Tundra Bilstein Shocks 101 + Q&A

[v8Toilet]

Shocks aren't supposed to add lift support to the truck! The name shock in itself is a misleading name. The springs support the weight of the vehicle and absorb the impact of the road imperfections not the shocks. The shocks control spring oscillations so that the vehicle doesn't bounce uncontrollably and so that the wheels stay planted on the ground.

[JANDA]

Here's one , Maybe for the moderators??
Is there a difference in the FRONT COIL SPRINGS when comparing
the Ivan Stuart truck[4x4 x-cab V8 w/(Red-Blue Shocks)] to the
4x4 x-cab V8 SR5 with (Yellow-Blue) shocks.
I am truly asking about the front coils only. I know the shocks and colors mean nothing to the springs.
If there is a difference in either front or rear springs any info would be much appreciated.
THXS,
JANDA

[nhparrot]

The springs are not different on a truck with the Ivan Stewart kit, but they are different on trucks that have the Off Road Pkg.

On a 2000:
Front Suspension

Right
Without Off Road Pkg. . 48131AF040
With Off Road Pkg. . 48131AF090

Left
Without Off Road Pkg. . 48131AF080
With Off Road Pkg. . 48131AF100

[TundraToad]

Originally posted by arkie6
Hmmm. What are they teaching kids in school these days?

Can you lift the corner of your truck up 1/4"-1/2" by pulling up on the bumper or fender lip? I can. Am I lifting 1000 pounds? Hell no. The springs are carrying the bulk of the load. I'm just providing a little added lift.

The stock Tundra black Tokico shocks have virtually no gas pressure. The Bilsteins have significant gas pressure; not enough to lift a person (If they could, then you couldn't compress them in the first place), but still significant pressure - I'm guessing that each Bilstein shock exerts on the order of 50 pounds of force at each corner of the truck. This lifting force is in addition to the lift provided by the springs. These shocks will provide a slight amount of lift to an otherwise stock non-TRD Tundra.

My experience with shocks of ALL sorts is:
If you pull them out, it stays out, if you push it in, it stays in, if you pull them out a little, they stay out a little.

A shock is essentially 2 chambers of gas/oil and all you are doing is moving this gas/oil from one chamber to the other .
They are NOT a steady state spring, but they DO RESIST this displacement of gas/oil and thus provide 'dynamic' springing but NOT static springing!!

Shocks are PURELY for dampening the spring action of a vehicle, they are NOT springs and will not provide ANY springing, once settled (gas/oil has moved into the other chamber).

They RESIST change! They do not want to be pull out (extension/rebound) and once out do NOT want to compress (compression or bump dampening)!

If shocks were springs, guess what, we would call them 'shoings' or 'sprincks' or just spring thingies.

Have you never seen a vehicle with no shocks or hugely worn shocks, they just bounce and bounce and bounce but they still do not sag down to the road, why, because they still have, tahdah, springs!!

Come on guys, do a little bit of homework and yes, become dangerous with a little knowledge and thinking!!

We will cover 'what a tire does' in our next lesson!!

Happy Trucking guys!!

[punisher]

ok then, heres another post to confuse issues. Older shock assemblies included an internal spring in an oil bath! I would submit that the higher internal pressure a shock has improves its ability to "raise" the truck. You know you will start to "sag" when your shocks are tired. This DOES happen. I think that shocks add resistance to the weight of the truck, not lifting it, just "helping" the springs do their job.

[TundraToad]

Originally posted by punisher
ok then, heres another post to confuse issues. Older shock assemblies included an internal spring in an oil bath! I would submit that the higher internal pressure a shock has improves its ability to "raise" the truck. You know you will start to "sag" when your shocks are tired. This DOES happen. I think that shocks add resistance to the weight of the truck, not lifting it, just "helping" the springs do their job.

I am certainly no expert but have you heard of bump springing or 'end of travel' springing?

To comment on your post, suspensions are a system, and are the agregate of all the parts, but generally and essentially always dampeners (shocks) are NOT used as spring devices!! See below for more possibilities of what you speak of.

