Replacing shocks front & rear

I just purchased a set of rear shocks, which seem fairly easy to replace. I'm not sure how I should replace the front shocks because of the coil springs. Is it easy to replace the whole set with a ready strut, or is a spring compressor fairly easy to use?

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

If you get a complete strut and coil it's a easy bolt on... If its your first time using a spring compressor I would get someone who has done it before to help you... Its not super hard but if you mess up it can really hurt you.

 

Skip both. Look up how to install 5100s without a spring compressor on YouTube. I just did it this way yesterday and I'll never do it with spring compressors again. Safe, easy, no stress.

 

Just for future reference it does work on tacos but this can also be unsafe. Not a recommended way of doing it.
Sorry but not a fan of teaching someone to do it the wrong way just cause it can be done.

 

I used the same process on my last car. $15 Harbor Freight compressors aren't really good alternatives. If you're timid, buy an assembled strut OP. No local shops would put my springs on my 5100s because they wouldn't touch customer owned equipment. Worked good for me to omit the spring compressor, big fan.

 

Don't use cheap compressors either... Like he said it does work in Tacoma's and some other cars/trucks but it can be a very unsafe way to do it.

 

To keep things safe.... (and if you don't want to deal with spring compressors)...

Take the entire coil assemblys off the truck. Take them to a shop and have them do the work. It might cost you $40 or less...??? Call them first and ask....

Call your local Toyota dealer and ask them 'how much' it would cost.

In the past, I've dealt with spring compressors & such...and its a royal PITA and not the most safest procedure. I'd rather pay someone $40 and have them do it... but that's me.

 

Good thing OSHA doesn't visit my garage. I've removed springs from cars using every hillbilly method there is.

I took the coils out of my old Plymouth with just a floor jack and a hand truck with one balance weight. There was no engine, or front clip on the car, just a bare frame.

I dropped the whole front suspension w/ brake, coil, both arms & shock from each side as a unit, right onto the hand truck, and rolled it away.

To do it I weighted the top of the hand truck, & wedged it under the lower arm so it jacked the suspension a little bit. Then I stood in the middle of the front cross member for weight and worked the hydraulic floor jack under the lower control arm from there. No drama, eazy peazy, and without assistance.

The springs never went sproing at all.

I expect the Tacoma springs to be stiffer (wire looks fatter) & I'll find out. I put my new 5100's on the rear tonight & will be doing the fronts similar to the OP'd method shown above.

Just having the rears is a huge improvement BTW. Directional stability and tracking under power are quite improved. Anybody who's on the fence about doing the front's because of the scary springs, at least do the rears. You'll thank yourself.

 

I just did the LF strut & it was a cakewalk compared to some cars.

 

Other methods can be unsafe too. Ever see a compressor snap?

I guess after changing joints/bushings/etc on US pickups, my '89 Caddy, '74 Caprice & '66 Galaxy, '65 Belair, and '79 Cougar the Taco seemed easier and safer by far.

I basically did all of them with a 2x4 & the same (or same style) jack that just did my Taco.

I don't wanna mislead people, and because I've worked on lots of cars and trucks it's not so stressful to me as for a guy that's doing his first strut job. Be careful no matter what method you chose, because the most important thing is to keep all your fingers, eyeballs, etc.

It's not rocket science. Use your head and look closely at what you're doing as it happens.
<edit...sorry '74 Caprice. Never was a '64...>

 

I've tried spring compressors in the past and find that while they work, they are still slow. For 30-40 bucks I'll drop them off at a shop, go grab a quick lunch, and be back and reassembling the truck in half the time. Safe fast and cheap. I'm all for saving $$ but it's worth a little for this. I've climbed that mountain, no need to do it again.

 

Suspension work isn't for everyone. It's rarely easy, so I was quite pleased with how easily this went.

I put the clips in slot #2 BTW, and the front of the truck is 2" higher now, not the 7/8" claimed by Bilstein, but I don't have a winch or skid plate nor nuthin' heavy on the front end either.

Anyhow she handles better and rides smoother, though a bit more tippy going around corners.

Nothing that gravity won't cure given time.

 

I got the truck aligned and serviced yesterday and went for a real drive.

I couldn't be more happy with these shocks. They are amazing.