smirak

Finished up my install today...here are a couple of thoughts/questions/observations/whatevers

1) Read the damn instructions
2) Don't go cheap and buy a cheap jack because you are too cheap to buy a "real" jack. Bought a cheap trolley jack from one of the local parts houses (auto zone or something like that) and the problem you run into is that it doesn't lift high enough to do squat with
3) Did I mention to read the instructions? Don't start the front without doing the back first because you won't have any sway bar links to use up front
4) Don't buy a $100 torque wrench unless you need to. Instead go to Autozone and "rent" one for free...pay the deposit, and get it all back when you return it
5) A spring compressor would have worked wonders for the front springs. If you're too cheap (see above) like me, just grab a bunch of ratchet straps and loop them through the springs like 100 times and start ratcheting them down. Eventually, you'll compress them just long enough to get them into the spring perch before the straps give and literally lacerate your arm from the straps flapping back and forth at what seems like 200000 mph
6) If you buy aftermarket wheels and lug nuts by Gorilla, do yourself a favor and go ahead and buy an aftermarket lug wrench too. Your OEM won't fit, regardless of how many times you fit it with a hammer trying to get it in there.

Install took the better part of 2 days working by myself and with my 6yr old and 12 yr old. I'll get some pics up tomorrow when the sun is out and I can get some good pics.


Now, for a serious question...My new Bilsteins...I can't seem to tighten the nut on the top. I don't have any threads exposed on either of the front shocks. It's almost as if they all the way compressed and wont let the threads extend into the "cup" to put the nut on and tighten. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Kevin

Sapper12b

When I did my install what the Bilstein shocks I was having a difficult time with the new rubber isolators. So what I did is re-use the factory rubber isolators, you need to use a hex key at the top of the new shocks to tighten them down. You will also need to use a wrench to hold the nipple in place so that it doesn't spin. Just make sure you give them a couple of twists to tighten, don't tighten them not all the way down.