Fox vs King: 2.0 Remote Reservoir Coilovers - Durability & Performance Comparison

[XJLI]

Yep. good choice XJLI. If I was tossing big bucks for shocks on my JK it would be to ELKA. Ran them on lots of Motorsports rigs with great results. Chasespeed the basic Fox 2.0s are cheaper than the 5100s. And MILES better that the garbage that is bilstiens.

Yea, the bolt-in Fox 2.0s are usually only +/- $20 at most a corner difference than the 5100s. I still recommend "factory replacement" yellow Bilsteins for people, but thats just for someone who needs shocks in their truck to drive around town. My FIL got those for his 1500 Chevy for under $300 shipped for four. I think 5100s for my D1 are $390 a set and Fox IFPs are $420. I just got left with a sour taste in my mouth from Bilstein.

Granted, I did order my shocks from them when Joel the Jeepspeed guy was still there and was pretty much "the" guy for XJ go-fast. He left less than a year after my order and I wasn't the only one who got hung out to dry from what I understand... including race teams. KOH a few years ago was pretty much Bilstein, then Fox, then a few guys running King, then little guys like FOA; now its primarily Fox, then King, and the rest are outliers like Icon, FOA, SAW, etc.

 

[toyotech]

Kings charge way to much not to put the highest quality seals in and instead offer it only as an upgrade. Kings makes their money from people who sends them in to have rebuilt.


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[toyotech]

What about radflo


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[*TRD*]

Bilstein 5100's have a good construction for the price point but their tuning isn't great. What I have run into with full size exploration rigs is that they'll typically run 6 Bilstein 5100's (2 per wheel in the front) and they'll be thrashed after a year or two. Getting a set of pre-tuned 2.5" smoothie shocks will ride MUCH better, will last longer before a rebuild, and don't ever need to be thrown away. But the up front cost isn't for everyone.

 

[*TRD*]

There are many better OTS shocks than bilstiens. Fox 2.0s without resivoirs, OMEs, hell even my Monroe monotubes are a way better option than bilstiens.

Here's a little ditty for you.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1255228-a-washboarded-road-to-chaco-canyon-np-vs-bilstein-5100s-premature-bilstein-shock-failure.html

Not to mention these failures!

A Toyota/bilstien trd failure

That is one hell of a shock failure!!!!! :smiley_drive:

The OEM bilstein are built on a tight budget and should not be compared to the 5100 series. But I can definitely see how it would anger people.

My OEM Tacoma Bilstein shocks only lasted 30k, but I was VERY hard on them.

 

[XJLI]

Bilstein 5100's have a good construction for the price point but their tuning isn't great. What I have run into with full size exploration rigs is that they'll typically run 6 Bilstein 5100's (2 per wheel in the front) and they'll be thrashed after a year or two. Getting a set of pre-tuned 2.5" smoothie shocks will ride MUCH better, will last longer before a rebuild, and don't ever need to be thrown away. But the up front cost isn't for everyone.

Exactly. Key word: tuning. A 5100 is great for someone with a stock rig to drive around town and occasionally hit a dirt road. You don't really notice it with something like a Jeep or Yota but on a full-size rig loaded with gear and bumpers/winch/etc that weight makes the shock useless REAL quick.

 

[*TRD*]

I was pretty disappointed with my 9100s. The nickel plating is absolute garbage and it only took a single NY winter to turn the finish on my $1300 worth of shocks to rust. Bilstein basically told me to pound sand and that I need to wax and polish them to maintain the finish.

I won't even buy a set of 5100s for my new truck. Going to go straight to Fox 2.0 bolt ins.

I am VERY surprised to hear that! Thank you for sharing!

I've always considered nickel plating to be the best coilover coating available. They must have had a bad supplier.

 

[XJLI]

Fox vs King: 2.0 Remote Reservoir Coilovers - Durability & Performance Compar...

I am VERY surprised to hear that! Thank you for sharing!

I've always considered nickel plating to be the best coilover coating available. They must have had a bad supplier.

I ordered them in 2011 and called them about it in spring 2012. So I don't know if anything has changed since then. Parted the truck out in 2013 and have no idea where the shocks are and what they look like now.

 

[kojackJKU]

I am VERY surprised to hear that! Thank you for sharing!

I've always considered nickel plating to be the best coilover coating available. They must have had a bad supplier.

maybe it wasn't real nickel plating. I know from the snowmobile side of things that new shocks are coming with new coatings that are better to corrosion resistance.

 

[*TRD*]

maybe it wasn't real nickel plating. I know from the snowmobile side of things that new shocks are coming with new coatings that are better to corrosion resistance.

I think you are correct that Bilstein uses nickel plating. Like anything it can be done wrong without the proper QC controls in place.

 

[kojackJKU]

Yeah. I am after seeing about a half dozen 5100s snap their shafts due to internal lock ups. As I said, for the same price you can get the basic fox 2.0s and have a much better shock. Or for stock or mild lifts the Monroe reflex. I love them, makes my jeep perform awesome on and off road. and warranty is killer.

 

[comptiger5000]

The only complaint I've got with the Bilstein 7100s on my ZJ is that the nickel plating and clear coat isn't great for preventing them from rusting. But they work great, and after ~30k miles, they show no signs of issues or wearing out. And that's after running them through 2 winters with them getting blasted in road salt (no shock boots). Even the heims in the mounts are still holding up fine and not loose/worn yet.

 

[kojackJKU]

I wish I took photos of my monroes after 3 years and 100,000 getting blasted by newfoundland winters. They looked really good. I did wear them out internally ( they were getting soft)....but hey, lifetime warranty, no questions asked, got a brand new set on now!

 

[comptiger5000]

I wish I took photos of my monroes after 3 years and 100,000 getting blasted by newfoundland winters. They looked really good. I did wear them out internally ( they were getting soft)....but hey, lifetime warranty, no questions asked, got a brand new set on now!

Yeah... Find me a set of Monroe shocks that can be valved to match my nowhere near stock (or even off the shelf aftermarket) springs and we'll talk...

 

[kojackJKU]

Oh, totally.....but I can find you a shock that is the same price or cheaper that will out perform the bilstiens.