installing bilstein 5100s

I'd like to do my own work to my tacoma. how do i adjust the 5100s and how difficult are they to install? might it be out of my league?

 

How comfortable are you using a spring compressor?

 

x2, and do you own the require tools for the job? Air tools make it a lot quicker and easier but not necessarily required. You should have the proper sized sockets, a breaker bar, torque wrench, jack and stands. If your bolts are rusted on, a good amount of PB Blaster and possibly a torch might be required to break the bolts loose.

If you aren't comfortable with a spring compressor, you could probably have a local shop assemble the struts for you fairly cheap.

 

X3 that's why I just paid a shop $70 to install them for me

 

I did mine myself but I'm comfortable using a spring compressor and have done so a dozen times or so.

If you have not used one or been around one bedford I suggest you take the advice of those saying you should bring it to a shop to have them assembled.

 

X4

This gives you an idea of what you are looking at even though it's a spacer style lift:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/40467-how-toytec-lift-install-smtrdsport.html

 

How's about AAL's? How much work/knowledge is it to do that?

 

Getting the assemblies off and on the truck is easy.

Compressing the coil and R&Ring the shock into the coils requires a compressor. You can kill yourself doing this incorrectly. So that may be a factor in your thought process.

You can remove the assemblies yourself, take them to a shop to do the coil work with the proper compressor, the reinstall them on the truck yourself.

Of course, it will need an alignment if you put the 5100s on any setting above zero.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/31862-how-front-shock-spring-removal.html

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/54186-aal-install-second-gen.html

 

ok. i'm in the navy and we have a shop right down the road where i can rent a bay and they have all the tools and guys there to help with such things. maybe i can tackle it this weekend. how about adjusting them...how do you do that? i'm not understanding how it works. is there a thread here i can read?

 

when you get the shock, on the body of the shock, there will be a clip that goes around the body of it. it comes set on the lowest setting closest to where the eye bolt goes. thats zero. it has lines above it where the clip can click into above it for higher settings. you'll understand it more when you see it.

read my take on the install.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/su...-5100s-ome-885-coils-my-take-tips-advice.html

 

I did mine today and it wasn't that bad. I rented a strut spring compressor from local auto parts store and it worked fine. The only problem I had was once I placed the 5100's on my truck and put the three top bolts in, the bottom bolt hole wasn't lined up and I couldn't get it to turn. However, I found that if I loosened the top center bolt, then I could turn the bottom part of the shock (but it was still very tight) and align the bottom bolt hole. I hope this is normal, because I experienced this problem on both sides of my truck.

 

i've had the shocks since last christmas. i thought i could afford the install and new tires and allignment but that ended up being more than i planned. i still want to wait til i can afford tires but i'm tired of having a stock truck. i need to wrench on it a little.

 

Exactly what you said, go to the auto hobby shop on base and use their lift. I guarantee they'll have a spring compressor as well....ours does....and the guys that work their will show you how to use it, and it's free. It's industrial shop style, so safe, and extremely easy to use. Air tools a-plenty, all you pay for is the bay. I'm planning on tackling the front 5100's and extended brake lines in a morning. Never done it before, but doesn't seem to be rocket science, and I'm mechanically inclined. I'll get it aligned, then do the rear leaf pack and the rear 5100's and brakes lines another day. Then I'll put the Spindles on another day, that's my personal plan, spread the $$ out.

 

Yeah, it is very important to correctly align the bottom of the shock so that the bolt hole aligns in the LCA mounting bracket. You must to this in orientation with the three top mounting bolts. Refer to the FSM diagrams in Chris4x4's writeups in the links I provided above. That is the easiest way to understand it.

If this is off by only a little, you will have a terrible time getting the shock and lower bolt into the LCA.

 

i had a jeep cherokee when i was stationed in maine and i put a 3.5" RE superflex lift on it at the hobby shop. i'm pretty sure i can tackle this. it may take me a little longer than most but i should be able to do it in a day. already looking at add-a-leafs for the rear and then the expensive part...tires.

 

I want to do the same thing to my Taco, but i just want to level mine with the bilstein 5100's. How much lift can i get out of just installing them in the front and would that cause any problems?

 

I believe the 2nd gen 5100s go up to 2.5 inches.

Have you read this yet? It may answer many questiosn for you. Good stuff:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/11282-tacoma-lift-faq-guide-read.html

 

Before you remove the spring/shock from the truck look at where the top three bolts are in comparison to the bottom of the shock mounting bolt is. When you assemble the shock in the spring make sure the bolts align. If you set the 5100 on the mid or upper setting you will need to pry the lower control arm down to fit the spring/shock in. If necessary you may have to loosen the bottom ball joint. You may have to take off the anti sway bar for that side also. If you go to www.readylift.com there are instructions on removing and installing the spring/shock assembly. Just put in your truck year and there is a PDF file for you to print out. Using the spring compressor is not hard just be careful and think about what you are doing. It can be very dangerous. I suggest you get a chilton or Haynes manual for your vehicle as it shows how to pull the spring and replace the shock.

 

Thank you! Yea really good stuff!