How to: Front shock/spring removal

Thanks for the comments.

Something I didn't think of, that a friend just suggested, is disconecting the LCA to allow more room, and then reconecting it after I adjust the strut/spring.
When I installed the 5100s last night I only disconected the sway bar and pulled down on the rotor to make more room...seems like disconecting the LCA would give me an extra 1.5'' easy.
Had anyone used this approach?
Sorry if these are silly questions...but this is as tough a task as I have taken on with my truck so far.

 

In looking at the video it appears they are loosening the LCA and removing the LCA ball joint bolts. That allows the LCA to swing down so the longer spring/shock can be installed. That's how I installed my 04 Tacoma spring/shock setup. If you are having trouble loosening the LCA bolt you may not need to. Removing the LCA ball joint bolts may give you enough room. Using a pipe on the socket handle will give you more leverage.

 

Hey guys

Im stuck and need some quick advice here-

Installing 5100s at the 1.75" mark. I removed the shock, reinstalled the coil, resintalled it in the top plate, put the pin in the lower part of the shock, and the 2 bolts holding the lower arm up are way far away from being able to gun em back in. I figured, jack up the lower arm to compress the shock, then it'll all meet up - started jacking it up and I was raising the whole truck. Shock isn't compressing.

Trying to figure out what I screwed up, any advice will help! Thanks!

Eric

 

Nah, got the shock parts right. That was the first thing I looked up doing was getting that part the right way! I ended up making a thread in 2nd gen. Turned out I wasn't expecting to compress the LCA, and when I started the spring was holding the truck up, so I was picking it up off the jack stand. Also I didn't know to pull the UCA down, a few things that the guy in the video didn't do with his spacer install - leaves me a little baffled as that should have had the same geometric effect and needed the same stuff I did to get that all done.

Came out great. TSB + 5100s @ 1.75"s, looks bitchin, drives really nicely too.

 

I'm missing something and need help visualizing this. What is the point of disconnecting the upper ball joint from the spindle when you're just going wire or zip-tie the spindle up? Is the idea here to give the spindle enough droop but just without putting excess tension on the brake lines? Serious question - just want to make sure I've got the concept right. I've never torn this stuff apart. Just used the jack method on the UCAs on my '01 Taco.

Also, dropping the LCA as done in the previously posted video seems to be pretty simple and less invasive (ie: not messing directly with ball joints and studs). Chris mentioned earlier in the thread this method works when the truck is up on a lift, but why won't it work while the truck's up on jack stands?

 

I just changed my springs and shocks by dropping the LCA. I was on jack stands and it worked like a charm. I used a pry bar between the spring and UCA to lower the UCA to mate up with the LCA. I would not want to do it any other way.

 

Thanks MJF & Chris. Makes sense now.

 

I love this thing:



It's so much nicer being able to DIY on the spot without the logistical hassle of getting the parts to a shop to assemble everything. Ordered it off of Amazon.com here. Handled the Eibach coils without a hitch.

As a note, like others, I had to disconnect the tie rod ends to get the coilover assembly out. It started out okay beforehand, but the upper half of the coilover assembly just started getting wedged between the tie rod and CV boot on the way out.

 

since you're done with it wanna sell it to me on the cheap so i can do my lift? can't justify 125 bucks for a one time use item really.

Chris i'm still expecting you to show up and help any day now. Just got some LR UCAs to go with the billies and eibachs....

 

All you have to do is loosen the nut on the top of the UCA and give the spindle a good whack with a BFH right on the side it will pop right out every time. Don't hit the top you just risk messing up the threads.

 

longer you wait the warmer your beers get and the more drunken mine get...

 

I have read that some people tie off the brake lines the keep pressure. Is this needed?

 

If you do it by disconnecting the lower control arm it will not be necessary. The spindle, brake and rotor will stay in their normal position.

 

Didn't work for me. Ended up buying a pitman arm puller ($30 locally, ~$15 online) that worked well.

 

Hey Chris, good write-up, dude. I decided to replace the shocks on my 07 PreRunner TRD Off-Road Access Cab. They were pretty much gone after 50-60K miles, and the truck now has over 80K. All I do is on-road driving except for the occasional gravel road or field traverse, so I wanted to improve the ride.

