Question, when you guys disassembled your factory struts, was the upper plastic dust boot all busted to hell at the top? I didn't notice it on my driver's side until I had it assembled on the Bilstein strut and initially I thought I did it, but then when I took apart the factory passenger side one it was busted at the top in exactly the same way. It kinda looks like when they put them together at the factory, they compressed the assembly and pushed the dust boot down into the body of the strut and broke the boot.

Anyway, I got my front done today. Little more of a wrestling match than I expected getting the stock stuff out, and swapping the springs between the struts was honestly not a big deal. But, I had to use 3 spring compressors (2 wouldn't compress it enough) and the way the compressors are made, you have to put them down toward the bottom of the spring or you can't get an extension or socket on them and that was a pain in the ***. Also unbolting the axles was a good idea, and getting them back in was just as easy as it looked in that video. I can definitely see how guys put it back together without checking to see if they are engaged.

I'm gonna have to finish the rears and get the wheels and tires on some other day- I started at 9 AM today and it was already almost 80 degrees then, worked til 12:30 and it was pushing 90 and I was just out of steam. Too damn hot.

 

Great, you're a success! Mine weren't broken, but the truck only had around 500 miles on it when I did mine. Quite common from what I've seen.
What did you set the shocks to?

 

All the way at the top! I wanted the full lift plus I don't think I've yet hauled anything to even make the suspension squat, and I don't tow, so I figured that was the best way to go. Everything looks pretty kosher though.

 

Yeah, well, how do we know that?

There AIN'T NO PICS!

 

Well there isn't much to take pictures of yet since I didn't get it completely done. Rest assured I will post pics.

 

dagnabbit!


Too, part of my angst is that I don't have my truck lifted the 2" yet.

 

What size tires do you have?






Still have 1/2 inch rake front to rear. It's the perfect leveling kit. Did not do 1 inch rear block. Rides perfect




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Any more pictures of your truck? Offset? Does it rub?

 

By the way, something I thought was worth mentioning-

I bought a set of spring compressors off ebay for $25, and also rented a set from Autozone in case I needed them (which I did).

TBH I was more impressed with the ebay set I got than the ones that I rented from Autozone. The ebay set had a larger diameter rod with Acme threads, the spring clamps fit between the coils easily, and they had a 1/2" drive socket in the hex heads so you could just use a 1/2" extension to drive them (which I did- used an impact swivel). The Autozone set had a smaller rod with standard threads, the spring clamps had a taller edge which made getting them between the coils difficult, and the hex was just a 3/4" hex, no socket. Just some FYI for you out there, I don't know if Advance Auto would have a different kind but the Autozone was the "OEM Tools" brand.

 

I bought one of those "clamshell" types off ebay when I did my level recently. Already had the Bilsteins at the .71 setting, but needed to go all the way up. What a PITA just to get the thing mounted to the coil. Started cranking on it, compressed maybe a 1/4", and promptly starting stripping the threads in the crossbar. Gave up, and just used a spacer I ordered just in case things went south.