Maxtrac Spindle Lift for 2nd Gen Prerunners

Yeah that makes sense. There's not enough threads to tighten the assembly.
Are both Bilsteins like that?
Sounds like you need to contact Bilstein or Headstrong & get it exchanged.
Maybe tell them to put the stock struts back on while you get this resolved.

 

I spoke with the owner of Headstrong who says he wants to speak with them himself and get pictures because he doesn't think they are assembling it correctly, but if it is a manufacturing issue with Bilstein he said they would replace them.
Of course, the shop here closed and so they didn't get to speak today or exchange the pics. I have to wait until tomorrow to get them on the phone with each other. This is exhausting. I have been waiting so long and done so much research to get the right stuff and it just had to be screwed up. FML

 

I know how you feel, my truck got hit & was in the shop for 40 days. One delay after another, the waiting sucks.
I was gonna ask if they put them together right. Should be metal washer, bushing, top plate, bushing, washer & nut.
Like this but in this pic it looks like the bushing before the top plate is missing.

 

To me it sounds like they might of forgot to put on the lower front shock absorber cushion retainer which is allowing the shaft to ride too far up not llowing it to tighten properly. Had to tell w/o pics or seeing what they did or didn't do.

 

I was thinking the same thing, I find hard to believe the shaft isn't threaded enough. Not impossible though.

 

Thanks guys! I am frustrated, but I am so glad there are good guys across the country who care enough to talk me through this and help try to figure it out.
I will hopefully have it all cleared up tomorrow. The hardest part is not being able to go over there myself because I have to go to work.
I absolutely love TW and its members! definitely the best forum I have ever been on.

 

No problem, hopefully it's just something they over looked & can fix tomorrow. Let us know what you find out.

 

Bingo!
I got money on that bottom bushing underneath the top mount missing. Its usually adhered to it with adhesive, but some times that adhesive gives away and so during assembly it falls off and rolls away and is lost forever. The retarded part is they still should have noticed it missing if they have any experience with installs since this bushing has a lip that extends up through the stem hole in the mount making the stem fit nice and snug. The fact that they got as far as reassembling the strut without being able to understand whats going on tells me that they shouldn't being in business doing install work. Also for them to call Bilstein not understanding the 4x4 and Prerunners are the same with the exception of the front drive, just reiterates how stupid they really.

For the record just because and install tech might do this for a living, doesn't mean they should be or that they actually know what the hell it is they are doing.

 

So, I went over there today and they walked me through everything. I do not think anything was lost or not used when trying to put the Bilsteins on because when they took the bilsteins off and put everything back together with the stock struts it went on perfect and drives great.
They ordered another set of Bilsteins to compare to the ones I brought in. They will have them on Monday.
They are also thinking that the bushings (yes they had both bushings in place) may have just been a little compressed form being on the truck with OEM struts and that it just needs a new set of bushings to go with the new struts.
They are going to see the new struts on Monday and see what the difference is then. This is all at no charge to me.
Right now I have my truck lifted, looking sweet as can be and running smooth with the OEM struts up front with the Maxtracs and the Billy 5125s in the rear with the 2" block.
I'll post more updates next week when I have more answers.

 

Hey Guy's ... just wanted to say hi... it's been a while since I've been on.... So I told you guy's about hats and I still haven't seen them yet but it should be any day now... We will do it just like the shirts.... OK.... But you must have 35s on your truck... LOL... I will be back with hats....

 

Well that's kinda good news. I don't buy the bushing theory, I reused mine & have had no issues. Besides if stock struts & 5100's @ 0 are the same length why don't the bushings work on the 5100's if they work on the stock ones.
Oh & no pics? This is the point where you become a picture whore.[emoji16]

 

Yeah, they had already put on my stock struts by the time I got to the shop. I was not able to go during these days due to work.
But they are saying that it seems like a manufacturing error with this set of bilsteins, that's why they aren't the same length as the stock struts. We'll see when the new set of Billys show up.
And yes, I will tell them to take a ton of pics this time!

 

Yeah I believe the defect theory over the bushing theory.
I meant pics of the final product or do you not have the truck back yet?

 

Sounds good ill be keeping an eye out and did someone say 35's

 

I totally missed this yesterday.

X2

35's [emoji16]

 

Hats and 35's. Me likey!!

 

Spindles arrived today! Waiting on 5100's and money for wheels and tires

 

I'm hearing the hats come with nice thick flat bills to go with everyone's black socks.

I'm going to request the none DB version hat which comes with a curved bill and a useless ultra thin beer cozy served merely for marketing purposes.

 

Spruce why doesn't your emojis work

 

+ 1 HeadStrong is a Solid Solid Company . . .