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Front 5100 Install Tip

Discussion in 'Suspension' started by pollock21, Jul 1, 2011.

  1. Jul 1, 2011 at 8:10 PM
    #1
    pollock21

    pollock21 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Brian
    Cornelius, NC
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    Installed all four 5100's tonight. Struggled with the front for a while, then figured out what we needed to do. I followed all the basic steps, but I've seen a lot of unnecessary work that people have done. Sorry for no pics, but I'll do my best in the write up.

    Get the front up and both wheels off. That's the big key, working on both fronts at the same time. I removed the upper sway bar end link, a jack under the LCA works wonders getting the hub assembly in the sweet spot. I then removed the bottom bolt holding the shock in place and the top three bolts.

    Next you'll want to take off the castle nut under the uca. Once I got that loose, I noticed a lot of tension on the abs sensor line. There's a 10mm bolt that holds it to the hub assembly. I removed that bolt and pulled the wire out of a little metal flange above it that holds the wire up towards the top of the uca.

    That worked wonders taking all the stress off that wire. My buddy and I had a terrible time getting the stock shock out. I read where some people disconnect the steering linkage, but here's the simple fix. Go through the same steps on the other side of the truck, and just rotate the entire sway bar out of the way. At that point, the stock shock assembly was a piece of cake to remove and the 5100 was cake to get back in. Reassemble everything and you're done.

    I highly recommend this method for everyone installing the fronts on your own, the key is to get the front sway bar disconnected on both sides and rotate it out of the way, and you'll have plenty of room to get the shock in and out. I hope this helps some of you guys!
     
    Beauxdon likes this.
  2. Jul 3, 2011 at 8:03 PM
    #2
    pollock21

    pollock21 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    One more tip I forgot to mention, make sure your buddy doesn't start to rotate the sway bar out of the way when you're holding the bottom of it, because you'll smash your pinkie finger pretty good between the bottom of the coil spring and the sway bar! Didn't feel good.
     
  3. Jul 4, 2011 at 9:05 AM
    #3
    BillJC

    BillJC Well-Known Member

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    You sir saved me about an hour last night. Install took about 2 hours for the fronts. Thank you.

    Bill
     
  4. Jul 4, 2011 at 9:32 AM
    #4
    WTtoolman

    WTtoolman Facial bones colapse as I crack your skull in half

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    5100s at 0, eibachs, 2" toytec AAL,, Moto Metal 951b, BFG A/T
    Hey Pollock, thanks for the tips, I'm about to embark on the 5100 installation adventure on thursday. Did you take any pics during your installation?
     
  5. Jul 5, 2011 at 10:23 AM
    #5
    pollock21

    pollock21 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, no pics. I studied a lot of the installs on here and the one's with pics will show you basically where everything is located. Just ignore removed the toe rods or the sway bar mounts and follow my method of removing the end links on both sides and rotating it out of the way.

    We also had a cordless Dewalt impact driver and that thing is sick. It did everything we'd normally use an air impact for. It removed the lug nuts off the wheels, removed all bolts under the truck with ease. Also had enough torque to tighten the spring compressor.
     
  6. May 24, 2012 at 6:23 AM
    #6
    pollock21

    pollock21 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Getting ready to install my next lift, and wanted to bump this up for the DIY'ers out there.
     
    Juggernaut likes this.
  7. Aug 21, 2015 at 10:42 PM
    #7
    nach73

    nach73 Well-Known Member

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    5100's set @0 with 887 springs and 1.5 AAL. Satoshi Raptor grill, Halo Projector led Spyder headlights and syder taillights, Projector led Halo fog lights by Zack/Taco Nation, LED's everywhere else, Raceline 16x8 Assualt wrapped with Goodyear DuraTracs 285/75/16. Wet Okole seat covers, Paracord headrest handles by Cole/Dessert Dunes, Weather tech floor mats, JVC Arsenal KW-V200BT, 2 10" Kicker shallow mount, Alpine components, Alpine 1000 watt amp, interior is completely Dyna matted
    Hey I just wanted to say thanks for the pointers and looking out. It went smooth like butter. I'll post pics as soon as I get some half way decent pics.
     
  8. Aug 21, 2015 at 11:16 PM
    #8
    allrsdup

    allrsdup Well-Known Member

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    so you say remove the castle nut on the uca i assume u r breaking the upper ball joint free?
     
  9. Aug 22, 2015 at 12:02 AM
    #9
    nach73

    nach73 Well-Known Member

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    5100's set @0 with 887 springs and 1.5 AAL. Satoshi Raptor grill, Halo Projector led Spyder headlights and syder taillights, Projector led Halo fog lights by Zack/Taco Nation, LED's everywhere else, Raceline 16x8 Assualt wrapped with Goodyear DuraTracs 285/75/16. Wet Okole seat covers, Paracord headrest handles by Cole/Dessert Dunes, Weather tech floor mats, JVC Arsenal KW-V200BT, 2 10" Kicker shallow mount, Alpine components, Alpine 1000 watt amp, interior is completely Dyna matted
    Mine is a pre-runner, not what all needs to come apart on the 4x4. But I removed the 2 bolts on the bottom of the spindle to free everything up.
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2015
  10. Aug 22, 2015 at 7:45 AM
    #10
    TACO TX

    TACO TX Well-Known Member

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    I am about to do this and plan to drop the bottom control arm from the knuckle since I will be using it to decompress and compress the coil.
     

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