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Anyone change out the front struts themselves?

TJay74

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TJay74 Senior Enthusiast

TJay74

Posted
Posted

How bad was the process, shade tree in the garage method with no lift. I want to put the Bilstien 4600 on my 2016 Sierra all the way around before we go up North for Christmas. Rears are a cake walk, but the fronts are spring on shock. Is it doable with the rentable spring compressor from Advance Auto? 

pgamboa Senior Enthusiast

pgamboa

Posted
Posted

Following... I did mine but the member I bought the 5100s from already had the springs pre-installed. So it wasn’t bad at all, the spring compressor scares me.

 

 

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O_J_Simpson Senior Enthusiast

O_J_Simpson

Posted
Posted

Easy. Remove the assemble. Hand the assemble with new shocks in the box to a local garage. Hand them about 30-40 bucks. Walk about 30 minutes later with the new shocks in your assembles and re-install.

Eddie 70 Senior Enthusiast

Eddie 70

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, O_J_Simpson said:

Easy. Remove the assemble. Hand the assemble with new shocks in the box to a local garage. Hand them about 30-40 bucks. Walk about 30 minutes later with the new shocks in your assembles and re-install.

I took mine off in the garage and carried the new shocks and the old struts to a local shop and had them do the swap. One thing I will suggest you do when you get installed, go ahead and tighten the nut that holds the shock stem. The place that did mine didn't tighten it enough and I wound up with a clunk/knock noise that I had to chase. You can tighten the nut through the fender well. Use a small crescent wrench and an 18MM ratchet wrench and get with it. On mine the top plate was very loose and you could spin it with your fingers before I tightened it allowing it to make the bump sound.

2017SierraSLT Senior Enthusiast

2017SierraSLT

Posted
Posted

If you have super heavy duty spring compressors, then you can do the spring swap yourself. Otherwise, let a shop do that part for you.

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

I did mine in the garage with a rented compressor from Advance. Those springs were definitely all the compressor wanted, and it’s nothing to goof around with as that’s some serious stored energy that certainly can cause serious injury, but it wasn’t hard at all. 

diyer2 Senior Enthusiast

diyer2

Posted
Posted

Buy a complete unit and avoid the spring compressor. 

Why not replace the springs also?

I understand the option of picking the shock of your choice also.

:happysad:

 

seth7843 Enthusiast

seth7843

Posted
Posted

Don't be afraid to rent two sets of spring compressors (4 total). Just research the process and respect all that stored energy. An impact drill speeds up the process greatly.


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Spurshot Senior Enthusiast

Spurshot

Posted
Posted

I've changed them out myself and had a shop do the whole job.  If you like the work, have at it.  You'll need all the regular tools/equipment: floor jack, stands, etc..  For the spring, I'd recommend you take the parts to a shop that will do the assembly of the coilover.  If it's more than $40-50, it's too much.  A trusted suspension/alignment shop charged $200 for the whole job on one truck I had, here in pricey Los Angeles.  Probably cheaper in normal towns.

 

My current truck did myself.  I didn't have to assemble the coilover as it's a King assembly.

 

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Huetatos Enthusiast

Huetatos

Posted
Posted

So I just bought the fox 2.0s. What are the actual steps to replacing the strut assembly? I've never done this before so it'd be a first.

truckguy82 Senior Enthusiast

truckguy82

Posted
Posted

I’ve done this several times on coil over suspensions, but not the truck.

 

i thought it was pretty easy. Spring compressors are cheap and nice to have

Huetatos Enthusiast

Huetatos

Posted
Posted

Do I have to loosen the sway bar and all that other stuff that was said in that? Or is it just the coilover nuts and then just pull it out.

TJay74 Senior Enthusiast

TJay74

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the info guys.

 

As far as those asking, why would I want to waste money on springs or completed units? No way I would be able to buy a set of Bilstien 4600 + OEM front springs for a decent price. I dont have a need for aftermarket springs either, truck is at stock height and will stay there. I just want to ditch the horrid "Rancho" shocks and get a decent set under the truck before I go on our trip up to the Twin Cities in December. I need the truck to be as solid as possible as I am sure we will encounter some snow on the drive up from OKC.

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