Front Coil Springs....Thoughts?

Well, got my Bilstein 4600's in for my '03. Don't really have the skillset to change coils from stockers to the new shocks, and am not sure about down time for this project. I am thinking of new front coil springs, but there doesn't seem to be much of a market for just springs. Wanting to purchase springs and bring them along with the front shocks to the local suspension shop to have them properly put together. Any thoughts, or just take the old ones out and have some downtime on the truck? With my schedule, probably a few weeks.

 

Look into some Eibach springs as I was happier with them then stock setup...with no experience doing the swap (once assembled at shop) you could spend about 2 hours each side...once you do one side...it's so much faster on the other side...not hard, just takes time...or spend $400 and have a shop throw them in with an alignment...

 

I'd buy new upper mounts also, no sense in replacing the shocks and leaving those.

1st gen trucks are super simple to pull the shock assembly. Jack it up, pull the wheels, and 4 bolts to remove the whole thing. I've taken the units to my local mechanic, paid a 30 pack of Coors and he swapped the springs over. Whole thing took maybe 3 hours from start to finish.

To be honest though if you aren't confident in your abilities, throw the new shocks on the passenger seat, and drop it off to have them do it all.

 

I’m completely comfortable swapping them out, just not swapping the springs over....way too much involved and too many horror stories heard thru the years. Last coil springs I changed were on a ‘90 Caprice....and we were dumb enough to use a floor jack and rope to compress them....back when I was young and stupid...lol

 

Hey Hulk, you remember a Eibach part number by chance?

 

Spring compressors are not too expensive.

 

This was 20+ years ago, before there was a harbor freight nearby...lol

 

I get it...but if you have no problem taking out the shocks just buy some spring compressors or borrow some. Its pretty easy to switch them over...as long as you have the right tools...ie...spring compressor

 

Yeah man, if you’re swapping out springs and not willing to get some coil overs, I wouldn’t bother with the springs.
Only took me one time helping a buddy change his springs to conclude I’ll never do that again.

as far as swapping out coil overs, take a day, invite a good buddy, supply a sixer and have fun.
Last time I changed mine was my first time, I just looked at a good YouTube video and bit the bullet. mall I needed to do after was an alignment.

if it’s possible, maybe get a shop to do the spring compressing and you do the swap yourself?

 

That's what I am going for. Have a really good suspension shop in Amarillo that can swap them over. Like I posted before, it's the downtime from having the front end apart.

 

Either way, you’re looking at less than a day of downtime. it’s actually less labor intensive than you think.

Took me (with no previous experience and definitely not an expert mechanic) six hours (four on one side and two on the other LOL)
With a shop, it took three at most with alignment.

 

I'm grasping now, but try these: EIB-E30-82-066-04-20...you would gain a min of .6" of lift with these...I experienced about an 1" at the time...now I'm on 2.75" with Icons...

 

What shocks did you run them with? Icons would be badass...

 

I used KYBs...

Icons are amazing! I can't go back now due to owning them now...