Bilstein 6112 or 5100

Hello everyone,

I have a 2024 SR5 4wd 4runner no KDSS, stock suspension complete with the standard nose dive, body roll and a very soft ride.

My goal is to level the front with a set of Bilstein, either 5100 or 6112 . I am not a heavy off roader but I do like the idea of 6112's with the larger size and capacity and coming with springs. I do not want to replace UCA's if I do not have to and would be satisfied with a front lift of the 1.85 setting to get closer to level.
Secondary goal is to eliminate rear sag when I hitch a small trailer or carry heavier load in rear cargo area.

My questions:
What is the stock spring rate on the OEM rear springs, I believe the 6112's come with 600lb rated springs. Would the heavier springs and beefier shock on the 6112 eliminate rear sag as well as create a better ride or do I need to invest in longer spring or heavier spring rate.

If I used 5100's I would need to replace the rear spring and that might be as much as a set of 6112's?

Do you think the set of 6112's all around would fix my concerns without purchasing extra springs?
Has anyone had experience with 6112's or with a combo of 6112's in front and 5100's with a larger spring rate in the back?

Thank you in advance for any insight you care to provide.

Jeff

 

Hey Jeff, I have a set of 6112s. They aren’t much more than a set of 5100s so if if you can swing the extra $ go 6112s. I have 40k miles on mine and have taken them through some chunky / “intermediate” rated mountain passes so I can vouch for their performance. As far as the rear, not sure what your trailer set up is like but I would highly recommend keeping a little rake to accommodate sagging.

 

6112's are fronts only. They will not eliminate rear sag.

6112 (Front) / 5160 (Rear) Bilsteins would be (and is) my choice.
To eliminate rear sag when hooking up, here is a popular option without changing rear springs.
These work great! https://www.airliftcompany.com/products/air-springs/air-lift-1000

 

Thanks to you both for the info! Have a a great day!

 

Replaced my 2023 factory suspension around 1k miles, 6112 fronts/5160 rears (with 1.5" springs). After having 5100's on my 2013 I can tell you the 6112's are an improvement. If you stick to 1.85" up front you're probably still fine with factory UCA's.

 

A few of us here are running 6112's set at clip 6 and 4 ( approx 2" lift) and then running 5100 rear shocks with a T13 spring. Sits pretty level and T13 spring is about 12% heavier than stock. Gives about a 1" to 1 1/2" lift in the rear.

 

Shocks/struts will never compensate for sag, that's static ride height which is determined by the springs. The question is how you want the ride to be because leveling a truck, good ride quality, and towing are all a pick-2 triangle. You either deal with the rake so you aren't nose-up towing and still ride well daily, or you go level with stiffer springs that won't squat as much but with worse ride quality unloaded. IMO if you plan on towing, go in the middle with slightly stiffer springs and deal with a little rake.

You should get near level with rings 3 and 5 on the 6112 and a stock rear. 4 and 6 have a slight rake with their 1.5" springs that definitely don't give 1.5" but are slightly stiffer but those do well towing.

 

7th circlip setting on 6112s (older version where 7th was the top setting, think the newer versions have 9 clip settings?) standard 600lb. springs. Rear 5160s w/ 1.5” Dobinson standard load springs. Apart from C4 sliders completely stock. 3/4” rake. Sits level w/ my weeklong gear.

 

Thanks everyone, nice pic of your rig and of your dog Scarif.

If I am reading most everyone correctly, no one is stating using 6112s with the springs that come with them for front and rear?
I believe most are saying 6112's up front and either 5160 reservoir on the rear or 5100's on the rear with a heavier spring?
Main goal is a better ride on and off road, eliminate sag, nose dive and body roll. AND also level with a slight rake.

Thanks again everyone!

 

Clarification: I had my 6112s assembled by Shock Surplus with new top hats and Bilstein’s standard coils (no additional front weight). Not sure where SS sits in pricing but they’ve been a good resource for my questions. Bilstein also is pretty responsive and usually answers my questions within a day or two. I’d review what you want to do with them too.

 

i love my set up.

2” lift Bilstein 6112 w/600 lb coils front, 1.5” lift Eibach T13 coils rear, Bilstein 5100 rear shocks, 285/70/17 Falken WP AT3, Energy Suspension front bumpstops, SSO Slimline Bumper, Durobump bump stops 4.25” rear

 

im running the same and love it!

 

Bilsteins are a great value. This comparison of the 5100s is hilarious. Looking forward to them testing mid tier 6112s.
https://youtu.be/9s271Ln-6QI?si=Xp-s8ucam87yHYgE

 

Huh? That's like wanting a lift but only if you can retain stock height.

 

I went with Bilstein 8112s at 2" in front with 8100s out back with a Bilstein 1.5" lift spring. The 8112/8100 is a more expensive setup, but the 2"/1.5" lift works great. I did use an aftermarket UCA, but I am not sure that was required at that lift height. I also used a stock spring rate for the rear springs, but Bilstein makes a 1.5" rear spring at a heavier rate. I'm sure the 6112/5160 will be a great option.

