PTR13-35150 - Bilstein TRD PRO kit - Upgrade??

Yes

 

Yep comes with resi brackets. Comes with everything you need to install fronts and rears.

 

Dealer quoted me $340 install with my progressive add a leaf, Alignment included.

 

You in Wisconsin? Which dealer? I’m in Madison and got $427 with alignment but no AAL.

4.5 hours of labor @ $75 + $90 alignment

 

The kits are almost gone,less than 100 as of today

 

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for you jacking your rig up.

First get the truck up on jacks. Remember you are going to lower the lower control arms so don't put a jackstand there. I lifted just the front then just the rear. Take the tire off and put it to the side.

Now onto the install. I utilized the directions posted here and the YouTube video posted on here. Both were helpful at times. The whole thing is pretty straight forward.

Front shock take the bolt out of the bottom of the shock first. Going to need a 19mm socket and wrench for this if I remember correctly.



Next take out the 2 lower control arm bolts. In the picture they are all the way to left and right. They sit under the lower control arm. Take them out all the way!




Now your going to loosen the alignment bolts. MAKE SURE YOU MARK WHERE THE ALIGNMENT IS NOW!!! Before you loosen MARK alignment bolts, go ahead and loosen the alignment bolts on the lower control arm after marking them. Your going to loosen the outside on each one, which is also the easiest to get to. From there the lower control arm will swing down. DO NOT FULLY REMOVE BOLTS JUST LOOSEN BOTH SIDES!



Congrats that is everything that needs to be taken apart. No joke that is it. Take a 14mm bolt and loosen the top of the shock. (3) bolts. Hold on tight because it will come down. Then just wiggle it right out. I forgot to take a picture... sorry.

Now put the new shocks in, remember these things are beasts!!! I just slid mine up and in. The TRD faces out towards the wheel and ohhh yeah another little hint the white lettering also goes towards the tire. Remember there is a left and right side. Look at your shock and follow instructions. There was also different lettering on each of my shocks. If I remember correctly AV was driver side. Put the shock in its home, hand tighten the 3 14mm bolts on top. Put the bottom part of the shock in and put the bolt through it along with the nut. Now your looking at this gaping hole between the lower control arm and steering knuckle. No worries here is a trick use a bar and pull the upper control arm down. This will bring the steering knuckle down and you can retighten the lower control arm (2) bolts. Now look at where your alignment lines are, go ahead grab some pliers or a very large wrench and she sure your lines line up again. Tighten down the alignment bolts again. Your done!!! Yes that is correct you are done with the front.



Put the vehicle back down on the ground and tighten everything again. Below are the new measurements. Looks like I gained about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. More importantly (to me at least) is I gained 2 inches from the skid plate to the ground!!! Also remember I went from center of hub to wheel well.





Now do the headlights. I have to get to flat ground first (prob walmart) to get my headlights just right.

Time for the rear. The rear was not as easy as everybody makes it seem. The front was very easy to me, rear took forever and very tight spaces in the rear. So first get the rear in the air and take off the tires.

First take off the rear shock. This was a challenge for me. When loosening the whole stock shaft was turning. So it wasn't going anywhere and different videos say just keep twisting. After 5 minutes I am thinking something is wrong haha. I had to use pliers and the wrench, I held the top of the shock right above the nut and loosened the shock. This was not easy to do. Had to do this on both sides. I would also suggest to leave the bottom in until you unbolt the top.



Now it was time to put in the brake line bracket extender thing.






Now install shock and reservoir. For drivers side you need to bring down the spare tire a little bit. Directions say 15 inches.



Passenger side was a huge pain, mostly because of the muffler. If doing an exhaust upgrade do the shocks in the middle of it because that will free up a lot of room for you.



Put tires on and you should be all good to go now.

Here is the rear.

 

2nd Gen forum claims there is less than 20 left nationwide.

 

Thay are all sold

 

Hope I still get mine that show back ordered. I’d be bummed if they don’t ship.

 

Kinda funny how they just found out about it yesterday and over here people have been going apeshit for weeks

 

damn.. Hopefully, I got my order in on time. No word from OEM parts on whether they received them or not.

 

Yeah, wtf?

 

Hey thanks for the install post, @ryager!

 

Tip: when taking pre/post install measurements (to share with forum)... measure ground to hub center. That is the same for all four tires. Then subtract that value from ground to fender measurements on all four corners.

Not a big deal, but that eliminates small errors from being a little off with the tape on each tire and it kinda standardizes the measurements for all four corners. Hub to fender you have to hold the tape out or curve it around the tire and you can be off a quarter or half inch here and there.

 

do you have a link to this installation document (the bottom picture). I can't find it anywhere on the web. thank you.

 

Install docs #3 times a charm

 

thanks for that.
tk

 

Well I bit the bullet and ordered the Icon progressive AAL in case I end up nose high. I still plan to first just install the coils/shocks and see where I’m at though.

 

Thanks for the heads up. Will do next time.

 

So, before and after thoughts. I have an electrical box trail right next to my house. Dirt path a couple holes, nothing crazy. Drove down that and I think it feels way better. I think it soaks up the bumps much better. I didn't really go anywhere on the street. Will let you know how that felt today. Mine is sitting pretty even but I will be doing an aal later.