I just ordered a set of 5100's for my 07 F150 4x4. I installed an Autospring 2" spacer, but see now that I really want a 1" lift instead of a 2". When I tow my boat the front sits two high. Not interested in running 35” at this time, but the Bilsteins give me a 0,1 or 2” selections as well as a 0 or 1” rear setting if I chose to go that way later. So removing the Struts is fairly easy, been there with the Autospring spacer, but I am concerned about the spring removal to get the 5100's on. Any tips. My local Auto Zone loans out a strut compressor as well as a coil spring compressor. Which should I use? Thinking about getting both, just in case. Any tips? Also do the 5100’s come with any instructions?
If anyone is interested in buying my week old Autospring 2” powder coated spacers let me know. Will sell for 50.00 plus shipping cost.
CMT

 

Just use the coil spring compressor. Install should be fairly straightforward.

 

I recently installed 5100's. I had a spring compressor loaner from Advance Auto Parts, but it was not made for truck springs I think, and was a little on the light side for what I was doing. So I went and bought another one from Sears. I took the struts out myself - but after compressing one spring and reassembling with the new shock, I realized I had put it back together without the rubber bump stop thingie. It was very late and I was freaked out by the amount of tension I had to use on the spring to get it compressed enough for the new shock (I did the 2" setting). So I decided to get someone to redo the one I did and do the other one - to make a long story short, I took the struts to my local Pep Boys, they replaced both shocks right away and charged me about $45. I went home and reinstalled the struts.

I would recommend taking the struts out and having someone with the right tool do the strut compressing.

 

By the way, there were no instructions with the shocks, but its pretty straight forward, just pay attention to the way the struts are put together when you take them apart.

 

You need the compressor that hooks on to the outside of the coil. Don't get the one that goes inside the coil, that is where the shock goes. I rented one from AutoZone and was only able to get the 1" setting. You'll need a bench vice as well. I've since take the coil-overs out and had a shop use their beefier coil compressor to take them up to 2".

I have a hard time believing anyone has used a rented bolt-action coil spring compressor and was able to get the full 2" on these 5100s. The threads on the shock will not penetrate the hole on top of the shock tower and you'll not be able to thread on the shock nut.

 

Won't need a vise. Just some open end wrenches and allen wrenches to hold the shock mount bolt still while you use the wrench to remove the nut. That is of course after you use the pair of coil compressors to compress the coil enough to remove any tension on the shock. The shock will spin a bit when the tension loose enough.

These look exactly like the coil compressor tool I bought at autozone. They did compress far enough for me to install my 5100'a with the added 2" of lift.

 

The ones I used looked just like that too. I was able to get them compressed enough for the 2", but I was freaked out by it - the thought of something flying loose and breaking my wrist/arm/face/crotch was freaking me out. I almost went in the house to get an athletic cup!

 

I'll buy your 2" spacers. Send an email to me thorn2wheels@yahoo.com

 

I changed mine with the rental ones from autozone they wasnt heavy enough to compress the spring to two inches so i had to rent two sets of compressors to do the job and was it scary.