5100 Fitment question

[kilowhisky]

I've been working on my Tundra / LC lift and have an odd question.

How do i align the top hat and keep it aligned as its being assembled at a shop away from the truck? The coils that were in the truck previously look like they were rebuilt at one point and not aligned properly and it wrecked the bushing.

Also is it normal to have the suspension fully relaxed and hanging and still not be able to line up the bottom mount?

I have the 4runner specific 5100s and i have them set at the 3rd perch.

 

[reelamin]

I've been working on my Tundra / LC lift and have an odd question.

Not an odd question at all. It gets asked and covered frequently....try the search feature and you will find all kinds of information.

 

[kilowhisky]

Really? Mam vbuletin search sucks. I've been researching this lift for damn months and never ran across this.

 

[Kbuch1]

Kilo,
Common problem.
Easy trick using the on board jack.
Invert it, using inner fender, jack down on the upper control arm to get the alignment needed.
Good luck.

 

[kolelt]

Why do you have like an black plastic cover over the shock piston ? You don't need to cover the shock piston. It will be 100% fine.

Assemble the whole shock with the coils and everything compressed. Then put them into place and bolt everything down ? I'm not sure what the real issue is ?

Exactly how you see your old shock. That's how the new one will be assembled. With. A shock isolator and more. You need to compress the front coil with coil compression tool.

 

[huvgti]

I took a measurement and marked it to make sure I assembled it in the correct position. Pic below, you can see the red paint pen mark on both the old and newly assembled:

Had to be careful letting the pressure off of the spring to keep everything aligned.

 

[kilowhisky]

Ahh. Ok it looks like I need a better spring compressor. The stupid harbor freight ones simply can't compress the damn thing the 2.5 inches I need to get the top on. Either that or I don't have enough balls.

Buddy has a shop with a wall mounted one and offered to mount them for me so I figured I'd do that but I was concerned about the alignment when I go mount it back up again.

Guess I'll have to get a better compressor and do it by hand.

I have the plastic sleeve on because I like to go though mud and rocks and any protection is good protection.

 

[huvgti]

I had to use an air compressor and impact driver to compress the springs. Impossible to do by hand as far as I can tell.

 

[endgame56]

Ahh. Ok it looks like I need a better spring compressor. The stupid harbor freight ones simply can't compress the damn thing the 2.5 inches I need to get the top on. Either that or I don't have enough balls.

Buddy has a shop with a wall mounted one and offered to mount them for me so I figured I'd do that but I was concerned about the alignment when I go mount it back up again.

Guess I'll have to get a better compressor and do it by hand.

I have the plastic sleeve on because I like to go though mud and rocks and any protection is good protection.

I've done the spring compressor thing a few times - it sucks. It always feels like I'm a few seconds away from taking a 100+mph piece of metal to the face.

However, with a floor jack and a little ingenuity, you can do this without ever touching a spring compressor. If you disconnect the OTRE and sway bar from the lower control arm, you can get a floor jack under the LCA and compress the spring enough to get the top nut off. Slowly lower the jack/LCA and you can remove the spring and shock pretty easily. Reverse the process for assembling the new strut.

It's way less terrifying than using some janky Harbor Freight compressor. Theoretically, even if everything was to go terribly wrong (it won't), the UCA should prevent the spring from shooting off and destroying things. This video covers the important pieces well enough that I had it bookmarked, but it's been a while since I watched it, so let me know if anything is unclear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkVLBOnAifc

 

[Konkordmusk]

I've done the spring compressor thing a few times - it sucks. It always feels like I'm a few seconds away from taking a 100+mph piece of metal to the face.

However, with a floor jack and a little ingenuity, you can do this without ever touching a spring compressor. If you disconnect the OTRE and sway bar from the lower control arm, you can get a floor jack under the LCA and compress the spring enough to get the top nut off. Slowly lower the jack/LCA and you can remove the spring and shock pretty easily. Reverse the process for assembling the new strut.

