Shop won't install OME coils on bilstein 5100?

Need to replace my OME nitrocharger shocks due to weird tire wear and ride quality. I wanted to save a few buck and have my OME 883 coils installed on new bilstein 5100, plus I just today put 5100 on the rear (1 rear nitroocharger was toast) so makes sense to match front and rear shocks. My local 4 wheel parts will not install my OME coils on the 5100, what gives? Looks like toytec, headstrong, and wheelers all offer this combo.

Would the ride be unbalanced with 5100 out back (stock rear springs) and fresh OME nitrochargers and my OME coils?

 

If you didn’t by them from 4wp. Could be a liability issue for them.

 

Did they say why? People do that combo all the time. Hell I had that combo (881s and 5100s) for awhile

 

Peel the stickers off.

 

He said 5100 are meant to be used with bilstein coils to make a matched coil and shock. Thing is, 5100 are meant to be used with stock coils, thats the whole point of them having different perch heights. Honestly, I think he was trying to sell me on the 6112 coilover.

 

that's a bs line. Maybe he doesn't know.

You need to find another shop

 

That's a somewhat common misconception that 5100s "should" be used with stock coils. The reality is that while they were designed to be used with them, that's far from the best way to achieve lift and a smooth ride. The best way to use them is with new coils that will lift the truck with the 5100s set to zero. Adjusting the 5100s and peloading the stock coils will get you lift but the ride will be harsh.

He probably just doesn't know any better which is disappointing for a shop that is supposed to specialize in 4wd parts but...I'm not all that surprised given its 4WP were talking about.

 

Go by any shop and throw a tech some beer money to build the coils for you.
I’ve built coilovers, put u joints in, done all kinds of quick easy stuff before. Just be polite and have some cash ready.

 

The common misconception is that there is a such thing as "preloading" the springs. Moving the perch up on the 5100's does not compress the spring any more than setting it on the bottom setting, otherwise you would never achieve any lift. Setting the perch higher than stock merely "pushes" the front of the truck higher, thus the lift. The spring rate stays the same no matter where you set it.

 

From Bilstein itself...

Increased Rebound Control

The lift on the 5100 Series leveling shocks is achieved by increasing the preload on the factory coil. By adding more preload, the shock is designed with more rebound damping as compared to the O.E. or standard aftermarket replacement shock.

 

Interesting. I have 883's on 5100's parked out back right now. Confused but I did mine myself so I was able to pay me in beer and the job got done.

 

When I was lifting my truck, I stopped by Toytec to buy new U bolts, and when I told him what I was installing, he said it was mismatched. I put on 5100s and OME 884s in the front. He said the shocks were progressive and the springs were digressive (or vise versa, can’t remember). He recommended going with the Eibach/Toytec coils saying both would be progressive and compliment each other better. I had already ordered the 884s and 5100s, so I just went with it and couldn’t be happier.

What were you trying to have them set the 5100s at? I have read in a handful of places that you should only set the 5100s at 0” with the OME springs, but can go up one notch with the Eibach. Could be for the same reason?

Either way, that is a super common setup, it is weird that they didn’t put them on for you.

 

Is it the Nashville location? They told me the same thing on my 3rd Gen so I took it somewhere else.

 

Their name says it all...4 Wheel PARTS, not 4 Wheel MECHANICS. Take it to a real shop.

I bought 5100s from them. They quoted me $30 to install the fronts and said they could do it while I wait in about 30 minutes. 4 hours later they were complaining that "someone" had misquoted the labor and it would be $100 each shock. I told them to either honor the original quote or put it all back together and I'd go elsewhere. They eventually finished it for the $30 but I learned a valuable lesson and won't go back.

 

That may be the terminology that Billy is using but it's not meant to mean the spring is being further compressed. Think about it for a minute. The bottom of the strut is fixed in that it cannot "drive" the lower control arm/tire any lower than the pavement. Raising the spring perch raises the bottom of the spring, which then raises the top of the spring, which raises the front of the vehicle.

If raising the spring perch "compressed" the spring further ("preload"), the front end would not rise. That's also why the 5100 is required to be several inches longer than the OEM shock - raising the perch lengthens the overall length of the assembly - raising the vehicle.