Bilstein 5100.
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- Posts: 117
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 7:01 pm
- Bronco Info: 1988 F150 4x4 Short wheel base
Bilstein 5100.
They fade...
Add goofy steering geometry and a driver who regularly pushes his rig past its capabilities and you get a scary ride.
Now you know.
Add goofy steering geometry and a driver who regularly pushes his rig past its capabilities and you get a scary ride.
Now you know.
- FUFIMI
- Posts: 611
- Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:24 pm
- Bronco Info: 1965 Ford F100 (Señor Mostaza)
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: Bilstein 5100.
Buy a larger shock
Now you know
Now you know
- tcm glx
- Peanut Butter
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- Bronco Info: 93 Ford Bronco 5.8
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Re: Bilstein 5100.
Mr. VanDii wrote: driver who regularly pushes his rig past its capabilities
Ummm, isnt this the real issue??? HA... and yes they fade, enough to melt a shock boot on the shock body.
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- Posts: 117
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 7:01 pm
- Bronco Info: 1988 F150 4x4 Short wheel base
Re: Bilstein 5100.
I.. uhhh.... NO!!tcm glx wrote: Ummm, isnt this the real issue???

Anyway, new shocks, towers and coils are in the works plus steering upgrades. The rear is awesome. I knew they'd fade, but not that fast!
Other than that, they've been fantastic. I would certainly recommend them to anyone NOT speeding like a madman over ruff stuff. They're great and the moderate and street stuff. Definitely a mild (in my taste) option.
- Tchajagos
- Posts: 2124
- Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:07 am
- Bronco Info: 1993 xlt stock on 33' BFGs
- Location: Murrieta
Bilstein 5100.
They are emulsion shocks are they not? Of course they will fade quickly when the oil foams up.
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- Posts: 117
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 7:01 pm
- Bronco Info: 1988 F150 4x4 Short wheel base
Re: Bilstein 5100.
indeed they are! and indeed they do!
- Mesozoic
- Posts: 36
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- Bronco Info: '79 Bronco: 408C-ZF5-NP205 SEFI-EDIS8; 4" lift, Dana 44/Ford 9" w/4.10s, locked
- Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: Bilstein 5100.
Run a Bilstein 5165.
'79 Bronco: SEFI-EDIS8 8.5:1 400M-C6-NP205-Ford9-Dana44-4.11s locked, 35s, lifted 4"
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Re: Bilstein 5100.
I remember a few years back having a long travel setup on my 72 Bronco-- I just started getting into the go fast thinking-- well I got my 9012 Rancho shocks shofts to turn blue and the bushings to melt out-- it was then that I determined that Ranchos are junk shit and upgrades were needed lol
http://www.vintageironfabworks.com
77- "Victoria"
71- "Annie" Halfcab
73- "Heloise"
96- "Cheryl"
95- Marilyn (F150)
77- "Victoria"
71- "Annie" Halfcab
73- "Heloise"
96- "Cheryl"
95- Marilyn (F150)
Re: Bilstein 5100.
5100 is not an emulsion. it has an ifp
the 5165s benefit is the reduced port size into the reservoir helping fight piston plunge.
the 5165s benefit is the reduced port size into the reservoir helping fight piston plunge.
- Hauls Assington
- Posts: 295
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- Bronco Info: Under Construction
- Location: Las Cruces , NM
Re: Bilstein 5100.
i put a set of 5100's in my bronc, and blew 3 out of 4 front ones within 20 minutes of installatio. Lol. I am not kidding! After installing a threat kit, and some king coilovers, I have jumped it numerous times, and hit millions of whoops whith no problems.
- Tchajagos
- Posts: 2124
- Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:07 am
- Bronco Info: 1993 xlt stock on 33' BFGs
- Location: Murrieta
Bilstein 5100.
Limit straps when you were jumping with the bilsteins? Idk how they would blow out that fast without them hitting the end of their strokes repeatedly.
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- 1Hondalover
- Posts: 819
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 2:30 pm
- Bronco Info: Having so much fun with friends in Baja, we're not sure if we want to race NORRA.....
