ThundahBeagle

Would you believe I bought my 94 in 2006 for something like $2,000. I bought my 93 in 2014 or so for even less. Eventually there was enough work to be done on each that I sold them. The rear frame of the 93 cracked on both sides just in front of the rear spring shackles. I am no welder...the 94 was just a bunch of little stuff I could have done given some time. I really should have hung on and just did the work.

So, just get them installed at the shop, and aligned at Firestone. Or find out how much Firestone will charge to install them, then align. This isnt rocket science. It's just too dangerous to do without a wall mounted spring compressor.

Can I have your Tahoe? Nice truck! Gotta love that old 2-door big Blazer type vehicle. I've had 2 of them and wish I had kept them. Possibly in a year or two I will be on the hunt for another one.

18mm socket for the 3 top nuts, 15mm for the bottoms. My info agrees with 14LTZ...37 ft/lbs, both top and bottom nuts. Every job I do, I try to gather socket size and torque so that I can keep streamlining what tools I need to bring.

Wow, HoosierZ, nice build. Waaayy better than the crap compressor I was using. I saw a guy, Mark Jenkins out of Maine, had a youtube video and used a Shankley compressor. It looked more like yours. I think all I could have done with that AutoZone special was Honda Civic coils, because it was bowing out worse than my boss's mother's knees!

Good God I concur!!! Go ahead and pull the entire coilover out, but definitely get it to the shop to swap the springs over to the Bilsteins. When I tried, my puny compressor started bending, so I reversed course and took the assembly and Bilstein to a shop. And THEY had a rough time with thier wall mounted compressor, even. Dont try to be the hero with these springs.

When you say bump stop caps, do you mean these? https://www.resuspension.com/shaft-nut-bump-stop-bilstein.html As for the flange nuts, I think Bikstein recommends you use theirs, but I also think that is to make sure you use a fresh set any time you change the shock. They should be able to send you some, or go to any auto parts store and get some that fit your vehicle, or go to the dealer. I think we sacrilegiously re-used my old ones on one side. The O-ring you refer to is called the snap-ring. An Oo-ring is usually some kind of rubber and is used to form a seal to prevent leaking. Normally, for our full size GM trucks, these go for a little over $100 each. Good luck

You are right, Willard. I suppose I encountered the same thing as I read through. You can come away with no real clear answer after getting bogged down in the weeds of it, so, apologies for coming off a little harshly. But it is true that the front 5100's are not meant for use with spacers. Just place the snap ring on any setting other than the lowest, and the front end rises. The rears are meant to be used anywhere between stock height and an extra inch of height. That height is obtained by swapping out the stock block with a block that is an inch taller.

Hi SnowCamo No, I'm 4x4. Already got my 5100's on and I like them a lot. I may upgrade to Fox or Eibach next time around, since I've heard so much good about them

No worries on my part. You are right. Yes. Yes I could have ignored that question. Chose to ask my own question, maybe spark a few people to do even just some cursory reading before throwing in the towel and asking for the umpteenth time. I think that question is probably answered on every other page of this thread. This admittedly very lengthy thread. It was a tough read for sure. And still had questions but one thing that is true...just about every time someone suggests spacers with 5100's someone - sometimes a 4x4 or offroad "expert" or even some engineer type, chimes in to say "not what they were designed for."

Is anybody taking time to read through at least some of this thread before asking?... Front Bilstein 5100's are not meant to be used with a spacer. That's why they have the different settings. My guess, is that the 5100's at the lowest/ stock settings with a spacer,,would be a harsher ride than the 5100's on the top setting

Um...I think you mean the HARNESS Dr. As in "horse racing" or, as in this case, the "bundle of electrical wires and associated plugs" doctor. Unless you are talking about the urologist or fertility doctor?

Im thinking of dropping my 5100's from top notch to 3rd. I imagine it will give a slightly better ride

And I do not have that picture. Just of the Bilstiens unboxed and installed

Thanks for the advice. Somewhere I may have a picture of the Bilstiens and the Ranchos side by side. Not exactly great for a measurement, but it might give me an idea