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$$ the install was! Took me about 3.5 hours! Maybe it had something to do with it being the OR package. First, I had a hell of a time getting one of the lower shock bolts off. My 1/2" impact on the highest setting and 140 psi air pressure would not budge it, even after soaking with penetrating oil for an hour. Then I broke a 19mm 6-point socket on it (and almost my arm) using the 18" breaker bar. I was just about to cut it off, but finally broke it loose with the breaker bar and a thick-walled impact socket. The guy in Canton must have been on crack when he tightened that one. The other one came right off.
Then I had a hell of a time getting the upper ball joint studs back through the spindles to start the nuts. I supported the lower arm with the jack, but that helped very little. The rubber in the upper arm joint made them basically spring loaded to their top-most position. I ended up using a pry bar to force the arms down, and used stainless wire around the a-arm and spindle, tightening it a little at a time, until I could manage to get the ball joint stud through the hole in the spindle far unough to start the nut. Getting the tops bolted back up took a lot of time. Did you guys have that hard of a time getting the upper a-arms back down far enough?
So now the front is done - on to the rear. I have not been shooting for a level truck. I want a small lift all the way around. Now that I know what level the front is at (+2.5"), I'm going to add 1.5" to 2" on the rear with blocks. While doing that, I'm going to invert the u-bolts (new u-bolts) and fab a new top plate, so that there will no longer be the factory plates and u-bolt ends hanging down below the axle. New shocks will be necessary too. My factory "Rancho" shocks are only 24" long and are virtually fully extended when the axle hangs free. I'm afraid they'll self-destruct at full extension with the 2" rear lift. I'll post picks here when all done.
But what a pain in the a$$ 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.
