Deavers are on, next up: sway bars or bilsteins?

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srileo

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Hi all,
Well, after this unfortunate incident last year my Nissan Titan and FWC have been back on the road and I have already clocked in almost 1800 miles of trouble free driving. As a part of the repairs, i got lucky with insurance paying out for a Deaver spring pack.

So, i have Deavers rated for around 1200lbs installed and they are pretty stout and level. I keep a token amount of 15lbs in the firestone air bags and should probably go lower to 10 or something to stay inflated somewhat.

Now, I want a better ride quality.

1) Install Hellwig rear Sway bars to eliminate the body roll that i feel pretty badly around corners ($225)
2) Install Bilstein 5100s to replace the stock shocks. ($350)

What should I be putting on next? Or get both done at the same time and save on shop labor? I can convince the Mrs.

p.s The body roll...I am guessing that the Deavers are not meant to solve the body roll problem, correct?
 
Ride quality is more determined by the dampers than sway bars, however ride comfort around corners (AKA "pucker factor") is more determined by sway bars than by the dampers.
 
I drive a 2015 Tacoma with ATC - Bobcat. I installed Bilstein 5100 and Old Man Emu Dakar springs. Together it reduced sway and bounce considerably. I considered ant-sway bar and after considerable research decided to go solely with the aforementioned upgrade because I run rough backcountry roads and didn't want to lose any tire/axle articulation.

If you stay on paved and moderate off pavement roads and avoid rough, rocky roads and deep ruts then a sway bar shouldn't get in the way, and the Hellwig's allow adjustment to reduce or increase sway bar rigidity. However, you may find that the shock upgrade along with your new springs will do the trick.
 
Moss, thats a good observation about losing the wheel articulation. In the past 2.5 years of ownership, i have never taken the rig offroad more than a gravel path. I have no interest either. I have a dirt bike for that....

It looks like the ideal set up is to just do both sway bars and Bilsteins and do it at the same time and be done with it. The sway bars are needed more. My Titan is a tall truck to begin with and the body roll is significant.





Moss Grimmick said:
I drive a 2015 Tacoma with ATC - Bobcat. I installed Bilstein 5100 and Old Man Emu Dakar springs. Together it reduced sway and bounce considerably. I considered ant-sway bar and after considerable research decided to go solely with the aforementioned upgrade because I run rough backcountry roads and didn't want to lose any tire/axle articulation.

If you stay on paved and moderate off pavement roads and avoid rough, rocky roads and deep ruts then a sway bar shouldn't get in the way, and the Hellwig's allow adjustment to reduce or increase sway bar rigidity. However, you may find that the shock upgrade along with your new springs will do the trick.
Click to expand...
 
I am making similar upgrades.

I'm getting Deaver Springs on my 2006 AC TRD 4x4 Tundra in a few weeks. I want to do new shocks at the same time. It seems many here use Bilstein 5100's. I read about the various Bilsteins and I was confused, so I called them. They said the 5100 is only recommended if lifting the truck, if not lifting they recommend the 4600. In fact warranty on 5100 would be void if truck is not lifted. Does this mean that those here using the 5100's are lifting their truck? I want to keep mine at stock height. I'm now thinking to go with the 4600.

Update - I just called Deaver Springs - they recommend the 4600 for my application. Consistent with Bilstein, they only recommend the 5100 if lifting.
 
DonC said:
I am making similar upgrades.

I'm getting Deaver Springs on my 2006 AC TRD 4x4 Tundra in a few weeks. I want to do new shocks at the same time. It seems many here use Bilstein 5100's. I read about the various Bilsteins and I was confused, so I called them. They said the 5100 is only recommended if lifting the truck, if not lifting they recommend the 4600. In fact warranty on 5100 would be void if truck is not lifted. Does this mean that those here using the 5100's are lifting their truck? I want to keep mine at stock height. I'm now thinking to go with the 4600.

Update - I just called Deaver Springs - they recommend the 4600 for my application. Consistent with Bilstein, they only recommend the 5100 if lifting.
Click to expand...
That is interesting. I havent heard that much about the 4600s. My Titan Pro4X is taller as a model than the regular 2WD Titans. I know that with the Bilsteins there is a "zero" height adjustment setting - which is what it ships at. If you want to lift, there are settings on the bilstiens for 1 and 2" lifts. Well, the 5100s are on their way anyway, so we shall see about the lift.

The hellwigs just came in the mail. Wow, that is one heavy package! - 35Lbs atleast of unsprung weight. Very eager to see what kind of a ride i get. I hope to kick myself for not installing it earlier :)
 
In the recent past the yellow bodied Bilstein dampers have been smaller OD than the 5100's. Since the 5100's are ~2" OD I'll take a guess that the 4600's are 46mm (1.81") OD. That equates to less piston area and less oil so they can't damp as well out at the limit and they'll over-heat quicker when pushed hard. Driven within their design goals I'm sure that they're fine. As I've faded 5100's on occasion I'm sure they're not for us.
 
Well, i got the Bilsteins and Sway bar done. It is one of those "why did i wait 20k miles before i did this" moments. The stock Ranchos were shot. The Bilsteins + Sway bar combo feel great at speed, though at low speeds i can still feel the corrugations on the road. Going around corners is better, but there is still slight body roll. I guess you cannot completely hide the physics of a heavy vehicle.

I am surprised by how inexpensive the entire suspension kit was. About $350 for bilsteins and $230 for sway bar. A decent motorcycle rear shock costs about $500 :)

Also changed the brake lines, pads and flush. Brakes feel much better now. I need to remember to brake flush annually.

Next up in the near future i need to think of changing the bracket on which the RideRite airbags rest on the axle. It doesnt look or feel right.
 
On my 06 4x4 Tundra my standard height is 36" from ground to top of wheel well without the camper. With camper I was sitting at 34" and it took 60 lbs in my air bags to get back up to 36".

Just got back from Deavers today - wow! Now sitting at standard height (36") with no air, and airbags are to fine tune with trip weight and distribution. Also much more stable - very solid. Wish I had done this 4 years ago when I got the camper. Everyone at Deavers is great. Said they had done 3 -4 campers in the last few weeks.

Sway bars next week.
 
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