OK. I Need Help!

[vincer77]

Replacing front shocks/spring on a 2002 3rd Gen with the Bilstein 5100 from Toytec. Was using stock springs. A few questions:

1. What setting should the perch be on? I set it to the highest, but I am not able to get the shock installed. It appears to be too tall. Is this not right? If right, what is the best way to pry suspension down?

2. In trying to pry the suspension down to install the shock, I pryed against the cv joint boot and it slipped off and a bunch of fluid has run out. Should there be a lot of fluid here, or may I have a differential leak into the boot?

 

[Zulch_AW]

Replacing front shocks/spring on a 2002 3rd Gen with the Bilstein 5100 from Toytec. Was using stock springs. A few questions:

1. What setting should the perch be on? I set it to the highest, but I am not able to get the shock installed. It appears to be too tall. Is this not right? If right, what is the best way to pry suspension down?

2. In trying to pry the suspension down to install the shock, I pryed against the cv joint boot and it slipped off and a bunch of fluid has run out. Should there be a lot of fluid here, or may I have a differential leak into the boot?

Check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9-0hMzv_RU

At about the 20:00 minute mark it shows how to use the stock jack to compress the whole system. I'm not exactly sure but watched this in anticipation of doing the same to mine.

DON'T torque on the CV's or the boots as you discovered!

HTH

Zulch

 

[vincer77]

Thanks Zulch. That looks slick and will try it.

Do I have a problem with the boot, or do I just need to pack it with grease?

 

[Millerad1651]

Couple things.
1. You don't want to set the spring on the top notch, that will be insanely rough, and will destroy CV boots. Depending on how much lift you want, I suggest either second from bottom, or the middle perch.
2. As stated above, use the bottle jack upside down on the UCA and jack the whole unit down. Slip the top of the coilover in the mount, then use a large flathead or pry bar to coax the bottom into the mount. You may need to use a mallet to get the final few mm's.
3. Make sure you have the sway bar end links disconnected, this will give you more room to work.
4. If you cut open the CV boot, you should have some thicker, whiteish grease come out. It shouldn't be flowing liquid, as far as I know. It's not the end of the world, just re-boot them eventually. My guess is you'd have to do it eventually, most of us who lift do.

There are a few front suspension install threads floating around the interwebs. Just google it and you'll have a couple pop up.

Hope this helps.

 

[vincer77]

Well, the jack trick worked and the shocks are in. I will see how they ride, and then change if needed. We did a 1" diff drop, so hope this will help.

The cv boot looks good, so will pack with grease and put a new band on.

Thanks guys!

Any surprises in store on the rears?

 

[Millerad1651]

Rears are easier. The toughest part sis getting the top bolt on the shock off. Some a**hole designer thought it'd be cool to put it in an almost impossible place to get two hands.
Best way is to disconnect end links, jack up and set a jack stands on either side of the pumpkin. Use the jack to raise the opposite side you're installing.
Remove the bottom shock bolt, then The top. Replace springs when those are out. Then connect the top stock nut, then bottom bolt. If you have t people, just have one person push down on the side you're installing and the spring should slide right in.

 

[Zulch_AW]

Thanks Zulch. That looks slick and will try it.

Do I have a problem with the boot, or do I just need to pack it with grease?

Hi,

I'm new to 4Runners and the last vehicle I had that had CV's was a VW. I would take off and re-grease every couple years as they never broke but the boots would fail.

BUT it seems like most 4x4 will wear out and most people seem to just replace the entire axle ~$125 at NAPA if the boots go, rebuild and save the replaced for a spare.

If it looks ok just repack and re-secure and cross fingers!

HTH

Zulch

 

[vincer77]

Thanks guys for the help and reassurance. Everything is done and all appears to be good. I do not think that the front is too stiff. With the 906 coils, it has a good stance.

 

[opie74]

You should have loosened the lower control arms bolts instead of using the jack.

The reason the jack is used is to overcome the bushings in the lower control arm. What you have now is a preloaded bushing that will destroy itself in short order because it is being asked to "rest" at a position that is not neutral. The same is true of the upper control arm bushings.

With the vehicle sitting with the weight on the suspension, loosen all the pivot points in the suspension, including the lower bolt for the strut... Bounce the vehicle a few times and then re-torque all fasteners to the proper spec.

I still can not believe this information has not made it into the first post of the FAQ Lift thread.

 

[drabbits]

You should have loosened the lower control arms bolts instead of using the jack.

I still can not believe this information has not made it into the first post of the FAQ Lift thread.

I agree ^^

You'll want to loosen and retighten the tops too.
There's also another way to remove the shock and coil, a quick search would bring it up.
Rears can be twisted and broken off, unless you want to use the shocks again. Don't forget to extend the rear brake line.

 

[Millerad1651]

Never thought about loosening those bolts up to install. My alignment tech did that for me when he aligned the truck...said he does that whenever some comes in with a lifted truck (when it's feasible). Probably not a bad idea.
The extended brake line is totally optional though, especially with 906s like the OP has. Hell, I have double the lift of him and never added the line, and everything's still good back there.

 

[TCMach]

even loosening the upper and lower control arm bolts I was not able to get enough droop to install my coilover. Thus the bottle jack came into play. However he is right, you'll want to loosen and retighten the bushings to "reset" them to the new zero point