Just followed these instructions and installed my struts. Definitely helped. Mines a 2010 F150 and let's just say between the rust and the seized bolts it didn't go this fast. Thanks for the help!!!
This was super helpful in getting the job done on my truck. My one regret is that I initially didn’t follow the order you did things... would’ve saved me a lot of trouble. Thanks for the video!
Installed these on my old 13’ F150 but after fighting with the spring compressor I took the struts into a shop to swap out. I don’t have faith in those crappy spring compressors. I’m surprised he got them to work. Everything else about the job was very easy and straight forward. Get a good quality impact gun and it’s a breeze. Got a new truck and I just ordered another set of 5100’s but I think I may have a shop do the entire install for me this time. 2 hours labor at $90 / hr isn’t bad at all.
I installed just the rear bilstein 5100 on my 2016 f150 with a bds 4" lift with 33x12" tires. I'm blown away.. Completely different truck. Rides like a Cadillac. Can't wait to do the fronts.. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Just did this today. The video was very helpful. Put the complete kit on a 4x4 2011 with a ranch hand bumper replacement. At full height it raised front 2in and back 3/4. Ride is amazing. Only thing I would add is tighten up the top shock nut once you have the truck on the ground. I thought it was tight then I let the truck down and there was about 1/2inch play. Took about 4hrs start to finish.
Thank you for posting this I’m in the middle of the install and the seat wouldn’t come off due to that small silver cap on the end of the strut. I wasn’t sure if removing that would cause the strut to blow apart! Thank you!!
You shouldn’t tighten the upper control arm bolts until you have truck back on the ground. If you do while in the air you will add preload to the suspension arm.
What you really do is, use a jack and lift up the knuckle to about ride height and torque the upper control sway and tie , axle nut you can do before that after you get everything put together...
I also installed the Bilstien 5100 s Dr. truts/shocks in my 2019 Colorado Crew Cab, 4x4, V6. I set at the next to top spot for a total of 1.9”, because I have a 26’, 4,409-6,400 lbs travel trailer I tow, so I wanted to be level when towing. So when just the truck is empty there’s still about 3/4” rear hight bias, but still level with up to about 1,000 lbs in the bed. The heaviest if ever traveled was 10,658lbs CGVW on a Cat Scale! That was with the trailer totally loaded with provisions, full fresh water tank with 40 gals, 5 cases of bottled water, my wife and two dogs, all our clothes and games an toys, plus my 275 lbs scooter in the bed. Using a Fastway E2 Weight Distribution Hitch, was all nice and level, with excellent sway and stability control. While that sound heavy for a Colorado, they are rated to tow 7,000 lbs. up to 12,000 lbs CGVWR. That does a surprisingly good job on every road that we’ve been on, including grades on Interstates and local roads, even in The Smokey Mountains of N.C./TN areas. With plenty of power to maintain legal speeds, including passing slower traffic! I’m very satisfied with the complete package. The next trip in a week will be on the new 32” tires I bought last weekend, Cooper RTX 265/75-16, that are fine so far.
This is an incredible video on this front end work. I wish I'd have seen this before paying for my 5100 RHA fronts to be installed. Next truck I'll be doing the coilovers, rotors and pads upgrade, tie rod, and UCAs right off the bat. Thanks guys!
Definitely need to torque the axle but on this design properly. Should be torqued to 30 ft lbs. do not tighten with a 1/4 ratchet like stated. Torque to spec.
Replaced my front ones on my 2015 F150 4WD. I had a local shop swap out my springs after my HF CLAM SHELL spring compressor broke. Worth the $150 I paid. Still saved half of what I was quoted $900-1,000). Truck rides better, but I used lowest setting. I tow a travel trailer so I wasn’t interested in raising the front much.
I have these on my 2003 4Runner and before that, I had KYB's, I will never go back to KYB's, Bilstein 5100's are the real deal, highly recommend it to anyone that wants to level out any trucks or 4Runners, without ruining their suspension systems, and keeping everything as stock as possible. Really good stiff firm ride but comfy on the freeways, absorbs road inconsistences well..
You pulled the dust cap and axle nut off but you never mentioned removing the 3 IEW bolts. Yet at 2:51 in the video I can see that the axle is separated from the knuckle. Did you forget to mention this? My 2016 has the 3 bolts. Thanks for making the video!
