The springs are very strong. They should be loose when properly compressed. I had to use 4 compressors on the spring to get it to have space between it and the mounts. once the spring is compressed, use a dremmel to cut it off. The new strut should come with a new nut. My bilsteins did.

 

As a fellow dirt track racer and having been in racing for 20+ years and spent the last 7 in a late model, You should know as well as anyone that installed height does not mean the same as spring rate. I'm not trying to compare a super DLM with our f150 but I can say that I gained almost 3/4" after 9 years and 90K miles when i put the new complete assembly on. and when you laid them side by side on the floor they were the same height.

I will leave it at this, you can replace just the struts for 40 apiece and mess with the springs or you can replace the whole thing for 70 apiece. I prefer to take the easier route and spend the extra $60, for the piece of mind and a much improved ride IMO. I think I shall agree to disagree. Either way, kudos to the OP for working on their F150

 

Agreed

 

Might have to cut the shock body away (below the spring base plate...) and grab the lower end of the piston shaft with some ViseGrips to hold it while you put a socket on the top nut... It's been done before... the shock body isn't too thick. You can do it with a hack saw or dremel, or band saw... you'll just find some oil in there that will leak out.



-Mike

 

Thanks to all that responded, an electric impact driver seemed to do the trick. I don't know why I did not think of this earlier. The Bilstiens were a B day gift to myself, I been thinking about them for awhile to level the truck out.