Okay I've got my Bilstein Adjustable 5100 shocks that I want to install this week. Are there any detailed install step threads for the 2014 4WD? The 2014 is a tweener with the lower shock mounts being different than the 2009-2013. I've watched several youtube videos for the 2009-2013 and 2015+ trucks. Everybody does it differently. The ford service manual has you taking the entire wheel assembly off, jeez. Thanks!

 

Follow the 2015+ videos as they are like the 2014's. Both are very similar, just, as you said, lower shock mounts being different. Follow the one that seems the easiest for you to do. If you don't have some big pry bars, you are probably going to want to use a video that has the lower control arm being loosened to fit everything back on. Then tighten it properly, I don't remember the specifics as in if it needs to be on the ground when tightening or off.

 

YouTube is absolutely the best thing to ever happen to us homegamers.

 

So I got my front shocks/struts installed. It's never as easy as the youtube videos show. Of course my truck is 7 years old versus the new trucks on the utube. I followed this video - . My recommendation is if your truck has more than 0 miles when you unbolt the sway bar link, unbolt the at the sway bar not under the lower control arm. The threads under the LCA will be all bugger up and nearly impossible to remove. I destroyed one link that I had to replace. I also only loosed one side of the LCA which gave me enough wiggle room to get the strut out. I was tempted to just cut the strut bolts off. Has anybody done that? It seems like that would save a lot of grief. I'm still not sure about the alignment job. It seems to be drifting to the left a bit. I can't tell if it's alignment or just the roads I've been driving on since. The ride is nice and my wheel hop/bounce has gone away.

 

Try multiple roads. I find that large vehicles tend to pull all the time because they are large, in both directions. But, you should have the alignment checked after replacing these parts regardless.

 

PlainOldBob:

Did you pull vacuum through your vac line when removing the knuckle? I've seen some installs on youtube where they did this, and others where they didn't. I don't have a vac tool so just need to ensure what I need to buy prior to attempting this.

 

only if your going to loosen the axles out of hubs. i have 2011 & just loosened sway bar links- thats all but i had big pry bar
to get bottom of strut out. i put in Rough Country Struts with built in 2 inch lift no problems fitting right in.

 

I didn't remove the knuckle. I just removed the sway bar link and loosened the lower control arm. When removing the sway bar link remove the nut from the top of the link at the sway bar. The lower nut under the lower control arm will probably be rusted and buggered up and will be a bear to remove. That gave me enough room to complete the job. Watch your rotational orientation of the new strut to the upper mounting location. You don't want to have to remove the new strut to get the rotation right.

 

Thank you, I have a few big-azz pry bars so I should be good to go there. Will remember the tip about the sway bar link.

Coastal Florida truck and I have trailered a small boat to salt water a decent portion of this trucks life so I'm full well expecting there to be corrosion down there.

 

Don't forget, the lower control arm is the adjustment point for alignment, so if you're feeling a pull you didn't previously, you're likely out of alignment.