Front is done. Rear is next.

Mike H. · 10-10-2004, 09:23 PM

I finished installaing PrerunnerGreg's kit for the front today. It is the 1.2" spacer for the Offroad package. Before I started, my rear was exactly 2.5" higher than the front. My basis of measurement is from a common, repeatable, point on the wheels (such as the edge of the center cap, or the edge of the rim) up to the edge of the wheel wells. The spacer added exactly 2.5" to the front. After a ride around the block, my measurements at all 4 corners are all within 1/8" of each other. It EXACTLY leveled it. Going to the alignment shop tomorrow morning.

But what a pain in the a$$ the install was! Took me about 3.5 hours! Maybe it had something to do with it being the OR package. First, I had a hell of a time getting one of the lower shock bolts off. My 1/2" impact on the highest setting and 140 psi air pressure would not budge it, even after soaking with penetrating oil for an hour. Then I broke a 19mm 6-point socket on it (and almost my arm) using the 18" breaker bar. I was just about to cut it off, but finally broke it loose with the breaker bar and a thick-walled impact socket. The guy in Canton must have been on crack when he tightened that one. The other one came right off.

Then I had a hell of a time getting the upper ball joint studs back through the spindles to start the nuts. I supported the lower arm with the jack, but that helped very little. The rubber in the upper arm joint made them basically spring loaded to their top-most position. I ended up using a pry bar to force the arms down, and used stainless wire around the a-arm and spindle, tightening it a little at a time, until I could manage to get the ball joint stud through the hole in the spindle far unough to start the nut. Getting the tops bolted back up took a lot of time. Did you guys have that hard of a time getting the upper a-arms back down far enough?

So now the front is done - on to the rear. I have not been shooting for a level truck. I want a small lift all the way around. Now that I know what level the front is at (+2.5"), I'm going to add 1.5" to 2" on the rear with blocks. While doing that, I'm going to invert the u-bolts (new u-bolts) and fab a new top plate, so that there will no longer be the factory plates and u-bolt ends hanging down below the axle. New shocks will be necessary too. My factory "Rancho" shocks are only 24" long and are virtually fully extended when the axle hangs free. I'm afraid they'll self-destruct at full extension with the 2" rear lift. I'll post picks here when all done.

1BadTitan · 10-11-2004, 05:10 PM

I have the same kit and also have the OffRoad package. I did the full install in about an hour. My impact gun set at 100psi worked fine. This kit was a breeze to install.

Mike H. · 10-11-2004, 06:47 PM

I know it SHOULD have been that way. I can see the frozen shock bolt being a fluke. But were your upper A-arms basically spring-loaded in the up position? What was going on with mine?

1BadTitan · 10-11-2004, 07:17 PM

Yea the bushings are tight and make it feel like it's "spring loaded" pulling back up. Its OK

smoothTitan · 10-11-2004, 07:32 PM

gonna post some pics

smoothTitan · 10-11-2004, 07:32 PM

i have see a couple on here where the front now looks higher than the rear.

Mike H. · 10-12-2004, 05:04 AM

Well, I can. I figured you guys had seen enough of them already. It is level to 1/8". I'm going to unlevel it next, though, by adding 1.5" to the rear.

Mike H. · 10-12-2004, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1BadTitan

Yea the bushings are tight and make it feel like it's "spring loaded" pulling back up. Its OK

That was a b!tch on mine! I absolutely could not do it by hand alone. Had to use pry bars to get some extra leverage on them to be able to start the nut. Knowing what I know now, I would have rigged up a small turnbuckle with wire around the top and lower arms to pull 'em back together. That is more or less what I did with the wire alone.

Mike H. · 10-12-2004, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoothTitan

gonna post some pics

Here you go. Not very sunny out today. From wheel edge up to sheetmetal measures exactly the same all around.

This is before the rear lift - it will be a couple weeks for that to come together.

Denali · 10-12-2004, 03:00 PM

Has anyone looked at the CV joint angles with this kit? I like the look but am worried about binding the CV specially at full down extension.

BTW Mike H. where in Orlando? I am on the east side near UCF.

Mike H. · 10-12-2004, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denali

Has anyone looked at the CV joint angles with this kit? I like the look but am worried about binding the CV specially at full down extension.

BTW Mike H. where in Orlando? I am on the east side near UCF.

Casselberry, near the end of Red Bug. You can come by and check it out if you like. The CV angle is not too bad. The CV shafts are virtually flat from the factory.

1BadTitan · 10-12-2004, 04:42 PM

The shafts look fine. They arnet fully extended either, there is still some travel.

ensclark · 10-12-2004, 05:09 PM

Hey Mike, Have you thought about the bushwacker FF? I have mine on order. As soon as I put the new rims on and pushed the wheels out I can't keep the sides of the truck clean. Just a thought.

Denali · 10-12-2004, 05:42 PM

I have the Bushwackers and will be putting them on this weekend. Next trick is to find mud flaps that are wide enough for the FF and still work with the utility door.

Mike, would love to come by and take a look some time. I will PM you. Thanks

1blackx · 10-12-2004, 08:04 PM

I love the way it looks leveled. Nice looking truck you have there.