I have just finished the installation of Bilstein part # F4BE5-2450-hd on the front of my 2002 Limited 4x4 with 85,000 miles. Factory Tokico part # was 48510-35100. My question is to those of you who have done this installation did you notice the following.

1. Needed spring compressor to take old strut apart but didn't need it to assemble it with Bilstiens?

2. Now car seems looser, bouncy and dives more during braking.

I did a search and noticed someone else complained about this.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showt...hlight=bilstein

My spring cups are installed correctly as I have followed this thread

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/2...agging-115512/

My question is I seem to have lost spring tension, has anyone measured factory length vs Bilstein? When they lowered the springs after 99, could the height difference have caused it to be not perfectly designed for 2000-2002?
Also I seem to have more articulation in the front as I had to jack the car up much higher to get the wheels back on.

Do you think I have just got a bad set shocks, got them from e-shox. It bounces horribly. I was thinking if people thought it might be the spring I could go with 99's all the way around, or pp 1"?

Do people want me to put the factory shock up against the new bilstein and take a picture If I find a difference, because Im thinking about swapping back.

 

It sounds like you got the wrong shocks.

 

From this:
http://www.top4runners.com/ja/bils.html
and this (states F4BE5-2450-hd is the new part number):
http://www.truckspring.com/bilstein-...5-2450-h0.html
and from what I got on my 99 : BE5-2450 (F) BE2451 (R). It seem you got the right shocks , I did notice it was easier to install the spring on the Bilstein though not as easy as yours sound. Also it did leave my front a bit higher than stock but my old front Tokico bushing was toast.
This link:
http://www.modsearch.com/part-Bilste...s-Shock-A.html
Only list this for 96-01 though.
Maybe you should have had ordered the 2wd part number for it to fit the lower 2002. Even Bilsteins own website is wierd it says 96-99 for BE5-2450, but it comes up when you search for 2002 model shock.

It should make your nose dive less not more. Are you sure you assembled it right (see FSM in the first link)? The shock will rebound faster a give more "input" from imperfections in the road.

Good luck getting it solved.

 

I put bilsteins on my tacoma pretty much when i bought it. I had to use a spring compressor for dismanteling and assembling the struts. If you didnt need a compressor for assembly that pretty much means that there is really no preload on the springs. That would explain the looser feeling. Also, my bilsteins totally crapped out after about 40,000 miles of normal driving. The rig would porpus on the freeway and be very unstable side to side given a bump in the road. IMHO, i would send the thangs back and go with another manufacturer, or save up for some coilovers.

 

nevermind