I have a 2018 F-150 with the FX4 off road package. Unfortunately,The strut is bolted on to the bottom control arm, but the bolts itself are pressed onto the strut, meaning it won't come off unless the whole strut is removed, in order to do it on these model F-150s, the control arm has to come off,DO NOT try to pry it open like in the video, because the tension will cause the support beam on the control arm to bend. It's better to bring it to a shop and let them do it at this point since you'll need a wheel alignment anyway.
Great video. Would've been nice to show just what needs to be marked for the alignment. Think I can see them on the video, but not sure. Would've also like some guidance on how/where to set the leveling rings.
Dagnabbed "music" distracting my old brain, which ain't hard to do. Anyway, by the 2 minute mark, whew, y'all boys done gone mighty deep. I ain't so sure I tackle this mess, but want better shocks on my 2015 F150 4x4. I have to just pay y'all boys to do this for me! Amazing how Ford changed this since my 2002 F150. I put new front shocks on in about an hour. But rear on that thing!! Now, it's just the opposite. Rear easy, front is a mess. Oh me, and stock shocks bounce all over highway when I hit bumps at an angle. Thing about threw me off the road at that place where I-20 and I-285 east bound meet at Atlanta. Some of y'all boys know where that spot is. It'll sling you sideways a bit.
We're working on improving on install video music Taka, you're right though Ford has made the front end harder and harder each year to get apart but we keep working at it. Give us a call and let's get you a new set of these coilovers so you stop bouncing all over the place!
I put mine in today front and rear. Made the mistake in the front of removing the top 3 nuts on the top hat before I got the bottom out. Also I didn't jack it up high enough so I could mot push the lower arm down enough to get it out. Nothing a grinding wheel could not solve but there was no turning back at that point. The second side went mistake free just as fast as the video. I only went up one click over stock and was very surprised when the truck was 2+ inches higher in front. Maybe it will settle down a bit? the ride quality is phenomenal, much better. The side to side rocking is gone, sea sick Cadillac-like wallow gone, wheel hop gone. Much more planted, absorbs big hits way better recovers with no drama. I'm glad i did it myself. Its not straight forward how high the truck will ride. I am sure I will be back in there someday to tweak it again. I had no issue with the Harbor freight spring compressors. I have done this type of modification to my last 6 cars and have used the same set of compressors with no issue. Just make sure you grease the treads and they will last a long time.
These will make no difference for towing, this is to raise the front to lvl out the truck. Look into helper leaf springs or air bags to help with towing
Hello, Would the same rear shocks in this kit work if I lift the rear end another inch or 2 from stock 4x4 height? Or are they only for stock ride-high rear end? 2014 FX4.
Where would you set the ring on the front strut if you just want the ride height to be normal with out a lift kit? I have the rear 5100 shocks on my 2016 and they are great.
Should have used A) safety glasses B) leather gloves C) knee pads D) first aid kit on stand by.....just joking after I read some of the comments! Lots of great detail in your video.
i've seen some videos of these installs where you have to pull vaccumm and maintain during the install. is that NOT the case? i noticed that wasn't done during this install. What is the purpose of the vac lines by the hub?
The only time you have vacuum in the IWE is when the truck is running, so no you don’t. If you really want to know if you have vacuum afterward while in 2H, Jack the front end up and spin each wheel. If the front shaft spins along with the wheel, you have no vacuum. Throw it in 4x4, then back to 2H and check again. If the shaft does not spin, you have vacuum and it’s functioning. The entire purpose of having vacuum in 2H is to disengage the front shafts and save MPG. The IWE system is a genius design and also an absolute joke as it’s prone to failure very easily. But anywho, remember there is no vacuum when the truck is not running, or while in 4WD. Hope that helps.
I have heavy duty springs that i coiled over my stock struts to help support the weight of my snow plow for snow removal. Should i set the snap ring to the 2.25" height? My truck doesnt need help with the lift my spring does that i just want a longer strut than the stock strut becuase the longer length of the spirng im using pulled the stock ones apart.
Mmmm... John my boy... What are the consequences of not doing this? Just finished the install... So, jack it back up and tighten or tighten while the wheels are in or...?
@@skohcl It's not the end of the world, but it could wear out the bushings prematurely. Instead of the bushing being in a neutral position at ride height, if you tighten it down with the control arm pointing down when it's at ride height the bushing is slightly twisted. How bad is it really, IDK. But it's best to tighten it at ride height. To accomplish this, yes with the wheel off just jack up the lower control arm till everything is at ride height and tighten the bushings down.
