is 270/340 lb/in.
Just pulled the trigger on the 6112/5160 set up, front and rear. I was initially planning to do the install myself, but after reading @FerrisBueller's write up, I decided to pay someone else to do the work. Realizing I probably had to shell out for a new floor jack, jack stands, spring compressors, and some bigger ratchets/sockets, I figured I probably wouldn't save that much money in the long run. Plus, I'm frankly a little scared of spring compressors.
The parts will be in next week, so hopefully my truck will be finished by the end of next week. I'll post before and after pics/measurements when it's done. Thanks to everyone for all the great info in this thread.
The parts will be in next week, so hopefully my truck will be finished by the end of next week. I'll post before and after pics/measurements when it's done. Thanks to everyone for all the great info in this thread.
