i just got a downey coil/bilstein shocks/cornfed spacers kit and i'm wondering where i should get it installed. any suggetions? i live in the los angeles area, in santa clarita. a couple of the places i called say they don't even install cutomer parts - it's not profitable to them. and a couple other plaecs i called say they want 400 bucks plus alignment. that's a lot. i know a lot of you install your own parts, but i'm not quite that technically skilled. so i was wondering if any of you could point me in the right direction on how to best go about this...

 

Do you have any shops around that specialize in offroad products? Like an Offroad Warehouse, or a 4Wheel Parts (Although I try and avoid 4WP like the plague, because I've had some bad experiences with them... Not with installing, just with the way they handle their customers) If not, look through the yellow pages under automotive (I think ) and look for shops that do suspension work, or like I said earlier, any offroad shops, any good offroad shop/mechanic will install them for you. If they refuse to install your parts for you, they in my opinion they're not worth the phone call, because obviously they're hoping to rip you off with their overcharged parts. That's been my experience atleast.

When I got my coils installed I took them to a local mechanic who does work on my family's vehicles, and has for a long time. If there's something we can't do, they'll do it I don't know how much it cost, because I decided to have them installed, my torsion bars installed, and I was getting a new power steering geerbox, some new belts, and some other things. I think that it only cost maybe $75 or $100 max to have them installed. From what i've read, and what the shop told me they're not too hard to install, takes a few hours.

Good luck finding a good shop, and I personally would avoid the shops that refuse to install customer parts, because in my experience those shops are just out to make money, and could care less about the customers. I personally haven't tried the cornfed spacers, or Bilsteins; but I have the Downey Coils (and want to get Bilsteins or Edelbrocks soon) and they're great. And from what i've read on here, you can't go wrong with the Bilsteins.

-Braden

 

What year is your rig?

I have been thinking of doing a write up about front coil/spacer install and rear coil install.
I can give you detailed step-by-step instructions, if you want to try to tackle it yourself. It won't have pictures, I don't have a digital camera (yet).
E-mail me if you're interested. Have_Blue@msn.com

The fronts are the hardest and most time consuming but well worth it when completed.
The rear coils are a cinch. The shocks are a little harder due to confined space. If you have Bilstein shocks, see if a Toyota dealer will install them. Tell them that you bought them at that dealer.

 

Yes, take HaveBlue up on his offer and do it yourself ... it's not Rocket Science ... then just get an alignment afterwords. You will save big bucks and have a great learning experience!

 

it's a 2002. i don't know about installing it myself....could someone who hasn't ever done the slightest mechanical work on a car before really do it? i'll look into having a toyota dealership install the shocks...

 

Yeah I would really like to do my lift as well(exact smae Downey/Cornfed set-up). As well as installing my Bil. and replacing my front coils. If you could direct me to a write up I would love it. Like calrockx said, I have no mechanical know how when it comes to suspension. I'm okay when it comes to under the hood stuff, but suspension scares me, I've set up a guy at Merchants Tire and Auto to do my lift and all, he says he'll do it for $120(great price)but I would still like to do it on my own just for the experiance and know how, not to mention saving 120 bucks. Thanks.

 

so the four wheel stores i called said they'll do it for anywhere from 250 (without alignment) all the way up to 600 (with alignment). toyota could install the shocks, but that would cost 288 alone. nuts to that. maybe i should try a tire & auto place like auto? i'd like to find somewhere that has experience with this sort of stuff.

 

$288?!? :wtf:
Check with Sears, see if they'll install them. I bought Ranchos from 4Wheel Warehouse and then took them to Sears. Conveniently, they sell Ranchos. Took them 4 hours to install them. It only cost me $30.
Call around to tire/shock places, find a place that sells Bilsteins, take it to that store and have them install them. Tell them the same thing I told Sears, "I bought them here a few months ago. I though I could install them, but it looks way too hard."
Yes, I know its dishonest. But it'll save you $200.

As for the write up, give me a couple days, I'll have one made.

EDIT: By the way, I had Sears install the rear shocks. I did the fronts myself.

 

$600 with alignment??? Damn man, drive out here, we will do it for you!!!

 

Hell I would drive out there(AZ) all the way from NC to have you guys install my stuff. If only I had a few(5 or so)free days to make the drive, LOL. I really really want to be able to do this myself, but I want things right, I wonder if that guy that is doing mine would let me sit in and at least watch him do his thing. This guy should know what he's doing, he offered to do the thing for me when I went to ask about tires, but I still have some reserves, but I also know that the stupid 4WD shops want twice as much for the install, anywhere from 350-500 is what I'v had offered, I got one more to check with today.

 

Damn man, I cannot believe they are gong to try to pull $550.00 out of you to install that! That is really too bad! Anyhow, if you get those 5 days off, come out and see us!!