It's way less terrifying than using some janky Harbor Freight compressor. Theoretically, even if everything was to go terribly wrong (it won't), the UCA should prevent the spring from shooting off and destroying things. This video covers the important pieces well enough that I had it bookmarked it, but it's been a while since I watched it, so let me know if anything is unclear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkVLBOnAifc

That video shows a newer Tacoma, and the method you described will not safely work. You will begin to lift the entire truck before it is possible to begin the assembly process. Lifting a truck on an unsecured spring is just as, if not more dangerous than using off-the-wall spring compressors.

 

[MN4runnerman]

I use spring compressors only to remove springs from struts or to install/uninstall independent coil springs in the rear of these trucks or front and rear of jeeps when I work on those. If I gotta have springs installed on coilover shocks I take it to a shop, give them some instructions as to how they mount on the vehicle, and have them use a wall mount compressor. I still have to adjust them a bit but it's not hard to move the shock and top mount around.

 

[endgame56]

That video shows a newer Tacoma, and the method you described will not safely work. You will begin to lift the entire truck before it is possible to begin the assembly process. Lifting a truck on an unsecured spring is just as, if not more dangerous than using off-the-wall spring compressors.

When I've done this, I've put a jackstand under the frame rail just in front of the rear, opposite side tire. Now that you bring up that point, I don't remember if that was in the video I linked to or not.

Worked just fine for me to compress both stock springs and OME 883s onto some 5100s.

 

[snivilous]

I read through all this and didn't see anyone actually answer the question, so assuming I'm not retarded (very likely :wacko: ) and you're asking how to keep everything in the assembly "aligned" --- don't worry about it. Just stick a screw driver in the shock lower eyelet and turn it, then everything will just rotate around the shock body/shaft and you can get it lined up.

PS (in regards to installation) - Disconnect your sway bar, and then loosen the UCA nut and the suspension should droop a LOT. Like enough that you can just stick the coilover in without having to compress the springs or do any fancy shit. This is also good because you want the UCA to bolt to be torqued at ride height, which if you are lifting it then it is torqued at stock height so the bushings are gonna constantly be getting the shit twisted out of them.

 

[kilowhisky]

I've done the spring compressor thing a few times - it sucks. It always feels like I'm a few seconds away from taking a 100+mph piece of metal to the face.

However, with a floor jack and a little ingenuity, you can do this without ever touching a spring compressor. If you disconnect the OTRE and sway bar from the lower control arm, you can get a floor jack under the LCA and compress the spring enough to get the top nut off. Slowly lower the jack/LCA and you can remove the spring and shock pretty easily. Reverse the process for assembling the new strut.

It's way less terrifying than using some janky Harbor Freight compressor. Theoretically, even if everything was to go terribly wrong (it won't), the UCA should prevent the spring from shooting off and destroying things. This video covers the important pieces well enough that I had it bookmarked, but it's been a while since I watched it, so let me know if anything is unclear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkVLBOnAifc

When I've done this, I've put a jackstand under the frame rail just in front of the rear, opposite side tire. Now that you bring up that point, I don't remember if that was in the video I linked to or not.

Worked just fine for me to compress both stock springs and OME 883s onto some 5100s.

I assume you did it one side at a time? Not going to help when both sides are in pieces and the car is resting on stands.

 

[kilowhisky]

I read through all this and didn't see anyone actually answer the question, so assuming I'm not retarded (very likely :wacko: ) and you're asking how to keep everything in the assembly "aligned" --- don't worry about it. Just stick a screw driver in the shock lower eyelet and turn it, then everything will just rotate around the shock body/shaft and you can get it lined up.

PS (in regards to installation) - Disconnect your sway bar, and then loosen the UCA nut and the suspension should droop a LOT. Like enough that you can just stick the coilover in without having to compress the springs or do any fancy shit. This is also good because you want the UCA to bolt to be torqued at ride height, which if you are lifting it then it is torqued at stock height so the bushings are gonna constantly be getting the shit twisted out of them.