- Location: Santa Clarita
Re: Bilstein 5100.
Just the info we're looking for next. Is everyone using them running a single 5100 on the front or two per side on the quad shock option? I too have seen many melted boots on many brands.....does this happen only on the front for you guys?
Is the 5160 internally the same as 5165? Going to remote res will likely eliminate that issue but at substantially more cost. Luckily we're not going to go to fast in this one, but I'd consider one 5160 per wheel if it would work well.
Is the 5160 internally the same as 5165? Going to remote res will likely eliminate that issue but at substantially more cost. Luckily we're not going to go to fast in this one, but I'd consider one 5160 per wheel if it would work well.
Re: Bilstein 5100.
I don't think it is fair to bash a product when you are using it in a way it is not made to be used. For its intended purpose they are pretty good shocks.
Most of the issues arise from people lifting the truck and expecting the stock mounts to still work for full travel. The radius arm shock will bottom out with longer shocks. Trying to use the boots will kill a seal also because they get jammed in there when the shock is close to bottoming. No limit straps and jumping/whoops wont last long with any 2" or less shock on 5500lb truck.
The quad shock setup from Bilstein isn't much different than a single shock since they use the same main shock on the radius arm with heavy valving. The auxiliary shock in the front is very lightly valved and probably unlikely anybody is fading those, only the main. I cheat and run a shock for 4 to 6 lift made for the radius arm location and move it to the front position where it will not bottom on a pretty stock height rig. Get a little more action out of it up there since it is farther from the pivots. It would probably fade quickly when punished but I don't use this Bronco for that sort of thing(Mainly because desert isn't in my backyard now)
King and Fox are making quite a few 2.5" options for other vehicles now with similar mountings. I have looked a little but not found one yet that I thought would fit a stock bronco. Ill bet you could find one that had the Pin top and mount it in the front of beam location and only fab a lower mount. This 'cheapo' option you are still buying $800 pair of shocks though.
Most of the issues arise from people lifting the truck and expecting the stock mounts to still work for full travel. The radius arm shock will bottom out with longer shocks. Trying to use the boots will kill a seal also because they get jammed in there when the shock is close to bottoming. No limit straps and jumping/whoops wont last long with any 2" or less shock on 5500lb truck.
The quad shock setup from Bilstein isn't much different than a single shock since they use the same main shock on the radius arm with heavy valving. The auxiliary shock in the front is very lightly valved and probably unlikely anybody is fading those, only the main. I cheat and run a shock for 4 to 6 lift made for the radius arm location and move it to the front position where it will not bottom on a pretty stock height rig. Get a little more action out of it up there since it is farther from the pivots. It would probably fade quickly when punished but I don't use this Bronco for that sort of thing(Mainly because desert isn't in my backyard now)
King and Fox are making quite a few 2.5" options for other vehicles now with similar mountings. I have looked a little but not found one yet that I thought would fit a stock bronco. Ill bet you could find one that had the Pin top and mount it in the front of beam location and only fab a lower mount. This 'cheapo' option you are still buying $800 pair of shocks though.
- tcm glx
- Peanut Butter
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- Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:19 am
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Re: Bilstein 5100.
I ran the dual 5100s for almost a year and they worked great....yes they would fade and yes I melted a boot but that was after trying to chase Brian down in Lucerne........45-60 min of running fairly hard. Once they cooled down, they continued to work just fine. I was properly Bumped and Strapped, and never had an issue blowing them out.
Jim, for your Thanksgivung trip, I think you would be fine with the drop in dual 5100... Doubt there is a need for the 5160/5165. Honestly if it their first trip driving the bronco, they shouldn't be driving it hard enough to melt those boots anyways. Ha!
Jim, for your Thanksgivung trip, I think you would be fine with the drop in dual 5100... Doubt there is a need for the 5160/5165. Honestly if it their first trip driving the bronco, they shouldn't be driving it hard enough to melt those boots anyways. Ha!