There is a rubber or polymer bump object on essentially all suspensions,these days anyway, it may be on the lower A arm or may ride on the McPherson strut shaft, etc which is used to essentially aid the spring in the last bit of suspension travel, and is essential on-road and off-road to prevent damage to suspension and to provide a bit of comfort and protection and control 'at the limit' of the suspension compression.

There is usually a 'top out' spring in the system, somwhere, for essentially the same reason, to lessen damage and provide a bit of control and comfort, this could be what you speak of.

So, there could easily be 'older' shocks with this sort of thing inside but current technology separates springing from dampening (shocks), as it is easier to tune one or both when not integrated togather.

On the other hand, the 2 are inseparable and are a system, bad things if you have one and not the other!

Race cars (advanced series that is) have:
1.low speed dampening controls
2. mid speed dampening controls
3. high speed dampening controls
for both compression and dampening, meaning there are, at least, 6 different tunable circuits inside the dampener (shock). This is generally used while testing and then they will construct multiple dampeners with the desired set of characteristics, and just switch them in for the type of tuning the driver/track desires/needs.

I also forgot that you can change the viscosity of the fluid in either chamber/side if needed as well.

Of course these shocks cost many thousands, and actually they are generally used on what is referred as a 4,6,7 post simulation system where they study the dynamics of the car by simulating a track.

This allows them to also change suspension geometrys, parts, lengths, dive, squat, etc systems.

Happy Trucking!!

[arkie6]

Originally posted by TundraToad
My experience with shocks of ALL sorts is:
If you pull them out, it stays out, if you push it in, it stays in, if you pull them out a little, they stay out a little.

Apparently you have never experienced Heavy Duty Bilsteins. Yes, what you said is essentially true with the stock Tokicos on the Tundra and most OE shocks on the road, but not so with the aftermarket Heavy Duty Bilsteins for the Tundra. I know, because I installed them on my truck. The Bilsteins exert a constant force outward. If you don't believe me, just grab a set and compress them. They won't stay compressed unless you keep some significant force on them.

A shock is essentially 2 chambers of gas/oil and all you are doing is moving this gas/oil from one chamber to the other .

Not on a Bilstein monotube shock. The gas and oil are totally separate - the two do not mix. There is a dividing piston that separates the hydraulic oil (the dampening medium) from the nitrogen gas charge, which is at approximately 350 psi.

Shocks are PURELY for dampening the spring action of a vehicle, they are NOT springs and will not provide ANY springing, once settled (gas/oil has moved into the other chamber).

They RESIST change! They do not want to be pull out (extension/rebound) and once out do NOT want to compress (compression or bump dampening)!

Anybody that has spent 20+ years working on vehicles, myself included, knows how shock absorbers work. I agree that their primary function is dampening; however, they can serve more than one function. You can buy shocks with external springs to provide additional lift or adjustable air shocks - surely you've heard of air shocks? These are not PURELY dampeners.

Come on guys, do a little bit of homework and yes, become dangerous with a little knowledge and thinking!!

Hmmm. I think someone needs to take a look in the mirror, and maybe do a little research or get their hands on some Bilstein shocks before they start typing.

[randyeverett]

I'm replacing my stock tundra shocks with Bilsteins (yellow/blue) sometime this week. I'll do before and after measurements and let ya'll know the results.

Last year I replaced my T-bird low-pressure gas shocks on the rear with high-pressure and it raised the rear-end by one inch. It also stopped the log truck leaning in the corners.

BTW, any tips on the R & R ....especially on the front? This is my first time doing 'coil-overs' or whatever the front shocks are called on the Tundra, and although I'm a car nut, I'm not professionally trained.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Everett

[aguevarra]

Originally posted by randyeverett
BTW, any tips on the R & R ....especially on the front? This is my first time doing 'coil-overs' or whatever the front shocks are called on the Tundra, and although I'm a car nut, I'm not professionally trained.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Everett

I recently installed the TRD 4x4 springs on my 4x2 to get about a 1.5" lift in the front. If you're going to change out the coils or shocks, I recommend you get an air compressor and impact wrench. I tried doing it with a ratchet and brute strength to compress the coils and could not do it. I've read that some guys have been successful with doing it by hand but I think most would agree that an air compressor is the way to go. Although, you can always bring the whole coil-over assembly to a shop and have them do the work.

