Back with a update/results.
It occurred to me I would have to get the lower control arm bolts free either way to get an alignment, which I would badly need after a level. However as I expected those things were not coming loose for anything. After trying all the methods I ended up getting a buddy with an acetylene torch to come hoping that would heat them up enough to break free, no go on that either. So I was forced to go with the last resort, use the torch to cut through the bolts on either side of the lca bushings. And in doing so accidentally cut the frame. Great. So now I have to get another buddy to come out and patch the frame back together. I’m very fortunate to know the right people who can do that otherwise I’d probably be looking at a repair bill double the value of the truck.
So my advice to anyone wanting to do this is, just don’t. Lifted is cool and all but it is 110% not worth it if you have an older truck like this. And I can assure there was no other option that was going to get those bolts out.
So in the end it will work out, it’s just taking a whole lot more money and months longer then planned. Again if I wasn’t fortunate enough know the right guys I would have been stuck with either parting out the rest of the truck or swapping a new frame on, either way would be a several thousand dollar loss. Never trying this again but ya live and ya learn I guess.
So now the plan is obviously all new lca nuts, bolts and alignment spacers, new strut bolts etc, new lcas and ucas, new strut assembly (not even attempting to disassemble those old ones), and I might through some new CV shafts in while I’m at it as well as sway links and bushings.
Lastly I have one question, I already have bilstein 5100 struts, and am now looking for a strut assembly to install them on. Will I be fine with a cheap assembly off rockauto? Or should I be looking for a used OEM strut or order an assembled strut with the 5100s already installed? As you can see my oem assemblies are in very rough shape after 160k miles and I’m not even going to touch them.