I went with Gabriel Ultras, since Auto Zone had them on sale, but I decided I didn't like them after looking closely at them. I think I'll return them and get Bilsteins instead. I had the OE shocks off, and one of them disassembled when I decided to just put the OEM Bilsteins back on for now. I just think the Gabriels look cheap to me. I may be wrong, but I just think the build quality on them doesn't look that great.

What would be some good ones to go with that will improve the ride and reduce the excessive body roll (when going around corners) that is problematic on our trucks?

One more thing: Your write-up doesn't mention removing the sway bar. Well, my hat's off to you if you were able to finagle that shock out of there without unbolting the sway bar brackets and moving it out of the way. I tried and tried, and eventually had to unbolt it.

 

I had an appointment this morning to have the AAL TSB done and when I scheduled it the rep at the dealer was awesome and told me that they would put the 5100s on the front at the same time. Called to confirm my appointment yesterday and was told that they wouldn't install anything that I brought in myself.

So now I am going to do the front 5100s myself and the question is, should I do them first, then bring it to the dealer so that they can do the rear and I get the alignment done on them, or get them to do the TSB first, then I do the front?

Thanks for the input!

 

I was thinking the same thing! I was going to install the 5100's myself then take it in for a free realignment along with the TSB. I thought of just doing it and not saying anything but I mentioned it to the service writer and he said no bueno on getting the alignment with 5100's and Eibach spring (well not for free as part of TSB). So I just let them do the TSB in the rear on Tuesday. Today I did the rest (4 - 5100's with Eibach's up front at the 0 setting). Then rushed it over to Firestone for a Lifetime Alignment. Now it sits nice and level ( I have a tonneau + other stuff in the bed for about 170lbs). BTW I did it per the video on post #333 a couple of pages back. A couple of notes though. First make sure you jack it up so the tires are 4-5 in off the ground so you have plenty of room to swing the LCA down and out of the way - and to do that you must loosen the bolts that attach the LCA to the frame. Then remove the two bolts that attach the LCA to the hub assy or spindle (not sure on the terms). Thats all shown on the video. Then the strut will feed right out. Helps a lot to have an impact wrench as shown. Another thing mentioned by someone else doing it this way is when reinstalling the 5100 the shock is longer and you must use the jack to push the LCA back up to get the two lower bolts started. When doing this it actually starts to raise the truck until you get enough weight on it to close the gap enough to get the bolts started. You must have jackstands as far out to the side of the truck as possible to get more leverage allowing the shock to compress. Hard to explain - but other than that its pretty straight forward. The only thing else I noticed in using the original top plate hardware on the 5100's when its all assembled and the truck is down on the tires I can actually turn the washer and bushing thats below the nut that holds the top plate down on the strut!! It's like it needs a thicker rubber bushing on top because the nut is cranked down as far as it will go?? But I dont thing this will cause and issues, there's really no gap it's just not sandwiched down on top when the spring is compressed by the weight of the truck? Anyone else notice that? if I'm making any sense. EDIT - I think this is because I left out the boots? They would be taking some of the space on the top.

stock


with TSB only


5100's with Eibach / Toytec spring's up fron at 0 setting


other pics --

new stuff






Note - I left out the Boots accidently I'm not going to worry about it for a while





Hmmm - these shocks have only 4000 mi on them and honestly - the rears dampen about the same as the 5100's IMO. just the 5100's are much beefier and could handle more abuse. I probably would've been ok just keeping the stock bils cause I wont be abusing it much. That said you could probably get away with putting the Eibach spring on the stock Bil front too and add a small top spacer if you want more. (If you want to do this on a tight budget that is) I would definetly get the Eibach spring though - I like the ride much better. The stock Off Road spring is only better on the tiny little ripples on the road because of the progressive nature but if you compress it then it gets worse, whereas the Eibach gives a nice smooth, linear compression. I can tell off road its going to be Tits!



One more shot of the stance now



Wheels and Tires next