Front strut removal

Hey tw! I recently had OME 884 with 5100's put on and I think a 1/4" spacer from wheelers. After settling the driver side is 1/4-1/2" lower on driver side still. I'm planning on adding another 1/4" spacer or replacing the spacer with a 3/8 spacer and adding the longer coil studs while I'm at it (more or less have to this time) I plan on doing the work myself this time due the the shop charging out the ass for install. Shouldn't be that hard because once I get the spring compressor on and get the top plate off everything else will stay in place. So I will only be removing the top plate so I don't have to make sure I'm putting everything back together the right way. My question is when removing one strut do you have to take both sway bar links off and lossen the sway bar? I'm hoping that the only thing I will have to take apart is the driver side sway bar link and be able the pull the strut out. If I am only doing one side what is the minimum I will have to take apart to get the strut out. Any help will be greatly appreciated!!

 

Remove both sides of the sway bar at the spindles and then you can drop it down to the LCA...at that point just unbolt the coilover and push down on the spindle to clear the shock out.

 

Is it necessary to undo the UCA as well? After doing all of this is it required to have an alignment redone as well? I just had one done on the initial install so I was hoping not to have to do another one but will get one if doing this will throw it out of alignment. Thanks

 

You don't have to...it might be a hair easier if you just disconnect the UCA from the spindle so you can swing the spindle around a little...

 

I'm doing the same thing you are doing as soon as I get the extended studs. I have done it before, so now I know what is necessary to do. First, jack up the truck at least a foot and a half. then remove skid plate, then remove sway bar link bolts at the spindle on both sides, loosen the bushing bolts a little and swing it downward. then place a floor jack under the LCA ball joint and jack up till you see the jack stand separte from frame. Remove the two bolts that connect the spindle to the LCA and also the top shock main screw (do not remove the strut top plate). Lower the floor jack slowly just till the shock bolt clears the strut mount. If it does not clear, push LCA down with a 2x4. If still too hard to push down enough, then you will have to loosen the cam adjusting bolts ( make mating marks so you can put them back the way they were)so the LCA can have enough down movement for the sock bolt to clear the top mount. Keep the floor jack under the LCA ball joint at all times, cause you are going to have to raise and lower the LCA couple of times during the whole process. After clearing the top mount, just move the spring and shock towards you and now you can remove the top strut plate from the mount only and replace the OEM studs for the longer ones. set your spacer and put back the top plate on the strut mount by itself. Now here comes the fun part. Make sure the spring rubber insulator is positioned right, then center shock and spring under the top plate. Using a 10" long 1/4" fuel hose, put it thru the plate center hole down and force it in the shock screw (this will be your guide). Now start to raise the floor jack checking that everything stays aligned and centered. Once the shock bolt make it fully thru the plate and the jack stand starts to separate from the frame, stop. remove fuel hose and replace shock nut, put back all LCA bolts and lower floor jack again. replace everything else and you are done!

 

Thanks Volcom! I appreciate the info guys but I would rather do it the right and safe way!

 

having the 5100's with the OME coils I cant do trim packers. All I can do is add another spacer. I did the measurements and I am about around 3/8" off right now so I am planning on just adding another 1/4" spacer because it says it adds 3/8" of lift. It sucks that my truck has so much lean to it after using aftermarket coils. I guess I was just one of the unlucky ones! Even after going up just another 3/8 of an inch I will at least get my alignment rechecked to see if it is still in specs. It should be but like you said im going to be safe than sorry I didn't. I would let 4wheelparts do the whole thing but they will end up charging me an arm and a leg just for one side when I should be able to it myself this time! Hopefully its not to hard to do haha.

 

Is it easy to use the strut compressors? I have never used them before but I am pretty good at figuring stuff out myself. I just called and the place told me that it would cost 80 buck just to do the strut and 150 for the alignment. but they did say that if it didn't need an alignment that they wouldn't charge me the full amount just the amount for the time the tech had to use to put the truck on the rack.

 

In my experience, it was easier for me to use the jack method than a spring compressor to take the coil assembly apart.

 

I'm opposite. I like taking the whole assembly out. I don't care to spent that much time on the ground.

In addition, just about every strut shaft would spin when loosening the top nut. A major pain while on the floor, no a big deal when the assembly is on the bench.

 

I take the whole assembly out but it just get's taken apart while in the truck so no need for a compressor. I feel this is actually safer than renting the coil springs compressor. I recently used one for another vehicle as I couldn't do the jack method and it was a pain. Also used an impact wrench with it as it takes too long to compress with hand tools.

 

I do believe it is safer while in the truck, but here in michigan, it WILL be a rusted bastard!

Spring compressors at only $30. As long as you use all 3 compressors and tighten them uniformly, they are very safe. I'm not here to convince you what is the way you should do the job.

 

To each his own. I do know that you doing the jack method will need cooperation from LCA cam bolts. If they are rusted, they have bigger problems than coil assembly.

 

Wow! that sounds like your truck has the same syndrome as mine. This is what I found out: does not matter how much you add on the driver side, it is always going to be 1/2" higher on the passenger side. I tried different configurations, and no matter what I did, I always ended up with 1/2" higher on the passenger side. So I made calculations to end up as close as I could to get 3" of lift on the driver side, and it took a 3/4" spacer on the driver side, and NO spacer on the passenger side to bring it to a 2 3/4" of lift on the driver side, and 3 1/4" on the passenger side.

 

Dang that sucks! What makes me mad is it was almost dead on before it settled. After it settled, well only the driver side settled because the passenger side is pretty much the same measurement as it was when I first put it on. Now my next question would be if a spring compressor would fit on the beefier OME springs and if the compressor could actually compress them? What to do what to do.

 

Sounds like they forgot the spacer. If that's the case, just loosen everything (mark the alignment cams) and you can sneak the spacer in. If not, I also prefer removing the whole coilover. I prefer the compressor, too. I didn't have luck using the jack method. It's safe, it just didn't work for me.

For the sway bar, I dropped the bar where it connects to the frame instead of the links. super easy...

Just take your time and expect that it won't be as fast or easy as you hope. Next time, you'll be a pro and it'll go fast. Then you can seem like a mechanic to your buddy who wants to do his. I just did this and it feels good

 

Haha truth! First time I did it by myself I was super nervous...then a couple more times and now I can do it super quick!

 

Well I don't think they forgot the spacer because the driver side nuts barely fit on the struts so therefore there has to be something there to be giving the difference. trust me that was that first thing I investigated haha!

 

And what do you mean by dropping the sway bar from where it connects to the frame? wouldn't that still leave the sway bar in the way because it is connected to the end link? or are you saying it will drop enough to where you can get it out without it getting in the way by just discounting the four bolts that are holding on the bracket to the frame? im pretty sure I can do this just want to get all the info I can before I do it. my main concern really is if the rented coil compressors will hold up to the beefy OME coil springs. if I have to I will rent two sets and put four compressors on the bad boys ha