[Breathing Borla]

Originally posted by arkie6
Apparently you have never experienced Heavy Duty Bilsteins. Yes, what you said is essentially true with the stock Tokicos on the Tundra and most OE shocks on the road, but not so with the aftermarket Heavy Duty Bilsteins for the Tundra. I know, because I installed them on my truck. The Bilsteins exert a constant force outward. If you don't believe me, just grab a set and compress them. They won't stay compressed unless you keep some significant force on them.



Not on a Bilstein monotube shock. The gas and oil are totally separate - the two do not mix. There is a dividing piston that separates the hydraulic oil (the dampening medium) from the nitrogen gas charge, which is at approximately 350 psi.



Anybody that has spent 20+ years working on vehicles, myself included, knows how shock absorbers work. I agree that their primary function is dampening; however, they can serve more than one function. You can buy shocks with external springs to provide additional lift or adjustable air shocks - surely you've heard of air shocks? These are not PURELY dampeners.



Hmmm. I think someone needs to take a look in the mirror, and maybe do a little research or get their hands on some Bilstein shocks before they start typing.

you are 100% right, when i bought my red/blue hd trd spec bilstiens, one came right through the box because the big ol strap they use to ship them to hold them not a full extension came off, went through two very thick boxes. I weigh 250 lbs and put one end on the floor and the other end i put all my wieght on, it barely went down. as soon as the tech finished installing them and i got in my truck i could notice a difference in the front ride height, other people did too. I then did the same test with my yellowblue shocks and could push them down much easier.

[Jimbo88]

Anyone have any info or experience on how the Edelbrock IAS Shocks compare with Bilsteins? Are they really better, as they claim...

[JANDA]

Well, let me weigh in and stir the pot.
-First I'll say that I agree that shocks do not lift trucks.
NOW please read on. I have a 2000 SR5 Xcab V8 w/ TRD Package
After watching the post I decided on a set of Red/Blue Bilsteins.
I put them on today. It went like this. I did the right front first. I completed the right side install started moving my tools, air hose etc. to left side as I looked at the front of the truck it was leaning to the left (drivers side). ALL the posts in this forum started rolling through my mind specifically ones that were arguing about the shocks lifting the truck. I then Confirmed the lean with a level. Confirmed again with a rule. Fender flare lip to edge of rim 12 1/2-12 3/4 (Passenger - Modified side) 12" even on the (drivers non- modified side) I took a measurement at each side of the front cross member too but didn't write the measurement down. But they too confirmed the lean. I then went on to do the install on the Drivers side. When completed the truck once again sat level and all measurements were equal. 12 3/4 at both fronts.
While installing there was something that I noticed. The old strut assy. practically fell out after unbolting and dropping the lower A arm. When installing the modified strut assy I had to apply heavy downward pressure on the upper - lower A arm assy to get these in.
Well, I still say shocks in and of themselves don't lift trucks BUT after todays install my truck has a slightly higher ride height. Argue on folks, But my truck sits level front to back and rides slightly higher
I S%#! you not!!!

[randyeverett]

Originally posted by JANDA
While installing there was something that I noticed. The old strut assy. practically fell out after unbolting and dropping the lower A arm. When installing the modified strut assy I had to apply heavy downward pressure on the upper - lower A arm assy to get these in.

Yup, same here. Yesterday I installed Bilstein yellow/blue replacing my black OEM shocks with 36k on them. Had to pull down on the lower A arm with all my weight while my brother compressed the shock to get it in place.

The ride height went up an average of 1/2 inch all the way around, with the rear slightly higher and the front slightly less. I took the truck of the lift and drove it home and then measured at the same spot in my driveway as I did before install.

The ride is a lot better.....noticeably less jiggle and front end "double bounce" on dips. Less front end lean in low speed corners and better straight ahead tracking on uneven 2 lane hwy. The truck had noticeably deteriorated in this respect over the last 6-7 thousand miles.

everett

[punisher]

Hey borla,
I think we can both say "i told you so"

[Breathing Borla]

Originally posted by punisher
Hey borla,
I think we can both say "i told you so"

i know i am not crazy, it rides higher in the front than it did with the yellow ones. since others notice the same thing it proves it.