Cool. Thanks. I've never had luck rotating the assembly once that big ass spring is installed. I was always afraid to break it. :guitar3:

 

[phattyduck]

I read through all this and didn't see anyone actually answer the question, so assuming I'm not retarded (very likely :wacko: ) and you're asking how to keep everything in the assembly "aligned" --- don't worry about it. Just stick a screw driver in the shock lower eyelet and turn it, then everything will just rotate around the shock body/shaft and you can get it lined up.

PS (in regards to installation) - Disconnect your sway bar, and then loosen the UCA nut and the suspension should droop a LOT. Like enough that you can just stick the coilover in without having to compress the springs or do any fancy shit. This is also good because you want the UCA to bolt to be torqued at ride height, which if you are lifting it then it is torqued at stock height so the bushings are gonna constantly be getting the shit twisted out of them.

This. I don't know why this isn't covered in every 'lift' guide. All the bushings should get 'reset' to be at rest at whatever the new ride height is whenever suspension ride height is changed. This is probably the reason why so many lifted guys have trouble with rear bushings too. The front lowers get reset with an alignment, everything else should be done during the install. The only time this isn't true is with poly bushings or spherical bearings...

-Charlie

 

[kilowhisky]

This. I don't know why this isn't covered in every 'lift' guide. All the bushings should get 'reset' to be at rest at whatever the new ride height is whenever suspension ride height is changed. This is probably the reason why so many lifted guys have trouble with rear bushings too. The front lowers get reset with an alignment, everything else should be done during the install. The only time this isn't true is with poly bushings or spherical bearings...

-Charlie

How exactly am i supposed to toque the front uppers down at the new ride height? Its going to be a bit tight with the tires installed...

Also what rear bushing are you referring too?

 

[phattyduck]

How exactly am i supposed to toque the front uppers down at the new ride height? Its going to be a bit tight with the tires installed...

Also what rear bushing are you referring too?

You should be able to find a way to get in there and at least tighten it up most of the way to keep the bushing sleeve from rotating. Then torque to spec with the wheel off if necessary.

All of the bushings on the rear links (5 links, 2 bushings each) should have the bolts loosened and tightened back at ride height - if you are changing ride height, that is.

Having the rubber constantly in tension will wear them out quickly. I (personally) believe that this is why all the guys that 'wheel hard' seem to wear out those bushings.

-Charlie

 

[fourfive]

How exactly am i supposed to toque the front uppers down at the new ride height? Its going to be a bit tight with the tires installed...

If you're referring to the long bolt that goes through the front UCA, I put a closed end wrench on the bolt head and snugged it up using a socket wrench on the nut end while it was on jack stands with the wheel off (wheel well liners removed). I then put the wheel back on, lowered it to the ground and torqued it from the nut end of the bolt. It took several small turns but was able to torque everything to spec at ride height without problems.

 

[kilowhisky]

Great success! :uzi:

The loaner spring compressor worked 100x better than the harbor freight one. No idea why i even bought the damn things. I didn't actually have any problems 'aligning' the coils. I was reusing the tundra coil isolator so i just matched the spring up to the pad at its indentation and it all worked out. Tightening the top hat to torque was impossible to i just wrenched it down to wrench tight. 18ftlbs isn't that much so i'm not too worried about it.

My little 11 gallon compressor was hurting something fierce though. It overheated at least 5 times.

I ended up backing it down to the 2nd perch as the 3rd one was simply unattainable. Like holy hell i had to compress the shit out of these springs simply to get to the 2nd one. I have no weight in the front so no big deal i think.

On a side note my stock coilover came with a little spacer that i can't seem to find on any other diagrams.

It came from just under the metal washer on the shaft. I put it back in place. No idea if that was standard as it looks like my coilovers were replaced sometime in the past.