Lorenz Bilstein 5100 Suspension System Install. Questions?

[Buffalo]

I just ordered this suspension system & remember reading that to install the front coil springs, you had to remove the top trailing arm bolt (front) & loosen the lower trailing arm bolt (with the guage on it) to get the axle to drop far enough to get the springs in.



I spoke with Sean (@ Lorenz Industries) & he said that all you had to do was remove one of the track bar bolts & the axle would drop far enough to install the springs. I've looked at the track bar & can't visualize how that could work. However, I know that Sean designed this system & has probably forgotten more about this stuff than I will ever know.



What have you guys done on these installs? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I am not much of a mechanic. But, I do like to try to do this stuff. I've never done any suspension work other than installing shocks, in the past.



This system comes with the mini-pack springs for the rear, also.



Do you recommend having a front-end alignment done after the install?



Thanks.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[Lorenz]

Take a look at the bracket just to the left of the bumpstop, and directly above my wrist in the picture. This is the trac bar bracket. Remove the trac bar from the bracket and the axel will drop out enough to get the coils in and out.

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[Lorenz]

This is all it takes to get the 3" IR Coils into place once the track bar is removed from the frame bracket. You have the 2" HD Coils and can probably get it in by yourself with out pushing down on the axle.


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[Buffalo]

Hi Sean,



Thanks for posting & the pictures. I'm just having a hard time visualizing how the track bar allows the suspension to drop enough for the coil install. Obviously, IT DOES!!! Thanks for the pictures. They really help.



Does removing the one bolt allow enough room for the spring install on both sides or just the one side?



I don't mean to "hound you" with all these questions. That's why I posted on the websites to try to better understand what I'm getting into. I reread the 'Great Suspension Test' last night and can't wait to get mine installed.



Thanks, again, for your advice & I hope I don't make you mad by asking all these questions. I've never done an install, like this before. This is all "new territory" for me.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[Lorenz]

Make me mad?... Far from it. I encourage the questions. If you have them so do others. You had the courage to ask, and provided me with an opportunity to share the insides of our systems.

Removing the one trac bar bolt in the pic will allow the axle to drop out far enough to get both driver and passenger side coils out. You will have no issues getting the new HD coils in place using this method.

Once you get under there and remove the bolt everything will click metally.

Here's a trick to get that bolt and trac bar back in place. You'll want to button up the install and save that bolt as the last piece to put together. Once the truck is safely on the ground, tires on, and truck still chalked and unable to move, you can start the truck and move the steering wheel a quarter turn.

This will move the trac bar and its alignment in the bracket. Turn the truck off, and check to see if the trac bar is lined up in the bracket. Continue this until you can get the bolt back into place. ALWAYS TURN OFF THE TRUCK, PUT IT IN PARK, SET THE PARKING BRAKE, CHALK THE TIRES SO THE TRUCK CANNOT MOVE BEFORE you check the trac bar alignment in the frame bracket.

By turning the steering wheel you move the axel and the trac bar back into place with hydraulics rather than elbow grease... Working smarter not harder!

 

[Lorenz]

Throw a liberal amount of red locktite on that bolt just like they did from the factory.

You will loose control of the truck if that trac bar bolt backs out while driving!

 

[bighammer]

Think of the track bar as holding the axle centered. After the axle drops far enough, the track bar is trying to pull the axle sideways, but the links only want it to go straight down. After the track bar is removed, it can drop further down. Make sense?

I think it's good you ask questions (and it's good for Sean) because the difficult spots can be identified, and others like you can say"I think I can do that too" when they read about your success.