I was wondering who has installed, and any tricks/hints to installing these things. Is there one way easier then the next? Thanks!

Tye

 

Seems like every truck is a little different. On all of them you need to Jack up the frame of the truck so that the suspension is left hanging, unclip the brake lines and dissconnect the top bolt of the shocks. Some trucks will need to have a drag link disconnected, some have room without doing this. Some need spring compressors and some don't. In my case I had to have em and I would highly reccomend using two sets. These are some stiff springs and if one of these compressors snaps it could get ugly in a hurry. Even using 2 sets I had em clamped down tight enough that the screws on them were starting to flex and bend before they were compressed enough to get it all in there.

 

Did mine on a lift (I had access to one) and as Dennis said, lifted enough to let the suspension hang, in my case truck was about 2' off the ground, springs fell right out, no comprssion needed. Drag link had to be disconnected. Hardest part of the install was replacing the bump stops. I replaced the springs, shocks, bumpstops, and added billet blocks (Kore).

Had to have wheel alignment done after, 50k kms later couldnt be happier!

 

I've done a few searches on a couple different sites and there are mixed stories, time it took and difficulty to do. Some say they needed the spring compressors, some just dropped the sway bar and track bar and dropped the frontend?

 

Mine is an 06 and that is how it went....sway bar had to be dropped for the blocks, track bar unbolted, lifted the truck and poof...it literally fell out! Lifted a bit more to install the taller springs and shocks, lowered it down tightened it all up, put it back together....

2 of us, (I wasnt a bunch of help) and it took less than 2 hours total!

 

I've done few and even truck of the same year, some need compressors and some don't. Some need the links disconnected and some don't. Can't explain the why's of it. Better to have the compressors and pickle fork hand and not need them, then the other way around.

 

I would agree....nothin worse that starting a big project and then having to ride your bike to a shop to borrow tools

 

Forgot to add something here. I don't know what kind of shocks you have, but my Bilsteins were the worst. These things were so stiff that you can't compress em by hand. We had to put a socket over the rod with extensions and a ratchet to get it up high enough and lay our body weight on it to get the rod pushed in enough to put it back in the tower. Pushed it all the way in pull the socket of and slide it in there before it extended back out. What a PITA.

 

I just finished this upgrade on my truck.

I did it on the flat shop floor!

Jack up the truck and block accordingly so that front spring are unweighted. Next, mark and remark the connecting bolts of the top control arm at the axle (only). Remove said bolts.
Disconnect the stabilizer bar bolts, it will drop quickly so be careful.

This no allows you to remove the stock spring and shock. The removal of the shocks involve some though as to how to access the shock crown but it is all pretty easy. The shock extends right up and as long as it doesn't hit the brake booster or anything else like that it will come right up and out. Install new shock and spring and replace in reverse order.

I did the first shock spring in 2 hours and the next took a bit more thought as it was under the brake booster but it did come out.

I didn't do what the book says, which it to remove all the stuff and do an alignment etc. My truck's alignment was out to begin with because the shocks and springs were goosed and after I installed this stuff I now really need on to make the steering wheel straight but otherwise all is good.

Oh and I used Carrier D25 springs and Rancho 5000's. I don't think the spacer blocks are great for these trucks with all the weight on the front end. My opinion of course.

 

I hate the way mine rides with them. As soon as I can afford it I'm gonna order a 2" front lift kit from Nate. Comes with new taller springs and all the other parts to make it ride right. The blocks are cheap easy way to do it, so I tried em. Then I found another company that will replace your whole rear spring pack to whatever height and weight you want them at. This way the truck will have a 2" all around lift. Any higher and trailers get to be a problem.