SR5 owner, is upgrade to Bilstein takeoff suspension from Off-Road model worth it?

[time4save]

Someone nearby is selling their suspension off of their 25 off road for 200. Is there a noticeable upgrade from the sr5 shocks?

i know nothing about this stuff but I have a buddy that could swap them out

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[samsamdar]

Suspension is such a subjective thing - best thing you can do is go test drive a TRD OR and gauge it for yourself. I haven’t been in an SR5 so not sure how different they’ll be.

 

[page09]

I’m selling my whole set on Bilstein suspension from my Trd Offroad premium. This includes 2 front suspension, 2 rear suspension, 2 rear springs and upper control arm, for $500 all in.

 

[Desert_6Gen]

Don't do it. Most of it all people who have the ORP complain on how stiff the suspension is. I'm one of them. I'm sure the SR5 is more comfortable. What's your reason is changing? Just because it's Bilstein or on a higher trim doesn't necessarily make it better. If your mainly daily driving and what you have doesn't bother you; there is no need to change it.

 

[FoozGrind]

Don’t put second hand parts on a brand new vehicle. Jesus have some self respect for your 4Runner. Don’t ever tell her you thought about given her second hand stuff. Sorry for you all selling them. Just my thoughts.

 

[gvan1998]

Don’t put second hand parts on a brand new vehicle. Jesus have some self respect for your 4Runner. Don’t ever tell her you thought about given her second hand stuff. Sorry for you all selling them. Just my thoughts.

I rather put 2nd hand oem parts then cheap new chinese parts

 

[FoozGrind]

Cool I’d rather put neither.

 

[gvan1998]

Good,

 

[powder]

As a TRD OR owner that hasn’t driven a SR5; if a sr5 rides smoother than a OR I damn sure wouldn’t pay money to make my sr5 ride like a OR! OR rides like a lumber wagon

 

[Joe Dirt]

To the original op.

The SR5 shocks are crap! I've had a 3rd gen and a 5th gen and replaced them both with bilsteins and never looked back.

Now personally I did see what some of the people were noticing by saying that it rides rough, but I think they're misunderstanding what rides rough to bouncy; the coil springs on the 6th gen are not the most heavy gauged load rated coils.

Meaning there's a lot of Bounce going on. I upgraded my front coil springs to "all dogs off-road" 2 in level coils.

It did increase my load capacity. I retained my stock Bilstein orp (red shocks) front and rear and have a nice level solid ride.

I think down the road I will probably upgrade to the higher-end bilsteins.

Spacers and collar lifts should be avoided also. This is just my two cents.

I do not do serious off-road high speed driving nor do I do rock crawling. But I do like a full articulation without slamming my shocks into spacers or compressing the crop out of it with a collar lift!

$500 is really the price of the 4 shocks and that's all you will you be using because you already have a factory upper control arm and I do not think the coils are any different, I would confirm that with the dealership but I think I'm right on that so you'd be spending $500 for a set of four shocks. You won't be getting any lift out of the front, just better shocks.

If you wanted a solid lift I would just buy the 5100 kit from Bilstein, give it a maximum of 2 in level.

If you go any higher than 2 in you will have to change the upper control arm cuz it does not have enough adjustability..

Again just my two cents here.

 

[SteveS]

My SR5 is fine. I really don’t see the value in upgrading anything for a “road oriented” car.

So many folk are waisting money of after market crap. If you need more “anything” buy a different trim level or vehicle.

 

[shibaman]

i have no experience with Bilsteins on trucks. My 20 year old Miata 93LE still had the oem bilsteins on it when i sold it. worked just fine. Built a 92 miata autocross car with sport Bilsteins, and coilovers. Again , great.
Suspension feel is subjective to the owner and what they like. I am happy with the shocks on my sr5. Very comfortable on the road. No reason for me to change them out.
To me, 500 $ for the shocks, and other parts sounds like a real deal. But do you need them?

 

[PierceVonCloud]

Bilstein knows how to make shocks, but the red ones that came off my OR are not worth the paint they are covered with. I wouldn't sell them to a fellow 6th gen owner in good conscience . They rode horrible for an off road truck. There are plenty of threads here of how people improved there 6th gen ride. None of the success stories that I'm aware of used parts from other trims. The guy who tried the Land Cruiser shocks said something like "it's not worse". Also, the true fix will also involve new springs. As weird as it sounds, I think all the 6th gen trims are over-damped AND over-sprung. An over-sprung truck is an acceptable trade-off if its meant to tow 20,000 pounds. It is a stupid and very uncomfortable trade-off for a truck meant for off road driving.

 

[RunnerRocks]

Bilstein knows how to make shocks, but the red ones that came off my OR are not worth the paint they are covered with. I wouldn't sell them to a fellow 6th gen owner in good conscience . They rode horrible for an off road truck. There are plenty of threads here of how people improved there 6th gen ride. None of the success stories that I'm aware of used parts from other trims. The guy who tried the Land Cruiser shocks said something like "it's not worse". Also, the true fix will also involve new springs. As weird as it sounds, I think all the 6th gen trims are over-damped AND over-sprung. An over-sprung truck is an acceptable trade-off if its meant to tow 20,000 pounds. It is a stupid and very uncomfortable trade-off for a truck meant for off road driving.

Front & Rear spring recommendations ?

 

[PierceVonCloud]

Front & Rear spring recommendations ?

I have a thread on my suspension swap if you want all the details and background. I have Fox Performance Elite front coilovers that came with 350 lb/inch springs and I have Fox Performance 2.5 rear shocks and Icon Progressive rear springs. Very happy with the ride.

Edit - So besides these springs, I would suggest suspension kits that include F/R springs like the full OME kits. People seem to be happy with those.

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