Installing 5100's without a Spring Compressor Video

do it this way


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBIEIfD8_20&feature=related

 

Hmm...very interesting. Seems pretty safe to me. I might give it a try next time I do a suspension job.

I have a pair of the harbor freight compressors. I have used them more times than I can count doing suspension work on my vehicles and friends' vehicles. I've never had a failure with them. The key is make sure they're evenly spaced on the spring and use air tools. I did the front suspension on my truck in about an hour by myself with my compressors. I didn't remove the LCA though, I seperated the UCA ball joint from the knuckle.

 

this way seems a lot safer to me, even if that coil found it's way off the shock, it's going straight up into the truck, nowhere near anybodies head...
the upper control arm would stop it from coming towards you.

seems like the way to do it to me!

 

That's hilarious. I love the delayed reaction.

 

It is different because you're compressing a not-yet-attached spring.

Again, I'm not saying "don't do it.". I'm saying "be careful."

 

My only concern is these cheap ass chinese made jacks these days. I cant find an older floor jack to buy anywhere unless their $600. Hopefully the new ones made today wont be defective.

 

subbed

 

I'm working on ordering my 5100's and eibach's. I will definitely be doing this!

 

My $35 Harbor Freight 2.5 ton jack has served me well for the last 6 years. It leaks a little oil and requires a refill every so often but thats it. It's chinese made and has lifted more cars and trucks than I can count.

The key with buying stuff from them is the less moving parts, the better. Not all Chinese stuff is crap.

 

Bottle jacks seem to hold up better than floor jacks. My 14 month old AC/Delco floor jack just started having a slow pressure leak, and easing the load down instead of holding it.

 

UPDATE:

I installed my eibach coils on my 5100's at .85 and used this method, it was extremely easy, completely safe, and the only way i'll be putting coils on from now on.

 

Damnit I just paid a shop to do press mine. I'll be doing this method from now on... Seems pretty safe to me spring compressors are pretty dangerous and if you were to let that jack down to fast the shock would stop most of the force from the spring and like it was stated before it would go into the wheel well instead of your pretty face

 

it also didn't take much compressing to get the top nut on. had something let go, the UCA would have held the shock and coil in place, especially since you don't compress until you have the lower shock mount in.

 

I'm getting ready to install my new billsteins using this method and I was wondering how important it is to use a torque wrench when putting everything back together. Is it bad to just crank everything tight by hand or with an impact wrench? I've never done this type of project before.
Thanks in advance!

 

Not trying to be a dick, but by the very question you ask, the first thing I think is SHOULD you use this method, c'mon brother you're asking if its bad to tighten by hand or use an impact ? Or the importance of torque wrenches... These are things I'd assume you are already familiar with

I'm not putting you down just trying to get a handle on your mech ability is all....

But the willingness to try & maybe learn a thing or two is always good in my book....

 

Thanks for the lecture. That was almost helpful. I guess I should never try to expand my skill set.

 

dude, don't get angry, 4wd was trying to help you out.

 

Bro', read the last couple of sentences of my post to you , & for what its worth if we were just talking about a simple procedure I probably wouldn't have responded, but doing struts is serious shit no matter HOW easy it looks , I've done many struts with compressors & the way described above, if your up to it have at & I apologize, like I said not trying to lecture/put down/ridicule,etc; good luck

 

OK, OK... no harm, no foul. I'm mechanically inclined, I just don't have a lot of auto experience which is why I'm looking for advice here. People have posted that some have used torque wrenches while others have not. I'm trying to do it the right way.
Thanks for the help!