07sbock

Well I ditched the running boards on my 98 limited. It looks way better! Now she dosent look so much like a van. My System 3 from sonoran is gonna be here monday.

Before



AFTER!

04 Rocko Taco

Much better already. wait till you get that SS Sys 3 kit on there!!!

07sbock

Iam very excited for it, and for whats to come. Anyone know if these coil overs are a bitch to compress and install?

xcmountain80

Define bytch? If you mean 2.5 sets of coil compressors some dangerous flying parts and a day or two of down time then yes they are. I would pay a shop to do it if I had to do it again. Don't forget to have the extended studs in and ready to go if your using a top out spacer. I had to go back and do mine and what a pia.

Aaron

Tacoclimber

"You whine like a mule - you are still alive!"
- Morgan Freeman as Azeem in "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves"



Just messing with ya, Aaron...

07sbock

Iam gonna see how tight these things are wrapped. If they are super stiff then Iam gonna take em to a shop and have it done.

xcmountain80

Considering I had to do it all by myself I'm entitled a little space (very small space) in which to complain. Though the more guys you have the better off you will be, the stronger the better.

Aaron

Tacoclimber

I'd recommend that anyway... You don't want a simple mistake to turn into a tragedy, which could happen with DIY spring compressors...



And Aaron...

you always have space here to complain, I promise.
But I might mess with you a little, as long as you do the same for me...

By the way, I would like to complain about the fact that I have to wash my truck after accidentally repeatedly driving through a mud hole on my way home from work... Stupid mud hole. It wouldn't let me go...it kept calling me, and calling me...

Ok, anyway....

If you do try to do it yourself, like Aaron said, get some friends, and get GOOD spring compressors. Take it nice and slow, don't rush it. Oh, and wear protective gear.

frodin1

I took my stuff down to a local guy with a wall mounted compressor. He had it for the day, it cost me $40 bucks and it was totally worth it. I didn't even break a sweat. LOl. I would do it again in a heart beat. The backs are a different story.

xcmountain80

The back is a slice of cheese, The only hard part is keeping the top nut from turning but some PB blaster 2-days out should make it better. You will want 1 or 2 compressors for the rear not that you'll need them to be super tight just a little to get the new springs in.

Aaron

cackalak han

Nice. I need to get some sliders ordered, too.

One suggestion (kind of OT) - I think you should rhino-line your front and rear bumpers. I hated my chrome bumpers on my 98, but it was white, so it didn't matter too much. Blacking the bumpers out would make your rig look TOUGH! Just a thought.

YM13

It was a pain only because I had to do it twice because i left out a bushing on both shocks. It was pretty loabor intensive but doing it once was ok. I think it is a good way to save $50-$100 bucks (thats what the shops wanted for compressing them)

I didn't really feel unsafe or anything like other people have said. I just made sure to tighten them up evenly and everything was fine. Only once when I started doing it was I an idiot and didn't notice that one of the compressor's legs was slipping off of the coil. I quickly grabbed a spare compressor and used that right next to it to get it back in place.

I would recommend BUYING the ones from advance auto parts for $30 dollars because I had trouble with their rental ones. Compressing the stock coils with them was ok but the aftermarket ones are tighter and the compressor feet would not let go of the coil after I had it re-seated. I had to use a third to compress various parts in order to pry them out.

The second time I had to compress them after i realized my mistake I went and bought the coil compressors from advanced auto parts and those only took 2 hrs total replacing both sides. The ones you buy have a more spaced out screws so they compress faster than the rental ones. Trust me this makes a big difference in time.

Good Luck

YM13

For the rears....just unbolt the shocks, put the bottle jack upside down pushing from the frame DOWN on the axle and push the axle down that way. Make sure you watch the brake line and ABS wire. As soon as they get a little tight the coil will slide right in there magically. I got a little creative and thats how i did mine. Study how the suspension components move and it will be a lot easier for you to think up of a creative way to install your stuff with the least amount of work.

Now the rear shocks are a different story. I think i'll just take those to a garage because there is waaaaay too little space to turn a wrench and hold the shock from turning at the same time. It is pretty rediculous.

Again, Good Luck

xcmountain80

Oh yeah since your not reusing you old shocks either cut then from the top or use a pipe wrench to hold them. I used both methods one on either side, though the sawzall cutting method works best. I knew I forgot a step.

Aaron

BennyTRD

I recently put Steve's System 3 on aswell. The extra suspension travel is nice and the Tokico's ride wonderful.

07sbock

Wow thanks soo much for all the input. Iam gonna start in on it when the package comes on monday!

YM13

Ok but the problem is not taking them off but putting the new ones on without damaging those...

How should I resort to doing that. U can't really hold the shaft of the new ones either because unlike the old ones it does not have a metal shaft but instead a rubber boot like a bike's shocks.

toy_tek

The top of the threaded stud should have a flat wrench area on it. Use two wrenches, one for the stud and one for the nut. Its tight but you can do it.

YM13

Yah thats what I tried doing but the space is sooo small that, even without the spare tire, there is only 5 inches the wrench can move. Plus you have no visability of the nut so you have to rummage around to find it everytime you let go of the wrench. Furthermore it is at an angle with makes it even harder to align the wrench on it without being able to see it. I guess it might just require patience...