5100 Rear Install

[340W]

Hi all,

I have a full set of 5100's on the way to put on my '08 SR5, and I had a quick question on installing the rears. I'm not replacing anything else except the shocks, and I see people refer to the rear install as being very simple and straightforward.

If I'm not removing the springs, is the install just as easy as removing the wheels, the top and bottom bolts on the shocks and doing the same thing in reverse with the new ones?

I was looking back there the other day, and that's pretty much all that seemed necessary. Thoughts or tips?

Thanks in advance.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

if youre not removing the springs, yes it is that easy. the old shocks may be troublesome to get out because they tend to spin, and there isn't as much room to work for the top nut. but other than that it should go smoothly

 

[340W]

Sounds good. As for the spinning, I've seen folks use a strap wrench to stop them. I happen to have one handy, so that should help to remedy that. Hopefully, the full can of WD-40 rust release will take care of the crusty bolts after 80k miles.

Thanks very much for the help!

 

[kevinpt]

Sounds good. As for the spinning, I've seen folks use a strap wrench to stop them. I happen to have one handy, so that should help to remedy that. Hopefully, the full can of WD-40 rust release will take care of the crusty bolts after 80k miles.

Thanks very much for the help!

i used channel locks on mine and the shock still spun. a second person might help a lot as well

 

[340W]

I just wanted to post a quick follow up to the threads above. I installed the rears on my 2008 this morning with good success. A few things I wanted to note for the good of the site/other owners that may help when trying yours. The fronts have been documented really, really well, but there's not too much specific info out there on the rears. That said:

• If you live in the snow belt, be prepared for a Herculean challenge to remove some of the bolts. My wheels were so stuck to the hubs of the truck, it took me 30 minutes to get them off!
• The bottom bolt of the shock was actually very easy to get off with just a ratchet.
• The top nut, on the other hand, was one of the most difficult fasteners I have ever had to take off in any application. It was basically rusted into one giant blob, so it was hard to even get a wrench on it. I actually had to use a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to get the nut off. No joke. Both sides, too. Even after basically sawing them in half, it still took some elbow grease to get them off the whole way.:gun5:
• To do it most easily, you'll need 17mm and 19mm ratcheting combination wrenches. The 17mm is for the old nut, and the 19mm is for the new Bilstein nut. It would take quite a bit longer to do this without those specific wrenches.
• Jacking up the rear axle is definitely the way to go. The hardest part of the new shock install is compressing them with your hands enough to get them through the to and bottom mounts. Put a little muscle into it and you'll be fine. Put the bottom bolt in first, as I found it easier to push down on the shock than to push up.
• Once the shocks are on, the difference I felt was minimal. Smoother in general, with less "jiggling" from the rear end over bumpy surfaces. I'm installing the fronts next weekend, so that'll be the true litmus test.
• I was one of those who did NOT gain any additional lift from the rears. 36" ground to top of fender before and after.

Anyway, take from that list what you will. I'm finished after about 4 total hours of work, including clean up and test drive.

 

[blackoutt]

I had to cut my old shock upper nuts off with a sawzall. It was crude but I couldn't find the angle grinder with the cutoff wheel in there enough. Feel much better knowing that I can get the shock nuts back off the new ones the normal way now.

 

[dadigab]

Using a light amount of anti-seize on the hub will help wheel from sticking. Don't use so much that it oozes out and slings on to brake rotors. Handy tip if you have to fix a flat on the road.

 

[340W]

I had to cut my old shock upper nuts off with a sawzall. It was crude but I couldn't find the angle grinder with the cutoff wheel in there enough. Feel much better knowing that I can get the shock nuts back off the new ones the normal way now.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who had to resort to extreme measures. Seems like every time I have to change out a car part, the angle grinder is part of the standard tools.

Rest assured, there's anti-seize on everything now. I attribute the trouble with the wheels mostly to the jockeys in the shop putting the lug nuts on with an impact wrench. 83 ft-lbs is all you need...

 

[m85476585]

I don't think it's rust on the top nuts. I think they way over tightened them at the factory, ruining the thread in the nut. It doesn't help that it seems to be a high grade nut, harder than the threaded stud, so it had to destroy the threads on the stud the whole way up. Doing the fronts on mine I ruined a pair of vise grips and an adjustable wrench trying to get them off. I didn't see any signs of corrosion. It took at least a half hour for each top nut. Next time I'll buy a ratcheting box end wrench, but I probably would have ruined that too. I had to resort to using a my jack handle as a breaker bar on the vise grips while he wrench rested against the body.

I haven't done the rears yet, but I see no way to get them off if they are similarly stuck. There's not enough room to turn the nut and get a good grip on the top of the stud without damaging the body. I plan to cut them off. A Dremel is actually a good idea, and I think I can fit it in there. It should be easier than using a reciprocating saw.

FYI, blue loctite can be used to prevent corrosion without making the bolt easier to remove (and with less effect on torque spec) rather than grease or anti-seize.

 

[340W]

I haven't done the rears yet, but I see no way to get them off if they are similarly stuck. There's not enough room to turn the nut and get a good grip on the top of the stud without damaging the body. I plan to cut them off. A Dremel is actually a good idea, and I think I can fit it in there. It should be easier than using a reciprocating saw.

You're right on that. There's definitely no access to the top of the stud on the rears, but that's not actually the problem. What happens is that when you turn the top nut (which will be seized), the whole top of the shock body spins. You can use a strap wrench to stop it while you torque the top nut (which I tried and failed), or giant Channel Lock pliers (which I tried and failed), or giant Vise Grips (which I tried and failed). All that was left was to take the small cutoff wheel in the Dremel and zip the nut and top mounting flange in half or quarters. Give it like one honest go, and if that doesn't work with standard tools, don't waste your time. Grip it and zip it!

 

[kevinpt]

You're right on that. There's definitely no access to the top of the stud on the rears, but that's not actually the problem. What happens is that when you turn the top nut (which will be seized), the whole top of the shock body spins. You can use a strap wrench to stop it while you torque the top nut (which I tried and failed), or giant Channel Lock pliers (which I tried and failed), or giant Vise Grips (which I tried and failed). All that was left was to take the small cutoff wheel in the Dremel and zip the nut and top mounting flange in half or quarters. Give it like one honest go, and if that doesn't work with standard tools, don't waste your time. Grip it and zip it!

i used a torch on mine. dont know if it really helped or not but i did get it off. man that rubber stinks when it burns