Hello to All, received my Bilstein 5100 today. Anything I should know before I install them. Rear should be easy. The fronts are the real question? Do I install the rears boot up or down? Can I just remove the ball joint on the fronts to slide the shock up in place?

Thanks,

Don

 

installed the rears, piece of cake... ready to start the front. I have read here that there is no need to remove the front coil spring setup... I will search it out...

Thanks,

Don

 

Well I searched a hundred threads, no luck. Just let me know if compressing the spring is the only way to get the front shocks changed out... I thought I saw a neat little process...

Thanks,

Don

 

ya your gonna need a big spring compressor, i just let a shop install mine.

 

Thanks, I thought I saw a thread where someone removed the ball joint, removed the lower shock bolt then lowered the swing arm. Should have saved the thread. Guy said it works and saves a lot of time. But I must dreaming
I am taking her for a ride to feel the rear shocks. When I get the fronts and new BFG T/A KO's I will update...

Later,

Don

 

What I did was unbolt the tie rod and just rotate the knuckle out of the way and then wiggled the shock out of the space. It took some very aggressive wiggling though but it came out in the end.

 

boot down............

 

always mount with the stickers in the right position

 

gotta remove the whole assembly to compress the spring and remove the struts. did mine in the driveway, but compressing the spring by hand and watching the shaft on the compressor bend under stress will make your balloon knot pucker a little bit.

boots go down on the rears, but i've read it doesn't really matter. looks better with the shock body up for sure.

 

yup, I mounted the rears boot down, so you can read the text on the body correctly. I too like the look of the body up... I will just have the shop do it when they replace my tires. Will get the wheels aligned as well...

Thanks,

Don

 

Tried my fronts myself and could not get the spring compressed enough so off to my mechanic. Even HE had a time with them.

Make sure to get an alignment when it is done.

 

The mechanic that did mine said the same thing, this is a very strong spring and he had a hard time compressing it.

 

The 5100s are very stiff, stiffer than the HD's. And what a few others said, logo side up is the rule of thumb.

 

HA HA HA HA HA HA........!!
That's some funny chit!

 

Yes you will have to compress the spring to take tension off the shock and spring assembly. I cant see any other way to do it. If you keep it stock height you dont have to compress the spring very much but if you are adding 1" or 2" of lift you will have to compress the spring 1 or 2 inches more which is when it gets interesting and dangerous.


Install the rears boot down or you void your shock warranty. Also the mechanic seemed to think the way the shock is valved may not work as well installed upside down.