My truck has a 2.75” level with a spacer under the shock and shims over the spring assembly. Can I keep the spacer under the shock and set C clamp at 2” or do I have to remove spacer and shims to install these shocks?
Anyone know why after I got a shop to install these on my 2011 Ford F-150 now my truck shakes hard at 50mph and up even after balancing of the tires and alignment?
My spring will not compress enough to permit the threads to come through the top mount. I marked everything and lined it back up. I placed the ring in the 3rd notch indicating 1.95" (leveling). BIL24-187466. I watched the video and there is no indication that this is an issue or extra steps are necessary. Any suggestions? 2013 F150, 3.5L, 2wd
We were able to compress it enough to get it re installed on the top ring for 2.1" of leveling. Are you placing the compressor on the highest and lowest coils possible on the spring?
if you have it at 2.1 level and want to tow a fifth wheel will it sag and be nose up? I also have timbrens, will that be good to prevent this? or will I need airbags?
does this replace the spacer in the leveling kit? My 2011 already has a leveling kit, so could I use the .79" and keep the spacer and be alright. Thanks
What's the most reliable and durable lift kit I can get for my 2015 ford f150 3.5 ecoboost fx4. I'm interested in a 4 inch kit but there are so many i am not sure which one I should get. I'd love the advice from you guys
I would suggest you call in and we can go over all of the different lift kit options for you and find the one that best suits your wants and needs. 623-434-5277
I just ordered the shocks, for my 2016 RWD F1 50. I currently have a 3 inch spacer on top of the Factor yshocks. When I install these can I install the spacer on top of these shocks?
3" is the max lift you can run in the front without going to a drop bracket setup. So if you set the bilstein shocks at the factory height, then yes, it should work fine. But I would advise against setting the shocks at one of the lift settings in addition to using the 3" leveling kit you have already installed
This is not a rear lift. Only the front end of the truck will be raised. And yes, anytime the suspension geometry of a vehicle is changed, an alignment is required
So Bilstein does not make a kit specifically for 2014 2WD models, however, the 2014 4WD kit will bolt up without issue. The only difference between the 2WD and 4WD kits will be final ride height of the truck. Your 2WD with 4WD hardware will end up sitting higher due to the 4WD struts being a bit longer and have more travel. How much taller will the truck be? I am not sure since we have not tried the 4WD kit on a 2WD truck. Hope this helps
Does this leave some rake in the truck still? Does it raise the front higher than the rear? I've read reviews where guys said the front was now higher than the rear. I'm installing the full 4pce set of 5100s. Not sure if I sure raise it to the top or second before the top. Thanks in advance.
While you put a ton of effort into the video I’m calling it quits before removing the assembly. I have everything off. I can’t see where to pry the lower control arm. You weren’t specific. It would also be very helpful to list the tools and sizes needed up front, to avoid hunting as we go.
Also, just pry where the LCA connects to the car, lots of downward force. Apart from using spring compressors and the whole strut assembly I found removing the stock strut assembly the most difficult/annoying part.
@@skohcl I just put it back together and took it to a shop. I wasn't confident prying on my suspension. I'm a huge person and have broken countless items that way.
@@user-yj7ph9vk2k that suspension holds 1500lbs per side static weight and who knows about the exponential forces applied while hitting bumps and holes at highway speeds. Your not big enough to hurt the suspension. I just left the lower ball joint connected the steering knuckle and had plenty of leverage by hand. I did pry the upper control arm back into the knuckle upon installation
This kit did not ride rough at all. It was fantastic on the street. The Bilstein 5100 shocks are designed to operate at any of the lift settings just fine.
Jeff Murray no because a spacer adds on top of your coilers and increases stress in other areas while this kit just increases the coil height what is very safe and reliable
Not true.. I’ve had these on top setting on a 09 for 3 years and it’s anything but a soft ride . Here in Canada roads are bad and she’s pretty rough. Might be different if you live in a area where roads are in good shape. I plan on dropping 1 clip soon
jkramer324 great question because I just finished installing these on my 2011 f150 and when cleaning up I found the damn steel spacer I didn't install laying on the ground. Wondering if I need to pull the damn thing off to put the spacer in
I installed a set of these on my 2014 f150 at the 1.75 setting and they ride nice but they squeak at full lock when turning left or right. I’ve had the alignment done too. Any ideas? Thanks
Is it dangerous (I know it's not recommended) to install the 5100 with a 2.5 leveling kit (in the front)? I don't off-road much at all, so it would be purely for aesthetics. Would I still risk damage to the lower bushing?
