hey kids. bit of a lurker here, got a 4r a few months ago and just got round to installing 5100's and fj springs yesterday. also removed all the xreas stuff - lines, pumps, etc.
by way of review, it rides a LOT better. wow. the billy's are excellent. overall feels like 10-15% firmer than stock. still supple enough but much more controlled ride. shock / spring damping seems very well matched (lucky). i was worried about the ride and handling as a result of the lift but it feels every bit as sporty on road as before. interested to see where it aligns to...
anyway fronts went fine, i pulled the upper CA (easy) and it all wiggled in / out pretty easy. i have a clamshell compressor and had to compress the new springs an inch or so to get them on the shock. i used the second up spring perch location. iirc it's about 1.75" plus the ~1" from the spring. it looks like i got about 3" (of course i forgot to measure before i started). used new moog fj springs, figure they will settle a bit over time.
so the question! on the rears, the oem xreas shocks use a metal washer with a hook that locates in a slot on the upper perch to centers the shock shaft in the upper mount. the billy's dont have this at all. the order appears to be.. lower metal washer / rubber isolator / upper perch / rubber isolator / top metal washer / nut.
the rubbers do have a small flange that appears to be to locate them in the upper perch. am i missing anything? does anyone reuse that locating washer? would have to be machined since the stock shaft is flat sided. im not getting and clunking / noise on test drives - feels great.
i might add a small spacer in the rear. it sits pretty much dead even, fender to tire gap is almost identical all the way around. it looks a little high in front due to angle of pic and not level driveway. i think these look good w/ a little rake.
thanks! next up.. wheels and tires and back to tahoe!
by way of review, it rides a LOT better. wow. the billy's are excellent. overall feels like 10-15% firmer than stock. still supple enough but much more controlled ride. shock / spring damping seems very well matched (lucky). i was worried about the ride and handling as a result of the lift but it feels every bit as sporty on road as before. interested to see where it aligns to...
anyway fronts went fine, i pulled the upper CA (easy) and it all wiggled in / out pretty easy. i have a clamshell compressor and had to compress the new springs an inch or so to get them on the shock. i used the second up spring perch location. iirc it's about 1.75" plus the ~1" from the spring. it looks like i got about 3" (of course i forgot to measure before i started). used new moog fj springs, figure they will settle a bit over time.
so the question! on the rears, the oem xreas shocks use a metal washer with a hook that locates in a slot on the upper perch to centers the shock shaft in the upper mount. the billy's dont have this at all. the order appears to be.. lower metal washer / rubber isolator / upper perch / rubber isolator / top metal washer / nut.
the rubbers do have a small flange that appears to be to locate them in the upper perch. am i missing anything? does anyone reuse that locating washer? would have to be machined since the stock shaft is flat sided. im not getting and clunking / noise on test drives - feels great.
i might add a small spacer in the rear. it sits pretty much dead even, fender to tire gap is almost identical all the way around. it looks a little high in front due to angle of pic and not level driveway. i think these look good w/ a little rake.
thanks! next up.. wheels and tires and back to tahoe!
