The Lowdown: Bilstein 6112 vs. Fox 2.0 Performance Coilovers

With the release of Bilstein's newest suspension setup for late model trucks, the incredibly thick and beefy 60mm 6112 shock, debate between the newcomer and the incumbents like the Fox 2.0 Performance Coilovers have taken form.

The 2.6" body and 60mm piston of the 6112 is geared for the heavy duty rig, the off-road explorer, the weekend warrior that calls out on Monday and maybe Tuesday because they found an excellent camping spot. The Fox 2.0 Performance coilovers have been the go-to option for strut and spring replacements for off-road enthusiast, providing out-of-the-box installation, along with an adjustable height spring collar. Lets take a look at the objective differences between these two shocks.

Comparison

What does it all mean?

Immediately right off the bat you realize the body size differences, this makes itself very apparent when holding both shock bodies. While the 6112 wins on body and piston size that translate to better consistency and taking bigger hits, the Fox 2.0 wins on construction and components being all aluminum. An Aluminum body is proven to shed heat faster, and be more durable against road debris and the heavy salts of the east coast. But is the heat dissipation enough to overcome half an inch deficit against the Bilstein 6112?

• The 6112 shocks have many height settings which allow for a wide variation in height settings, usually significantly more height gain than the Fox 2.0. This is because a thicker shock can adequately handle more preload and lift through the coil spring.
• The added height settings on the 6112 is to address the many variations of equipment setups that drivers are outfitting their vehicles with. Checkout the #overland hashtag on instagram for what we're talking about.
• Fox 2.0 Performance Coilovers are adjusted with a threaded coil spring collar, allowing heights between 0-2". The Bilstein use a circlip that indicates specific heights at each groove, predictable.
• Fox 2.0 is a complete coilover, while the Bilstein 6112 is a new strut and coil spring - without the top hat (an option at checkout though). There's no significant advantage in being a 'coilover' vs shock and spring, they're both doing the same thing.

Ride Differences

What do these feel like on your truck though? That's the objective answer that the driver and pilot is able to answer, everyone is different and people have different expectations for how a suspension should respond. Bilstein only develops a product like the 6112 with the best performance possible in mind, on all terrains, but traditionally with the daily driver in mind. The main advantages of the Bilstein 6112 will be felt in more aggressive off-road terrains, where the thicker shock will show its superiority in rebound damping and high impact situations.

• Bilstein 6112 shocks have digressive valving, which usually means firmer handling at the beginning range of force (highway, speed bumps). This translates to tighter/sportier handling on the pavement, and then loosening up in more difficult terrain at moderate speeds.
• Fox 2.0 Performance shocks are linear valving, meaning speed and force of damping are both matched through the damping curve. Regular feedback from customers report much-firmer-than stock on the highway, and very good control off-road at lower and medium speeds. But firmness doesn't always mean uncomfortable, as ride comfort is usually achieved through control and confidence.

The extra size on the 6112 allows for better response on aggressive terrain, or under increased loads from equipment on the vehicle. Not only is there significantly more shock oil to maintain lower temperatures within the shock, but the thicker active piston maintains consistent response under hard hits and other obstacles off-road.

Height Adjustment

How to adjust the Fox 2.0 Performance Coilovers?

"The 2.0 performance series coilovers are not meant to be adjusted with a spanner wrench. We recommend using a high quality spring compressor to compress the spring and relieve all spring tension off the adjusting collar. Then you can loosen the pinch bolt and turn the adjusting collar by hand." - FOX

The Bilstein 6112 has an adjustable height coil spring collar that sits on a snap ring that can be set into 1 of many grooves (sometimes numbering as many as 9 grooves on certain applications). These are very hard to adjust while on the vehicle, if not impossible. Just like the Fox 2.0 its recommended to compress the spring in order to remove tension on the height adjustment collar.

Price

Bilstein 6112
$732

Fox 2.0 Coilovers
$979

Bottom Line, Bilstein with the clear advantage

The Bilstein 6112 feels like a superior product in every regard, highway and off-road. The thicker body and excellent springs from Bilstein provide a predictable and smooth ride, for an amazing price. Did we mention Eibach is producing springs for both Bilstein & Fox? The Fox 2.0 Performance coilovers have been out for a long time now, providing ample opportunity for competitors to make their move. The Fox 2.0 is an entry level race/performance product that gets the job done, but for the price there seems to be better options.