Need help ASAP - 5100 install

Installing Bilstein 5100's (set @ 2.5")... Please no links or "did you search ?" comments.

Cannot get the ball-joint assy to mate up with the mounting holes for the life of me.

Already have the shock/spring seated, top-nut of the shock is hand-tight / threaded on.

Using the "no spring-compressor method" of jacking the LCA, jack keeps lifting the truck off the stand under the frame...

Seems to be too much pre-load on the strut assy now, for the two parts to be close enough to start the threads of the bolts.

* doing this by myself, already tried putting my weight on the UCA to push it down.
But I'm in a weakened-state right now (down 20lbs) after battling H1N1 flu for 2 weeks.

Any help is appreciated, truck is currently in the air on stands & a jack... I need to finish this ASAP.

Thank you

 

Yes... Definitely.

Going to take a pic right now.

* I have the ball-joint assy & steering knuckle close enough to juuuuust about start the threads. But no joy.

 

have you disconnected sway bar?

 

also use bottle jack to push down on UCA to help you line it up

 

I had the same problem on the left side. It felt like the spring was too long or too much preload, but after 15 minutes of moving things around (steering, letting the jack pressure off and trying again) and moving the arm back into place, eventually I managed to start a bolt.

 

2 threads?

 

I just did this last week and set mine at 1.75" and it would lift off the jack stand when I was at the same point. I can imagine with them set at 2.5", you're going to lift off significantly to the it close enough to bolt them back together

 

I had the same problem. I had to take them to a garage and get them compressed. It took like 30 minutes to do both shock towers. Went back and slid them right into the truck and put everything back together. Hopefully someone else has a solution though that doesn't involve you having to go to a garage, if a garage is even open on Sundays.

The "no spring compressor" method works great for taking them off but getting them back on is damn near impossible. Especially by yourself.

 

Yes... In 2 categories.

This is urgent.

 

Finished... Thanks for the replies !

* used the bottle-jack trick.