5100s -> 2.5" Coilovers Question (Alignment Question)

Hey everyone,

I am currently lifted with Bilstien 5100s up front at about 2.5" of lift and Fox 2.0's in the rear with 2" of lift from an AAL pack.

I plan on installing 2.5" Elka DSC w/resi's up front plus SPC UCA's this week and want to confirm a couple things before I start the job as my truck is also my daily.

I will be cutting the UCA bolts out to make the UCA removal easy, I have replacement hardware from Toyota ready to go.

SPC UCA's + the Elka suspension all ready to go.

My question is, what is the best way to check my LCA bushings to make sure that I will be able to get an alignment done at a local shop once I finish the install. Since I am already lifted, do I need to worry about this much? Will the SPC's provide enough adjustment to realign my truck from where it is now?

Thank you in advance

 

you will need an alignment, and see if your cam bolts are loose when its in the air, mark them, and see if you can "move" them, if you can, then they arent seized, only way i know...as far as the "bushings being seized" they usually wear out, and eventually fail. again, in the air, use a jack and LIGHTLY lift your LCAs and watch the movement. If they "wiggle" the bushings are shot.

 

Thank you for the response!
I’ll check the bushings and cam bolts tomorrow after work, and if everything is good I’ll do the suspension swap and get an alignment Thursday morning!

thanks again

 

Good Luck!! Hope it all goes swimmingly for you!

 

I would strongly recommend using a thick rag and some channel locks to bend the metal and slide the bolt out from the top, you will want too install the bolt the same way as they came out.

 

This. Its very easy to bed the fender out of the way and remove the bolt up and out and replace the same way.

 

i was planning on just cutting the bolt after it’s loose, and installing the news ones from the opposite direction like you said.

Would it not be easier to just use a cut off wheel, rather than bending the metal with channel locks?

 

I would used channel locks to bend it back, I used a rubber tool matt in between to prevent damage to the paint, sprayed it with under coat after anyways after I bent it back.

 

I didnt say put it in the opposite direction, put it back the same way you found it (bolt facing down - head at the top - so gravity helps keep it in)

Grab some channel locks and bend the fender a smidge (you really dont have to bend it much), watch out for the airbag wires (just move them out of the way).

LEAVE the fender bent, you will at some point be taking UCAs off and you will thank yourself for keeping them bent.

 

ah sorry, I misread.

That works for me. I have channel locks, and can bend it easy enough

hadn’t thought of putting it back in the same direction as one of my local shops mentioned they sometimes do that. But I’m happy to reinstall it the factory way

thank you for the input! It’s much appreciated as I haven’t done front suspension myself before

 

The metal bends surprisingly easy and it barely needs too be bent. Afew people have had these bolts come loose after installing them backwards.

 

Alright that is good to know. I will definitely be installing them the original direction then, I don't want to have to worry about that or be checking UCA bolt's all the time. Especially since, a lot of the regular roads near me don't have cell service, let alone the trails. The more reliable the better

My Elka's got delayed, but should be here tomorrow now. So if they are, I will start the install tomorrow evening, get everything disassembled, and clean up any rust and paint it, then put all the fresh parts in the following morning before getting an alignment.

 

hey,

with reference to your LCA bushings, the real issue being a 2014 is that the cam bolts are not seized as compared with if they are worn out or not.

Toss some paint pen to mark existing alignment. Grab some wrenches and a hammer. Loosen off the nuts until nut flush with bolt and start hammering it out. Rock the wrench back and forth, beat it more. Closer to the end you’ll need a punch and pull it all out. Do one at a time and have fun with it. Other wise you’ll be paying a shop to it if they don’t move at all.

Once out clean off rust, slap some never seize and put it back together.

On my ‘16 I had one that needed about 2 hours or fighting with. Others out a whole lot quicker.

 

thank you for the info! I have what you said a shot but mine were so seized they need to just be cut off and replaced unfortunately.

truck is at the shop now getting new LCA’s + cams and bolts since I ran out of time to do it myself.

the rest of the suspension install went well though! About 3 hours to take everything apart and get the new coilovers in + space uca’s. I am very proud of myself. Even my diy driveway alignment was pretty solid.

can’t wait to get the truck back tomorrow and test it out a bit before work

 

Well done! Glad youll be back rollin in no time

 

I'm doing literally the same thing this weekend. Removing my old 5100's and stock UCA's and putting Elka 2.5 DSC and SPC UCA's lol. You get yours from Krave?

 

yep! Elka’s from KRave, and SPC’s I ordered online as I was able to find a good deal.

spoke to Cam at KRave. He was great and their pricing is solid since they have lots of stock.

I ended up going with the extended travel 650lb coil option and it’s perfect. Didn’t add any preload and I’m at about 3” of lift up front and the different between 5100s and these is remarkable.

washboard and gravel/dirt roads are basically as smooth as pavement, and regular day to day curbs and speed bumps are no longer unpleasant.

once I have some more mileage on them I’ll do a little write up in my experience.

some tips from my install:
- pb blast everything the day before.
- your lower control arms are likely seized. see the advice above, but I ended up replacing mine (my local Napa had stock, I used the NAPA premium lca’s and they are in my uneducated opinion basically identical to the Toyota ones).
- you may need to cut them off.
- I found the passenger side uca bolt the hardest to get out, unbolt the power steering reservoir and pull from the engine side to make it easier.
- ratcheting end wrenches are so nice for this job, highly recommend. Specially did the rest most top shock mount bolt.
- make sure you don’t already have a sway bar drop installed. If you do remove it before installed the reservoir brackets, or it won’t fit with skid plates.

 

Lol are you me?!

I had Elka do a 600lb 14" coil with custom softer valving. Have a about 3/4" of preload and its sitting about 2.75" of lift which is perfect without adjustment. But yeah fully agree on the difference! I got the DSC on full raptor mode right now and it's amazing. Probably too soft for highway but great for driving around on Saskatoon's shit roads. And yeah I swear it's smoother on gravel roads than pavement.

I finished my install before seeing your reply but I basically did everything you suggested anyway lol. Great minds!
PB blaster is always my first step. But I also fluid film religiously so everything wasnt too bad.
I've replaced my LCA's already (chasing a clicking noise that turned out to be the 5100 coilover) and greased the hell out of the cam bolts when putting it back together so those are still good.
I just said fuck it cut the heads off the UCA bolts to make it easier to take them out. Had to move a couple wires/hoses out of the way to get the new ones in but wasn't too bad. Driver side had to go back in the same way as there are hard lines in the way on the bottom. Passenger side went in easily from the bottom.
I have a set of ratcheting. 100% agree!
Sway bar has been gone since the 5100's went on lol.

Did you have any problem with the resi fitting/hoses getting in the way when you did your install? I had to loosen off the fittings and rotate them a bit cause the UCA was hitting them. And my hoses are still touching the shock mount. If I lower the resi in the mount it's ok but then only 1 hose clamp is holding it on. I shoved them up to where they are supposed to be and fab'd up a little stainless steel collar to protect the hose, but still not thrilled about it.