Labor upgrading to Bilstein 5100

[Sierra Dan]

Rudy, it is worth it to do the rears.

20 min total max. No need for a jack. You can mount them boot up , boot down your preference as they will operate the same with the monotube design.

You will appreciate the ride even more and the rear 5100s can be found for about $72-$78 a piece.

[RACERX7775]

Do you guys realize that almost every video showing how easy it is to remove the struts is a 2WD truck. The struts on a 4WD truck don't come out anywhere as easy as a 2WD truck. I had to pop the upper ball joint to be able to get mine out and the spacer in on the bottom.   

 

I also got got a quote of $300 to swap my Rancho struts out for the 5100  Bilsteins. Did the rears myself in 18 minutes from walking outside and back inside after I was done. 

[CamGTP]

I didn't have any issue doing my 4WD truck a week or so ago. I didn't lift mine but lowered it. I could easily push the knuckle down a lot to pop the strut out. Just remove or unbolt the sway bar end link and the control arms will move with enough force pushing down on them. Step on the rotor or get fancy with a pry bar.

 

Probably took me 5 minutes to remove both struts with my impact gun.

[RACERX7775]

8 hours ago, CamGTP said:

I didn't have any issue doing my 4WD truck a week or so ago. I didn't lift mine but lowered it. I could easily push the knuckle down a lot to pop the strut out. Just remove or unbolt the sway bar end link and the control arms will move with enough force pushing down on them. Step on the rotor or get fancy with a pry bar.

 

Probably took me 5 minutes to remove both struts with my impact gun.

Hmmm. Is your a z71? Not that it makes a difference. I dont know why, but I couldnt even get mine to move enough to put my leveling spacer on the bottom without popping the upper ball joint. Which only took 2 hours for the entire job, but would be alot faster as you said if I didnt have to do that. 

[CamGTP]

It's a non Z71 truck with the steel upper control arms.

 

Removing the sway bar end link has always worked for me. It should allow the control arms to travel a lot more when you push down on the knuckle. I'll admit if possible, sometimes having someone stand on the rotor while doing it makes it easier.

 

Also I am not exactly sure what level kits are out there as I have never wanted to level any of my previous trucks. I know they make the lower spacer and the upper spacer blocks but I don't know how many sizes they have. The only ones I've dealt with are the smaller 1in or 1.5in lower spacer that fit right in there doing it the way I described. The bigger spacers may really require the ball joint to be removed.

[RACERX7775]

Ok. Thanks. Maybe it has something to do with the aluminum uppers that are on mine, Z71.  I have a 2" leveling kit on my truck.  Thats a 1" thick spacer on the bottom. And I tried like hell to get it in without popping the upper ball joint. It wasnt happening. I do have the new set of 5100's ready to go.

But im still undecided if I should stay stock on the new struts and keep my spacer. Or I should go to the top setting of the new struts and ditch the spacer? It does sit a tiny bit higher in the front now. So it should be exactly level if I just use the strut and no lift spacer.

I have a hard time understanding why some say when you put the bottom spacer in, the ride is so harsh. How does it change the ride if its still a stock strut assembly?

[pewterliftedz]

Just for reference I paid $20 when I brought the coilovers already removed from the truck, or $80 per side if they did the complete install. Alignment was $60.  I didn't ask how much to do the rears since I knocked them out at home in 30 minutes.

[damnthetorpedoes]

On 5/18/2019 at 8:23 PM, RACERX7775 said:

Ok. Thanks. Maybe it has something to do with the aluminum uppers that are on mine, Z71.  I have a 2" leveling kit on my truck.  Thats a 1" thick spacer on the bottom. And I tried like hell to get it in without popping the upper ball joint. It wasnt happening. I do have the new set of 5100's ready to go.

But im still undecided if I should stay stock on the new struts and keep my spacer. Or I should go to the top setting of the new struts and ditch the spacer? It does sit a tiny bit higher in the front now. So it should be exactly level if I just use the strut and no lift spacer.

I have a hard time understanding why some say when you put the bottom spacer in, the ride is so harsh. How does it change the ride if its still a stock strut assembly?

I’m having the same debate with the leveling kit. Trying to decide between 4600’s and keep the 2” bottom spacer, or go 5100’s maxed out. If it’s a true 1.85” at the highest setting it might actually look good, as sometimes The truck looks higher in the front with the 2” Rough Country block. You’ll have to keep us updated on how it ends up. 

[RACERX7775]

Only reason I went with 5100's was because I like the look of them better than the yellow/blue. And because I got a killer deal on them too. I already installed the rears, so.... 

 

Like I said before, If someone can convince me that having the lift spacer UNDER the FACTORY strut, gives me a harsher ride, Ill probably stay with the same setup I have now with the spacer on the bottom and keep the new struts at 0" of lift. Im not sure when Im gonna get a chance to do the job so when I do, Ill repost. 

[rudyb]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like I should do the rears soon. I've been very happy with the front. No regerts. I haven't really had an opportunity to take any good photos of the ride height but I'll toss one up. The front is still slightly lower than the rear, which I'm happy with.

 

 

[HeySkippyDog]

Replacing both the rears should take less than an hour total time. The fronts might take 3 hours total if they are slow. Also check if they quoted an alignment in that price since the truck will need one afterwards.

Rears will take 10 minutes.

Fronts shouldn't take a full-up shop long at all, maybe an hour if they're slow. It's not hard.

And no. It does not NEED an alignment afterward. Why would it? The strut assembly comes out and goes back in, torqued to spec. Your steering components are 100% untouched. What exactly gets misaligned in that process?

I did a 5100 install at home on my 2014, and it definitely didn't need an alignment. Tracked every bit as straight as it did before.

If somebody can explain to me why I'd need an alignment for a front strut/shock change, I'd be amazed. How does something that is fixed to your frame and LCA (that don't have ANYTHING to do with steering) in any way affecting your alignment? Unless your frame or LCA is bent, you're fine.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727A using Tapatalk

[RACERX7775]

If you arent changing the ride height at all, then no for the alignment. But as soon as you add a lift block, a spacer, or change the snap ring placement on the 5100 struts, yes it does change steering angles. So then yes, you need an alignment.

[truckguy82]

For sure do the rears, without question.

 

I did my rears first diy, a month later had the dealer do the fronts.

 

I noticed more of a difference in ride with just 5100’s on the back.

 

Just look at the rear shocks, its two easy to access bolts, thats it. If you had an impact ready to go, an inexperienced mechanic that was rushing, could probably swap them out about as fast as someone smokes a cigarette. 

 

 

[truckguy82]

2 hours ago, RACERX7775 said:

If you arent changing the ride height at all, then no for the alignment. But as soon as you add a lift block, a spacer, or change the snap ring placement on the 5100 struts, yes it does change steering angles. So then yes, you need an alignment.

I did not get an alignment with them at lowest setting. I have 0 alignment issues

[RACERX7775]

8 minutes ago, truckguy82 said:

I did not get an alignment with them at lowest setting. I have 0 alignment issues

Well lowest Settings is 0 lift. Which means stock. Like I said, no lift, no alignment.