[Boatwaco]

From our friends at @Stage3Motorsports - 2009-2020 F150 4WD Bilstein 5100 Adjustable Leveling Shock Kit Install

 

[2016XLT4x4]

Hold up.... That thin snap ring at 03:35 in the video is what keeps the bottom coil spring support in place? Am I missing something here?

 

[Boatwaco]

Am I missing something here?

You are not missing anything - That snap ring is all that holds the original shock's lower coil spring seat in place.

 

[mass-hole]

Hold up.... That thin snap ring at 03:35 in the video is what keeps the bottom coil spring support in place? Am I missing something here?

Yes. I've never ever heard of a failure and they run the same setup on every 5100 application. Tons of Toyota guys run them and they wheel way harder than almost any F150 people do.

I was bombing down a dirt road in southern UT years back and crested a hill to find a washed out section of road. I hit it at probably 45mph. Im pretty sure the tires left the ground. The impact was so hard that my bike rack disintegrated and I ended up dragging my wifes bike 100 yard down the road because it was locked to the metal frame of the rack with a cable lock. Bilsteins took it like a champ. That was probably 70k miles ago and I still am using the same shocks.

The 6112's also use a similar, although larger diameter, snap ring.

 

[Upshifter]

Had the same concerns. Looks crazy, but a physics professor somewhere could probably explain why it isn't.

 

[2016XLT4x4]

Very interesting... I'm still trying to wrap my head around this.

 

[Boatwaco]

The OEM shocks have a bump to hold the lower spring seat. I took a print screen of when Stage3 knocked the spring seat off the OEM shock. Apparently Bilstein shock body is bigger (diameter) so only a snap ring is needed to hold the spring seat in place.

 

[FanaticalKilla]

Lots of applications of captive snap rings like this in transmissions as well. There's no room for the snap ring to pop out and its big enough to carry so its more then adequate.

 

[Justinjs]

It seems like it would fail, but several thousands of miles on mine living in the salt belt have proven otherwise.

The most dangerous part is using the rent-a-tool spring compressor from AutoZone...that thing is one fart noise away from sending the spring into orbit with one of your appendages attached.

 

[Boatwaco]

I tested a few and use this type now:

https://www.f150ecoboost.net/threads/spring-compressor-reviews-and-stories.87550/post-1390534

 

[bluelight]

That snap ring does not move easily, and when that collar is on there, it can't expand at all.

 

[FanaticalKilla]

The most dangerous part is using the rent-a-tool spring compressor from AutoZone...that thing is one fart noise away from sending the spring into orbit with one of your appendages attached.

Those are designed for a large car at best but price and availability say otherwise!