Billstein 5100 easy install method

interesting way to do it, never seen it done like that. I found this and it works well.

 

subd

 

just did this with 112-620's and 5100's at .85. Worked as expected, but dont let anyone tell you its easy. At least not alone with a hangover =\

When rejoining the steering knuckle/balljoint/lca, you need to muscle the rotor/uca/knuckle assembly to get it to line up. I kept thinking I needed to raise the LCA more, not bring this assembly down in to place, but it was just jacking the truck off the jack stands when I tried to raise the LCA.

Personally feel like this is much safer than a spring compressor. Any time you're loading the spring, it has absolutely nowhere to go in a worst-case scenario. A cheap rented spring compressor would be a lot more dangerous IMHO.

 

Swapped out my fronts last night with 5100's set to 1.75" and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Visually, you can't see it but the front may be the slightest bit high but a bumper and winch will take care of that (hopefully this month). Keep in mind that I have a '12 so it already has the 4 leafs in the rear.

I completely removed my sway bar while I was at it. That took a good chunk of time but overall, it took me about 4 hours from wheels up to wheels down and I've never done it before but am reasonably mechanically inclined. I didn't loosen the LCA to the frame mounting bolts... Toyota strategically placed holes in the LCA that perfectly fit my pencil-tipped pry bar for me to get leverage to swing it down (they must have known I would be doing this swap with unconventional methods...). I will say I was lucky to have my lady around to help me guide the top of the new shock back into place as I pried the LCA down. Now, it goes in for new Duratracs and an alignment tomorrow.

 

Sub'd

 

I know people have asked this several times but nobody really quite answered, can this be done on a 1st gen tacoma? Because I need to add just about 1/2 inch to my front and I need it done soon and quickly because my tires rub when I turn and I need to replace the bushings, they squeak quite a bit.

 

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Yep did it this way on mine

 

Pretty easy?

 

Yep, dont remember it being all that difficult.

 

Ok Awesome thanks man!

 

Lifting won't help with rubbing, especially while turning. You need to trim/ beat bodywork and/or use wheel spacers/wheels with different offset

 

Needed to quote the other guy

 

You're correct, meant to quote the guy you quoted

 

What method did you use to raise the LCA to get the two ball joint bolts back in place? I tried jacking the LCA up but the whole truck wants to go up cause the 887's are so stiff and I can't fit spring compressors onto the springs the UCA is in the way. Thanks in advance

 

Were you able to get this done with the 887s? I'm doing this method tomorrow.

 

Where are the 19mm bolts that bolt to the steering knuckle? Mine just has the 4 smaller ones into the ball joint. Are they talking about the brake calipers bolts?

 

Must be a second gen thing, I just took the lower ball joint off

 

Cakewalk! Thanks to all the Tacoma family again. My only issue is Tire Discount allignment. Drove better before they aligned. Now pulling slightly to the right and steering wierd in a washboard stop if not a tight grip n steering wheel? Kind of darts left or right in this situation? Almost didn't have it aligned it was so good. All I did was install 5100's on all corners set to zero, marked it as suggested and torqued to spec. No notable excessive wear to any steering components.

 

I attempted this method and my lower control arm wouldn't drop away completely when I lowered it with the floor jack, so there was still tension in the spring.
This has been discussed in other threads, but I don't think in this one. Since this is a popular thread that google pipes to, I though I'd throw a note in here.
While the nuts on the bolts with the alignment cams loosened, it seems that the bolts themselves are seized inside the bushings. I figured it would be risky to pry down on the LCA (even with the jack as a back stop) in case it suddenly dropped loose and let the spring unload. I jacked it back up and reinstalled the nut on the strut damper rod, then proceeded to remove the whole coil assembly and brought to a shop that changed out my struts for $40 (decided I didn't want to play with a rented spring compressor).
So now with the LCA completely free it still won't drop down, even with some vigorous prying. I found some threads on replacing bushings, but rather than open a potential new can of worms, I figured I'd leave them as is and get the truck back on the road.

Besides the bolts just getting more seized with time, is there any other reason to try to fix this now. My truck is a 2011 with 120k on it.

 

I’d also like to know this. Several people have asked and the one answer was to use a jack stand on the rear opposite corner of whichever front you are installing the 5100’s on. I haven’t done this yet and my 5100’s come in today but I would imagine that using the floor jack as far out on the LCA (further from the midline of the truck) will give superior leverage to compress the spring.