Was wondering if anyone had the front shocks done at a shop.
Curious to see what I might expect to pay for a shock install and front end
alignment.
Thx.

 

I am currently waiting to swap out the stock front shocks for the new yellow Bilsteins, that are sitting in my closet, I will have my buddy do the shocks when I need new front brakes! I figure I'll do it all at once while everything is apart!..........

 

It's not too hard to do yourself if your reasonably handy. Just follow the instructions that are posted to install an Autospring leveling kit to remove the strut tower (maybe 1/2 hour of work the first time). Then you need a set of spring compressors that can be rented (for free) from an autoparts store to take apart the strut. The first side might take you 2 hours, but once you know what your doing, the second side can be done in an hour or less.

 

i was quoted an hour of labor for each side plus the cost of alignment, but that was a while ago

 

Alright, thanks. I have yet to find a shop other than the dealer doing this around my town. It looks like the biggest downside to front end work is spring compression? I was thinking of putting the bilstein shocks on, but if i do the work I might go the autospring route to avoid that part of the install (spring compress). I figured I would need an alignment too either way, so If I had the truck in the shop anyway I was wondering how much I would really save doing it myself.

 

I had some Bilstein 5100's installed by my local Ford dealer and they charged me $200.00 to install the fronts and the rears. To replace the fronts was about $155.00 if I remember right.

 

My dealership charged me $184.20, took them 2hrs, but the guy f'd up and set my Bilsteins back to 0 lift, so i'm getting it fixed for free, then paying for the allignment.

 

The spring compression is not as hard as it sounds. I was a little apprehensive the first time I did it, but if you can use a ratchet, you can us a spring compressor. And as I said above, you can rent them for free from a parts store like Advance.

Either way, you will need an Alignment, which is probably not covered in what the dealership charges.

 

That's what I did, it's really pretty simple to do.

 

What is invloved in resetting, say if I was at 0" and wanted to go to the 2" setting? Would it require dismounting? Also, how is your truck riding compared to the original OEM? I really don't want a stiffer shock.

 

Theres two slots that a ring is slid onto on the strut body. The one farthest down is the 0" setting, the Bilsteins come shipped at the 2" setting. Tomorrow I get mine fixed and put at the 2" setting but my experience with them on the 0" setting, only a very slight stiffer feeling, but much more comfortable and solid feeling than before.

 

Good to know. So, I'm guessing that they have to remove to reset the height? And once raised to the 2" setting the truck requires re-alignment?