Installing Bilstein 5100 Without Spring Compressor

I’m planning on getting the adjustable Bilstein 5100s for my front end to level out my 3rd Gen. After watching numerous “how to” videos I’m thinking of doing it myself.

I’m just wondering how reliable it is to decompress/compress the spring by unscrewing/screwing the nut on the very top of the shock while using a jack to hold the whole assembly up.

This is what I’m referring to:

Is this safe? Or should I invest in a spring compressor?

 

I'm not going to tell you its safe but I have done it several times and I'm still here

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/installing-5100s-without-a-spring-compressor-video.190159/

 

I use this method exclusively. just did a set of Billies with eibach coils yesterday, and another a days ago. When done correctly with a good jack is fairly safe.

https://youtu.be/5E6u7dC7EHg

https://youtu.be/jo0FJSi-KYs

 

Just did this last night. It's super easy and after watching one of those rental compressors bend I don't think it's any less safe.

 

This is the same video that I watched and inspired me to try it myself. I might take a crack at it next week.

 

Just be sure you can smoothly control your floor jack. This isn't a job for a sketchy jolty jack. And you want to put your jack in kinda sideways so that it can roll driver/passenger while the control arm swings

 

Hey this don’t look so hard! I just need a buddy with a floor jack and some stands. I’ve got a forklift at work but idk how I’d pick up the front of the truck on a secure way.

 

Please be careful. A compressed truck spring has a fuck ton of potential energy.

Friend of mine took a spring to the face in high school and required a dozen surgeries to fix his face and teeth.

 

Damn!!!

I’m holding off on my leveling project for now. It’s a back and forth thing for me. Lift/level or keep it stock. SMH.

 

If you have a thought to lift, then you might as well lift it.

 

Thanks to this thread my 5100 install was easy. The video linked in post #2 was the key. No need for a sketchy spring compressor.

FYI - At the time of this posting, Tire Rack had the lowest price on the 5100's and free shipping.

 

I did this on my rig. I was worried about it but the nice thing is that you can do most of the detensioning standing behind the fender with the jack handle stuck out. I wore my motorcycle helmet anyway the first time to protect the old kisser honestly by the one I was done I was extremely comfortable with the safety of it. I hate spring compressors they are perfect little bolt slingshots.

 

It works fine. U'll be ok. If not, a macpherson spring compressor costs $25 at Harbor Freight.

 

I can't seem to install my rough country 3" lift strut to work with this method. I installed the strut but can't get the bottom control arm to move back to be bolted up. Any help anyone?

 

Nevermind I done. Lift completed and I liking it

 

Used this method. I believe it's safer than using a compressor since the shock mount acts like a built in safety cage. Obviously this is only true if you have a decent floor jack and jack stands, but this is the easiest way to change shocks and springs and saves a good chunk of change on new hardware.

Tip: Use a come-along (chain jack) to pull the lca up and compress the spring so you can install the nut on top of the shock. Especially if you're installing long springs with a high spring rate like the OME 886 or Eibach, you'll need this.

 

I just put my 885's on my 5100's this weekend. Took about 30 mins each with the advanced auto parts rented spring compressor. The main key with using those compressors is to make sure the anchors are secure on the coils and that the compressors are parallel to each other so the spring compresses down evenly and doesn't bulge out making it uneven. Also when i was done and release the tension I noticed the spring anchors were stuck between the coils b/c there is now less space between each coil. You will need to take a pry bar and wedge the coils open enough to slide the anchors out. Once you get the corned out the anchor is now going to be holding the coils apart and wedge between them. Just knock it out with a hammer. You will have to do this with all 4 anchors. Or take it to a shop and give them $50 for them to assemble them for you with their wall coil compressor.

 

Reviving this old thread for a moment...

I successfully used this method when I first installed my 5100s and original springs. But this afternoon, I tried using this method again to upgrade my springs to OME 885s. But it doesn’t seem there’s enough space to get the larger coil in. It’s just to tall. Is there some trick that I’m missing? Anyone successfully able to do it?

 

• If you're running lift coils, make sure the circlip on the Bilstein 5100 is set to the lowest position.
• Make sure you've followed the first video: loosened the cam bolts and removed the two lower ball joint bracket bolts to let the LCA droop all the way down.

 

Thanks for that. I just realized I didn’t follow the method. Because I changed out my UCAs, I only disassembled things on just the top end. Tomorrow, I’ll reattach the upper ball joint and redo the process over again.