Questions on the Bilstein 5100 front shocks

[tommudd]

This was a answer to a question about the adjustable front 5100s that I totally agree with and why I have told many not to buy them
This was the response from jeepinjarhead on FACEBOOK

• 5100s should never be assembled to any position other than 0 when using Emu springs. 5100 front shocks are pretty much a waste of money for use with a lifted kj, they mess up what would otherwise be as close to a perfectly tuned suspension as is possible with the vehicle. The 4600 series is identical internally to the 5100 and like 50 bucks cheaper. If additional lift is desired, 2" electrical conduit nuts can be put in the clevis for measured amounts of lift. Emu lifts are a bit violent on rebound from time to time, the extra preload absolutely makes it worse, instead of having the appropriate coil rate for the vehicle weight, it ends up acting like a heavier coil on rebound as there's higher energy loaded up in compression, but the amount of force required to compress it is still 400lb/in - with an actual heavier coil, eg. Emu 2790 , it's 500lb/in - which will also have higher energy loaded in compression, but it also takes more to compress it, so the suspension doesn't get compressed as far . Disassemble them, set them to 0 , having them with extra preload also degrades the coils quicker.
  
  And if I seem frustrated regarding the 5100s it's not you, I just kinda saw that coming from miles away when 5100 front coilovers went from vaporware to regular products. Tbh they should have stayed a product that didn't actually exist. Bilstein knows better, or they at least should, it's basically stuff you'd expect from some company that's looking to sell a couple thousand shocks then go out of business or something - if they actually made a set of emu coils that worked with them, and could be adjusted on the vehicle like what's done with the 2.0+ threaded body coilovers would be a completely different story but that's not the case, and stock springs will stack at full compression without any extra preload so they're not good for that either.
  
  Thanks Mike

 

[2TALL1]

I totally agree about using them on stock height setting with OME springs or even factory springs.
I kind of disagree with them being the same as the 4600 though.
Maybe on the liberty you can't tell the difference between them.
But from my experience the 5100 series are definitely better at least on full size trucks.
Are they worth the extra $50 bucks????
I am going to give them a try.

 

[tommudd]

I totally agree about using them on stock height setting with OME springs or even factory springs.
I kind of disagree with them being the same as the 4600 though.
Maybe on the liberty you can't tell the difference between them.
But from my experience the 5100 series are definitely better at least on full size trucks.
Are they worth the extra $50 bucks????
I am going to give them a try.

5100s are good, that is what I run on the rear of the 03
But using the 5100s in the front is just a waste of money
and if stock maybe ok but otherwise NO