Looking for suggestions. My 2.5" lift consist of spacers on front and blocks in the back. I wanna replace the front struts and coils with longer ones and retire the spacers. Its mostly a DD with minimal off road. Thanks!
new struts for 04 Tundra
- Thread starter KC Yota
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Anything made by bilstein if they make it for your application. I put them on everything I own.
I agree with the 5100 Bilsteins. I just bought a complete set, with OME 885 coils (plus a 1" diff drop, which I highly recommend..only $25) for my 00 Tundie for $599 shipped from Wheeler's Offroad. They have the second lowest price on Bils I could find, and they had them in stock (some places are backordered for Bils), and great service. i had had them sent UPS Ground, and had them in hand exactly when they said I would, 7 days after ordering. 
The coils may have been overkill though.. I may not install them and sell them instead. The coils are a 2.5" lift by themselves....The adjustable 5100s are 0"-2.5" also...I've since found out going over 2.5" total on a 1st gen Tundie is NOT recommended. Or if you NEED new coils, get the OME's and get the NON-adjustable 5100's...But check to make sure the NON-adjustables will handle the 2.5" extra travel. Johnny at Wheeler's should know.
Wheeler's Off Road
How long have you been running the spacers? If more than 15K-20K miles, I would check the upper and lower balljoints, and inner and outer tierod ends, as well as the wheel bearings. Also check to see if there is any diff oil leaking from where the inner CV ends go into the diff tubes. I had spacers on my 99 Taco, and it ate my drivers side diff bearings and seals, as well as the tie rods on both sides....Luckily, the frame broke apart shortly after, so I sold it back to Toyota.
The coils may have been overkill though.. I may not install them and sell them instead. The coils are a 2.5" lift by themselves....The adjustable 5100s are 0"-2.5" also...I've since found out going over 2.5" total on a 1st gen Tundie is NOT recommended. Or if you NEED new coils, get the OME's and get the NON-adjustable 5100's...But check to make sure the NON-adjustables will handle the 2.5" extra travel. Johnny at Wheeler's should know.
Wheeler's Off Road
How long have you been running the spacers? If more than 15K-20K miles, I would check the upper and lower balljoints, and inner and outer tierod ends, as well as the wheel bearings. Also check to see if there is any diff oil leaking from where the inner CV ends go into the diff tubes. I had spacers on my 99 Taco, and it ate my drivers side diff bearings and seals, as well as the tie rods on both sides....Luckily, the frame broke apart shortly after, so I sold it back to Toyota.
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- Thread starter
- #4
I think the 5100 adjustables are the way I'm going to go. I don't know if I really need new coils or not? The ride is fine. But, it seems like I've had little problems since I put the strut spacers in. I did install the 1" diff. drop. I seem to get a clunking sound in the front end on bumps at low speeds. I took the sway bar and all its hardware off. That seemed to eliminate some of the noise. The angle of the sway bar ends at the links were not sitting well at all. To tell you the truth I didn't even feel a difference after taking it off over a month ago. I thought it might be ball joints. I jacked the front end up and tried to find play in the wheels and found none. I did have someone on here tell me that maybe my UCA was slapping the coils. Which I think he might be correct. There is visible chips on the coils. The noise happens when the struts rebound. I notice when the truck is on jack stands the UCA's rest on the coils til I drop the truck down. I just want to track it down.I agree with the 5100 Bilsteins. I just bought a complete set, with OME 885 coils (plus a 1" diff drop, which I highly recommend..only $25) for my 00 Tundie for $599 shipped from Wheeler's Offroad. They have the second lowest price on Bils I could find, and they had them in stock (some places are backordered for Bils), and great service. i had had them sent UPS Ground, and had them in hand exactly when they said I would, 7 days after ordering.
The coils may have been overkill though.. I may not install them and sell them instead. The coils are a 2.5" lift by themselves....The adjustable 5100s are 0"-2.5" also...I've since found out going over 2.5" total on a 1st gen Tundie is NOT recommended. Or if you NEED new coils, get the OME's and get the NON-adjustable 5100's...But check to make sure the NON-adjustables will handle the 2.5" extra travel. Johnny at Wheeler's should know.
Wheeler's Off Road
How long have you been running the spacers? If more than 15K-20K miles, I would check the upper and lower balljoints, and inner and outer tierod ends, as well as the wheel bearings. Also check to see if there is any diff oil leaking from where the inner CV ends go into the diff tubes. I had spacers on my 99 Taco, and it ate my drivers side diff bearings and seals, as well as the tie rods on both sides....Luckily, the frame broke apart shortly after, so I sold it back to Toyota.
