Adjusting bilstein 5100's

[wkeryder4]

Hey everybody, so I've had my Bilsteins on for about two months now and they are set at the .85 setting. I finally got around to getting some all terrains put on and now I'm debating moving them up to the 1.75 setting. I was wondering if anyone had any tricks that made the job a bit quicker/easier. I'd hate to have to spend another day taking them out and putting them back in. I found the most difficult part about putting them in was pushing the LCA down far enough to squeeze them in and I'm assuming with the added height it's gonna be even more of a pain to get them back in. I used the jack handle method but it scares the crap out of me putting stress on that lower ball joint.

 

[zopperman]

Hey everybody, so I've had my Bilsteins on for about two months now and they are set at the .85 setting. I finally got around to getting some all terrains put on and now I'm debating moving them up to the 1.5 setting. I was wondering if anyone had any tricks that made the job a bit quicker/easier. I'd hate to have to spend another day taking them out and putting them back in. I found the most difficult part about putting them in was pushing the LCA down far enough to squeeze them in and I'm assuming with the added height it's gonna be even more of a pain to get them back in. I used the jack handle method but it scares the crap out of me putting stress on that lower ball joint.

either disconnect the UBJ or loosen the LCA bolts.

i find disconnecting our ball joints with a pitman arm puller is really easy

 

[gaterose]

loosen the LCA bolts.

This. If you loosen the alignment bolts a little the arm will drop down as much as you want.. I installed 4 or 5 suspensions without doing it before I saw the light...


As far as tips that'll make it quicker, You can probably just drop the assembly enough to unload the coil and, keeping the lower shock bolt in, just move the clip without completely removing the assembly from the truck.. That's really about all you can do to speed it up though.

..Other than the LCA tip of course, but that's just generally helpful for lifting these, not necessarily the adjusting the billies part.

 

[ktom3001]

I completely agree on the LCA bolts. After doing it both ways and damaging the LBJ boots the first time, I can't figure out why anyone would do it with the jack/pry bar method. It's way more difficult that way.

 

[wkeryder4]

If I were to loosen them could I get away with just marking the washer to the body of it and re-torquing the bolt to that position. (I don't have a torque wrench)

 

[tony_4r]

I wrote this thread with some tips.....
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...ience-tips-install-front-billstein-5100s.html

Definetily the lca method makes it easier

 

[gaterose]

If I were to loosen them could I get away with just marking the washer to the body of it and re-torquing the bolt to that position. (I don't have a torque wrench)

You could, but in my experience if you don't fool with things they'll stay pretty much in place. You're going to need another alignment after lifting the front end more anyway. The guys at the alignment shop will torque the bolts to the OE specs, you just gotta get it good and tight to drive around and until you get to the alignment shop.