I just ordered the rear shocks from you guys, Will it be acceptable to install rear shocks, and and leave the fronts stock (for the time being) Will it affect the rake of the truck? Or do the rear shocks leave it at standard height Id like to put some coilovers for a 2 in level, in the near future
Amazing vid. I currently have a RC 2.5" spacer up front with 35's and I had to cut the lower valence a bit and it still rubs. Id like to purchase the Bilstein kit but could I keep my spacer and have the front sit a bit higher almost pre runner style?
If you picked up this Bilstein kit, we would only recommend setting the struts to .75" of lift coupled with your 2.5" kit. You will still rub on the 35's would be my guess. If you want to clear the 35's, you pretty much need at least a 4" lift kit with the correct drop brackets to keep your suspension geometry in check
I just installed this kit yesterday on a 2017 with the 2.1" setting and had it aligned this morning. The guy at the shop said that is wasn't far off. Only 1/8 inch. I didn't ask if it was caster, camber or a little of both. Guess that shows the engineering in these struts. I also didn't loosen the a-arms either as it was not necessary
ya but i'm wondering which brand yours is. the ones at my autostore are too thick to fit between the coils of the fox 2.0. yours looks a lot thinner and i guess i would buy it.
You'll want to check out this kit for your FX2 www.stage3motorsports.com/24-253222-2-15-20-f150-rwd-bilstein-5100-leveling-struts.html give us a call for more on your truck
This Bilstein leveling shock kit will already raise the truck up to 2.1". I would not recommend adding another leveling kit in addition to these shocks. Any additional lift/leveling will put the UCA's at an extreme angle and the truck will not ride correctly.
You could upgrade the UCA, but it still wouldn't change the angle of the UCA. Aftermarket options can handle extreme angles better than stock, but that doesnt change the fact that it is at an extreme angle. The max leveling you can get away with is almost 3" over stock. Once you start to approach anything at or higher than that you will run into issues. If you want more than 3" of lift, id suggest you start looking at drop bracket lift kits. Please give us a call with any more questions - 623-434-5277
on sock offset rims you can clear a 35" tall tire. im not sure about true 35x12.5s as soon as you go to much offset at all though you rub on the crash bars, I'm going to go with 33x12.5s with a +12offset and from my reasearch that wont rub.
Stage 3 Motorsports ummm I usually have better sarcasm detection since I dish out a lot of it... but hoping you picked up that I was just poking fun at some of the other overly sensitive comments. This is a great video that did help me a ton! Love my new 5100s. Thanks!
nice job showing how the parts and pieces go together but the installer is showing so many bad / incorrect practices you guys are asking for a lawsuit. I really try not to make negative posts because it's never as easy as it looks but given this is a 'how to' video I feel like you guys are setting someone up to get hurt here. 1) no safety glasses. 2) guy obviously knows what an Impact wrench is but doesn't have a clue what a torque wrench is or what torque specs are. Tight'nuff isn't going to keep your shock or uca from falling off when rolling down the road. 3). you just gave a great example how to void the warranty on the shocks before you even set the truck on the ground - impact wrench in the strut??? seriously??? 4). Didn't see anything about reconnecting the vacuum line on the IWEs. Come on guys. You can do better than this.
Hey Phil, if you think guys like us who are working on their own trucks in their garages are worried about safety glasses when we aren't underneath filthy cars or grinding crap and worried about torquing everything to factory specs all the time you don't really understand the audience. Some torque specs are critical like with things that spin fast or are at risk of snapping off. other things, like bolts for struts, do just fine with a good healthy dose of impact wrench to set it. lighten up dude.
Thanks for worrying about me Phil. I watch these videos to find an easier way to do a specific task. If I want to learn YOUR way, I will search for YOUR vide. Thanks again.
@@mattrondeau7466 mr ferguson, sir i would feel comfortable with you working on just about any vehicle I own however if I may make a suggestion a Hello Kitty notepad would be most useful I have to myself I work on airplanes and I find these no pets to be superior to all others... Just saying
Pardon mr. Ferguson I was driving Google which is ignorant spoke for me I have two notepads not no pets Google couldn't decipher that because no pets made sense right there of course anyways good looking out and good day to you sir
