Bilstein 5100 questions

[David Wilkinson]

Hello I'm new to the forum, I've worked on my truck myself for a long time but I've never messed with suspension. My stock shocks started going out at 100,000 miles. I decided to go with the bilstein 5100 shocks. I Installed the rear, went great. The front not so much. I thought I could just drop the shock, but that didn't work. I took off the sway bar link, I changed the upper control arm. Took off hub and brakes. Well the bolt at the top of the shock wouldn't come off. I had to go get a flow through socket set to hold the shaft of the shock to get it off. Well I was gonna set the bilstein's on the middle groove. I thought that would give me a little lift. I couldn't compress the spring enough for that groove and I was up against the clock to get my truck back together, so I went with 1 groove up from the bottom. Well I didn't have time to do the other side last night before work today. Now the side I did is higher than the rear of my truck. I am unsure why that might be. I thought the second from the highest would make it level. Am I missing something? Could it be because I only did one side so far? I really would like to just do the other side the same way but not if it makes it higher than the rear. Can someone with some experience with installing these on a stock truck give me some insight please. Thanks so much

 

[crazykid1994]

Pictures help. You may have installed the lower spring perch upside down

 

[Tim Garceau]

Going to need photos, one groove from the bottom fork is only .7" lift so it sounds like you may have the snap ring seat for the lower spring perch upside down.

 

[David Wilkinson]

I will take pictures when I get home.

 

[David Wilkinson]

I believe I have it on right. Y'all tell me if I screwed up

 

[David Wilkinson]

Here is from the other side

 

[crazykid1994]

Yup. Lower spring perch is upside down. Also. Did you put the washer on the shaft before installing the upper cup or did you install it under the nut? If you zoom you can see the spring perch on mine is open down not open up.

 

[David Wilkinson]

I just found the directions. The spring seat is upside down. Dam

 

[Tim Garceau]

5100s are not something you want to skip the directions on, make sure you move the snap ring up a couple notches and ensure the washer is correct aha

 

[RedSRT4Me]

I just found the directions. The spring seat is upside down. Dam

It's ok the shop that installed my lift initially installed my rear shocks upside down.

 

[kurek]

It's ok the shop that installed my lift initially installed my rear shocks upside down.

If they're Bilsteins remember that Bilstein shocks are always made to install with the logo text upright. So the rear Bilstein shocks that come with the Mopar 2" lift are deliberately made to mount with the shaft pointing down.

 

[RedSRT4Me]

If they're Bilsteins remember that Bilstein shocks are always made to install with the logo text upright. So the rear Bilstein shocks that come with the Mopar 2" lift are deliberately made to mount with the shaft pointing down.

Yes thank you that is the reason I pointed it out in the first place. I had to go in and flip them. Then eventually replacing them with a reservoir version.

My bilsteins were not part of a mopar lift kit.

 

[kurek]

My bilsteins were not part of a mopar lift kit.

Sorry I was not clear there, I didn't assume yours were part of that kit, it seems very few people bought it anyway. I only mentioned it because it happens to include Bilsteins built for shaft-down installation so it made a good example of a real application relevant to the topic.