I've been running the strut spacers for about 5k miles. Will the adjustable 5100's save me on some wear and tear on the components you mentioned? I would like to get the front end dialed in. I didn't have a lot of knowledge on lifts when I purchased this one. I have had no problems with the rear end.
I do have a slight leak on the passenger side axle going into the differential housing. I need to replace the seal on the differential. I must of hit it when I replaced the axle.
Anyways, thanks for the suggestion. Any further advice on some of my front end issues would be greatly appreciated.
If you have only had the spacers in about 5K, you probably DONT need new coils...Unless you are planning on adding a front winch, or steel plate bumper, like the ARB.
And yes, you will be MUCH better off with the 5100 adjustables instead of the spacers. From what I've been told, spacers preload the springs, which is bad, and cause more issues with your front suspension components and bearings & seals.
I've read a thread elsewhere about a clucnking noise someoen couldnt track down after adding spacers, and IIRC, it WAS the UCA hitting the coil. Also, from what I've read (I just got my Tundra 2 mos ago, so I havent been able to make a lot of mods yet), quite a few people have also pulled their swaybars, and said it didnt seem to make much difference, unless youre driving it like a sportscar, which you shouldnt be.
Make sure you get an alignment done when the 5100's are in.
Oh, and did you know there was a TSB or recall on the lower ball joints for the early 1st gens. Not sure if it went out to cover the 03-04's or not though. I'm pretty sure there was one for the front calipers also. Might be something worth looking into.
And yes, you will be MUCH better off with the 5100 adjustables instead of the spacers. From what I've been told, spacers preload the springs, which is bad, and cause more issues with your front suspension components and bearings & seals.
I've read a thread elsewhere about a clucnking noise someoen couldnt track down after adding spacers, and IIRC, it WAS the UCA hitting the coil. Also, from what I've read (I just got my Tundra 2 mos ago, so I havent been able to make a lot of mods yet), quite a few people have also pulled their swaybars, and said it didnt seem to make much difference, unless youre driving it like a sportscar, which you shouldnt be.
Make sure you get an alignment done when the 5100's are in.
Oh, and did you know there was a TSB or recall on the lower ball joints for the early 1st gens. Not sure if it went out to cover the 03-04's or not though. I'm pretty sure there was one for the front calipers also. Might be something worth looking into.
- Thread starter
- #6
Are there specific 5100's for the double cab? I was looking on shockwarehouse and they have them for $108.00 each. They don't specify double cabs?
I will have to check out the recall. Do they give you any hassle on the recall if you have a lift?
I will have to check out the recall. Do they give you any hassle on the recall if you have a lift?
Hmm.. I'm not sure if they are the same for the DC's.
I'll see if I can find out.
Check these guys out: Bilstein 24-188265 Monotube Shock Absorber | AJUSA.com
or: Bilstein 5100 Front and Rear Shocks from Wheeler's Off-Road, Inc
I'll see if I can find out.
Check these guys out: Bilstein 24-188265 Monotube Shock Absorber | AJUSA.com
or: Bilstein 5100 Front and Rear Shocks from Wheeler's Off-Road, Inc
- Thread starter
- #9
Right on. I appreciate it. I'll keep checking as well. I will probably give them a call just to make sure. Looking forward to installing threm. I read a few other forum discussions on them and nobody had any negative feedback on them. I really hope they solve my clunking issues. Thanks again!
Awesome! Let us know if it fixes it or not.
- Thread starter
- #11
Will do! I hope to order them next week when I get paid. For some reason my kids think I'm an ATM machine.
X2 billion, 5100s are the schniz.
@cracker: use the OME coils and 5100s on the first notch, will net 2.5" plus the entire stroke of the 5100. Sick set-up.
@cracker: use the OME coils and 5100s on the first notch, will net 2.5" plus the entire stroke of the 5100. Sick set-up.
Thanx for the response, FJ.
Thats what I was planning when I bought both...Setting the 5100's on just 1st, possibly 2nd notch. There seems to be a lot of people running a 3"/1" leveling kit. Thats why I thought I go with up to 3"3.5" total.
Had some feedback on another forum that even 1st notch isnt suggested. I figure when I pull the old struts out, I'll try to determine with some measurements based on how the ball joints look, what I can start with.
Thats what I was planning when I bought both...Setting the 5100's on just 1st, possibly 2nd notch. There seems to be a lot of people running a 3"/1" leveling kit. Thats why I thought I go with up to 3"3.5" total.
Had some feedback on another forum that even 1st notch isnt suggested. I figure when I pull the old struts out, I'll try to determine with some measurements based on how the ball joints look, what I can start with.
