Finally getting around to installing 5100s (by myself), any advice?

My buddy who was going to help me wienie'd out and this is my only available weekend for at least a next month. So I'm researching just getting this done on my own... any advice?

I'm post-TSB for rear leaf springs and they've settled a little bit (carried a few heavy loads in the meantime) so I'll be setting the fronts to 0.85. That should leave me with a slight rake but level out better when we're towing our camper around.

I have a local shop who will disassemble the strut to insert the 5100s.... all I have to do is remove/re-add them.

I've read this, this and this. From what I can tell, getting the strut out/in is a chore unless you have someone else pushing/standing on the LCA. I'll have to make do with a pry bar and ingenuity, I guess.

I can rebuild it... I have the technology

 

This is my weekend too! I'm also installing by myself, but I've read up enough about it on here to feel like I'm not alone.

I jacked the front end of the truck up 2 hrs before dark tonight to give myself a head start tomorrow, and I had both sides out before sunset. I was most nervous about the upper ball joint coming out of the spindle, since I have a 4 year old truck and live in the rust belt - but neither side needed more than 4 decent hits with a hammer and popped right out, without anybody standing on the LCA.

Looks like I'll get the coils compressed and shocks swapped first thing in the morning at the shop, and hopefully find someplace to line it up before lunch!

Don't sweat the install.....as long as you've done your reading on here you'll have no problem doing it yourself.

-Nate

 

I've done the front suspension remove/reinstall bit by myself twice now. Getting the coilovers out of the front isn't too bad -- getting them back in by yourself can be a real bear. If you don't have a helper (and all you really need is someone of adult size and weight for 5 minutes per side to push down the LCAs) then the next-best thing is a long prybar that you can sit/press on with your lower body while you maneuver the coilover into position and slide the bolt home. Not ideal, but it's doable if you have no other options.

It helps quite a bit to disconnect the sway bar during the reinstall procedure, that way you're not fighting the sway bar *and* the bushings in the LCA.

-AG

 

^^

That's my basic plan (long bar that I can lean against)... we'll see how it goes.

I worked out a deal with a local shop to do both the shock install and follow-up alignment for a good price on Saturday so hopefully I'll be set by Sunday.

 

Don't forget your favorite cold beverages.

 

You have a sport correct? You will need a spring compressor and a lotta work.. ahaha

 

definitely tougher than I thought. needed a balljoint separator and didn't have one. I used the factory bottle jack upside down sitting on the brake caliper with a block of wood pressed up into the wheel well to push the lca down to get assembly in and out. Don't recommend this by the way for fear of personal injury or damage to caliper. The ride is nice and no obvious alignment or steering/alignment issues at 1.75". I'll take it to have alignment checked anyway of course. sitting within 1/4" of level with the nonTSB factory rear set-up.

 

wow, glad I didn't have to go through any of that. I guess I have enough "ballast" to lean my chest against the rotor to press it far enough out of the way. '

Good to hear you got it done, though!