 

I have 6112 on my Tundra and have been very happy with them

 

2019 SR5 here. Not really looking for any lift, just wanna be able to use a 32" 255/75 and a better ride than OE. Im using 6112s set at 1.1". The great thing about the 6112s is the larger damper and that they correct the driver side "lean". In the back i like the idea of 5100/5160S AND bilstein rear 1"/1.5" B12 coils or the dobinson 323 .5 -1" coils paired with the dobinson twin tube shocks or 5100s/5160s.

 

No one has really written this out in a way that makes sense.

6112's are a front-only option. They come with springs, because they are a coilover. The rear is a separate shock and coil spring, so they rarely interact and are usually sold separate from eachother. If you want to lift front and rear, with more lift in front, either 5100's or 6112+5160/6112+5100 will do the job, but you will need to buy springs for the rear. Bilstein sells springs for this purpose that are a good match for the 5100 and 6112, plus 8112.

TL: DR; buy 5100's first. Leave them at stock height and you won't even need an alignment. If you want more lift or want to change ride heights, buy rear springs and either control ride height with the 5100 or buy front lift springs. You would know if you needed the 6112/5160.

If I could go back in time, I'd buy 5100's and bump stops and not touch the springs before I did anything else to the suspension.

 

Can I thow in another variable?
If not a heavier spring in the rear, one can address that over sag issue that may arise with Airlift 1000 air bags.
If you want to leave the OEM spring one can use a cornfed spacer of choice.

 

I'll be the dissent on this one and say go 6112/5160 if you have the budget. Do it right, do it once... if you aren't planning on going big like tuned Fox/King 2.5s or Icon or OME then 6112 is about as good as it gets with a noticeable improvement over 5100s.

Valid option for on-road stuff... I always avoid them because they're a liability off-road but a great choice if it's for regular towing.

 

Yes, definitely agree to on-road option for towing only. Deflate for off-road.
Also, One could use a rear Cornfed spacer for OEM ride quality and still get some rear lift.

 

The only reason to go 6112 over 5100 is if you want to wheel at speed that exceeds 5100 capabilities, and OP doesn't do that. The 5100's will give him the extra control he's looking for. If he wanted to hit dunes, hell yeah, go bigger to 6112's or 8112's, or go to Accutune'd King/Fox/Ride shocks. He's looking for ~2" of lift and greater control. 5100's with the front clipped up to 1.85 and rear 1.5" lift springs will do all of that in spades for much less than 6112's and can be resold in an instant if he decides he needs to go bigger.

 

Fade on 5100s is real and it's not about speed... I had them fade at relatively low speed looking for campsites on a dirt road to the point they were noticeably less controlled. IMO this is one of those scenarios that if you have the budget you should just pull the trigger.

If OP was 100% road I'd say 5100s are fine but the advantages of the larger body/valving is real for even mild off-roading.

 

Thanks everyone I am learning more everyday. I suspected that 6112's were only a front option, but I could not verify this anywhere, so thank you for that clarification.
At the present I am leaning towards the 6112's upfront and the 5100's in the rear with a slightly longer spring such as the 1.5 lift springs. I see there are several options for the rear spring, would anyone care to give a real life scenario with 6112's at 1.85 and 5100's on rear with Bilstein B12 or T13 spring. Who makes the T13?
Thank you again for answering a lot of different questions/ scenarios even though I may have not been asking the right questions.

 

i gave this earlier as to what Im running:

2” lift Bilstein 6112 w/600 lb coils front, 1.5” lift Eibach T13 coils rear, Bilstein 5100 rear shocks, 285/70/17 Falken WP AT3, Energy Suspension front bumpstops, SSO Slimline Bumper, Durobump bump stops 4.25” rear

i am 90% street and I am very pleased with everything and at any speed. Even solid/stable at 80+ mph hwy speeds.

did a 1000 mile round-trip to North Carolina with a loaded car and couldn’t ask for more from the suspension. It was perfect.

 

MY 2 CENTS.....so it may not be worth much.....

I went through the same contemplation and chose front and back 5100's with Falken AT3 at 275/17 with the TRD wheels. Stock springs, front and back. FOR ME.....this made the most sense. I went with the 1st clip over stock on the front struts. Huge upgrade and handling, ride, and eliminated nose dive.

The primary reason I went this route is I have learned throughout the years, that FOR ME, less is more. By choosing the 1st clip/slight front lift, I'm staying within the tolerances of the stock UCA, tie-rods, front diff, etc. My long time mechanic agreed. And his shop specialize's in custom truck suspension, engine, fabrication, etc.

But like most things in this hobby....your mileage may vary. If the look and the "heavy-duty" performance is what you REQUIRE....then 6112 might make sense for you.

I also believe that there is some marketing magic to the 5100 vs 6112 decision. In my opinion, and perhaps that of others, the 6112 performance doesn't justify the premium cost increase. I believe the 5100 is easily performing within 80%-90% of the 6112. And that remaining 10-20% improvement in performance provided by the 6112 is only utilized 2%-5% of its functioning life.

The shock value videos also prove my point....maybe folks sleeping a bit on the 5100 simply because the 6112 exist or because of confirmed bias.

https://youtu.be/9s271Ln-6QI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jYzhxjSuRA