Putting in Rear LC coils

[CoMarc]

Alright, everyone... I'm working on the backside of my lift today and have finally got the rear shocks out (had to take a saw tool to them). Now, trying to get the LC coils i there, but I can't seem to get the axel low enough to put them in. Any suggestions? I've disconnected the sway bar, removed both shocks and coils. What else can I do, or what tricks can I try?
Thanks!

Oh, and the trackbar is disconnected too.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

Alright, everyone... I'm working on the backside of my lift today and have finally got the rear shocks out (had to take a saw tool to them). Now, trying to get the LC coils i there, but I can't seem to get the axel low enough to put them in. Any suggestions? I've disconnected the sway bar, removed both shocks and coils. What else can I do, or what tricks can I try?
Thanks!

Oh, and the trackbar is disconnected too.

Are you using a jack to push up one side of the axle? Just checkin'

 

[CoMarc]

Are you using a jack to push up one side of the axle? Just checkin'

Yeah, trying that.. how far up can I push before I break something? I don't have the lifted side completely up into the wheel well, and I'm still a good inch away from being able to get the coil in there...

 

[KSWAY]

Make sure you have the 4runner jacked up high enough and supported with Jack stands. When I was installing mine, I didn't have it high enough and the axles were touching the ground and it still didn't have enough room to squeeze the coils in..Another way to put the coils in is compress the coils with a spring compressor before you put them in.

 

[CoMarc]

Here's a shot of it jacked up on one side.. the other side is almost touching the ground and still not enough room to get the coil in...

 

[kball]

It looks like you need to jack the truck up higher. The drooped side is already hitting the ground. I did the same thing when installing my lift. Had to stop and jack it up higher to get the springs in.

 

[CoMarc]

It looks like you need to jack the truck up higher. The drooped side is already hitting the ground. I did the same thing when installing my lift. Had to stop and jack it up higher to get the springs in.

Well, with my jack and jack stands I was able to get the whole back end up another inch or so. As for the axle, is it okay to push it farther up on one side than what I took a picture of?

 

[kball]

You should be good to push it up as high as it will go.

You might want to unbolt the bracket on the left of the center of the diff where the e-brake is connected. If you let the axle down too far it will really pull on that. Also bend your brake bracket down that's above the diff or else you'll stretch that sucker as well.

 

[CoMarc]

You should be good to push it up as high as it will go.

You might want to unbolt the bracket on the left of the center of the diff where the e-brake is connected. If you let the axle down too far it will really pull on that. Also bend your brake bracket down that's above the diff or else you'll stretch that sucker as well.

Thanks, that's helped quite a lot! Unfortunately, I'm still finding I'm not quite jacked enough!!! The axle is contacting the ground now and I'm just like half an inch away from getting this thing in! I need more, Captain!! Haha.. Guess I gotta find a way of raising this girl up a few more.....

 

[KSWAY]

Are you trying to compress the coils by hand at all? I had to put the top side in and push up on the coils from under. I was able to get about 3/4" compression on the coils and they went in..

 

[CoMarc]

Are you trying to compress the coils by hand at all? I had to put the top side in and push up on the coils from under. I was able to get about 3/4" compression on the coils and they went in..

Yes, I am compressing as much as I can.. which may not be much with these coils, but I am compressing them a little.

 

[IFNg]

Here's a shot of it jacked up on one side.. the other side is almost touching the ground and still not enough room to get the coil in...

Get a bottle jack and place it under the bump stop. That should give you the extra room to put in the LC coils.

 

[KSWAY]

Did you remove the big jack off the other side? in the picture, it looks like if you drop the big jack it will give you more room to put the coils in.

 

[kball]

You just need taller jackstands. Those 3? ton ones are too short unless you put stuff under them. I have 5 ton stands that are almost as tall at the lowest level as the 3 ton harbor freight stands I have at their highest.

 

[Gerdo]

Something you are going to want to do anyway. Loosen all of the upper and lower control arm bolts (turn the bolt, the nut has teeth on them so they won't turn). This will allow the axle to droop free. Watch your ABS lines and the parking brake cable. Even with my parking brake mount extension, it was tight when I installed my LC coils.

When you do the front, also loosen the upper control arm bolts. This will allow them to droop easily and you wont have to do the stupid bottle jack in the wheel well trick.

Re-torque all bolts once the vehicle is back on the ground at it's new ride height.

Doing this will not only ease your installation but release the torque on the rubber bushings inside the control arms. They were originally torqued at the factory ride height.

 

[tmaxx13]

wow this is becoming pretty intense, all i did for my LC 8 Wraps was jack the entire vehicle rear end up disconnect the sway bar and have someone stand on the drum which lowered down the axle, put the top in first of course i used the wood end of a hammer and pried the bottom in, took no time at all, good luck

 

[CoMarc]

You just need taller jackstands. Those 3? ton ones are too short unless you put stuff under them. I have 5 ton stands that are almost as tall at the lowest level as the 3 ton harbor freight stands I have at their highest.

They're 4 ton jack stands. If I had another floor jack I could probably lift it high enough on one side and lift one side of the axle.

I've had to stop for the moment to help the wife.... Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I'm reading all of them to get ideas.

Sent from my Android

 

[CoMarc]

Well.... I got the LC coils in. Fit great! Now, I can't get the F'ing shocks on, and I think I might have gotten the wrong ones?

They're the Blistein 5125 series, model F4-BE5-6250-H5. They are much longer than the stock shocks (note I also have some eye-to-stud adapters on too)! I was lowering my axle again just to get these in, and the bottom hole on the shock is too small to go onto the 4Runner mount. Ugh. Shoot me now!

I thought these are the same ones Toytec sells, but maybe not. I got them from Amazon due to Toytec not having any at the time. So frustrating....

Any ideas?

Sent from my Android

 

[CoMarc]

To give you some visuals....

 

[Gerdo]

Apply some grease to the stud that the lower bushing goes on. The bushing is poly so it is stiff. I needed to tap mine on with a rubber mallet. Once you get it on far enough that the bolt will start threading, use it to push it on the rest of the way.

You do want longer shocks so there is more droop with the taller spring. If you used the stock length shock you would have little to no droop. I will say that 27" does seem long.