Changing Bilstein ride height without removing strut...

[KyleD]

Hey all,


Just wondering if there are any limitations on lowering my ride height from the 2.5" spring perch position to the stock position with just a couple spring compressors?


I installed my Bilsteins and was not able to get an alignment done due to seized cam bolts, and I need to return to stock ride height to get a little closer to proper alignment so my tires don't burn off while I'm waiting for parts.

Can I just pull the wheels off, get my spring compressors in there, then change the perch position and decompress my springs?

 

[paperchasin]

If you can manage to get the spring compressors on and secure, I don't see why that would be problem.

 

[KyleD]

If you can manage to get the spring compressors on and secure, I don't see why that would be problem.

This was my logic, too. I just wanted to quickly post and ask, just in case there is something I am overlooking...

 

[wnelax04sr5]

its totally possible, but boy would i not want my hands in there if the spring compressors fail

 

[ebg18t]

Good luck.

IMHO Be cheaper and easier to overnight parts in versus trying to get the spring compressors positioned and lowering the c-clip. God forbid the compressor slips while your moving the clip.

 

[KyleD]

Good luck.

IMHO Be cheaper and easier to overnight parts in versus trying to get the spring compressors positioned and lowering the c-clip. God forbid the compressor slips while your moving the clip.

I doubt it would be cheaper, I'm in Canada. Will be at least 10 days before I can have parts to fix everything, and 10 days of driving will wear my tires to death.

its totally possible, but boy would i not want my hands in there if the spring compressors fail

I agree, this is a very dangerous operation. I'm going to attempt to lock out the spring in the compressed position some how. My spring compressor has safety tabs, but I doubt I'll be able to use them because of how tight it'll be.

 

[chompster4runner]

I would drop the lower ball joint to decompress the springs a bit.

 

[Stellar]

I'm planning to do the same thing except I'm moving up one from the stock setting. Shouldn't be an issue.

 

[t-man]

You can't fit both spring compressors in there to crank the coils down far enough to make them loose, I tried it. and one compressor just isn't up to the job.

 

[KyleD]

You can't fit both spring compressors in there to crank the coils down far enough to make them loose, I tried it. and one compressor just isn't up to the job.

But was this to raise or lower the height? If you tried to raise it, of course you couldn't compress it enough. It only needs to come up about an inch to access the snap ring holding the spring perch.

 

[t-man]

But was this to raise or lower the height? If you tried to raise it, of course you couldn't compress it enough. It only needs to come up about an inch to access the snap ring holding the spring perch.

Doesn't matter, one spring compressor isn't enough to lift both sides high enough and there's no room for two. The spring will arch with one and won't go high enough.
But, it's super easy to pull the whole thing out! Literally 10 minutes per side to pull out.

 

[truckhigh]

don't try this.. it won't work and you will just waste your time. the billies are already over compressed with you lifting it. when i do lifts i use 3 spring compressors when i do one shock.

 

[fullboogie]

Just a thought - since you're wanting to lower the perch, if you can manage to get two compressors on there while the A-arm is still under load, then you won't need to crank on anything. The spring compressors will only be used to hold the springs in the state they were in while loaded, while you lower the perch. So no need to turn the bolts on the compressors at all, other than to decompress the springs which should be easier. Maybe I'm not picturing this correctly...

Not sure if any of that matters if you can't get two of them in there.