Bilstein B8 5160 Remote Reservoir Shocks vs AccuTune Fox 2.0 Performance Series Shocks

[GATORB8]

Odd... I went and checked their site and cannot locate that offer. Searching through deals or just searching for the Bilstein 5160's.

EDIT: Found it. For some reason if you have the 2.0L selected as your Jeep it won't show up.

Here's the link from the sale email in case anyone else looks for it:
http://t.lt02.net/q/U1AUUEXc4aJ0Xvz...ZkBnbWFpbC5jb23DiAiTD4CbBfdKMLQCWsXe-Lqd4Ay8A

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[Jeep Dude]

I just ordered the 5160 reservoirs, and I'm going to try and convince a local friend with a similar riiiide, to purchase the Accutune Fox 2.0's. This will allow me to bring on a proper thread closure, and answer to the title thread, once and for all!

 

[Jeep Dude]

Well, this is not the thread closure I was anticipating, as my buddy has yet to pull the trigger on the Accutunes.

My 0.02 cents below are my impressions going from Rocksport to Bilstein 5160 reservoirs. I copy and pasted my own reply, from the one I replied to in an other thread, with a similar topic, just a few minutes ago.

I've had some good seat time now with the 5160's, so here it goes.

In a nutshell, here are my observations, 5160 vs Rocksport.

On smaller bumps, like typical cracks on the road, railroad track crossings, smaller potholes, at slower speeds, "around town" speeds, the 5160's are a stiffer ride. Comfort wise, again, riding around "town type roads" and speeds, I would compare going from Rocksport to 5160, as if switching from a C rated tire to an E rated tire. This is the best way that I can describe the difference. Or here as an other analogy. Vice versa, say going from 5160 to Rocksport, it would be like improving comfort, by adding front control arm geometry brackets, to flatten out the control arms.

However, that being said, everything changes on the highway, and anything higher speed related, including turns. Everything begins to change significantly. My Jeep felt like an entirely diffetent vehicle at higher speeds. Totally. The 5160's, as I wrote earlier, whilst a firmer ride in town, had totally transformed my Jeep at highway speeds, over 65mph. The Jeep is simply way more stable, inspires waaaay more confidence, especially on turns, and it seems to handle cross winds better than with the Rocksports on. Emergency maneuvers at highway speeds, 5160 wins by a landslide.

Ditto bumps, at higher speeds, both small and ESPECIALLY the larger bumps, there is simply no comparison, with the 5160's. It's almost as though they are begging to be driven at higher speeds, regardless if a smooth road, or bumpy terrain.

On whoops and dips, the Rocksports would bottom out very easily, the 5160's simply do not.

Flex wise, while rock crawling, as outstanding the Rocksports are, the 5160's flex even more. I'd say you can climb a rock about a foot taller, before a wheel lifts. Not a night and day difference, but to me it was significant enough.

To conclude, if you are a luxury, Sahara type of driver, with comfort in mind, I would not recommend the 5160 shocks. They are too stiff for the mall. The 5160's would of been dead on perfect, if their first few cm's of travel, were more cushioned and tuned for smaller, slower speed bumps. Alas they are not, and for some, this brings in the argument, of paying more for much more $$$$ expensive, dual adjustable shocks.

For my purposes, and at this price point, the 5160's are a winner, and I'm totally glad, I scored that Special Price deal, Northridge4x4 had going.

 

[nsfw_andy]

Well, this is not the thread closure I was anticipating, as my buddy has yet to pull the trigger on the Accutunes.

My 0.02 cents below are my impressions going from Rocksport to Bilstein 5160 reservoirs. I copy and pasted my own reply, from the one I replied to in an other thread, with a similar topic, just a few minutes ago.

I've had some good seat time now with the 5160's, so here it goes.

In a nutshell, here are my observations, 5160 vs Rocksport.

On smaller bumps, like typical cracks on the road, railroad track crossings, smaller potholes, at slower speeds, "around town" speeds, the 5160's are a stiffer ride. Comfort wise, again, riding around "town type roads" and speeds, I would compare going from Rocksport to 5160, as if switching from a C rated tire to an E rated tire. This is the best way that I can describe the difference. Or here as an other analogy. Vice versa, say going from 5160 to Rocksport, it would be like improving comfort, by adding front control arm geometry brackets, to flatten out the control arms.

However, that being said, everything changes on the highway, and anything higher speed related, including turns. Everything begins to change significantly. My Jeep felt like an entirely diffetent vehicle at higher speeds. Totally. The 5160's, as I wrote earlier, whilst a firmer ride in town, had totally transformed my Jeep at highway speeds, over 65mph. The Jeep is simply way more stable, inspires waaaay more confidence, especially on turns, and it seems to handle cross winds better than with the Rocksports on. Emergency maneuvers at highway speeds, 5160 wins by a landslide.

Ditto bumps, at higher speeds, both small and ESPECIALLY the larger bumps, there is simply no comparison, with the 5160's. It's almost as though they are begging to be driven at higher speeds, regardless if a smooth road, or bumpy terrain.

On whoops and dips, the Rocksports would bottom out very easily, the 5160's simply do not.

Flex wise, while rock crawling, as outstanding the Rocksports are, the 5160's flex even more. I'd say you can climb a rock about a foot taller, before a wheel lifts. Not a night and day difference, but to me it was significant enough.

To conclude, if you are a luxury, Sahara type of driver, with comfort in mind, I would not recommend the 5160 shocks. They are too stiff for the mall. The 5160's would of been dead on perfect, if their first few cm's of travel, were more cushioned and tuned for smaller, slower speed bumps. Alas they are not, and for some, this brings in the argument, of paying more for much more $$$$ expensive, dual adjustable shocks.

For my purposes, and at this price point, the 5160's are a winner, and I'm totally glad, I scored that Special Price deal, Northridge4x4 had going.

If you read this article, then it's pretty in-line with what you're describing about the Bilstein's digressive shocks being stiff for small bumps but handle well on the freeway.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/articles/digressive-vs-linear-vs-progressive-pistons-shock-valving/

Fox shocks should be noticeably softer on those small bumps around town.

 

[Jeep Dude]

If you read this article, then it's pretty in-line with what you're describing about the Bilstein's digressive shocks being stiff for small bumps but handle well on the freeway.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/articles/digressive-vs-linear-vs-progressive-pistons-shock-valving/

Fox shocks should be noticeably softer on those small bumps around town.

I have, but IMHO, these 5160 shocks don't relate to the part, where it writes that Digressive shocks are stiff on larger bumps as well. In fact, I find these 5160's loosen up nicely on the bigger stuff. Almost like a split personality shock if that makes any sense.

I'm not a shock expert on the engineering side of things, but I don't think it is as black and white as comparing digressive to linear tuning, and applying that to the review of the 5160's. In a Motortrend article, they write

"Out of the box, the shocks are charged to 200 psi, which is less than a standard monotube shock, but the reservoir function makes the shock require less pressure to function just as well. The benefit to a lower shock pressure is less spring rate in the shock—that translates into a smoother ride."


I was going to write something to conclude, but I forgot now lol.

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